Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1913-11-10
BY j. w. Heisman.

~ NE of the very earliest things a
I football player should learn
properly to do is to hustle
down the field under punts and tackle
the man catching the ball
This is a very important depart
ment of the gridiron game and one
that takes a great deal of time and
practice In order to attain proficiency.
The ends are the ones who are de-
pended upon most for getting down
field and tackling the receiver. They
should be fast men and good, sure
taClllers. As soon as the signal for a
punt is given the endmen should leave
the rest of the rush line and go well
out toward the boundary lines. The
idea is to go down the sides of the
field and thus outfiank the catcher.
The ends start down the instant
the ball Is snapped, and they should
run at top speed nearly all the way.
They should not look back to see
where the ball is going, except a very
fleeting glance over the shoulder
when the attitudes and postures of
the man or men receiving the catch
are such as to render 1t difficult to
hell just where the ball Is going to
receivers while going down will indi-
| cate, after little practice, Just what
part of the field the punt is going TO
and who Is going TO try to catch it.
HAVING done your fast sprintlng
L at the start. you will probably
| get reasonably close to the receiver
| before the ball comes down. This
will enable you to slack up somewhat
when you get within eight or ten feet
| of him, and set yourself on good bal
ance, so as either to be able to tackle
| him the instant the ball strikes his
arms. or to respond to his lodging in
case you are still little too far away
| from him.
Now, the rest of the rush line-ex-
| cept under certain special kick forIna-
| tions-hlocks steadily In the line SO
| the opponents can not get through to
| block the kick, until they hear the
| SOUND of the kick. when they in
stantly drop their opponents and
scurry on down the field after their
ends as fast as they can go. But
| whereas the ends went down on the
outer edges of the field these other
men go down more nearly straight
The ends continue to STAY ON THE
! OUTSIDE Of the receiver. and turn in
! LOW MIN plA9 WHICH hlAU9 al sur Z
| that they have outtlanked him.
| II an end runs right straight at the
| receiver 1t is generally an easy matter
| for the latter to dodge TO the outside
of the tacller and bring the, ball all
| the way back up the field along the
side line, What the ends must do Is
to keep the receiver turned in to the
| middle of the field. for, coming up the
middle rapidly, are the other five
rush linemen to help out on mailing
| the runner.
! M EANwHILE the backs are sta
AsA toned about half way back be-
tween the line and their punter, and
out toward the sides: they block OF
| all opponents who manage to work
| their way through the rush line The
| punter himself should hold the ball as
| long as he safely dare before putting
| his foot into II, as this will give his
| ends time to get down the field ahead
! OF the ball.
! After the kick has been safely pro-
! Jected the backs should also go down
rapidly and back up the tackling OF
| the linemen. The punter, however
should run Squarely over to the side
/ to which the punt went and back the
| ball up at the same time looking cut
! for a possible immediate return OF
the punt We seldom sec a punt re-