The Washington herald., 1910-11-06


Fasteners have more than they can do
to follow the fortunes Of the present
football campaign. Yale, Harvard, Prince
ton. Pennsylvania. and horde Of strong
college eleYens have led the gridlron stu
dent to take nothing for granted IN foot
ball But out in the West a hard fight Is
on In fact, the championship strife be-
tween the elevens OF that section harks
back to six years ago II is so brimming
with interest, caused by unwonted rival
ry and high-class football, that the West
ern campaign commands attention even
when the Big -Four tempest is approach
ing its height here.
When Michigan meets Minnesota in the
championship game toward the end Of
november the most sensational football
OF the season is promised Both teams
play the typical Western game. Speed is
the hrst requisite and trickery the sec
ono true, the defensive strength 0f
western teams has been sacrificed for the
offensive. However. the dashing attacks
nave pleased spectators and confounded
teams not so equipped Even the sturdy
deIehse OF Syracuse's eleven cruTnbled
before the Michigan battering ram.
incidentally, the sudden form reversal
OF Michigan al Syracuse has astounded
tne sharps. II the Ann Arbor men only
dispose OF Notre Dame on Saturday ana
Pennsylvania later. they will have puIIed
( out brilliant season from what a few
weeks back looked rather dismal But
Fielding II. Yost was the man behind the
form reversal. He acted in a manner
that no other coach but Yost would have
dared TO follow. Out Of the disorganized
rabble that was held 10 a tie by Ohio
State, Yost welded the machine that heat
syracuse and is now headed for the
western championship. With character
istic daring he disrupted his entire team.
star players were sent 10 the scrubs and
positions exchanged In fact. the under
graduates did not recognize that varsity
Yosl named to beat Syracuse. Il was a
move similar TO the one that the hurry
Up" person made before the PennsyIva-
MA game last season. At that time he
sent green center against the Quakers
and Michigan won
But Minnesota has team. too. II is
said 70 be one Of the most powerful that
has ever been seen in the Gopher coun-
Try McGovern. the quarter back. occu-
pies class that is all his own Add John
ston, Rosenwald. and Stevens TO Mccoy
ern and you have a back field second 10
none. The line is a bit weak. however.
and on that defect Michigan homes TO
beat the Gophers. On his recent Western
trip Walter Camp Yale's veteran coach.
saw some Middle Western football. He
watched Minnesota and McCovern.
Camp believes him 10 be one OF the great
est quarter backs that the game has de-
veloped- Writing for the Yale News.
Camp had the following TO say:
on my way home I had a chance 10
see some Of the teams Of the Middle West
ID action. From present indications and
scores. l should pick Minnesota to gain
the championship there Chicago has had
very hard luck in the matter Of material,
while l don't think Northwestern or WIS
eonsin can defeat Minnesota's veteran
team. McGovern, of Minnesota. whom I
picked last year as All-American quar-
ter back. is at the height Of his power
now. he Is very strong and stoeky and
Is an excellent feld general and a very
Iast runner. Besides this, he is a master
at drop-kicking, SO that altogether I
thing him star in the position Ike Fc-
kersall, Of Chicago, who vas several
times or the Ail-American. Such a COM
blnatiOn OF qualities is rarely found IN
one man. and they are especially vaiu-
able under the new rules. DR.. Williams.
the Minnesota coach, has made the most
of him in shifts and formations.
Camp goes on TO tell his impressions Of
Rugby football on the far coast. In part
he writes:
The Rugby game has been PLAYED
there for three or four years now and
seems 10 MI the place Of the American
game very satisfactorily. II is claimed
that Rugby draws just as large. if not
larger. crowds than the American foot
ball; but whether il would do so here In
the East is a question. The game as II
is now PLAYED on the Coast is not strict
y intercollegiate
There are some very good football men
out there and the individual work is ex-
cellent, especially in handling the ball
and in kicking. The idea Of teamwork.
as that term is understood here, Is in its
infancy. Very few formations are used.
and most OF the gaining is By brilliant
individual play. Possession of the ball is
nor nearly as valuable as in the American
game. so that passing has reached a
high state OF development. There still
seems to be a chance Of injuries, as in
other football. because men drop or the
ball when others are trying TO kick il
but large squads turn out and are willing
10 take the risk. ="