The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1910-08-15

football work which is being done I'M
der the supervision of DR.. Sargent The
course comprises men from Harvard
Princeton, Dartmouth, Wisconsin,
! University of California, Amhert, Wes-
leyan, Springfield Training school,
Bowdoin. Maine, University Of Tex
as, University of Vermont, Ohio,
University of Alabama, University of
North Dakota, Middlebury, Lawrence
vile, Mercersburg and various schools
throughout the country.
"The greater part of these men
have had experience in coaching and
coming from all sections of the coun-
try they make the hour devoted to the
thory and practice of football each day
a clearing house for the Interpretation
of rules and the possibilities Of the
new game.
Particular attention is being placed
on the possibilities Of the new rules
For the coming fall coaches will have
to consider the following new elements
in respect to the offense:
First, that the player receiving the
ball from the snapperback may cross
the line of scrimmage at any point as
opposed to the old rule Of the neces-
crossing the scrimmage line. This
rule viii place a premium on heavy
quarterbacks should they assume the
position behind the snapperback. Und-
er the new rules the push and pull
game is dead, and the men to be Of
any efficiency must be ahead of the
man with the ball, hence the necessity
of weight as well as speed in the
quarterback.
Quarterback Position.
1--WE have been experimenting with
the quarterback as a regular halfback
that Is, having the four backs in a
line, four yards back and using the
direct pass from center. This arrange
ment has met with much favor. An
other argument for dispensing with
the quarterback is the fact that he
must make a forward pass at least
five yards back Of the scrimmage line.
Thus the short pass over the scrim-
mage line is done away with. This
ruling will open up the play from a
spectacular point of view.
1.-THE second consideration with re-
gard to the offense is the restriction
placed upon the offensive side in not
being allowed to touch kicked ball
within the twenty-yard zone or within
a space of twenty yards from the spot
where the ball was put in play. This
ruling relates only to men who were
offside and does not include men who
were kicked. The object of this rule is
to prevent the scramble and roughness
possible under the rule of last year
and to encourage forward passing
under the new rules.
This means that the only alterna-
tive of the offense on a bounding ball
in the twenty-yard zone is that the
men on the offense must wait for an
opponent to touch the ball, or follow it
up and watch the opportunity to fall
upon 1t after 1t has passed the twenty
yard zone.
1.-THE third consideration relating to
the offense is without doubt the next
! important innovation that has ever
been made in football, that concern
ing the forward pass, which must be
made at least five yards back of the
scrimmage line to any of the backf1eld
men who are at least one yard back
from the scrimmage line at the time
the ball is snapped, or to either of the
men on the ends OF the line. This rule
does not prevent an end from shifting
and allowing the tackle to receive the
ball.
Forward Pass Changed.
"a number of perplexing questions
have arisen in connection with the
forward pass, one of which is: Does
a forward pass to be legal have TO
cross the line of scrimmage? As a
practical demonstration, suppose Yale
shifts all her men on the left side of
her center to her right side, can the
center snap the ball to any one of his
backs and Immediately receive 1t be-
fore crossing the scrtmmage line?
Would the first man who received the
ball from the center have to be five
yards back before passing the ball to
center If the center received the ball
on his side of the scrimmage line?
"a new ruling before the committee
this year in relation to an incompleted
forward pass is that on first and Sec
ond down there is a loss of a down
from the spot where the ball was put
In play and not from the spot from
which the pass was made. No dis
lance penalty Is added as was the case
last year. On third down If an in
completed forward pass results the
ball goes to the opponents not on the
spot where the ball was put in play
but from which the pass was made.
This ruling, with the allowance of
the forward pass over the line Of
scrimmage, provided the pass was
made at least Ave yards back Of the
scrimmage line, opens up rich field
of possibilities to, the strategist.
zone of the most fertile suggestions
worked olSt is the directing Of the in
reference ahead of the man with the
ball In one direction and the passing
of the ball to an end or halfback in
the opposite.
TN the execution of this forward
pass the spiral throw on line the
shortest distance between the passer
and receiver has been found to be the
most satisfactory. The underhand pass
and the high throw have been found
wanting. The inference is that a pre-
MUM will be placed upon tall, rangy
men in receiving. and fast accurate
men in passing the ball.
Defense Difficult.
"A defensive problem the coach
must think out is how to arrange his
men to meet line plunging game and
at the same time to meet a forward
passing game and the onside kicks
One way out Of the difiiculty has been
! -r,x,.l,aa o,,t IN fha sl1YnYuar school. in.