New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1910-12-05

l
| desperate chance. which, If successful, was
| applauded. while. if a failure, con-
demned by decrying the rules The quick
accepting OF exceptional opportunities must
| not be put down to luck The wideawake
player will succeed where others equally
| skilful. perhaps, viii fail But the ele-
| ment Of luck. which will be found in all
sports. should not he courted.
There are other minor objections which
might We'll he considered 1t is a grave
question in my mind if the division of the
game into four quarters. with only short
est between the first and second and third
and fourth periods. when the players are
not allowed to leave the field is of any
value. 1t serves to break UP sequence
CT plays at what may he critical moment,
while IT tends to relieve the high pressure.
both mentally and physically. under which
the men are working. 1t is doubtful if the
good TO be gained offsets the bad The
goal from touchdown should he abolished.
It means little or nothing, and is simply a
relic OF past days. when under other condi-
tons ii meant more. II would do away
tackle behind the goal line and it would
obviate the placing Of too much Importance
upon the work of an individual who. by
failure. car nLllify the good work of the
team as a team. II the try for goal must
be retained. let it be made from scrimmage
formation. in which every man must do his
part TO make it success.
Believing that to criticise without offer
ing remedy is not only unfair but I'M
| reasonable l do not hesitate TO make some
| suggestions which may stimulate a contro-
| Versy that may lead to something better.
| l am not opposed to the new rules; rather
/ like the new game. I feel. however, that
with the experience of the last season as
| a guide, some changes can be made to good
effect. The suggestions are not offered al
! together as my own. I have talked with
| many players and coaches the subject
| and listened ideas wide apart the
| two poles. Out of it all, combined with
my own observation, has come the feeling
/ that the greatest need for changes lies
along the lines already discussed and which
may be summed up follows: Limit the
present use of the forward pass to behind
the line of scrimmage and reduce the ele-
ment of luck that goes with a loose ball
<,
thereby restoring one CT the basic principles
of American college football and lessening
the exaggerated Importance of drop and
place kicking a scoring asset.
As said before, The forward pass is an
Unsound play. and the only excuse for its
retention over the line of scrimmage lies
in The fact that it has a tendency to weaken
the secondary line of defence, and in a
measure the first line, because of the i'm
portance of guarding against its use. It
also adds some scope to the attack by its
deceptive possibilities. but this could be
brought about quite as effectively If it was
limited to behind the line of scrimmage
against the argument that it spreads the
defence. ii may be said that the play opens
the way to serious injury even under the
protection provided to the man re-
ceiving the pass, and in this way: The
backs, in the secondary line. are forced 10
play so far behind the line of scrimmage
tc guard against its use that the moment
| another play is tried they come up on the
TLE 10 support the forwards. Nobody who
saw Field and Daily and Kistler come
charging up 10 stop Wendell after he had
found his way through the Yale line so
many times in the game with Harvard can
put himself out of almost every game in
which he played by his fearless tackling
brought about by the necessity of meeting
| the man with the ball at top speed. BY
| using the pass behind the line of scrimma ge
the defence of necessity would be more or
less widely spread. hut literally. which
while not adding greatly TO the defensive
/ strength. would place the backs in better
position to withstand the assault of play
er who breaks through the line.
! To devise a way properly to reward team
for work accomplished and to make scoring
| ny straight rushing worth consideration is
a harder problem to solve. The attack must
be strengthened the defence weakened,
or little Of both. without opening the way
| 10 the eXa sgerated use of close forrnat tons
/ thoroughly agree with George Foster
Sanford that the distance to be gained by
rushing should he reduced from ten yards
to seven. at least within the 25-yard line.
First downs by rushing have been so few
and far between this year when teams
have been fairly evenly matched that it
tells its own story. Ten yards is altogether
too much 10 gain in four downs, more par
uculariy as it must be gained in three trys.
aro so far as ] can some reduction of
| the distance is the only reasonable solution.
II is utterly absurd to maintain that such
action would bring about a return to mass
plays as mass plays have been eliminated
by the rule which prohibits pushing and
pulling or in any way aiding the man with
the ball
Another suggestion is offered for what it
is worth: To weaken the defence. particu-
larry when the attacking force has worked
its way into the enemy's country. Under
the present rule a ball that is punted or
kicked over the goal line goes for a touch
back and is brought out by the defending
team and put in play on the 25-yard line
My idea is that the ball should be put in
play on the 15-yard line after any touch
back resulting from ball being punted or
kicked inside the 40-yard line. otherwise.
from the 25-yard line If every touchback
allowed only fifteen yards to the defending
side the Importance value of a kicking
game would he too greatly increased, but
if a team can force its way inside its op-
ponents s0-yard line, which practically Tor
punting purposes must be close to the -