Omaha daily bee., 1911-12-17
FAULT OF TIES NOT WITH CODE
Blundcrs of Players and Neglect of
0ffense by Coaches Cause.
INCIDENTS IN PLAY OF NEBRASKA
Michigan Contest Lost to Cornhusk-
ers Through Poor Pass.
AMEs GAME TIE BY POOR WORK
Chances TO Score Thrown Away I'm
Play of Many Teams During
Inst season In All Parts
OF the Country.
nN CLNnH y. ELLInTT.

ny CLYDE y. ELLIOTT.
Michigan was backed up to within
eight yards OF It's goal line and the ball
was in the possessiontof Nebraska. Two
downs remained giving the Cornhuskers
two chances to make their distance. They
had six yards to go. The first OF the
two chances was used Ia an attempt to
negotiate n successful forward pass. The
ball was passed too higd. from quarter
TO end, and the fling was not completed.
The next chance was employed for a drop
kick. Tho center made an atrocious pass
and Nebraska's left half failed at goal.
Michigan took the ball on the twenty
flve-yard line. Less than five minutes of
the game were left; the Wolverines had
been saved from defeat and the most
famous battle ever fought ON Nebraska
field closed a tie
| on this same day Yale and Harvard
battled TO a scoreless tie. A miserable
pass by the Blue center foiled success
ful try for field goal by Howe and denied
the New Haven men a victory. other
teams Of the east and the west fought
tie games this fall. Apparently these
contests resulted In even breaks, because
the coaches were not able to develop an
attack that would score after the twenty
Cry for RnIe Changes.
SO many scoreless, and tieless games in
one season has produced hue and cry
for changes in the rules whereby there
may be more scoring and through which
a stronger eleven may be sure to win.
Nebraskans are certain their eleven was
far superior TO the Michigan team.
Figures on the ground gained 4show the
| -. .f,...
three times as far as the Ann Arbor
eleven. So II Is asked. why should a
team that can gain so much more ground
than its adversary be held a tie? Surely
the nnles are at fault and should be
changed"
At the present moment there are many
different voices in the land talking on
foot ball rules; some suggest many
changes and some desire no radical re-
vision. 1t really seems, indeed, that no
great changes are necessary now. The
present rules have been in force for only
two seasons and the coaches have not
become familiar with them. This fact Is
enough to show why the tutors have not
perfect scoring plays. still, most of them
have plays that will score IL the players
do not biunder, In its two tie games this
fall the Cornhuskers did not win because
Of blunders on the part OF its own men.
FumbIInR Costs Dearly.
In the Ames-Nebraska game the Corn
huskers were playedAto a 10 tie. Dur
ing the second half the Nebraska men
played in Ames territory all the time.
Punt after punt was missed by the Corn
husker receiving backs. Ames was per-
mitted to score both its goals from field
through fumbling on the part OF the Corn
huskers. Nebraska threatened the Aggie
goal several times, in the third quarter.
and undoubtedly would have scored IL its
men had held the ball on punts. A little
questionable generalship also kept the
men from scoring when the ball was on
the Ames fifteen-yard line In possession
of Nebraska In the Michigan game a
blocked kick gave the Ann Arbor team
It's score. and a poor pass from center
prevented a field goal for the Corn
huskers. Here. then, are two tie games
which would have been won by Nebraska
had its men played just u little better
ball. Yale would probably have won
against Harvard had its center made a
good pass Surely the rules cannot be-
blamed for the loss Of these games. There
were others OF the same kind.
Nebraska scored it's one touchdown
against Michigan through virlle attack.
It's offensive game was very strong The
Wolverines were literally showed all over
the field The defense of the Cornhusk-
ers was strong, for the Wolverines could
not gain against 1t successfully. There
was much scoring power in the Corn
huskers that day. and but for few ques-
tinnable plays, the score would have been
favorable TO Nebraska. The scoring
strength OF Nebraska was proved In
other games OF the season by the large
points totalled.
No Radical Changes Needed.
To one who watched the Cornhuskers
In action in all their important games
and studied the plays of other western
teams, It seems that there Is no need OF
any radical changes I'm the rules The
present code can be made effective When
the coaches have worked with their at
acl another year or two there will be de-
| vtloped plays that will score with GER
;ainty within the 25-yard zone. The de-
fense appears to be much stronger now
han the attack, but the reason for this
csts In the fact that coaches have spent
more time In building up their defense.
and have given too scant attention to the
attack.
There is no doubt that the forward pass
will be found a more reliable play as
soon as next fall It is a good scoring
device, and when players have become
trained I'm catching the spheroid and ac-
curate in hurting II. many successful
''ings may be expected IN every game.
The main fault TO be found with the
college game now is that its rules hav0
been changed too much during the iase
i've years. The game needs stability fer
few years, Less tampering will permit
The coaches to become thoroughly ia
niliar with the rules and get plays that
win work. 1t is far too early TO tell