New-York tribune., 1906-10-29
ON COLLEGE GRIDIR0NS.
Game as Played Under Neso Code
Meets zcith General FaOor.

| The various college football games on Satur-
| day substantiated to large extent the claim
| made by many close students of the game that
| some modification of the 10-yard rule must De
made if possession of the ball is TO be considered
| of paramount Importance as was the case under
| the old rules. Almost without exception 1t was
| found impossible to gain consistently by rushing
| and first downs were so few and far between
| that punting was constantly resorted to, with
| the consequent fumblng and loose play. The
| games also showed, however. that the inability
| 10 gain ground consistently by rushing did not
necessarily rob the sport of what has always
| been considered its strongest feature. at least
| from the spectators point of view, and that the
| rule had put end effectuaIly for all time to
the deadly dull and more or less dangerous mass
plays for gains of from to three yards at
q time Between the old and the new there is
no comparison, and the new stands out In a
way that leave no doubt as to the wisdom
of the committee that had in hand the delicate
work of revising the rules. The game can still
be improved, however by some modification OF
| the 10-yard rule which, while preventing re-
lapse into the old methods. will still make POS
session OF the ball, at least within the 2o-yard
line. the keynote to successful scoring.
To those who saw the various games on Satur-
day between teams so evenly matched that
fair exposition of the new code possible
general that the game had been vastly i'm
proved under the revised rules There were no
dull moments, and there action enough and
open play enough to satisfy the most exacting.
Luck and chance played a part that those
welded to the old methods decried but the
science of football was not subservient to fum-
bles and fukes, and with one or two eXcep-
tions the best team The revised rules
put premium on strategy, resourcefulness and
vigilance and relegate mere brute strength to
the background, and the mimic warfare is in
consequence the more interesting and exciting.
In place of the pound, pound. pound and buck,
buck. buck of the old game have come sharp
dashes in the open, quick doubling and lodging,
daring passes, brillisnt runs through q broken
field, sensational recoveries and spectacular sit
uations, which keep players and onlookers in
constant whtrl of excitement. The Juggling of
the ball on forward passes and onSide kicks
may Of basketball than football:
the wild scramble for the pigskin on tumble
may make the lovers of the old game shudder;
some games may be by a lucky chance
that will send the best team off the field de-
spondent, but, all in all, the game is so
immeasurably better than the old that the time
is at hand for It's general and popular accept
ence, even II such is not already the case.
There have been many injuries of q minor
nature and some of serious kind this fall, but
altogether there have been fewer injuries than
usual. for which the changes in the rules are
considered largely responsible. Football is a
strenuous game at best and those who expected
that the new code would prevent any injuries
were doomed to disappointment before a change
was made. Much unnecessary roughness has
been removed. however. and the games
longer drag while coaches are trying to patch
up their men TO play beyond their strength and
court injury.
Princetons victory over Cornell Saturday
was we'll and ceanly earned, but much must be
done to strengthen the defence If Yale is to be
conquered November II. The Cornell backs
played havoc with the line IN the first half and
ploughed through for many substantial gains.
There marked Improvement in the second
half, but this may have been due TO the fact
that Cornell had less opportunity to use ag-
eressive. forcing tactics. the eleven was busy
for the greater part of the time IN defending its
own goal line. The Cornell team is good one
this year, one of the best in fact ever de-
veloped at Ithaca, which makes Princeton's VIC
tory the more deserved. The men were we'll
coached in the intricacies of the new game and
The forward pass not used to the same
nicely that Princeton showed, but it can be said
that Eddie Dillon has mastered the play as has
no other quarterback in the college world up to
this time. The Tigers have mastered the plays
made possible under the code, and need
only time to make them even more effective than
was the case against Cornell. Individually and
collectively, the team is strong one and well
worthy to represent Old Nassau. Daub, McCor-
mick. Rulon-Afiller Harlan, Tibbot and Cass
all good in the back field and Eddie
Dillon, the clever quarterback can be depended
on to use them to the best advantage, as ne is
q born football general. Wistcr and Hoagland
are good pair Of ends. If not quite up TO the
Henry-Davis standard. while Stanard. Coonev
and Captain Dillon a tower Of strength in
the line. Herring at centre, and Martin at
guard are the weak points, as judged by Satur-
days game, but Herring has the making of a
good man, as he follows the ball closely and
passes we'll With little more polish it is an
even wager that the Yellow and Black win
wave over the Blue this year.
Either West Point has a remarkably strong
team this year. that will play havoc with Annap-
oils in their annual game, else Harvard Is not
up to the required standard. The Crimson
eleven earned n victory over the soldiers on Sat
urday. but the honors Of the game were with
West Point. Il was largely a punting game as
neither eleven could make any consistent gains
by rushing, even with a free use of the forward
pass. In this respect, however. West Point
showed to better advantage and proved conclu-
sively that Bill Reid must study TO build up
and develop stronger defence for Harvard.
The game was valuable one to the Cambridge
eleven in showing what must be done if q team
Is TO be developed to defeat Yale.
The Yale eleven is in the midst Of a shake-up
in the line which may or may not result in
strengthening tire team. In the game against
Amherst on Saturday there much to COM
mend and much to criticlse but it will be time
10 draw conclusions later when the experimental
stage IS over and the be drilled as a
team. Yale came out Of the Amherst game with
n better knowledge Of what will be required 10
build the team up, as II no easy game to