New-York tribune., 1912-02-11
DEAD LINE IN FOOTBALL
CoChems Thinks Five Yard z0ne
Should Be Removed.
APPROVES OTHER CHANGES
That Is, So Far as They Go, but
Still Insists Principles
Are Wrong.

Edward B. Cochems, the one-time football
coach and close student of football. has
addressed a letter to the sporting editor of
The Tribune. giving his impressions Of the
changes made in the rules of the game by
the committee of fourteen week ago. He
thinks the committee did as we'll as could
be expected under the conditions. but still
insists that the basic principles Of football
are wrong and that the game is still lack
| ing as a test Of true sporting proposition.
In view OF the fact that the changes will
lead up TO more experimenting, any ught
| that can be thrown on them will be ac-
ceptable TO those most interested as open
ing the way for a fuller and better under
standing until such time as the rules can
be tried out in practice. Mr. Cochems says:
So far as fair consideration OF the
weaker eleven In football is concerned in
the equal adjustment OF the time elements
OF play or the elimination of brutality, II
seems TO me that the late rule euactments
are not only inadequate. but aggravaIe the
situation.
On the whole | believe that the mem
bers of the rules committee did as we'll as
could be expected. in view of the fact that
they did not deem it advisable at this tim,
TO make what they naturally would con-
slutI q rev 'lullOlldI9 C0dIBt. 10 III dS
they base the game on the distance TO be
gained IN certain number Of downs they
old the only thing tnat was left for them
10 do. T. g., increase the number Of downs
IN order t. encourage more positive &c
tiOn.
OF the twelve rules enacted. two only
are OF such intrinsic importance that th.y
will Nitally effect any real change in the
playing conditions Some Of the others,
such as kicking off from the 4G-yard line
instead OF the centre Of the field kicking
out from the 2o-ydrd line instead Of from
the 2-y3rd line after tOuChbdCk reducing
the time between quarters, eliminating the
field judges, allowing only one coach on
the side lines and f1creasing the value OF
the touchdown, are IN the right direction
These notifications, however. are Sumptu-
AIRY rather than organic. and can IN no.
wise affect the fundamentals Of the game
The change from four to five downs how
ever. has a distinct bearing on the playing
conditions that will be brought into effect.
II does not alter the principle on which
the game is founded. and which | sincerely
believe TO be fundamental miScOnceptiOn,
but does undoubtedly increase tho posi-
bility of far more positive action. II doe
not balance, however the powers Of the
offence and defence any more than for
merly. since II they were balanced they
would meet on the line of scrimmage, and
not be represented by an arbitrary meas
ure of ten yards, as at present.
The rules committee, in stating that II
has balanced the forces Of the offence and
defence. stale something that is subject TO
mathematical criticism. The rule makers
did not increase materially the power Of
the offence over the defence. but merely
gave the offence one more opportunity TO
acquire the arbitrary ten yards Of distance.
No arm Of the offence has been strength
ened. There IS no ground for the belief
that a team of this wear will make more
ground in any one play than team of
last year under equal conditions.
While the native power of q team has
not been enhanced, the character Of play
l,og ha da
of the game Not one rule has been modi-
fed that in any way respects the consid-
erations of safe play. On the other hand.
the increase from four TO five downs hts
aggravated the chances for unsafe action.
The retention of the rule requiring the
kick and pass to be made five yards back
of the line of SCrimmagc has made q dead
line The defensive backs. knowing that
no kick or pass can be made beyond that
line, realize that the play Is rush the mo-
ment the man with the ball crosses that
line Owing to the fact that a pass may
be made behind that line the defensive
backs will perforce remain back. say. ten
Yards If there were no forward passes
used as prior 70 1906 these backs would be
practically on the line Of Scrimmdgc and
the play would be blocked before il had
developed momentum. Under the present
rules IL seems as though some evil genius
had devised this J-yard dead line with cum
ring malcVOlcncc. The fear OF the pass hOds
the defensive backs in check just long
enough and far back enough TO provide the
maximum momentum separating the con-
nictng forces TO bring about the most dan
gerous collision possible under human con
ditons Last year II was not only bless
ing that most coaches did not appreciate
the significance of this dead line considered
from tactical, defensive standpoint, but
likewise that the rules only allowed four
downs, which, for practical purposes, rep
resented only two tries. and likewise made
an open game imperative owing to the fact
that the ten yards could not be consist
emily negotiated. With five downs or four
tries allowed the style of play Will he
changed to a lire shattering. cataputic
character since ten yards will be possible
by rushing.
There will be one-third more plays used
against the line absolutely, since they will
have the privilege OF four instead OF three
tries and will use three before thev kick
instead Of two as last year. When a
stronger eleven meets a weaker one the
number OF line plays will be increased, and
the weaker eleven cannot stand the shock
as well as team Of equal weight and tim
Der.
The forward pass will not be used as
freely as last year. since the power OF the
rush play has been increased by one third
II would not have been called into play
last year but for the impossbility OF gain