Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-10-17
RELENTLESS SEARCH
FOR QUARTERBAcKS
All the Big Colleges Developing
Men for This import
ant Position.
Bv Edward r. Bushnell.

By Edward r. Bushnell.
1t is extremely rare that any foot ball
season ever sees such relentless search
for quarterbacks as the present. Every
member of the big Five" has spent the
greater part Of the season to date in de-
veioping material for this position. This
is due not only to the extreme importance
Of this position to team, but also 10 the
wholesale losses the various elevens sus-
tanned here by graduation and other
causes from last year.
The most startling bit of news anect-
ing the quarterback situation is that
which comes from the University OF
Pennsylvania. Here combination OF
circumstances has left Capt. Miller. whom
everybody was already picking as an all
American quarter. almost on the side
lines, or at least showed into an end po-
sition The man who has superseded
Miller here is a youngster who has not
yet played two weeks of college foot bali
He is Alex Thayer. center fielder on the
base ball team and who paired WIN
Wallace Johnson in winning the intercol-
legiate tennis championship for Pennsyl-
vania this fall.
Thayer first attracted the attention of
the coaches by his brilliant work in run
ming DICK do Wcii do iio NiOP
kicking and punting. Although he had
been on the team less than a week. the
coaches sent him into the game ahead
of Capt Miller in the West Virginia
match. In this game Thayer played I'M
usually well and was weak only on sig
nails. The Pennsylvania coaches think
that he will yet develop into a second
Stevenson In the meantime Capt. Miller
is being tried out at end and halfback.
in both of which positions the Red and
q Those who Miller
perform in the Michigan and Cornell
games a year ago cannot forget his dis
play, and If Thayer Is good enough to
supplant him he must be indeed a Won
der.
Much the same situation prevails at
Yale. The Ellis were counting on john
son or Corey filling the quarterback po-
sirion acceptably, but newcomer en-
tered the fight in the person of Howe and
speedily had all the other candidates for
this position distanced What character
ICES Howes play IS the vim he puts into
his own work and the way that he drives
the entire team. As Yale has an eleven
this fall which needs driving more than
anything else Howe has decided ad-
vantage over his rivals.
Princeton would welcome the discovery
Of quarterback of the caliber of Billion,
last years captain. To date the gers
have been experimenting with Dawson
and Chrystie. Dawson was substitute
the year before and Chrystie played the
position last fall on his freshman team
So far Dawson has been given first choice.
but he has failed to snow the sort or
dash that Princeton expects of her quar-
ters Another experiment has been tried
by putting Dawson at half and fuilback
W tn Chrystie at quarter. The latter Is
dashing player and good open-f1eld run
ner, but he lacks the weight and expert
ence The places won't be filled for some
time yet.
At the beginning Of the season Cornell
thought she had found a star quarter In
Woods, but since then Baker has come
to the front and both are fighting for the
position. At Harvard O'Flaherty appears.
to have the better of the competition 1Or
quarterback. but WriggleswOrth Is stu
in the running. Before another week Is
past both teams will probably have set
tied upon the regular occupants of these
positions ~ e
Is Princeton overratedp
Princeton's bare victories over Villa
nova and Fordham and tine two touch
downs scored on her by Stevens have led
a good many persons to wonder whether
or not the Tigers are overrated this year.
Certainly the news reports coming from
the New Jersey institution have all been
tinged with rare optimism, and II they
reflect the opinion of the coaches these
men are either easily satisfied or else
they are endeavoring to concea! Prince
ton real strength.
Those who are inclined to think lightly
Of Princeton should bear in mind that the
Tigers have not yet used all or the-r star,
or even their best. players at one time.
This. Is particularly true OF Hart, the
fuliback from whom such wonderful
things are expected. Hart did not play
in either the Stevens or Fordham games.
This has led some to believe that the big
fullback Is out with scholastic conditions.
But such is not the case. He is already
in good condition and Princeton men do
not care to call attention to his prowess
too much by using him in the early
games when not needed. The fact of the
matter is Princeton men think Hart Is
bound to outstrip 10Y Of Yale.
Peculiarly enough, Hart has such an
iron constitution that the. coaches fire.
uuently keep him out of the practice
scrimmages because of his tendency to
hurt his fellow-players. They say that
when he tackles he takes the runner in
the viselike grip of gorilla. Princeton
is likely to find herself handicapped later
in the season by reason of the fact thai
gether regularly. In fact, no one seems
to know just how the Tigers will line up
In the backfield. Hart, of course, is sure
Of one place, but If Chrystie is the final
selection at quarterback the coaches will
try to find place for Dawson at half
back. though it would seem that Read or
Cunningham were more useful to the
team. Cunningham in particular is prac
ticaIy the only drop kicker on the squad
and has already gotten his team out of
difficulties on two occasions by his clever
kicking.
Yale Stock Is Booming.
The return of Capt. Coy and Andrus to
the Yale team during the week has gin
gered the Ellis as nothing else could do.
Coy, in fact, got back into the harness
nearly two weeks earlier than he had ex-
pected to do. If he does not suffer any
Ill effects from his recent operation he
should be able to get into first-class con-
dtion for the first championship game of
the year with Princeton three or four
weeks hence.
With Coy and Andrus both in the line
up, Yale is able to rearrange her eleven
in practically the way it will take the
field for championship games. This line
up includes Haines and Logan at end,
Hobbies and Lilley at tackles, Goebel and
Andrus at guards. Cooney at center, Howe
at quarterback, Murphy and Messenger or
Philbin at Ealfback ard Coy at fullback
Yale has now passed the experimental
stage, and from this time on the coaches
can devote all their time to perfecting
team play. This team should be p per
cent stronger than the last Yale eleven.
Howard Jones seems to be an improve
ment over his brother Tad as coach
though the latter considerably outshone