The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1909-09-16
Some Radical Changes in the
Forward Pass Are Expected

Football coaches and others who
have been following closely the mod
ern trend Of the game are unanimous
in the belief that the coming season
will witness some radical changes in
the use Of the forward pass, and that
the perfecting OF this play will either
revolutiohize the game or will cause
the Introduction OF radically new rules.
This conclusion is based on the fact
that last year was the first since the
coming of the forward pass that the
coaches, in the east at least, really
seized and worked out the possibilities
of this play.
When the forward pass was first
legalized, eastern coaches were almost
unanimous in their opinion that the
play had no future beyond its use as
an occasional trick play. AS a result,
the new offense was almost totally dis
regarded and during the first two years
there were not a few championship
games in which the play was used no
more than once in single half. So
risky was 1t considered that coaches
refused to try it in any formation UNI
til they had seen 1t successfully operat-
ed by some other team.
Another evidence of this spirit was
that until last year the forward pass
was operated by only one player. But
during the past season there was an
awakening to its possibilities. Coaches
endeavored to have at least two men
who would throw the ball, with the re-
suit that the offense was greatly varied.
This variation is certain to be widely
extended this fall, for now the tend
ency will be to employ at least four
men in handling the forward pass. And
in this connection 1t may be stated that
other things being equal, any team that
has combination Of good running
backs, all Of whom can operate the for
ward pass In a variety of plays will
have an offense that will raise havoc
with pretty nearly any defense.
More Changes Likely.
The perfection in this sort of a for.
ward passing game is bound to bring
about a condition OF affairs similar tt
that which first resulted in the legaliz.
ing OF the play. The forward PASS was
made legal in order to weaken the de.
fensive side of the game, which hat
grown too strong. When this condition
becomes a reality the football rules
committee will have another problem
on its hands. And If the signs are reat
Alright, the time is not far distant wheT
they will be confronted once more witt
the situation of three years ago. A
A. Stage, coach Of the University o
Chicago, and a member of the rules
committee, has already gone on recorC
as of the opinion that the working GU
of new possibilities with the forwar'
pass will ultimately result in some new
rules that will restrict the play IL
question
Although the changes in the rules
under which the game will be playet
this fall are not very radical, compared
with some of previous years, they ART
nevertheless, of extreme Importance
These changes, rather than being alter
ations in the game, tined to eliminatt
unfairness in the rules, and to max,
the offense and defense more equal
The following are the importan
changes in the 1909 rules:
First-The value OF goal from field
whether a place or a drop kick, Ii
reduced from to points.
Second--The side having kick on
has the option of making the kick a.
under the old rules, or putting thu
ball down for a scrimmage on its Is
yard line
Third-In case an end rush Of TIT
offense side stands more than one foo
back of the line Of scrimmage, blu
less than a yard back, he is not eli
gible to receive a forward pass.
Il First TWO important.
i OF these three changes the first tw'
probably are of the most importance
There is already a wide divergence o
topinion as to the wisdom Of the com
mittee in reducing the value Of a goa
from field 1t will be noticed that thu
rules committee acts on this point
Irregular intervals, usually after a sea
son in which two or three big teams
have developed a star goal kicker