The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-03-03
FINE MESS OF
RULE TINKERING
r. Horner Cutrtiss Would Do
q Many Things in Football
Meeting.

Journal Special Service.
Z New York, March 3,--The intercollegiate grid
iron congress known as the football rules COM
mitee met today at the Murray Hill hotel Mem
hers from north, east, south and west are sched-
tuled to act finally upon rules which reformecs
hope will lessen brutality in the playing of the
game. ~
- Homer Curtiss representative from the
south said today that he did not believe the
rules passed at the last meeting would efec-
tually do away with dangerous mass plays and
that 10 will offer substitutes for those rules and
ask the committee TO adopt them. aas '..'
1.-THE first obligation oftthe comn,itte toward
the public" said Curtiss. sis TO eliminate mass
plays, and at the lact meeting the rules commit
tee took action which it said would do this,
adopting the following rule .-E#
ss2st. .Cn offense six shall always be on the
line Of scrmmage. the five center men shall al
ways be on the line. except that one Of the center
men may drop back at least five yards, another
man to take his place on The rush line
This rule will not change the game very
much, and will put premium on beef. 1t Will
eliminate the light fast ends and halfbacEs.
Under this rule only may come out of
the line. but what is to prevent the coaches put
tipgsih heavy backs and ends and using them IN
standems and mass plays: Why keep the i've
MEN always the line of scrimmage. placing
men In line positions with this restriction limits
their activity and lessons their interest in the
game. 1t will discourage hig men from partici-
pating and football Is the only sport in which
some of these men can compete.
For this rule just passed by the committee
have take the place of the one Just quoted. The
rule reads:
- sOn offense there must he at least seven
men on the line of scrimmage when the ball is
put In play, except that one man may be, brought
behind the line of scrimmage. provided that
three men at least five yards behind the
line
ssss'.This rule will eliminate the mass of tandem
play. The essential Of the tandem play is to
start close to the line. Under the tandem Is
possible four yards back of the line. but IT would
not be as efficient. since the line by charging
could break UP the tandem.
There are many open plays possible under
this rule The new forward pass rule will allow
plenty of latitude for coach to plan his at
tack. and fast hafbacks will be at premium
There will also be for many trick plays
which make the game exciting, both to player
and spectator.
LEI believe that the committee again deprived
itself in the rule passed at the last committee
to weaken the defense. The rule as it now
stands reads
- That on defense not more than six men
shall be on the line Of scrimmage the others tc
be clearly behind the back feet of all the line
men and inside the men the ends of tht
line.'
Tense, but close analysis will show that i
has practically not altered the defense Penn
sylvanta has used successfully for the pas
two or three years, except that the men must b,
inside the ends. In the Pennsylvania defense
admittedly as strong as any in the country
there were practically only six OIL the lin
of scrimmage as Captain Torrey at center, or
dinarily played yard back Of the line an,
dfved into the play tackled on the ends, a
the occasion demanded. The halfbacks, too
Green and Sheble, ordinarily played inside tn
ends ST under the rule. it stands, team
could play Pennsylvania style Of defense an
it would be we'll nigh impossible for their oppc
nents to make the necessary ten yards for
first down.
IL also have substitute for this rule, whic
4 hope to add:
~ (Al On defense there must be six men O
the line of scrimmage and (B) there must b
three men ten yards back. co. The two nc
provided for in (A) and OBJ must be clearly ir
side the outside feet Of the men on the end
of the line. D) IF three men are not re
Yards. back when the ball Is put in play the
cannot take part in that play until they hav
retreated to their ten-yard mark. Penalty ft
violation Of this rule. loss Of ten yards
~ This rule will weaken the defense sine
three men cannot enter into scrimmage One c
these three will undoubtedly play far back g
the quarterback has Gone In the past TIL
VIII also make more scoring and conseouentl
make the possession Of the ball more valuable
I light fast team will also be equally as stror
as heavier team under this ruling
leAs for the possibility of the three men wi
are placed at least ten yards back entering IL
scrfmmage from position less than ten vaJ
back, the penalty Of ten yards loss will be t,
great to be repeatedly incurred. This rule wi
also hasten play by preventing piling up'