The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1911-12-04
At# FOOTBALL G0ACHtS
NOT NEW RULES NEEDED,
SAYS GASPlR WHITNEY
Players and Public Do NOT De-
mand Revision Of Rules Says
Editor of Outing,
PRESENT RULES ALL RIGHT
Forward Pass Great Play When
Used Skilfully; but Danger
Gus When Used Crudely.
Nv cAspAR WHITNEY.

Wa are about TO engage in the an
mai pastime. fnding fault with the
football rules. In this II Is inconcelN'
able that the Yale-Harvard On sAn
shonld be the logical result OF poor
play--for such contretemps me
rules must be at fault. So the dis-
sruntled shout More attacking pow
err ,,,
hayeS been asked by The Times
what changes are necessary, anu
answer: .None that are radical
To disturb fundamentally the game
xould be n mistake from any view
point save that OF coaches unable 10
AXE ADVANTAGE of opportunities OF
fered.
Football is now more interesting
and nearer sport; its Strategic pcs
abilities are greater than ever, RAY
ers do not ask revision. Nor the pun
lie II IL the ="
hest majority of them.
The rules open the came, ADMIT oi
a loose ball, give speed, brillance ana
strateey.. Coaches have failed 10
make good and the majority turned
out teams playingold football
DIR. Harry williams, of Minnesota
last wear produced, from ancient MS
,ory a reiuvenated formation--tne
shift. This year no team so lowiy
as not to have q variation OF MS
simple. oyer-rated lineup. Two sea
sons have passed and this ABOUT lne
only new thing In formations. vi
original development Of the forward
pass and onside kick. as little may Dc
said.
Bearing this In mind IL is easy TO
understand why many elevens are
stronger on defense than In attack.
The loose ball DOGGY has been a
coach's nightmare.
Complaint Is made that the rules
produce scoreless games Against
Princeton, Yale and eight chances 10
score by field goals and realized once.
Harvard had three chances against
vale and Yale had two. but both fail
Cd to count Princeton had one
chance against Yale and two against
Harvard and realized against both.
IL the failure of Yale and Harvard
Ia be charged against the rules OF TO
miserable execution? The rules give
opportunity to score but ! do not
understand they are to hand up field
goals on a platter No team ! saw
this fall failed to score through fault
or the rule.
The forward pass had advanced lit
tie. Many coaches profess to think
little OF IL, but in secret acknowl'
edge its potentialities and are not up
70 IL. Used without great skill II has
The danger OF iooseball, but no play
{ ffers more strategic value.
This year showed the penalty OF
poor. play. Harvard and Yale failed
for no other reason. For the same
reason Army failed and NAVY made
good. The year laid heavy hand on
tInclean handling of the ball and blum
deriEg effort to turn opportunity into
points.
Princeton. Dartmouth, Navy. Car.
JieIe: Trinity and Chicago deserve
mention. though none showed the
ounlity the rules encourage.
The rules brought what football
needed. BY increasing the difficulty
OF making 10 yards, they balance az
tack and defense. They prevent mas
sing or an individual and force open
play. They put q premium on brains
and make for a higher grade OF play
Tfthere Is trouble il is with coaches,
who, won't ferret the old game, or
lack. ingenuity 10 get away from II.
Let there be no tinkering with the
rules 10 cover coaching deficiencies
Rather insist that coaches come up
10 date.