Evening journal., 1911-11-01
INSIDE GAME
In FOOTBALL
QuarterboCkS and Others
Masters Of Quick Thinking
In These Days
BRUTE STRENGTH NO
LONGER GAME FACTOR

The day has passed when brute
strength, bluff and misapplied energy
will accomplish much on the baseball |
diamond or football field. For years
past big league managers have been
teaching their young exponents Of the
national game inside" baseball The |
same is now true of coaches of the
LARGER football teams, although in a
lesser degree because of the ever
changing rules and tactics. Football
is seldom exactly the same two years
in succession. But football has its
"inside" game as well as any other
sport.
Every player on football team has
opportunities to execute some inside
play, but the position which most
needs the ability TO quickly grasp a
situation and grapple with 1t in new
way is that of quarterback. Around
This nlayer open a throusand possi-
bilities for inside play, but many are
the ouarterbacks who do not take ad-
vantage of their chances. That rs
why heady quarters are so hard to
uncover in the big college ranks. The
wonderful possibilities of the querter-
hack was demonstrated in Saturday
game in Philadelphia between the
University of Pennsylvania eleven and
the State college team.
There Quarterback Miller. the youth
full leader Of the State aggregaton'
was one Of the shining stars. Miller
y two wears ago was the terror OF all
High school football players. Miller
acquired his excellent record through
being a master Of inside" play. AL
though stockily built and quick he is
small of stature and not nearly so
heavy as other quarters OF the DIG
elevens. His quick brain and steady
eve as we'll as his excellent faculty
of observation have made him what he
is
The quarterback has no easy posi-
tion. He must keep in mind the num-
ber of downs, the distance TO De
gained. the position on the field, the
length Of time to be played, the indi-
vidual and collective strength Of him
self. his own men and those of the op-
posing team, the peculiarities of the
officials, the condition Of all parts OF
the field and the number Of plays and
their character he is able TO use. Ihen
he must think out all the formations
the trick plays and other devices pos,
sible and devise some means oi
breaking up the strength OF the oppo-
eition. While he is thinking OF those
things he must be moving with the
4 raDiditv of creased lightning II ne
II does not then his slowness will have
the effect of slowing down the whole
team. AS the handspring is to
watch so the quarter is to the foot
hall eleven. He is the originator ant
starter of every play. And yet It's
said no brains are required TO pla,
football. A football player seldom gets
credit for brilliant inside" work be
cause the spectators do not recognize
a. Several instances Of this can b'
given.
Dropping Forward Pass.
Under the present rules it Is some
times more advisable for member o
a team on the defense to drop for
ward pass which he has caught thai
10 hold IT, This on the occasion OF
forward pass on third down.
defensive halfback has chance z
catch the ball but sees that ii woul
be downed without carrying the oal
hack to the line where il started II
This case the right play Is to toucl
fhe ball and let il drop to the groun
so that It will then be brought TO tn
place where it started and given Z
his side. To the grandstand this pla,
properly executed. would be bone
head work, possibly and subject I
Kisses or ieers from the unthinknt
Again. a quarterback in the satet
position is standing almost on nj
own goal line. The ball is kicked {
him. He can make an easy catch, bu
the heavy man in this case VIII nsuall
allow Che ball to fly or bounce acros
h.. HnfanHin0 side
then allowed 10 take the ball to tn
25-ard line and put IL I'm play. II
elects to catch it he will probably
t downed before reaching that line, "
auarterbacks have been called dut
and poor catches by the grandstau
for this play. The same procedul
should be used where a high kicko
n Is kicked so as TO pass or bounce ovf
the goal line Immediately. especial
where the ends coming down und,
the kick are fast.
The heady backield man Of thei
L days runs outside and continues pa
allel to the goal line for a few pac'
+ in order to tempt some unwary- ma
on the other team TO tackle him an
secure n penalty against the tackle
" Almost all coaches have devices Il
getting the other team offside TT
favorite device of Bill Roper. now d
rector at Princeton, at one time vi
a peculiar system Of signals. II
c series containing the charging numb
would be called and Immediately a
ter the last interger called the mel
hers of the team would count two
NJ themselves and charge other tear
found it impossible to accustom theI
n selves to this system of chargin
which was without any apparent 81
nal. II mystified the opposing tear
iiI and they began charging a couple
seconds after a series which did n
e contain the charging number and we
caught outside. False starts a
twitching of the ball by the snapp
hack also accomplished the same q
ject.
E Taking Advantage of Opponent.
questionable kind of inside wo
Is the system Of working" on an
iured knee or other injured part
an opponent in the hope of weakeni
him and making an opening. To fol
stall this injured players frequen
cover their good knees openly W
tQs bandages. thus tricking their Cpl
81 nent to direct his energies where ii
will do least harm.
The use of the unexpected play
LII the auaintescence of inside play. 9
a of the most successful things at tin
T' is the repetition of a play which