The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-12-02
AN ALLWESTERN TEAM TO PLAY THE NEW CAME

Grams succeeded in cleaning up, but
three or four men who were wanted .
very badly fell by the wayside and
rigidly as Professor Paige had prom
ised. The failures did not play.
Minnesota labored under the disad.
vantage of some of her best men hav-
ing to cut practice repeatedly to give
up the time to study SO that they could
pass off examinations. It held back
the progress of the team to no small
extent. There was no training table.
Conditioning the men on boarding
house grub was monumental task.
The grub stake Of the ordinary board
ly up to the demands of a burly young
man who is working hard on foot
ball team. Minnesota's team, SO far
as physical condition went, was a won
der when it is considered that they
dined all over the East Side.
There was lack of substitutes.
There was no man approaching Mar
line in case of accident. This was
shown in the Carlisle game. The other
end, owing. to lack of material, called
for shifting of Ittner and Doane on
offense and defense. The line substi-
tutes were few. In spite of all these
obstacles the coach went about his
work, silently as usual, building with
what material he had at his command.
The talk of ''wealth of material'
at Minnesota is ridiculous. The ma
terial was good before the conference
adopted the fool regulations regarding
| freshmen and curtailed it at the other
end by making that needless three-year
rule. Since that time Minnesota has
not had any wealth Of material. The
| teams hxy
performed wonderfully well when all
OF the inside facts are considered.
Where Credit Is Due.
| The showing made by Minnesota dur
Ing the past two years is great credit
to the men who have done their work
so well and with such good spirit, and
to the untiring energy of the coach.
He. has been charged lately, by one
writer at least, with lacking "personal
magnesium to such degree that his
teams have not been up to the stand
ard. The scores of the games are the
best refutal Of such twaddle. DR..
Williams does not get ont on the field
and spend the time in giving "nine
sota'' and singing "Hail to Thee"
but does spend the time in getting
players. They win their schedules
with a painful regularity and none Of
the players complain of any lack Of
"magnetism' on the part Of their
tutor.
The Minnesota coach preserves a dig
, nifed altho friendly attitude towards
his players at all times. He has their
respect and their confidence. He is on
the gridiron as faculty representative,
, member Of the faculty, in fact. They
, regard him as a friend and counselor.
The idea that he does not get the fight
, ing spirit into his team can be refuted
by talking with members of rival west
ern teams who face his organizations
a victory than after a defeat. After
< the licking by Carlisle the first words
t spoken in the dressing room came when
. he sailed in to find about as dishearted
r a lot Of players as ever left field un-
!, der defeat. "Cheer up, fellows, there
. are lots of things worse than getting
licked by Carlisle. It might have been
! Chicago was the coach's first re-
+ mark. Then he went thru the squad in
, the combined capacity Of surgeon and
coach, looking for injuries and giving
cheering up the individuals. The men
appreciated that sort of Hpersonal
magnetism more than the loud-voiced
and blatant variety some coaches are
wont to employ. The gopher coach, con-
sidering the obstacles which he over
7 comes, performs some miracles in foot
. ball which do not reach publicity thru
his policy of saying little about what
, he is doing. In him Minnesota has one
! of the best coaches in the country.
, When he decides to quit football the
e gophers will have to 90 far to find a
t man who can fill his shoes in the all.
t around capacity demanded by the Min.
t nesota situation. There is not a coach
: in sight at present who can fill the bill.