Omaha daily bee., 1910-09-04
COACH KING COLE
FACES REAL TEST
Must Turn Out Championship Team
or Lose His Prestige at
Lincoln.
CRITICISM HAS HURT COACH
Will Have Good Material on Hand
for Team.
ALL EYES ARE NOW ON HIM
Students Are Watching a Chance to
Find Fault.
HAD LACK OF GOOD SYSTEM
Undergraduates of Nebraska Bn'-
versity Dissatisfied with showing
of Coach, but He Has Made
Good Record.
CRITICISM HAS HURT COACH
HAD LACK OF GOOD SYSTEM


of Coach, but He Has Made
Good Record.
Developments in Nebraska foot Dah ms
fall will be closely watched by Cornhusker
alumni, western coaches and followers OF
the game in this section Of the country
Coach King" Cole who already has guided
the Cornhusker team in three seasons OF
varying success, will be on trial. 1t Is the
expressed opinion of the alumni and under
graduates Of the Lincoln school that King
Cole failed to get the results last fall that
the material warranted. To his reelection
for this season there was considerable OPP
position, and the Nebraska board OF control
was petitioned to secure the services OF an
other man for 1910. Wishes OF the students
and alumni we're given little heed ana
Coach Cole was given another lease on life.
Upon his return king" Viii find that his
work must be in an atmosphere bearing
rather heavy prejudice against him.
! Despite the general dissatisfaction with
Coach Coles work of last fall, there is little
basis for the adverse criticism of his in
structon Nebraska's eleven was a failure
last autumn; this fact is admitted, but
! there were circumstances over which the
coach had no control that made the season
| q disappointment. The student body did
not have the material among Its number
to give Cole the men to produce winning
team. There were plenty of strong players
for the line, and Cole turned out a set Of
forwards that equaled anything in the Mis-
souri, valley. Timber for the backfield was
scarce and the offense of the Cornhuskers
was weak throughout the whole autumn be-
cause Of this condition. The line did good
work on the offense, so far it was pos
fds tn x1la in he =
tack but the men in the backfield were not
| of the caliber that makes winning team.
In several games of the fall it was demon
! strated that Cole had produced a line that
was one of the best Nebraska ever had.
In these same games 1t was also proved
that the backs were not UP to the standard
of Cornhusker football.
Small Opportunity.
i Though there a paucity OF material
when the season opened last September
and little opportunity for a coach to show
his skill, the followers of the game at
Nebraska launched forth in criticism OF
Coles work without doing the Michigan
man justice. They forgot that he had given
Nebraska a champion eleven in the first
! fall that he coached in Lincoln. That year.
1907. he formed an eleven that defeated
: Kansas and held Minnesota to an to 5
score. The next season he brought out
team that suffered defeat at the hands OF
Kansas not through any lack Of coaching.
but because of schedule that would havO
caused the downfall of the best eleven In
tho country There we're two seasons 1907
and 1908, that king" Colo coached two OF
the strongest teams that the Cornhusken'
school had supported since the fertile days
Iof Coach "BuniGly" Booth. the man who
placed Nebraska on tho foot ball map"
Coles critics overlooked the good points
OF the Michigan man IN tho TRADE they
registered against him after tho close OF
the season last year.
In .he race OF the strong opposition to
Colo among tho men most deeply interested
lin Nebraska foot ball. his reelection BY the
Cornh IslIer board OF control by a unaIl-
nous vote may be taken pretty strona
, Testimonial TO what the men IN contrGe
lof athletics at the Co-nhusker Institution
, think of king" Cole. Theirs we're several
other coaches whom they could have So
cured, but Cole. IL their estimation had
i proved his worth, SO he was the choice
4 above all tho oIle- applicants for the posi-
: ton. Tho Nebraska mentors had and have
faith in the ability Of "KinS" Cole 10
, produce a winning eleven when no has the
material with which to work.
There were spots in the play OF the Me-
braska eleven last fail that probably
2 could have been strengthened without the
l aid of any new men. IL was q weakness
: in Coles system that he did not remedy
. these places. bat then every coach has
his faults and it was only natural that
Cole could fail IL some things. His
Interference and tackllng methods were
" not the best. Poor tacking cost the Corn
z huskers dearly both In 1908 and 1908. In
d the Kansas game last sall tho iaexcusable
tnckliLg Of few of the mea permitted
Q Kansas TO make the only score Of the
game and win contest that should have
. been Nebraska's. In the offenso OF tile
! men there vas lacking a we'll organized
d interference. The failure to develop a
d successful interference undoubtedly was
the main weakness in Coles system of
7 play.
New Style Game.
. This fall with pulling aud pushing OF
players abolished, Interference Will be an
. important factor IN the offensive play OF
!, tho teams, more important. probably, than
!, ever before N the history OF the game
= ! The manner in which Cole handles the
!, situation in creating offensive plays and
interference viii be closely watched. II
. ne can get plan OF Interference that Will
. permit his backs TO gain ground he Will
. dlsarm many OF his critics.
: with the flying tackle forbidden this
= fall, the critics OF the Nebraska coach
viii not be able to censuTe him Cor moi
a making his men leave their feet in ordsl
to bring a man TO the ground During IN,
past three years the Cornhusksrs have
had several men who could tackle well
y from standing position. but none who
n could do the flying tackle act with ana
"a great amount OF success. BY the abolish
ment OF the flying tackle the CornhuskerI