Atlanta Georgian., 1913-10-15
Bv j. w. Heisman.

r. VERY fall the football fan
vaguely wonders what innova-
tions 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 so very slight
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 l have
seen no onside kicks tried in any of
the games | have witnessed, nor have
| heard of any having occurred in
other games.
While It 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.
requirement that kicker shall stand
at least five yards back of his own
rush line in making 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 al the
Instant of the kick are eligible 10
capture, either on the fly or on the
ground, II they are able to get il
ahead OF the opponents. But the
| trouble about this old time onside
kick, as 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
fense has come the strategic defense
move to meet ii of putting a 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 forward
pass from their opponents. For this
| reason, I say we shall see little
| enough of the onside kick this sea
son. even though the rules do agair
permit OF the quarter getting it OF
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 ha6
! a week ago. Again the first string
| teams all won. and again they wor
| 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 thai
I thought Clemson would win. ! eX
| pected it would be very close ant
! hard fought game, with either team
| liable to win; but three touchdown.
| for the Red and White sent my eye
/ brows up perCepttbly. And this i!
| no disparagement to Clemson, for
| still believe the Palmettos will DC
/ heard from But Alabamas showing
| Is 90 much better than most folks
| had looked for that they will nov
| be persuaded | was probably cOrrec'
| when I wrote last week that Alabama
| was going to make Georgia hustle
| harder for the decision the coming
| Saturday than those folks had an
| ticipated.
Tennessee Also Comes Through.
For the third time l am saying
Pay a little attention to the Eolun.
. teers." Their defeat of Maryyille by
| a larger score than Vanderbilt rolleC
! up against the same team prove!
! conclusively that the Knoxvillianl
| have found. themselves. Sewanee may
! we'll roll up its sleeves and go q
the job in a businesslike way II il
| expects 10 put one over" on the Eas
| Tennesseeens in Chattanooga mex
/ Saturday. And it viii be a battle o
| giants, for both teams are unusually
/ heavy. while both coyly admit tc
| having fast backs.
At any rate these two games viii
serve 10 eliminate at least TWO cQR-