The Washington herald., 1909-11-09
TIGERS AN ENIGMA
Princeton Eleven May Sur
prise Yale Next Saturday.
THE LINE IS A STONE WALL
OvcrcOnfdcnt Bulldog Nay he
Greatly Surprised, and Many Pre-
Have Thus Far shown No Tricks,
Winning by Close Scores.

Beaten by Lafayette. tied by Dartmouth,
and only winning from Fordham by a
goal from the field. this years Princeton
team really has plenty Of potential power.
and so is, IN a way, the football mystery
OF the season OF 1909. Starting out with
better material than has been available in
Tigertown for many moons. the eleven
has never come up 20 expectations in any
OF its games. and apparently has never
shown its ful strength IN even part OF
any contest.
Seemingly. the policy OF the coaching
staff. just installed IN power this year.
has been 10 win by the smallest possible
score. without giving any hint OF the
teams real power to any emissaries from
New Haven who might be lurking in the
grand stand or along the side lines In
all its harder games the Tiger eleven
has with seeming ease driven the ban 10
its opponents 20 or % yard line and has
then stopped as though confronted with
an actual stone wall.
To the casual observer this looks as
though the sons OF Old Nassau lacked the
strength necessary FOR the final push 20
carry the oval over the goal line. Yet.
judging by Saturdays contest with Dart
mouth. # would seem, on careful analysis,
that the Princeton coaches are lying eN-
CeedlnEly low. have ordered their charges
20 be satisfied with near scores" and
have used these preliminary games merely
TO try out the defense.
For only once did the Tiger team seem
to make any real effort TO score a touch
-, 40
Dartmouth had gained its six points
through blocking one of McCormicks
punts. In the first period. after rushing
the bali 10 about the % or 80 yard line,
Cunningham would drop back and calmly
kick a goal from the field IN the last
half the Tigers did make one determined
attempt 10 cross the Hanoverians' goal
line. but in doing so they used only the
simplest Of formations.
Dartmouth Surprised.
As for Dartmouth. the big Green team
had only two chances 10 score, one Of
which they took advantage Of. and the
other. an opportunity for a goal from the
field, was missed by many yards. For the
rest Of the game Princeton held them alb
solutely safe, they never getting the ball
nearer 10 the Tiger goal line than the so
yard line
That this policy resulted IN a defeat by
Lafayette and a tie by Dartmouth IS
probably regarded as unfortunate, but
should the team manage TO defeat Yale
az New Haven next Saturday all else
will be forgotten, for victory over the
Els makes a season successful for itself
in the eyes Of the Tiger rOoters.
Baslng judgment merely on the scores
made against their respective opponents
this fail. Princeton has not much chance
to beat Yale next Saturday, and the bet
ting should be in the neighborhood Of (
or 10 on the Ellis. Yet scores are not
always reliable as means Of compari-
son, and there are one or two facts TO be
recorded in favor OF the Tiger team
which should bring at least a ray Of hope
TO the followers OF the Orange and Black.
First no team except Dartmouth has
been able 10 make more than two first
downs in any one game against Prince
ton, either through the line or around
the ends. And even Dartmouth. though
presenting a bewiidering array of strange
formations and trick plays. was only able
70 negotiate four first downs in two
thirty-minute halves tho play on which
they made their touchdown, a smash for
yards through a substitute tackle,
counting as one Of the four first downs.
No Trick Plays Yet.
Secondly, and note this well, Mr.. Tiger
rooter, the Princeton team has played
only the so-calIed straight or old-fashioned
football N all Of its public games. a
very rudlmentary forward pass, from
fake kick formation, and a fairly well ex-
ecuted on-side kick. being the only excep-
tons. The forward pass. as used against
Dartmouth, was really childish. the Big
Green team solving It after the second
trial and invariably spilling the end who
was meant 10 catch the ball The on-side
kick was a very neat play. but was only
used once, then for a gain OF 80 yards.
Otherwise, the Tigers stuck reliRiously r.
the old-fashioned line buck or regulate.
wide swinging end run.
Taking these facts into consideration. It
does not seem too optimistic TO say that
Yale is In for a surprise on November Is.
for it's q cinCh the bunch OF coaches
who are working over this years Prince
ton team are not all asleep at the switch.
and that their proteges will ambie out on
the gridiron at New Haven perfectly
drilled in every variation Of formation
possible under the new rules. For straight
football Will not avail against Yale. the
Blue outweighing Princeton by many
pounds. and only speed and the unex-