The Washington times., 1910-01-12
Football Experiments at Viz
ginia and Georgia Should
Greatly Assist Solons.
PRACTICAL IDEAS
GIVEN A CHANCE
Experts viii Be Able to Study
Their Workings and
Report Results.

The football rules committee VIII meet
IN New York city next month.
Prof Dennis, of Cornell chairman Of
the committee sent letters to al the
members Of the committee. requesting
them TO name dates In February which
would be agreeable TO them as confer
ence days As Yet he has not received
enough replies 20. be able to Ak on q
date wht-h VIII be convenient 10 a ma
jOrity OF the fourteen members Of the
committee II Is known. however, that
the meeting viii not be called until
about the middle Of next month
In the interim the leading members
Of the committee expect 10 conduct a
series Of experiments which viii en-
able them TO grasp IN a practicable
manner tie effect Of some Of the pro-
posed changes in the football playing
code In past years when the football
rules committee has felt called upon 10
alter the code many Of the changes
were taken at their face value or on the
recommendation OF members who had
Witnessed a crude try-Cut Of the pro-
posed innovation As result. II has
sometimes happened -rl-L The changes
did not prove as satisfactory as had
been hoped for, and. In fact, proved OF
little advantage
Two Volunteers.
So far two Institutions have yoF,n-
teeTed their football teams for these ex-
perlments, and If there IS 10 hitch IN
the plans the members Of the commit
tee viii have 2 mass OF 1rst-hand fnfor-
nation -ela1ive 10 the worth OF the
proposed Innovations IN the play, which
VIII enable them TO weigh the practi-
cable utility Of the same Al the Uni
versIty OF Virginia at Charlottesville.
- ". A Lambeth, who Is a member
OF the rules committee, VIII experiment.
using the members Of the first and sec
ono elevens OF that institution. CAPTAIN
Eanceys Of the varsity team. has enter
ed INTO the spirit of the plan. as well as
al the members Of the squad. and the
players have voluntarily agreed 10 re-
sumo Light training in order that they
may be physically able to give q CAPABLE
demonstration Of the worth Of the sug-
gest5ons-
Further south, at the GeorEia School
Of Technology a similar course Of pro
CsduTe viii be in order Under the
guidance Of Coach Heisman there viii
be one or more games PLAYED bv eTev-
ems representing junior and senior class
IS Of the institute. These games, as in
the case in the trials at the University
tentative code already drawn I'D Jy sew
era1 OF the leading members Of the
rules committee Each move OF the
payers under what may possibly be the
FOOTBALL code for 1910 viii be Carefully
noted The resultant effects, both from
an offensive and defensive standpoint
VIII be carefully noted
Practical Results
Reports Of the value CT the suggested
changes as shown in actual competition
viii be ready for submission to the com
miJtee as a whole at its coming. meet
ing In addition those members Of the
body who have been able 20 watch the
experiments viii explain the workings
in detail AS q result II IS hoped that
when the discussion becomes general the
rules committee viii have an excellent
idea OF the way the proposed changes
VIII work out on the college football
field If they are enacted into the 1915
rules
Il VIII not be possible to Try out al
the suggestions for improving the game
since they run into hundreds There
are, however, a number of radical
changes which VIII come IN for actual
experiment, especially those made by
Walter Camp, wherein If has been pro
posed TO limit the width Of the forward
line 70 ten yards
What Camp Proposes.
III. Camps suggestion was. let M
player IN the attack OF the defense line
Up outside two lines running parallel
70 the side lines, each Of these lines
being FIVE yards from the ball, thus
making the sCrimmage line ten yards
in width" At first sight this would ap-
pear 10 restrict the activities Of the
PLAYERS and he conducive to a return
Of the oId-styIe mass play which II IS the
object Of the rules committee TO elini-
nate.
II may be found, however. that by
coping Up the players IN a smaller
EpaCe new plays viii be evolved 10 make
the necessary number OF downs Mr.
Camp has also suggested that the quar-
rerback be permitted To run with the
ball without the dve-yard restriction
70 right or left which now prevails
lie further proposes thar any forward
mass made over the scTtmmaEe line b
Illegal, and that IL be necessary 20 galT
fifteen yards in four GOwns between
the S5-Eard lines ten yards between
the 8 and j. yards, and five yards
r7arT-PPu that Doiur and the goal lines.