New-York tribune., 1908-11-14
FFW FACTS ON WHICH TO
B4SE IN OPINION.
!shake-up at Yale and Uncertainty
at Princeton Make Game
Today a Puzzle.

Princeton 2 bitter sensational struggle can be
looked for. Ten DAYS ago. before the game with
Brown. Yale had what looked to be cham
pionship team and I would not have hesitated
20 predict a victory for the Blue eleven its
old rival st Princeton. That team however.
which looked SC strong on paper failed utterly
against the sturdy eleven from Providence, and
after being clearly outplayed and practically
beaten was cut to pieces and reorganized on the
eve IL nav be said Of the battle with the
Tigers
The wisdom Of this radical move is open TO
question. in my opinion. but the justification
may come to-day. and if it does the remarkable
keenness and perception OF the Yale coaches
must te acknowledged In trying 10 reach
conclusion however it must be remembered
that Yale wiz 90 into the game with practically
green backheId, two OF whom-Field at full
hack. and johnson, at quarterback-have never
been under fire, SO 20 speak, in big game, or
any game this year for that matter, except for a
few minutes And this is not all. Some Of the
line men are new 70 their positions-dang gerously
rev Coy. who has been playing at fulback for
Two years is al one end after four days trial.
and Eaines who was Coys understuoy until
the unfortunate injuries 70 knpatrick- ana
Naedele at the other. Brides has been moved
from halfback TO tackle. and while an old hne
player has had little experience there for TWO
wears while LiIley. who did not get the call until
Mnndsv is mis- running mate. Fortunately for
Vale The three centre men tried and true,
with Andrus and 'soebel guards, and Biddle,
who hes been improving steadily, at the pivotal
position With this condition, however, II would
be mere Euesswork to predict a victory for Yale.
for while the men are strong and able individu-
ally. il is hard TO believe that they have been
welded into team in four days capable Of
showing that team work necessary 10 sue
cess
IN turning 70 Princeton the same uncertainty
exists After seeing the team clearly outplayed
and beaten by Dartmouth, can hardly bring
r-vseff - predict Z victory for the Tigers over
YaIe-1ntried though the latter team is now
made I'D. Earlier in the season was convinced
that the Princeton eleven was strong but back
ward and this was nor surprising in the knoWl-
edge that the coaches had decided TO sacrifice
everything 70 the Yale game The Dartmouth
game showed some weak spots. however, notably
At one end. AZ quarterback and al fulioack. 10
say nothing Of e lack Of concentration and varl-
etv in the scheme Of attack and in punting.
This led 20 some eleventh hour changes, as az
Yale. McCrohan being dropped in favor, Of
Feigenspsn Z green man. and Booth. the big
tackle being tried on one end In all probability
the team profted by the Dartmouth game, but
70 what extent viii not be known until the ref
eree's whistle ends the struggle today.
On THURSDAY evening met Yale man who
vas blind 70 every color except Blue and who
Yale beat Princeton st football? listened pa
tfeuriv and then. 70 be contrary. II nothing else
took the other side and almost convinced my
self if not my bearer that Yale could not beat
Princeton Yesterday I ran across old
Princeton PLAYER. who was pore sanguine Of
success than most Princeton men have talked
70 and. being forced II take the Yale end Of the
same old argument. to which have been par
tisI most OF the season. once more convinced
myself that Yale could beat Princeton
All this sounds paradoxical and indicates
weakness in one Or both conclusions: but who
shall decide when doctors disagree over such q
rqlzzling patient as this same Yale-Princeton
game Il arguing for the Tigers, my plea ran
81 this wise
Yale bv radical and altogether unlocked for
changes AZ the last minute will take the field
with IN untried team. which must jeopardize, If
not DESTROY. the general scheme Of attack oulit
up SO largely around Coy in the backheld
Mora particularly. under the new rules a good
punter and fast. heady pair Of ends, capable
n getting down the field with a more or less
certain knowledge Of where the ball will be. are
almost essential to success Yet At Yale the
unusual condition obtains Of finding Coy and
FEaires the best punters, II not the only good
ones on the team, playing at the ends and Vltn
rev man a. fuIlback Of whom little is known
7 is res sonable 70 believe that Coy will go back
- 30 the punting. which means that tleld OF
Murphy must take his place on the end, and
thus break Up 70 large extent the relation that
should exist between a punter and well drilled
ends n the open style Of play. If. as il looks,
bv the reconstr1ction Of the team the coaches
hs-e decided 70 depend largely on what has
coma 70 be styaed straight football, meaning
close formation PLAYS. then Yale will never beat
p-inceYon- as The Tigers have developed rea-
sonablv good defence. while the team is re-
rnarlabIv strong from tackle TO tackle, and
strong also IN the secondary line.
L arguing in favor Of Yale which led 70 the
other conclusion the following position was
taken. The Princeton eleven. while strong IN
spots particularly from tackle 70 tackle ana
with q defence that should be hard 10 pene-
t-zte appears 70 be totally lacking in varied
and concentrated attack SO necessary 10 win
ming games To play on the defensive and wait
for chance 10 furnish an opening, as was the
case against Dartmouth, viii never beat
team Ike Yales, matter how green II Is
The tine between the two games was too short
"a remedy this defect unless, perchance, the
coaches faithful 70 tia questionable policy Of
risling everything 10 beat Yale had covered UP
their strongest play. This seems unlikely, in
view Of the fact that the backheId has been
changed about and IS still uncertain on the
morning OF the game. I argued further that
Princeton might be weak, and was weak against
Dartmouth. al quarterback where. with the
brilliant and heady Dillon, IL should have been
strongest Brt Dillon not himself be
cause ne was saving that bad knee for the
Yale game ard Dillon is not likely TO be him
self. because he has been out OF the practice
g much ard, consequently. must have failed TO
establish the proper relation between himself
and his team.
str cd z