The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1906-10-21
GETTING HANG OF RULES.
WesteFneFs see Lots OF Good in
Changes i'm Football Code.

From the PittsbuFg sun
Western people begin to believe that
they are getting the hang Of the new
rules in the football game, and are san
guine that they will be able to put some
elevens on the fsfd which shall play bet
ter football than the West has seen since
thu game was taken to that section Of
the country by college men who had re-
turned home from the East.
Furthermore. there is d great deal Of
praise coming from the West for the
new rules In fact, there is nothing but
coed words heard on all sides for the
regulations, where. three weeks ago. d
number Of peevish and pessim!stic gentle
men were insisting that the rules COM
mlttee had made a bctch Of its task
and that the game would b, worse in
1906 than it had been IN 1905.
Il Is certain that weight is no longer 10
be a factor in American football. OF
course it will not entirely be dispensed
with. for il is essential that there shall
be some weight on the line to balance it.
However. there viii no longer be a de-
mand on the part Of the coaches for
weight without speed. The batteriHg ram,
push ball era of football has been done
away Tith. and in the future the sport
VIII be that Of running contest, which
was originally intended should be the
case Distorted ideas as to what football
amounted 10 brought about the heavy
lines and the mass formations. which be
came so iEtolerant to the spectators after
they had witnessed them for three years
in succession.
On the whole, the players seem TO get
along better physically with the new
game than they did with the old, When
they are finished with two halves, in
stead of being comparatively exhausted.
/ they are OF the field comparatively fresh,
and looking for more the next day.
Last year after a player had been
worked out hard Tor half an hour there
was little vitality left in him. He wanted
rest, and he needed rest Furthermore. II
the coach knew his business he got rest
Frequently the players have said. this
year. after they have finished practice,
that they feel as if they could go for an
other half hour and still not be tagged
out
When the neutral zone was suggested
at Hs%yard there were many practical
football men who jeered the plan and
were disposed 70 look upon il as d harm
less piece of legislation which would never
amount to much of anything and which
at the most might be granted because il
would make the Harvard football men
feel that they were being treated with
sufficient courtesy.
As ia other notifications Of the rules
the neutral zone has proved 10 be one OF
the best measures which the football
/ committee adopted. The ball is put into
play without interference. is in plain
sight of the officials as il lies on tho
ground, and the players must keep ION
side, for the moment that they step into
the space which is supposed to prevail
between the lines, both umpire and lines
men have a clear view of their transgTes-
sion.
The changes in the rules have demon
strated one thing rather conclusively. and
that is that the average football coach
has not much fundamental knowledge of
the game. Too many Of them teach foot
ball as they were taught to play the
sport. and they lack q clear insight into
/ the technique Of the pastime which would
render it possible for them 10 grass
changes ike those which have been made
In the rules this year and take advantage
OF the various points for their elevens
OF course where so many radical de
partUres have been effected. as were this
year, it is hardly to be expected that foot
ball will work smoothly from the jump.
If 1t were left to the administration which
would be given it by some OF the coaches.
the game would be played much as it
was last year. no matter if the rules did
provide for something to the contrary.
They are dazed when they are called
upon to originate anything, although they
ara proficient enough in imparting infor-
nation which has been taught to them.