Evening journal., 1911-09-02
WILL CHANGE
FOOTBALLPLAY
New System viii ShOw I'M
prOVement Despite Few Al
teratlOnS in Code
LONG INTERMISSIONS
WILL BE CUT OUT

The football rules for 1911, re
Gently announced, will bear careful
reading by all who are interested in
the sport. The new code shows many
changes which must be carefully
studied by officials, coaches, captains
and players, as they affect both Of
f1cials and players. One is the les
sening of the intermission between
the first and second and the third and
fourth periods. The officials will
note that under the new ruling the
time is shortened so that practically
there is just about time to transfer
the ball, If it is in one end of the
field. from its last position to the
place where It is to be put in play
at the beginning of the next peroid.
This shortening Of the time Of rest.
If carried out strictly by the officials,
will mean that the players do not get
chilled and have a chance TO continue
in their stride.
A change Of greater moment in the
play itself is one ruling on the for
ward pass. Formerly in the case Of
an uncompleted forward pass, the
penalty was measured from which the
pass was made That usually meant
spot at least six or seven yards
back of the line of scrimmage. The
new rule says that the distance shall
be measured from the spot of the
preceding down instead Of the spot
from which the ball was passed. II
is easy to see, then that the penalty
is lessened by about seven or eight
yards, which is by no means an un-
| important fact TO bear In mind when
considering the advisability of at
tempting such a pass. The rest Of the
changes are OF less importance, but
should be carefully read by coaches
and captains.
There is nothing in the changes that
will In any way revolutionize the
game this fall. but that there will be
marked changes in the style Of play
is reasonably certain. The possibil-
tiles of the rules are so far from ex-
hausted that 1t is possible to build UT
a style of play different in its funda-
mental idea from anything that has
been on the gridiron so far Most
OF the abler coaches hope TO take Ut
the game where they left on last year
and venture into new fields in the
matter OF attack.
IL is IedbOudDlc W expect nON dhu
then radical changes in the general
ship-a style of attack that will take
more chances than in the past, and
that will depend for success on per
feet individual interference and clean
handling of the ball. II has beer
said that under the new rules it i;
next to impossible TO gain much
ground with the ball in hand. but
what's more natural than that coaches
who have made this statement in pub
lie and to one another should immedi'
ately turn their attention to this very
matter2 Some Of our best coaches
east and west, are convinced that the
ball can be carried to advantage II
only TO open the way for drop kick
er. and there will be running plays
this year in sections Of the field
hitherto barred under the old system
Of generalship.
II will be a year of numerous shif
plays. unless all sigrs fail and the
possible combinations to be worked
IN connection with shifts are far from
exhausted. Several eastern team
had shifts last year that we're neve
used because there was not lime II
! which 70 perfect them, but they will