The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1912-02-08
COACHES DISCUSS
FOOTBALL RULES
THINK GAME WILL GO BACK TO
OLD STYLE ATTACK NEXT
SEASON.
POINTS OUT REASONS
PROFESSIONS UP AND DOWN FIELD
EXPECTED WHEN BIG ELEvENS
MEET WITH LIGHTER
TEAMS.

NEW HAVEN. CONN. Feb. -
That Walter Camps ideal of a per-
manent code Of football rules Is far
from realization is indicated by the
widely divergent npinions on the new
rules expressed by coaches and play
ers In different sections where the
game il played. Not few believe
that the greatly increased strength
of the offense will mean reversion
to the old-time rushing game. In
which the heavier team will sacrifice
everything to the retention OF the
ball. The fear Is now expressed that
too great an advantage has been
given the attacking side and that in
all the big games save the final meet
ings of the big teams the contests will
be professions OF the heavier eleVens
up and down the field.
While the scoring of touchdowns
by straight rushing was almost a lost
art last year In the Dig games. the
great difficulty was not that these
teams were not able TO gain ground
against each other by the rushing
game. A glance at the charts Of
the big contests shows that the op-
posing teams were able to gain with
fair consistency in midfeld. Down
towards the goal lines the defense
took chances and closed in and in
side the twenty-five yard line. line
plungtng. as rule, was smothere ed.
Particularly hard hit, from this point
OF view. will be the light teams. such
as Trinity. which have depended on
speed. variety and quick shifts to
gain ground and come within field
goal distance. With the added value
Of the touchdown it Is believed that
the bigger teams viii make few at
tempts at field goals when the chance
for scoring touchdowns is 40 great.
Many believe that the committee
should have stopped with the forward
pass behind the goal line and see how
that would work for one season. 9th
ers deplore the passing Of the onside
kick. Nothing but actual playing of
James between heavy and light teams
and between elevens evenly matched
In weight and football skill will de-
termine how near the new rules all
the bill.
Coach Frank Cavanaugh. OF Dart
mouth, approves Of the change in the
KICKOFF. and considers that the rule
allowing forward pass over the
goal hne will be great aid in scor-
ing. Regarding the additional down
he thinks 1t will give team an OPP
portunity to try more forward passes
and trick plays without disastrous re-
suits than under the old rules.
1T seems to me that the commit
tee has worked finely In their at
tempt to eQualize the game. from de-
Tense and offense standpoints," says
Coach Cavanaugh. Under the new
rules the powers Of the several teams
are made more nearly equal with re-
gard to offense and defense. The vital
question to be settled in the football
play next fall will be whether the
committee has helped onfense too
much in their new rulings. While
they have bettered the offense chances
OF all teams 1t seems to me they may
have undermined tho defense powers
Of the many Of them. II feel, how
ever. considerable amount OF con-
hdence In these changes and feel they
Will be Of much good to the game
md make football OF the future much
more satisfactory"
DR.. ]. II. McCurdy, coach OF the
Springfield Training School eleven
cannot see any good reason for the
adjustment Of the onside kick, and
believes that increasing the number
of downs from three to four will tend
to bring back the old une-smashing
game. The loosening up of the for
ward pass, however. is, in his opinion,
q move to open the game further
than has been possible under the
rules in vogue for the past two years.
4 think the changes proposed by
the rules committee will improve the
game. although / am sorry to see
some OF them, especially the addition
OF one down, which / am afraid will
tend to bring back the old line
game. The loosening up Of
the forward pass should open the
game. The new rule which allows
the pass to 30 any distance before
It II caught and to pass over tho
xaAS 'tssses. Will greatly. incrsazs the
value Of long accuEn$e forward passes.
especially as srtfie rule with regard
to protection In the 20-yard zone has
been extAnded to cover the whole
field. ~
The value OF = good goal kicker
10 somewhat lessened by tho rule
which adds one point for a touch
down. but on tho other hand places
q premium on team football a. op-
posed to the ield goal game. where
one man n depended on for the
possssx nsaasss III 1aiS ayas.sses sky good
reason for doing away with the on
side kick. The reduction In the num-
Der Of officials is step forward. and
there is no doubt that the game az
played last fall was overburdened
with officials. l would like to SEQ
some system worked out by which
the players could be encouraged to
play the game clean without 20 much
by officials In general. I
look to see the new rules work out
to the advantage OF the game"
Timothy F. I.arkin. coach OF the
Holy Cross football eleven. believes
the forward pass over the goal line
ID the feature Of the changes and will
tend to equalixe the offense and de-
Tense Of all teams. He believes 1t win
tend to make the team on the de-
fenss string out Its players and give
the attacking side = better change to
tally or at least to show plays that
have . scoring possibility. Likewise
It will permit the offenss plenty Of
chance to mix up plays ana depart
from line 6uckIn6 when Withjn the
shadow OF the opponsnts' goal lins.
That the new forward pass play will
permit lots OF scoring 10 the opinion