Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1913-10-15
By j. w. I1eiSnan.

- VERY fall the football fan
vaguely wonders what innova-
tons the seasons new rules
will bring out in the playing of the
game Every fall for the past twenty
years the rule book has shown more
or less change, so that we have be-
come accustomed to thinking there
must necessarily be some changes in
the playing OF the game from year
to year
This season. however the rule al
terations have been 50 very Sigh,
that little change in the way the game
is played may be expected. Some
thing has been said here and there
about the possibility of the onside
kick coming back into the game and
cutting as big figure as it did once
upon a time: but thus far | have
seen no onside kicks tried in any Of
the games l have witnessed, nor have
[ heard of any having occurred in
other games.
While ii is perfectly legal to at
tempt Onside kicks of the same ma
ture as those OF a dozen years ago,
there is little likelihood, in my opin-
ion that these will crop out to any
great extent this fall.
1t is true that the removal Of the
requirement that a kicker shall stand
at least Ave yards back of his own
rush line in making q punt now oper-
ates to let the quarterback, standing
close behind his own line. put his
foot in it for a quick short kick,
which any or all of the backfield men
who were standing behind him at the
instant of the kick are eligible 70
capture either on the fly or on the
ground, if they are able to get il
ahead of the opponents. But the
trouble about this old time onside
kick, a il used TO be played. is that
since that day the forward pass has
come into the game. and along with
the forward pass feature Of the Of
Tense has come the strategic defense
move to meet it of putting man out
to each side and in the secondary
line Of defense. And these side
backs" now are not only stationed
in the best places to get forward
passes. but they happen to stand just
where the Old-time onside kicks
used to go. and they are much more
liable to secure one Of these Onside
kicks than they are even a forward
pass from their opponents. For this
reason, ! say we shall see little
enough of the onside kick this sea-
son, even though the rules do again
permit of the quarter getting it off
the end Of his toe in hurry
The Games Last Saturday.
The games of last Saturday gave
very little more information. on the
whole. about the strength OF the
Southern college teams than We had
a week ago. Again the first string
teams all won, and again they won
by goodly scores
There was one upset TO the dope
worth commenting on. That was
Alabama's decisive defeat Of Clemson.
BY this do not mean TO imply that
I thought Clemson would win. I ex
pected it would be a very close and
hard fought game, with either team
liable to win; but three touChdowns
for the Red and White sent my eye
brows up perceptibly. And this IS
no dispa fragment to Clemson. for !
still believe the PalmettOs viii be
heard from. But Alabama's showing
Is so much letter than most folks
had looked for that they will now
be persuaded / was probably correct
when I wrote last week that Alabama
was going to make Georgia hustle
harder for the decision the coming
Saturday than thOs' folks had an
ticipated.
Tennessee Also Comes Through.
For the third time l am saying,
PAY a little attention to the Folun-
teers." Their defeat of Maryyille by
a larger score than Vanderbilt rolled
up against the same team proves
conclusively that the Knoxvillians
have found themselves. Sewanee may
well roll up it's sleeves and go at
the job in a businesslike way II It
expects to put one over on the East
Tennes seeans in Chattanooga next
Saturday. And it viii be a battle Of
giants. for both teams are unusually
heavy. while both royly admit TO
ha ring A ii backs.
At any rate. these tHO games WIZ
serve 10 eliminate al Least mo cou-