The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-09-25

| coaches and players seem to have a
prejudice against the play, due to the
| weakness of the play itself. The fact
that the ball may now be passed over the
lines at any place may make the play
| SO much stronger that it will hold in the
east where the defensive strength of the
eleven is SO much greater than that of
the western teams and because of which
the forward pass has never met with
much success. In any case it will be in
| teresting to watch its development.
| The legislation applying to the forward
| pass also governs the onside kick, with
the exception that the kick must go more
than 20 yards beyond the defense line
| of scrimmage. This rule does away with
the short onside kick just over the line
that the Princeton team of 1908 used so
successfully, 1t does not affect, however,
the kicks that were used last fall to any
great extent, for the successful kicks of
| that season were the long low ones away
from the defensive men in the back field.
| These, of course. Travelled more than 20
yards, and were usually made from a
regular kick formation; hence the legis-
| lation In connection with the forward
pass does not affect them in any way. He
will be valuable man to his team who
| can place his kicks accurately and time
them, as did Veeder of Yale and Douglas
| of Annapolis. Under the new rules, as
under the old, the kicking game will be
| the strength of an eleven's attack, and
| its offense shall be known by it's kicker.
1t is good to see a premium placed upon
skilful kicking ability, for clicking is
| football.
The player who first receives the ball
after it has been snapped back may now
cross the line of scrimmage at any
point. This means that a quarterback is
no longer necessary to pass the ball to
| his backs, for now the ball may be re-
ceived direct. AS direct passes from GEN.
| ter to halfback are much faster and
surer, the game should be correspond
ingly fast and free from fumbes. The
straight line plunges of the old game and
the short-end runs should be good
ground gamers because of the greater
speed with which they can be started.
The quarterback will be called upon to
perform just as halfbacks; in fact, his
duties will practically be the same. He
must be good ground gamer himself
and a good interferer, as well as a good
| field general.
Seven players of the side holding the
| ball must be on the line Of scrimmage
InterlocEed interference-that is, players
| of the side in possession of the ball
grasping one another or using their arms
| or hands In any way to push or pull the
| man running with the balls prohibited
E'This rule does away with the last SEM
i|blance of the old mass play; the runner
1 must now make his way alone and I'M
aided by his teammates, except in
straight interference The interference
must be ahead of the runner-never be-
| hind him.
| The diving" tackle Is prohibited, but a
real diving tackle only occurs about
once a season. The legislation against
| this play will not be felt.
We hope the new game will prove a
| safer one. We are sure it will be a
more difficult one for players, for
coaches and for officials, but a couple of
months of actual play only can put the
stamp of approval or disapproval upon
the recent changes