New-York tribune., 1908-10-05
ON COLLEGE GRlDIR0NS
THE SEASONS OUTLOOK.
Yale Has the Making of "a Strong
Team-HOpe at HarUdrd.

It is far too early to make any predictions as to
the probable outcome OF the big college football
games this year but it is net too early to advance
the opinion that the season. now fairly under way
will be ore Of the most interesting in the history Oh
the sport The revised rules, which have improved
the game to such marked degree, have been tried
for two years. and their application now
amounts to something more than experiments Inc
forward pass. under further revision last fall Is
still subject to Development. while advanced ideas
in the use and variation Of the on-side KICK can
also be looked for. but on the whole the game has
settled down and the various elevens can be de-
veloped quicker along approved lines than was pos
sible last year the year before. Further thah
that the more important colleges not lacking In
good material, which indicates evenly balanced
teams and consequently close and hard fought
struggles This is particularly true at ale. Prince
ton Pennsylvania and Annapolis. Harvard CorneH
and West Point have more to do. perhaps, but In
dications even at this early date point to strong
eIevens IL the material be properly developed
The games on Saturday did not show much 10 the
casual observer, but were all important 10 the
coaches indicating points of weakness tnat must
be boIstered I'D signs Of strength that must De
made the most Of. The Yale game was an excep-
ton perhaps Either Syracuse, under the coachins
of Howard Jones' a Yale end last year, is remark
ably strong or else Yale is weaker than the make
up of the team would lead one to believe am
disposed to the first theory, and feel confident tlat
future games will prove It correct Captain Horr
OF Syracuse Is tower OF IA Ai4-A4SiA5 an
he has gathered a team about him that knows
football and how it should be played Harvard
found a weaker foe in Maine than 1t did in Bow
doin on Wednesday, Pennsylvania showed Iateht
strength against the good defence OF BuckneIl'
while Princeton had TO do little than go
through the motions to beat the Sprin gfeId Train
ing School. and used two three men in each posi-
ton for purely educational purposes Cornell may
have been lucky 10 find comparatively weak foe
in Hamilton as the team has not settled down, and
played loose, ragged game.
After looking over the material at the different
colleges I feel disposed to hazard prediction.
this early date, that Yale. with her COM
petent coaches and settled system. Will send out
another championship team From tackle to
tackle. with the possible exception Of centre the
eleven should be wonderfully strong Andrus
and Goebel make a pair of guards that an ALI
America team would be proud Of. Goebel is
famed for his remarkable strength and is q vet
eran player; Andrus needs only little experience
to place him among the famous guards Of the
past. He played on his freshman team two years
ago-the best freshman team Yale ever had-but
was forced leave college, and returned last
year q freshman He played on the scrub
side by side with Hobbs. and proved himself time
and again. Hobbs, at left tackle. can be marked
already as a likely candidate for the All-America
team He is of the Jim Hogan type and knows
football and how best TO apply his knowledge
On the other side Cooney, Brown and LIley Will
make 4 pretty light TO oust Brides. the natural
choice for the place If it is finally decided to use
him in the line instead Of the back field. where he
played last year. Biddle and Hyde appear 70 be
the leading candidates for centre. Both need
lot Of coaching. but both are earnest hard work
ers.
On first glance II would seem if the coaches
had much do in developing two ends Of the class
Of Alcott and Howard Jones' and a quarterback to
fill the shoes Of Tad Jones, but they fortu-
nate in having some good men TO work with So
far as can be learned it has been decided to play
Captain Burch at end rather than quarterback
for the excellent reason that he viii have trouble
enough with the captaincy without the added re-
sponsibilIties OF running the team He is a fast
brilliant player, and will be acceptable If he can
get the unfortunate habit cf getting hurt
Logan has the call on the other end. A twisted
ankle kept him out of the Syracuse game He
too. has the habit OF getting hurt. but is fast in
getting down the field sure tackler and clever
handler Of the forward pass. Fitzpatrick is close
to ten-seconG man. and has weight to back him
VI He played fairly well Saturday. and may
give Logan a hacd fight for the place. Bingham.
a little chap Wheaton, brilliant drop kicker and
Hopkins, whO played last years freshman team,
are the leading candidates fer quarterback. I am
told that Bingham is the favored one at present.
but personally I nave a leaning to Wheaton. be-
cause of his drop-kickng ability He showed a
hesitancy that would be fatal in running back
runts last Wednesday. but this fault could be
eradicated. Barring accidents Philbin and Murphy
are reasonably sure for halfbacks. The
former is a strong runner. in a broken field keeps
his feet we'll and hits the line hard Murphy is
a quick thinker and a good defensive player.