The Salt Lake herald-Republican. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1909-1918, 1910-03-27

1-RepaayaI of the requirement that
the player who receives the ball from
the snap-back runs five yards 10 elmer
side before advancing.
"A requirement that seven men
be maintained by the Offense ON the
line of scTimmage.
S.-PrOhibitiOn of the flying tackle
4.-DIvisiOn of the game iatO four
periods of fifteen minutes each.
6.---NO pushing or pulling OF the run
ner to be allowed.
ca requirement that the ball, In
the case of an On-side kick, must strike
the ground at least 20 yards beyond
the members of the team kicking the
ball are Off-side.
The problem before the committee
was to eliminate, SO far as posslpie'
the dangers which have attended the
game, while preserving its fascination
as a spectacle and its disciplinary and
educative elements.
1t was felt that the next season
would be crucial. Either injuries must
be fewer or there would be serious
hazard of a widespread movement 10
abolish football.
The steps decided upon to effect re-
forms will result in weakening the
IL will be necessary TO devise means 10
offest the acquired strength OF the DE,
Tense. In this purpose two general
plans are under consideration.
IN the interval DtlOEC TIC
ing of the committee in Philadelphla
on April 20, experiments Will be carried
ON by each member of the committee
at his own college and on the result OF
these experiments viii depend the plah
which ST. ali prevail
Briefly stated. the changes so far
adopted will result in the elimination
to a large extent of mass plays ana
the substitution of open plays.
First Change.
The first change adopted was the re-
moval of the present restriction that
runner receiving .he ball directly from
the snap-back must run five yards 10
one side. This, in the opinion of the
committee, Will give the quafterpack
much larger opportunities 10 make goOd
runs; will offer an opportunity 1or
quicker plays and Will create a heeo
for the exercise of more strategy.
The second change provides that sew
en- men be kept by the offense on the
line of scrimmage. This VIII prevent
the drawing back OF lnemen Iof OF :
fensive plays and Is q direct do" at
The third change is the prohibition
of the diving tackle. The flying tackle
has been the cause Of many INJURIES,
and the committee was agreed that IL
The fourth change consists in the di-
vision of each half into two periods or
fifteen minutes each, so that the game
minute quarters. The intermiss10n be-
tween the first and second and the
third and fourth quarters probably VIII
be shorter than that between the sec
ond and third. This change is made
so that there may be better opportu-
nifty to determine the physical cOncl-
tion Of players.
Player May Return.
Another clause under this fourth di-
vision directs that a player compelled
to leave the game may return during
a subsequent quarter II he RECEIVERS sur
ficiently. With this opportunity Of re-
turning to the field 1t is felt that play
ers will not tax their strength as I'M
der the old system of barring a player
entirely once he is off the tleld- IN
connection with this change, Mr.. Han
said II will be necessary TO prevent
abuse of this rule, such as, for example
the possible withdrawal of an entire
team in favor of freshmen, the with
drawn to- have the privilege of return
ing. In any event. no player VIII De
allowed TO return more than once.
The fifth change provides that no
pushing or pulling of the runner with
the ball is to be allowed. The same
limitations as are now imposed on the
use of hands on an opponent VIII apply
to the use Of hands on a team mate
This is the Committees chief plan OF
breaking up mass plays. 1t means that
whereas In the past the team mates OF
the man with the ball might lock arms
with him, pull or drag him along OF
provide Interference by running before
him with locked arms, in the future
such tactics will be prohibited.
In analyzing the source OF Injuries
TO PLAYERS, the committee found in the
diving tackles and the repetition OF
massed attacks at one point were ths
chief causes of harm. The danger from
massed play lies in the combination OF
its speed, sOlidity and persistence. The
impact Of three or four men, locked to-
gether into one compact Dody, whe1
opponent, resulted in the exhaustion OF
the man so attacked, and frequently In
his serious injury.
Cannot Use Hands.
The strict limitation on the use OF
hands will mean that attacks hereafter
must be made by the players individu-
ally While the men forming the In
reference may run shoulder 10 shoul,
der, they will not be permitted to hold
each other. Thus the task Of the de-
Tense in breaking up interference be-
comes much easier.
The sixth change prescribes that ar
on-side kick must advance the ball II
yards from the line of scrimmage
That is, il the ball strikes the
ground short OF the 20 yards. the of
Tense becomes off-side. This rule 1;
also aimed at mass plays. one reason
for massed plays under the old rules
laws in the fact that tackles were I'M
protected because the secondary ofrenss
was drawn back TO meet forward passe:
and on-side kicks. 1t is felt that IN
der a 20-yard requirement the second
airy offense can come up sufficiently
to protect the tackles with reasonable
safety.
Having made these six changes tC
throw safeguards around the game, the
committee took UP a discussion OF two
plans for directing the style of play
ing and strengthening the offense suf-
ficientlv to balance the new opportu-
mites for defense.
The first plan contains two mair
features: ID Limitation of the for
ward pass to territory behind the line
of scrimmage: ~ Limitation OF the
width Of scrimmage lines. These two
provisions of plan One cohere In gen
eraI design to make forward passes and
quarterback runs better ground gain
ers, BY opening up the play and com
pensating the weakness OF the offensS
in other ways.
Thin Out Plays.
Two schemes for the defining of the
width OF scrimmage lines were pro-
posed O1e was an arbitrary limit OF
five yards on each SIDE Of the ball, thu
other was limitation Of the line CT de-
fenee 10 the width Of the line OF th'
offense: everything that leads to THU
ont the line Invites mass plays. By
narrowing the Iins. the committee hopes