Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1907-02-09
LONGER HALVES
IN FOOTBALL GAMES.

Legislation intended to Increase the
| popularity of the open style of foot
ball game was agreed upon at the an
nual meeting of the American inter-
| collegiate football rules committee,
| which closed at the Murray Hill hotel.
| in New York, last week.
Three changes of note were made.
| In the first change, the time of the
game was heightened ten minutes, five
minutes being added to each half,
which will make future games con-
sist Of two playing periods of 80 min
utes each, In the second change the
| penalty in the event of an unsuccess-
full forward pass instead of the loss of
the ball, VIII be the loss of distance
OF 10 yards on the first and second
downs, The other change relates to
the officials and distributes the iuris-
dictiou OF play among a field umpire
line umpire and referee. Two UNI
pires have figured in games. but their
appointment was optional with the
competing teams. The new legisla-
ton makes the services Of two UNI
pires obligatory in all contests and
designates the territory over which
each shall preside. The right to decide
many points Of play formerly vested
IN the referee has been transferred 10
the field umpire.
The change in rule IA affecting fu-
ture forward pass plays now reads:
ON a forward pass which is unsuc-
cessful, instead of the penalty Of the
loss OF the ball there shall be a dis
lance penalty of 10 yards on the first
and second downs. the point to be
gained remaining the same and the
fouls counting as a down.
The point involved in this change
developed during the playing of the
Pennsylvania-Corne game last sea-
son. Owing to strong head winds Cor
nell feared to work forward pass
because failure might have made pos
sible field goal for the Quakers
In consequence, the Ithaca collegians
chose the alternative of using rushing
tactics for two downs. finally kicking
on the third against kind of great
velocity. At that time the point was
made that kicking play weakened
the defense when near its own goal.
because a forward pass could not be
executed with the danger of losing the
ball With the substitution of a dis
lance penalty the perils of the play
are eliminated
settlement of a point raised by
Hurry Up" Yost, a western coach.
was obtained by the adoption of this
rule: "a lineman is allowed to carry
the ball. provided he does not leave
his position in the line until after
the ball Is put In play" Pennsylvania
was using this play when Yost OBJ
JNSNNh- ilc pOluAtu OUT the excellence
OF the feat, but said It was not legal
lied by the playing code,
In the same connection this ruling
was: "a player may mt all times pass
the ball TO another of his own side who
is behind him" Under rule 49, B, a.
quarterback who had passed to the
tullback and then although behind
him, in a double pass, was technically
off side. The new rule removes all
doubt about this
In order to make clear the rule gov
erning fair catch the following was
adopted: "a player shall be consid-
erod as having chance To make a
fair catch II he Is in such a position
tina. II would be possible for him to
reach the ball before It touched the
ground Protection under that rul-
ing IN, therefore, given only to the
player attempting to catch the ball
II was also provided that Sin case
n signal for a fair catch is made by
any player who has an opportunity
for fair catch, and another player Of
his side who has not signaled for a
fair catch catches the ball, no run
shall be made and a fair catch shall
not be allowed. but the ball shall be
given to the catcher's side for down
at TIC. point where the catch was
The duties OF the line umpire WIN be
the Ordinary duties heretofore exer-
cised. He shall stand in the vicinity
Of the line of scrlmmage. The field
umpire shall stand behind the defen-
sive Hue IN the field. where tho ball
is likely TO go. Jurisdiction over hurd-
ling VIII rest exclusively with the ref
cree. An unsuccessful attempt was
made to have the rules amended so
ms TO permit n lineman to be brought
back TO the line. provided play does
not cross the line OF scrmmage Within
ave yards OF the spot whore the ball
was lut I'm play.