New-York tribune., 1911-01-29
FOOTBALL UP ONCE MORE
Time Now at Hand for Another
Assault on the Rules.
MAY ATTACK FORWARD PASS
Followers of Sport in the DARK
However, on Probable Changes
in the Code.

I
SATURDAY What changes, n any, VIII DC
made in the code are largely matters %
SPECULATION. The members OF the coii'li'i'
tee have been keeping their personal views
10 themselves, so that II is nara 10 te'i
along what particular lines recomIheHdd-
tions for improvement will be made. some
critics profess 20 think that some OF inc
rough edges may be smoothed of without
anv radical changes being made. while
others arc OF tho opinion that there Is
much 10 do 10 make the rules more ac-
ceptable.
The forward pass, which has come to pe
the "old man IF the sea" 10 latter-day
! football. Is sure 10 be the basis Tor nluch
discussion This play has many support
ers. but IL also he's some enemies, VINO
still believe that It has no place in the
game. The distance 10 be gained by rush
ing or the number OF downs, Is sure 10
come in for It's share Of attention. as there
are those who are convinced that some
thing must be done to strengthen the at
tack or weaken the defence with the games
OF last fall fresh in mind. These are likely
10 be the two main points at issue, al
though q number OF minor changes are
/ likely to be made.
The members Of the committee we're not
OF one mind last year as 10 the best way
| 70 bring about the desired end Of saving the
! sport by so legislatinS as 70 Insure safer
and saner game. All finally agreed on a
/ code that worked out In practice in way
that proved surprisingly satisfying. but
some critics, and 10 doubt some Of the
7 -
much can be learned from the experience
of actual play last fall and turned to good
/ in making further revision.
! Il may be pertinent In this connection 10
refer 10 the minority report OF Z. <. Hail.
Of Dartmouth, secretary OF the committee,
which gained little or no publicity last
spring, when the new code finally was
adopted. He advanced some suggestions on
/ the forward pass and the ground TO be
/ gained by rushing. which no doubt viii be
considered even more carefully al the meet
ing this week. The report, which contains
much Of interest. as showing. Il nothing
else, how carefully and consclentiously the
difficult problem was studied, follows, IN
part:
Tie following changes and additions arc
suggested in connection, II may Be SAID
! mere, with certain approved alterations,
such as no pushing ana pulling, etc)
! Fifteen Yards 10 gam In nVe downs.
| II the ball touches the ground behind the
! line Of scrimmage, IL is Immediately dead
snd counts as down at the spot. II me
down is the sixth down, tile ball goes 10
! tile opponents: otherwise 10 the slde that
put the ball in play. Exception: blocked
! kick)
fenslve scrlmmage line may be in motion
| trf r.
| the time wnen IRE ball is pat in play.
Ons de kick same as last year d. 9, no
20-yard restrlCtlcn).
! One Of tive centre men may interchange
I with the man ord naflly playing back OF
I the line. tOnly one such interchange IN
any sin= lie pldy)
No limit on the number OF Forward passes
which may be made back Of the line IN any
Penalty for forward pass crossing the
line Of scr!lnmage as follows: Ball becomes
counts as a down, and the ball 70 oe Put
/ In play five yards back OF the point Where
previously pat in play. ...
These changes, in addition 70 the eight
! items submitted 10 your committee, Would
make a safe, playable game aftordlns Dota
variety and opportunity for strategy ana
scoring. VIC submit tho following as
brief summary of the reasons for the pro-
posed changes:
I With eight wards 10 gain in three downs
and an unrestricted defence. we see ntue
/ or no possibility OF end running because
team would seldom waste down ny uylns
an erd rln. The reason OF this, OF course
is ~ at the chances are more tnan even
/ that the attempted end run VIII be stopped
before il reaches the scrimmaSe uhe IL
/ ie then second down, with elSht yarus 10
/ ain. which means I kick or at best one
nIav into the line and tben KICK. mere
/ fore, the question arose why not uouuIe
/ Inc 6istGnce and double the numDef OF
} downs and get two or three tries TOT an
erd run before losing possession OF the
! ra1Io n any ore OF these tries Is sulll-
lcie,,tly successful 10 net, say, ten YARDS
thor. are still enough downs lett 10 anord
I a fair chance OF getting the rest OF the
/ distance through line plays, and thus re-
! tain possession Of the bal!;. 1870.
| In ,ther words. il would tend 10 encour-
age and put a premium on aI,efipssu ,ras nIer enT
nd ,1tDuiug might well be developed 10 4
higher degree than ever BEFORE Elid pldy
/ have never had fair chance ur 10 uate,
/ because they were SO costly that they We
/ seidtin dared. and. therefore this style or
niav never received much Development;
= E.irbt wards in three downs douoled
means seventeen yards 10 gam ~ H slH
do,"ne This calls FOR an average OF TWO
ara tNvo-third yards down. Fliteeh yarGS
go raiu In Ave downs calls Tor three yarus
a down A difference Of only twelve incnes.
, ,rberofore il is suggested that the dlStaHce
~ tftasn Yards IN five downs, thus pre-
! cer,,{,,, the multiples Of I'VE, TO Whlch We
have co long been accustomed.
1n order ,o afford the maximum OF oppor-
t,ritv for rlle offence your committee rec
/ o,,,,,,ends allowing the players back or the
line ~ scrimmaee 10 be In motion III any
direction eXcept forward; Nncn tae odr' ain 10 ~
nut in play. This would not oiiiy neip ,ax ~
| deNeinping new formations ana long uneA-
/ ,eotsd masses but would anord an oppoF,
unity for a variety OF tast shlLts oe,lii'i W.
the line lust before and while the pan -
beine mt In play. which, 4 would seem.
would be certain to help scatter ana oreah ,e;l
,"1 the defence and present opportunities
Fdr a variety OF strategy that ~ muCn
/ Greater than we have ever had netoTe. IL
T. %nIieved that before the end Of the sea.
son great possibilities might be developed
along these lines. ,.,,. l..
Under the game AS outllneu We Deneve ~
/ aliouinc the greatest freedom In the pass
inc hack of he line of scrimmage. There-
fore we would allow an unlimited numper
Of forward passes back Cf the line. w hIe
we should not expect To olten Ser lno'e t,ia
nre we want To allow the possibility OF two
.tor, forward passes In succession On case
n man Is about 10 he tackled). ana We aisT y,
want TO avoid the possibility OF some 9filcial
renalizirg a pass as a second Forward pass
ei,nUtv because a forward pass which was
lirterded 20 be lateral or perhaps backward
really advanced a few inches IN 'front.' OF
,bs suot from which II was passed
penalty for forward pass across the line
of ecrimmage i've yards and play 10 count
as - down. The committee recolnfnehua q
small penalty here because we beleVr una,
II a forward pass be across the INC oi
ec-ir,rroce in would always he unlntrH-
Uonai and as under this game passine
ought 10 he encouraged minimum pehaI''
should be applied.
Tho committee. with two exceptions Is
made up OF the same men who served
last year At the annual meeting OF the
National Collegiate Athletic Association IN
this city last December seven men were
Irsrned as usual. 20 represent that body
and 10 anal gamate with the old committee
OF seven. as has been done In the last few
years. S. c. Williams. OF the State Uni
rl.he.it1itl.l 4