Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1914-10-21
By EDWARD R. BUSHNELL

BY EDWARD N. BUSHNELL
A versatile backheld, with every man
able TO star in more than one depart
ment. Is the ambition of Head Coach
Brooke for this years Pennsylvania
team. When Brooke analyses the can
didates for backficld honors he wants to
satisfy himself that they will add more
than one combination to his attack He
doesn't want a man who can do nothing
but kick, or whose worth is limited to
line plunElng. But he does welcome with
open arms the man who can kick, for
ward pass, run and break through the
line.
The best combination player he now
has Is Tucker. who can do all these
things and do them well, He is the
best man In the backfield 70 run with
the ball, and is likewise the best punter
and forward passer Vreeland can for
ward pass. he can run with the ball and
he can place-kick. Merrill's strong points
are his catching of punts in the back
field and his open field running. Clt-
mately the fourth member of tl5s quar-
tet will probably be Matthews. OF these
four, Matthews is the best line breaker,
and is also showing rare promise as
dropkicker. All this week Coach Brooke
has been trying to teach him fourth
qualification, that Of forward passing.
He is improving every day in this.
The value of having such versatile
backfield lies in the fact that its mem
hers can always do the unexpected. For
nf he N
heave the forward pass. If it is to be
a plunge into the line Vreeland, Tucker
or Matthews can be used to carry the
ball, and all four can skirt the ends.
Tucker is, of course, the best of tho
punters, but Matthews can dropkick and
Vreeland place-kick. SO many comhlna-
tIons make possible all sorts of fake
plays. If the coaches can only keep
these four men together, and can keep
them in good physical condition they are
certain to do some surprising work be-
fore the season ends.
In addition to the Harvard-State, Penn
Indian, Princeton-Dartmouth and Yale
washington and Jefferson games on Sat
urday there is 10 be one contest an
intersectional match, which will attract
lots of interest all through the East,
II is the game between Syracuse and
Michigan. at Syracuse. Syracuse proved
against Princeton that the Orange Is
tough antagonist this year, and the Mich
igan-Aggies game demonstrated last
week that Vests machine is vul-
nerable A year ago Syracuse lost
to Michigan by the score OF 43
TO Z, but this year the Syracuse team
Is much stronger. According to so capable
and honest a coach as Donald G, Herring.
of Princeton, the only thing that pre-
vented Syracuse from beating Princeton
,1s-Eaf nd ftTfnh1 limo
OF punts by Quarterback Seymour, OF
the visiting team.
REPORTS from Ann Arbor are to the
effect that the Michigan backfeld has
been weakened by injuries to several
players in last Saturdays game. Michi-
gan is now being pointed for the Har-
ward game at Cambridge one week from
Saturday OF course, Michigan wants to
beat Syracuse but It can be put down
for a certainty that the Westerners would
prefer to be beaten by Syracuse than
risk injured veterans, who will be needed
to meet Harvard.
When Princeton meets Dartmouth on
Saturday the Tigers will be opposed by
a backfeld little II any, weaker than
the famous Harvard quartet OF last year
II Dartmouth's men live up TO their
1918 reputation they Will be strong in
every department Of the game. One could
hardly ask better quarterback than
Ghee, while the writer has vet TO see
any backheld man able to handle the
forward pass better than he AS a line
plunger on tackle or around the ends
Captain Whitney is a second Brickley,
and both Curtis and Murdock are stars
OF the first magnitude.
At this writing II looks as though
Princeton enjoyed one advantage, that of
having met a stronger set OF preliminary
opponents. and this means a lot. Dart
mouth went through its preliminary
games like a prairie fire, but Princeton
had to fight, and fight hard. 10 win from
Rutgers, Bucknell. Syracuse and I.afa-
yette.
The Tiger coaches are trying an expert
ment this year to teach field Eeneralshlp.
Three days a week the Princeton team
plays regular game with the scrubs or
freshmen. in which each quarterback Is
Obliged TO manage his own game. There
Is no coaching interference. The object
OF this is have a team which can play the
game. not practice It, In other words. the