Evening journal., 1910-04-01
SIX CHANGES In
CRIDIRON RULES
Wilmington Teams Interested
in Football Committees
Decisions


terested in the changes made In the
rules for the playing Of the game by
the intercollegiate rulos committee at
New York city last Saturday.
The changes which tho committee eX-
poets win revolutionize the sport were
adopted. and unless there is O change
OF opinion between now and April 29
when the final meeting OF tho year is
held at the University Club in Phila-
delphla, they viii go into tho code for
1910.
Tho changes as outlined are as fol-
lows:
Removal Of tho requirement that the
player who receives tho ball from the
snapbacS run fvo yards TO either side
before advancing.
A requirement that seven men be
maintained by tho ofense on tho line
Of scrimmage.
Prohibition Of the flying tackle.
Division Of the game into four per-
iods Of Is minutes each.
No pushing or pulling Of tho runner
10 be allowed
A requirement that the ball. In the
case Of an outside kick. must strike the
ground at least 20 yards beyond the
line Of scrimmage. failing which the
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are offslde.
Briefly stated. the changes so far
adopted would result in the elmina-
ton 10 largo extent OF mass plays
and tho substitution OF open plays.
In tho revised game a greater prem
ium will be placed on speed and STRAIT
gy and mere bulk and strength will be
Of less avail. The committee adopted
the six changes by formal votes and
while minor variations may be made
later. IL is expected that these changes
win be incorporated virtually as decid-
ed upon.
The first change adopted was the re-
moval of the present restriction that
runner receiving the bali directly from
the snapbaclS must run five yards 70
ono side. This in the opinion of the
committee. viii give the quarterback
many opportunities TO make good runs,
will offer an opportunity for quicker
plays and viii create a need for the
exercise Of more strategy.
The second change provides that
seven men be kept by the offense on
the line of scrimmagc. This will pre-
vent the drawing back of linemen for
offensive plays, and is a direct blow
at mass plays.
The third change IS the prohibition
of the diving tackle. on this point
there was an easy agreement. The
flying tackle has been the cause Of
many injuries and the committee were
agreed that it must go.
The fourth change consists in the di-
vision of each half into two periods
Of Is minutes each so that the game
, hereafter viii consist OF four 15-minute
mi. l...Ns.
first and second and the third and
fourth quarters win probably be short
err than that between the second and
third. This change rs made so that
s there may be better opportunity to do
I termine the physical condition OF tho
q players. At the end of each quarter
/. there will be an examination by physi-
s clans, II any doubt arises as to the
! ability Of player to continue the
Y game without exhaustion and conse-
[ quont increased likelihood of injury.
y The strict Limitation on the use OF
; hands viii mean that attacks hereafter
+ must be made by the players individu-
( ally. While the man forming the in
reference may run shoulder 20 should
or they will not be permitted to hold
each other Thus the task Of the de-
Tense I'm breaking up interfercnces be-
comes much easier.
The sixth change provides that an
= onside kick must advance the ball
twenty yards from the line of scrlm-
mage. That Is if the ball strikes the
ground short Of twenty yards, the Of
Tense becomes omside. This rule is
also aimed at mass plays One reason
for massed plays under the old rules
lay in the fact that the tackles were
unprotected. because the secondary Of
! fense was drawn back to meet the for
. ward passes and onside kicks. IL is
felt that under a 2o-yard requirement
Y the secondary offenso can come up suf-
, ncioutly to protect the tackles will
reasonable safety.
? Having made these six changes tC
throw safeguards around the game, the
committee took up a discussion Of two
plans for directing the style Of play
and strengthening the ohense sufh'
ciently to balance the new opportuni
ties for defense. The first plan con-
tains two main features.
First-Limitation of the forward
pass to territory behind the line o
scrimmage.
standardization Of tho width o
scrimmage lines These two provisions
Of plan I cohere in general desigI
to make forward passes and quarter
back runs better ground gamers by
opening up the play and compensatinl
for the weakness OF the offense in othei
ways
Two schemes for defining the widtl
OF the scrimmage line were proposed
one was an arbitrary limit Of nv
wards on each side Of the ball; tn
other was limitation of the line of de
fense to the width Of the line Of Of
fensc. Everything that tends 10 thil
out the line invites mass play. b,
narrowing the line the committee bope
both 20 strengthen II. and thus to max
end runs more profitable. Under thi
system. II the runner in circling thu
end were not boxed almost before h'
got under way. he could reach fret
territory at either side of the line o
scrimmage. with good chance fol
gazing ground.