Norwich bulletin., 1910-02-07
RADICAL FOOTBALL CHANGES.
What Princeton Wants-Most Sweep
ing Alteration is that No Player on
the Side Having the Ball Shall "PuIl,
Push or Hold on His Feet the Man
Running With the Ball.

Radical changes in the football rules
are to be proposed by Princeton at the
meeting of the football rules commit
tee in New York next Friday. The most
sweeping change is that no player on
the side having the ball shall pull,
push, or hold on his feet the man run
ming with the ball." Princetons foot
ball authorities recently completed an
extensive investigation and discovered
that 80 per cent. of the rush line in
juries came from interference of this
Kind and next the forward pass. The
changes to be advocated follow:
That seven men shall stand upon
the line of scrimmage when the ball is
snapped, and three of the backs shall
stand at least five yards behind the
line. Further. that no player of the side
having the ball shall pull, push or hold
on his feet the man running with the
ball.
Variety of Interference.
TT is believed that this change,
which merely restores the game as it
was before the Introduction of momen-
tum mass plays, will permit the inven-
ton and use of a variety of forms of
interference, but that this interference
viii have to be minus the closely pack
ed and interlocked mass OF men which
one man hitherto has had to meet The
prevention Of the players from wrap
ping their arms around the runner and
the line, it is believed will eliminate
80 per cent of the rush line injuries.
About Forward Passes.
THE committee will advocate in re-
gard to forward passes, that if this
play is retained the ball may be passed
at any point over the line, that only
two men of the passer's side shall be
eligible to receive it, and that these
two to be the men on the ends of the
line, and that the pass must be caught
or become dead, in other words, that
a pass which strikes the ground or
Icy frrr Id
the ground, shall go as an uncomplet-
ed forward pass
The most important change advo-
Gated upon this play by the committee
Ill be the enaction of a rule prevent
ing opponents from Intentionally inter
fering with the two men endeavoring
TO recover the pass. 1t is proposed
that opponents may jump and endeavo-
thar they are not to he permitted To
ignore the ball completely and put the
player taking the pass entirely out os
the play by jumping into him. 1t is
belleVed that as the play now stands
it is one of the most dangerous plays
in the game, but that if the blocking of
the man recovering the ball be limited
to such incidental shouldering as he
equally with him to take the pass. the
play would be stripped of its rou gh-
ness entirely.
No Five Yard Restriction.
''The five-yard restriction also SHOULD
be removed from the quarterback run,
as well as the forward pass. The
present rule compels an official 20
judge the distance with his eye when
the play is rapidly in motion, ami con-
sequently is the cause of fault-finding
with the officials and dissatisfied ION,
particularly in close games. BY re-
moving the res friction it would also
prevent the defensive line from spread
ing and thereby equalize the ofrease
and defense.
New Style of Goals.
Another recommendation to be sub
mitted is the adoption of the style Of
goals. which requires the posts to be
set in the ground six feet behind IT,;
goal line, the barking brought out even
with the line by two projecting hOrss.-
Onta1 pieces 10 feet from the ground.
1t also is believed that the game would
he improved by establishing an inter-
val of two minutes for rest at the end
Of 10. 20 and 80 minutes of playing.
in addition to the present intermission
but during these minute inter
field
To Produce More Scoring.
Finally Princeton will advocate an
to the rule regulating the
yardage to be gained, which viii be 10
yards, as now, between the two 2J-
yard line. but 5 yards from the 25-yard
line to the goal line. This change is
that a game in which each team scored
is more popular than the scoreless con-
test"
Parke H. Davis. '93. will represent
Princeton at the rules committee meet
ing.
BoNEHEAp PLAY