New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-09-23
Ion COLLEGE GR|D|RONS
Football Again to Go on Trial IN
Games This Week.
TEST FOR THE new RULES
Indications Point to Better
Balance Between Attack
and Defence.

Balance Between Attack
and Defence.
Before another week IL over American
/ college football, under the latest revision
| OF the rules, Will take It's place at the bar
I OF public opinion, as number OF the
leading teams will play their FIRST games
on Wednesday and Saturday. The new
code, for such almost II may be called In
view Of tho somewhat radical changes
made By the Committee Of Fourteen last
February, will get trial. but the real
test will hardly come until later in the
season. after the coaches and players have
become more familiar with the new con-
ditions and the new formations which
must be faced and worked out Tho first
games, then. will be interesting az In
| dicating the possibilities OF the sport, but
fair Judgment cannot be passed much be-
fore the season draws TO n close.
am in recent OF a number OF letters
asking me to express my opinion NJ 20 the
working OF the new rules. now that the
season is at hand, but am quite At much
In the dark as was the case last Fehru-
airy, and II is possible only 70 repeat my
impressions formed at that time after
carefully diagnosing the code. said then
and still believe that the game uill he
better, fairer and more natural. Every
effort was made BY the rules committee
10 bring about q moro oven balance be-
tween the attack and the defence, and 70
far as can be Judged tho effort will be
successful. This means greater con-
tiruity Of offensive plays. and should pre-
vent so many unsatisfactory tie games or
games won By an or chance Scoring nov
should be possible by straight rushing. 4
powerful defence out Of ell proportion 20
the attack is less likely than IN the last
two seasons Last resort plays OF hap
hazard nature and tho promiscvous throw
Ing about of the ball have been discour-
aged. The danger OF free ball has been
lessensd, nhio the freak Of football by
which Princeton defeated Dartmouth when
the ball bounded over the crossbar for q
goal has been made impossible. In few
words, football will be more OF game
and less OF a scramble With a fair chance
OF the stronger team being properly re-
p'nr6ed
II may not be reasonable 10 assume that
the changes made will bring abou, az idsal
game. As suggested last February, after
the rules committee had finished its pains
taking labors. more experimenting may be
necessary, but everything point. IN. way
20 the best game that has been evolved
since tho frat radical r.visiou Of the
rules. 81, or seven years ago. The run
ming game has been encourased. but with
out fear. FL my opinion, 70 a return ~ To
old hammer and tons, line smashing
plays, IN which beef and Drawn zero more
essential than speed and skill. Further
than that unless all signs fair. Walter
Camps criticism ;het the game az played
last year was lacking as true sporting
proposition" cannot be made when this
season comes 20 an end.
Under the rules enforced last year IL
was next 20 impossible 20 score BY
straight rushing, or at all. for that mat
ter, when two teams were fairly evenly
matched. except b. some chance play
Many team could gain fairly consistent
~ IN mid-feid with the secondary line Of
defence spread out because OF the con
stant fear OF forward pass or on-side
| kick. but once within the 25-yard line
whore the on-side kick and forward pass
we're practically unavailable. the defence
frightened up In way 10 mako IL next 70
impossible 10 gain ten yards IN three
downs. Now. however, with the liulta-
uons removed rom the forward pass
and the right 20 make 70 over the goal
line some Of tae difficulties Of gaining
ground by straight rushing inside tho %
yard line have been lesssned. and tho
conditions will be much the same a. with
the ball in Inidneo. II will bo neCes-
sery. under tie new rules. 10 keep tho
secondary line OF defence spread out 10
guard At all times against the threat OF
ii forward pass.
The elimination ~ the ou-side kick, al
ways a loose, unsatisfactory play. IL cure
| 10 increase the value OF tho running game.
apart from the fact that five downs, in
stead Of four will be allowed In gaining
ten yards. This OF necessity means less
kicking In the hope OF gaining something
through a tumble or a mlsplay by the
opposing 1ack 1 am not yet convinced
| that il was advisable 10 increase tho
! value OF a touchdown from hvo 10 elk
| points. with tho other scoring values re-
naming the same, az II 10 likely to dis
courage drop kicking. which TO me has
always been an attractive feature OF the
| game. AZ So Is now, II will take three
| drop kicks 20 beat one touchdown, and
thiB hardly seems like fair proportion.
| The rule providing that on a touchback
the ball must be put In play from the ~
yard line, instead % the 2j-yard line, is
almost sure TO be good ore. AZ II will
not operate so heavily against the attack
! ting side or be 80 apt 10 nu.lify a lot OF
good work. This change followed out one
Of my own suggestions, althcugh.I was I'm
favor Of putting the ball In play from the
I 15-yard line.
| The other changes made were Of a
minor nature, although the shortening OF
the field by ten yards Is likely TO play
! It's part IN a further encouragement OF
| tho running game. Little more can bo
| said at this time, but wish 10 empha
size that am not one Of those who be-
lieye that the better balance between
the attack and the defence will bring
about return TO the heavy, close for