University Missourian. [volume] (Columbia, Mo.) 1908-1916, 1908-10-20

the individual and for the game. If
those in control should demand that
each man before donning his suit must
pass such physical examination, they
would be doing more to rid the game
of the much cried stigma of much worse
than prize-fghting'; they would be
doing more for football than they are
by slight notifications of the playing
rules.
Football material in the Missouri
Valley compares favorably in quality to
that of the East. Much of the really
good material goes North and East and
that which remains is Ofttimes green
and very poorly developed. With the
growing opportunities for the winning
of hOnOrs and the improved education
al facilities, we are now holding much
material which formerly went elsewhere.
Styles of Play.
Iowa and Nebraska Universities,
with their heavy, beefy teams, content
ed themselves with a heavy, crashing
game, alternated occasionally with kicks
and passes, and the system was very
satisfactory, at least so far as results |
60. Kansas played the kicking game |
almost exclusively, and played it well. |
They had one of the greatest kickers |
in the country around whom to center
their game. This mans punts averaged
not far from sixty yards. Missouri used
very effectively the forward passing,
open-running trick game. Her forward
of any other team in the West or
Southwest. Iowa State College played
a heavy game with the exception of one
or two clever forward passes. Texas
University had the fastest back field of
the season, and used it to good advan-
tage on wide end runs and on running
1own passes and kicks.
''Defenses worked all the way from {
IN open delayed variety to the crash
ng and breaking up kind. Defense
seems to be more of problem for the
caches than Offense, and the question
low bothering the minds of the de-
'elOpers of football teams is as to how 1,
hey can best stop their opponents. i
When the ten-yard rule came into force
OOtball experts cried out that the Of
ense would never consistently make n
he distance. They were wrong; with I,
he defense modified as it must be to T
top the passing and kicking game the q,
ne was necessarily weakened with the
esult that now ten yards does not look
ny further or harder to gain than did =.
We yards under the old system, and =,
lrge score games are again becoming
'mmon. The latest curtailment put =.
n the forward-pass will not affect the :"
anne in the West, as 'indiscriminate O.
assing of the BALI has not been in
llged in by the Western teams.
Prospects This Year.
The 1908 season seems to be opening II
it'll an unusual degree of promise. ne
any of the larger schools are already
aiming the best teams of their career, tn
I'd of course the resulting champion u
Up. The claims are not wholly with err
It foundation. Material seems more du
undant than ever; from six to twelve
terans are returning to each school,
d the strong Freshmen elevens of 1907 tn,
e being drawn upon for excellent pu
ayers. Few changes in the coaching ma
rces are being made, the coaches of is
)7, as rule, having given great sat up
action in the majority of cases. Spec Sh
tors now, in summing up coach's
liities, generally take into considera-
n the opportunities which were plac-
at his disposal, the material at hand,
degree of student and faculty sup
It, and the calibre of opposing teams bu,
IN which he came in contact. The Of. OF
lie of play will not be materially moi
nged. Each team is going about the dis
lection of its own game. There are Ing
ications of but one change, and that
ood one. Play will be still more open To
n for 'O6 or OF. Coaches are going 1
take greater chances on the offense in
less chances on defense. den
In many athletic fields new and add the
seating capacity is being arranged. to
this is evidence of the increasing or
ularity of the game The football wOr
'sury having money to spare. han
ms are being more elaborately steI
ipped to stand the punishments of MAJ
game. Dealers in sporting goods this
placing at the disposal of the man. In
rs playing paraphernalia which is klnt
ually becoming better suited to it's ten.
poses. Let us awake to the fact n
the game is about due; that when arti
worlds baseball championship is set is
there will still be something to won
, us on our toes until the sporting INTO
I.-<-. L