New-York tribune., 1910-01-30
FAVOR ENDRUNNING
MORE FOOTBALL TATr
NoUel Suggestion for Use ~
the For7cmd Pass

Beloit College, who has acted a. a, az
coach for six years-four In the U.c
two at Dickinson College-sdvanc.- ano
suggestions for the reform OF ,.sV sOas
which will be considered at the n,sa,t~e.
the rules committee In this citv an u-,s "
Mr.. Pipal, who is now STUDYING ..s1a's
methods at Yale, believes that int.-..
should be limited to end runs. ana t,a. .s
man receiving the forward pass h.vo-. '
line Of scrimmase should not bs sTlou.s
run with the ball. In talking on ~. -
Ject yesterday Mr.. PipaI said:
,,lt, It was my privilege to be an int.r.,,,.
ClSlsoT at the recent meeting OF the Inssa
United States held at New YorE ,aa
What particularly interested me was ~yy. y
attitude taken toward the proposed ne ne
SION of the football rules. There wsr. svi- ssi
distinct sentiments expressed on ma, 10 10
}ece Inc one was advocated by the 1P- eoI-
ed and begged that radical revizio5 - =.
made even going. IL necessary. to the az
SUBSTITUTING subs eaE,nE ETTi,.a Sag game OF II o.
backed by some of the football expe~fs sss
coaches, among whom were DR. WijIJ,-,a
or Minnesota. and Foster Sanford ~ Vais'
who thought that the game was slyFsc,as.ies
details. - iliaor
Some Of the delegates went ARA,
that meeting murmuring to thensslv.s
disappointment and fear thar the zars
Nouio not ne saved, but that anor1s-
overly conservative tinkering with tha -,Iis.
means that the game will be given m -
number OF colleges at once. and thaf rs-s-
tainly another year OF brutally coraa--..
tive or conservatfveIy brutal footSsH-vva, HSo-va,
sound it's death knell IN great uaiors--
OF our institutions.
members OF the rules committe. v'hi~-
meets In New York City on Febrtsarv 4 -. -.
sshnIficisntX sum s s aroused to now strongly feel
game. and that IL. In all probability Nil
nave TO be of a distinctly radical narure
edtnorde IN order that the game be changed SUI
interest OF the college world ant gai, -
approval OF the general public, revision
lesislate 10 eliminate the dangerous sfs.
ments of the mass plays, and. second
make it easier to pull of end running asd
West Points suggestion 10 compel ths
oack neId men. except the quarter. 10 re-
main at least i've yards back. or any suS-
geStfon TO legiSlate against the mass nisv
simply by making il harder OF execution h
all wrong. Any legislation against the mass
play should aim to remove its dangerous
or crushing and wearing element. narneIv
nasslng of men in such a way thar ron
two TO four men. nassed together as ons
tSs nody. running az top speed. should crash
INTO one. This Will not be done BY ths
West Point suggestion, or yet by the Is
yard rule, any more than it was done 5y
simply make the dangerous play harder ~
execute. but they do not make IL ir1oos-
siole In other words, they make il Dos
sloie under difficulties This simply means
that. with the combined ingenuity 81 80
coach and the ability of the nauchIy over.
Jealous alumni to furnish any kind OF ma
deadly play executed with even more lad
~ effect, because IL now requires exceo-
tlonal material. and that is available in
most cases, at least in time. This excsp-
uonal material. especially when lining u
against team which has not been 20
fortunate. will result in our great Amer
hair ~,
Gus injuries and fatalities
Ine suggestion TO further increase ths
distance 70 be gained in three downs viii
not only make the most dangerous ulav
possible, but will make the end runs rexr
TO impossible. IL will certainly not en-
courage tne end running game: II is the
spite our mass playing face. II must ba
apparent 10 all by this time that end run
1lng and other open plays are harder TO
develop than mass plays, and that il YOU
place the same hardships on both the ouen
game is the one to suffer the most Tnis
was PLAINLY proven by our experiment with
The best suggestion tending 70 remove
the dangerous element in the mass play
II IS that Of prohibiting pushing and pull
ing OF the man carrying the ball This
might prove a sufficient revision for ths
nrst year. But il is safe TO say that in a
year or two teams would develop exceu-
tlonal ability to mass their interference 80
Sompactly and send IL with such tremen-
forced TO meet IL head-on. giving hin,
dangerous punishment and practically no
chance 70 get the man with the ball
InuS my suggestion is not only TO prc-
hlo1t pushing and pulling OF the man car
rytng the ball, but also 70 prohibit any in
reference on plays that do not cross the
nne or scrfmmage nve yards from the
centre.
These two changes would allow the usual
formations. from which straight buck de-
layed pass and split plays through the lire
could be worked They would remove the
danger element from the mass plays and
encourage the open game because interfer-
ence would be permitted for end running
plays.
Ii the PLAYS through the line are weak
would spread out TO the detriment OF the
open game I would, therefore, compel the
defence not TO spread out wider than five
Walter Camp but permit the defence TO
bring man over il the offence shifts
player. This would discourage the ofencs
froIh using plays where its men are spread
over almost the entire width OF the field. /
oeneTe IL Is well that that style OF fornaa-
taGn ss1a De SISct turaged. | do not, hoNexss
oy ironclad rules, as to how il should lne
up. any further than IL is restricted now
The main objection 10 forward PASS IS
that II spreads out the derence. II would
be well, therefore. 10 prohibit the man re
celv1ng the forward pass. who crosses the
line OF scr1nnage. from running with IL
but permit him to pass il backward for
run This would make il less necessary
for the defence TO spread out: il would
place premium on the spectacular for
ward pass; II would encourage backward
passing. which needs to be developed in our
game as IL Is in the Canadian Rugby, and
IL would also indirectly encourage forward
passing behind the line of SCrimmage ron
which a run would be permissible.
To sum up, the following changes vous,
oe advisable, ID Prohibit pushing ard
pulling of men carrying the ball ~ Pro
hibit any player 10 be ahead OF the ms,
with the ball when crossing the line z,
Scrtmmage less than five Yards from tns
centre. cit would probably be suficienI
simply TO prohibit backfield men from n
but permit line men 10 form "
(Sl Confne the defence %
within five yards on each side OF cents'
except when offence shifts men permit a.
fence TO shift a man opposite the O.
shifted by the offence. but no further oa.s
a. Prohibit the man receiving the tor"a-H
pass that crosses the line OF ScTlnlmas
from running with it. But permit nm
pass il backward for a possible run ",
Permit the quarter TO pass bali torNI
from any angle. (Sl Prohibit body cneCaI
ing of the man about to receive the tOrN5lSS
pass. ca Man receiving On-Slde ~.
needs no protection. and the play does T.
deserve il. tS( Reduce the distance 70 -
gained in three downs 10 eight Yards