The weekly chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Craig County, Okla.) 1905-1913, 1910-05-13
FOOTBALL CHANGES MAKE
THE GAME MUCH SAFER
tWalter H. Eckersoll in the Chicago
Tribune.l

tWalter II. Eckersoll in the Chicago
Tribune.l
The action OF the intercollegiate
football rules Of limiting the forward
pass back to the hne OF scrimmage
and reducing the number Of yards
to be gained in three downs from ten
to eight is a move in the right direc-
ton for the preservation Of the great
college sport
The change Of limiting the forward
pass is a good one, although ii did
not meet with the approval of all
members OF the rules committee, and
III is a certainty that ali the coaches
will not be in sympathy with the
move. The alteration Is result Of
4 promise between two factions OF
the committee. one OF which wanted
the forward pass abolished entirely
while the other wanted the play to re-
main.
But is is almost certainty that for
ward passes will not be much In eyi.
dence this fall for 1t is hard to con-
ceiye Of making much ground with
the play when the ball can only be
passed forward back Of the line or
acrimmage. Instead Of the long throw
which has characterized the play since
its adoption. most Of the coaches will
use short Or hand to hand passes
Plays will BE- evolved Of the split in
terference variety, and in this sort Of
attack the forward pass will be used
to the best advantage
The restriction placed upon the pass
and the reduction Of the distance 10
be gained in three attempts are
changes which will gladden. the hearts
Of the old time football warriors. for
the alterations viii make the game
more like the one which was played
before the rules were changed so rad
ieally in the winter Of l905-6. Prac-
tically the only difference which will
be noticeable at once win be the lack
OF aid 10 player carrying the ball At
its meetings in New York in March the
rules committee passed a rule that
the runner is not to be pulled or push.
ed IN his attempts 70 gain ground.
With the exception OF the heavy. con.
centrated attacks on the spot. the
game will be more like the one played
six years ago.
IN reducing the distance TO be gain
ed the committee made a rule which
viii encourage the old style attack Of
drives on and of the tackles and the
use of end runs. This change will al
low teams to try to gain ground with
out danger Of losing the ball on any
OF their attempts unless they fail to
make the required distance. There
viii be no more Of the chance ele.
ment with the forward pass ana The
monotonous feature Of penalizng for
ineompleted passes a thing which has
become boresome TO the average spec
tator
Instead Of spending days IN perfect.
! ing forward pass plays. which nine
times ont of ten have not worked sue
cessfully in games. coaches can now
turn their attention 10 evolving plays
in which there will be no danger Of
losing the ball and which. II properly
perfected should be sure ground gain
lers.
The new rules are sure to have a
great effect on the game as Il has been
played IN the last six years. The style
Of attack to be used in the future viii
resemble the old game. and there will
be none Of the hukes which have made
many Of the games played under the
new regime end so unfayorably
Games viii noW be won OF lost on the
merits Of the competing teams and
the style Of football should prove to
be more interesting to the spectators
and players
The other rules which we're adopted
seem to be good ones and should go a
long way IN eliminating the danger
Gus features Of the game II they
are followed By ell the colleges. Il Is a
certainty that the number OF dSaths
and injuries viii be fewer than In the
past years.