The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-11-27
AN EXPERTS view.
George White Writes Story of Thanks
giving Football Clash.


What sweet consolation was meted
| yesterday to the local Washburn en-
thusiasts who have been going out
game after game, always horGful, only
| to see their heroes fall. After five
successive defeats, with the dope some
| 80 to O against them, the Blue turned
in desperation and tied the heavy, ag-
gressive Sooners.
The world loves a winner, it is
awful hard to love a loser and sup
Forters of the Blue could say little in
| praise of the team, but today they
have only smiles and congratulations.
the little sore spots have all been heal
ed. 1t was not a victory but is accept
ed with just as much joy.
The game was the spectators ideal,
replete with forward passes, onside
| kicks, trick plays and sensational runs.
Never has Bonnie Owen, since he has
coached western elevens, showed so
many open plays. He is always ex-
| pected to use mostly concerted line
plunges. Coach Weede, on the other
hand because coming into the coach
| ing ranks since the inception of the
new style of play, has ever advocated
| the open game, though more especial
| ly this season on account of a weak
| lire 1t has been the opinion of many
| football enthusiasts that the old style
| of play could not prosper under the
new ten yard rule. However, on ac-
| count of the drawing back more
| men for secondary defense to inter-
| eept forward passes and onside kicks,
4
| plunges have found abundant proof
| that ten yards in three downs is not
| nearly so improbable as supposed.
| Oklahoma's main strength has been
| in this plunging, smashing. Getting
| the jump on their opponents and fast
| successive play has made them top
| liners on the gridiron since securing
| Owen as coach. However, in the.
| game yesterday they were unable to
| penetrate the line as other teams have
done. This they claim was due to the
slippery condition of the field. Wash
burn, somehow. perhaps In sheer
| desperation, had braced up and no
| part of the line could be pierced for
| consecutive gains except through right
| tackle where Halfback Roberts made
| gains of from five to thirty yards time
and again. Codding at tackle, playing
| too close and back of Temple at guard,
| was repeated boxed in. Captain Robb
at end, taking the interference, could
| seldom get the man with the ball, who
! with the line broken had an opening
| to McVey on secondary defense where
| Marin. the Indian quarter, usually in
| terfered and the play reached Breth-
| our. This same play was worked
| repeatedly. Too much can not be said
| for Roberts who made these gains.
| Running low and using his interfer
ence remarkably we'll where possible,
| he proved the hardest man to tackle
on the Washburn gridiron this year
Washburn's Tacl1ling Is Improved.
| An unusual number of Oklahoma's
plays were stopped from behind. Capt.
Robb and Larimer at ends repeatedly
| tackled the runner following him be-
hind his own line. The improved tack
| ling of the Blue is largely responsible
for the holding of the Sooners to their
| one touchdown. This department of the
game has been Washburn's weakness
so evident all season, Selling opponents
| by the shoulders or arms, and with the
exception of Robb, seldom If ever leav-
ing their feet for a low, hard tackle.
In this game. however, McVey, Bre-
4 r,.a&11o L
ly taking them by the feet. For the
Sooners, Wantland. Armstrong, and the
two Indians did some good tackling.
The cleanest tackle of the day, one to
one of Glen Haughey's flying perform
ances was made by Red Mcknight,
after taking Codding's place, running
down under a punt perhaps 1t was
tention but he reached the man away
in the lead and leaving his feet crashed
full weight into the runners gearing.
SmiIey's Great Work
Arthur Smiley, Washburn left half,
was the star of the day His brilliant
nation, closely followed by Wantland
of the Sooners, was by far the prettiest
and the most fortunate. piece OF work
of the season. Though he was downed
on the three yard line, the next play
sent the ball over and the credit for
the tieing touchdown goes to Smiley.
At safety his tackling was remarkably
sure while he received punts accurately
to the immense joy of the crowd who
have been accustomed this season to
seeing them fumbed dangerously near
the goal line.
Hopes GeneraIship.
Quarterback Hope played his best
game of the year. One thing that help
ed was that every play was not going
to the bad. If there is anything to dis
concert quarter it is the failure of
plays. Some plays were working well,
At the Sooners own game, Codding,
Brethour, and Munford all made good
gains through the line. Their ruShes
were, however, a marked contrast to
those of fine Sooners. These were Stumb
ling, pushing, with an opponent hang
ing onto somebody's foot while Okla
runner Hope chose excellent oppor
tunities for his forward passes with
perhaps one exception, a chance to
score by a pass to the corner of the
field. The four successive passes
which netted so yards just after the
Washburn score one to Brethour who
had remained unnoticed near the side
line, a pass of 80 yards, and another
of 35 back across the field from Smiley
to Schmidt after a double pass were the
prettiest and cleanest passes ever
achieved on the local gridiron.
At the end of the intermission be- |
tween halves with the score to O.
against him, Coach Weede sent his |
men in with this exhortation: For !
many of you this is your last game on
the Washburn field. for the rest the |
last this season. Now whatever you