Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1914-09-23
FOOTBALL BOARD
KEEPS HANDS OFF
Proposed Changes in Passing
Ball to Have No Serious
Effect on Sport.
scRIMMAGE is coMPUL sorry
Forward Pass for Some Years After
Introduction Made Football
Tame Game-No Pushing.

Since the days of the mass play, the
flying wedge, and turtle back forma-
ton. the game of football has under
gone many changes The popular col
Iege sport, that branch of collegiate
athletics which supports other lines
of athletic endeavor. never went
through such a course of evolution as
it did in the winter of 1905'06. The
rules were so radically changed that
the game was looked upon as parlor
sport.
In order to keep the game alive
something had to be done. The rules
had to be changed to eliminate the
element of danger. Instead of % men
massing in a heap and falling down in
one big lump of humanity. thus causing
injury to many players, the rules COM
mittee at last has succeeded in adopt.
ing a code of rules which partially
eliminates this danger.
Forward Pass Good Play. {
Following the memorable meeting
of 1905-'06, the mass play was abol-
ished and other rules adopted to elimi-
nate serious accidents. The Inaugural
ton of the forward pass was one of
the first changes made in the code,
and this play today is considered one
of the west weapons of attack of any
well coached eleven.
In 1906'07-'0S!09 the forward pass
was not considered a good play be-
cause of the many restrictions placed
on it. Thanks to the untiring efforts
of the rules committee. these restric-
tons have been removed and the, play
can be used today just as successfully
as cross drive off tackle, an end run.
or a line plunge. 1t will be remem-
bered that forward pass could not be
thrown more than 20 yards into an OPP
ponent's territory, that it had to cross
the line of scrimmage at least five
yards each side of the center and must
be thrown from a point five yards
back of the scrimmage line.
No Pushing or Pulling.
The rules committee soon saw the
| folly of such rulings and the forward
pass today is one of the simplest plays
to govern in the game Rules forbid
ding the man carrying the ball to be
pushed or pulled were adopted and
/
safe.
Fortunately for the players and spec
|, tators, the rules committee did not
make many alterations in the playing
code at its meeting last winter. The
changes which were adopted will not
have a serious effect on the games as it
was played last season and followers
of the sport can look forward to one of
T.
years.
In order to discourage side line
coaching no person, not even the head
coach, will be allowed to walk along
the side lines. If this rule is enforced
by the officials one of the disagreeable
and unsportsmanlike features will be
eliminated. Many games have been
won and lost by such tactics and the
team for whose benefit the Information
was given will be penalized 15 yards
and the informant excluded from the
neighborhood of play for the remain
der of the game.
Scrimmaee Now Compulsory.
The kickout after a touchback or
safety has been abolished, and the ball
now must be put in play by scrfm-
mage on the 20 yard line. The object
I
of this rule is to give the team which
carried the ball into its opponents ter
ritory or opportunity of holding its ad-
vantage Another rule which should
have been adopted year ago is in re-
gard to a team which Intentionally
grounds a forward pass. Many times a
player who is to make a forward pass
is so cornered that he cannot make
the throw, and in order to avoid the
chance of letting one of the opposing
side catch the ball he simply drops the
ball forward on the ground and the
play goes as ain incompleted forward
pass and the penalty OF down Is in
fiicted.
In order to discourage such tactics,
the committee has adopted a rule
which provides for a ten yard penalty
on the first, second. or third down,
the point to be gained and the down
remaining the same. II the offense &C.
ours after a fourth down has been de-
clared. the ball shall go TO the oppos-
ing side at point ten yards back of
the point from which it was put in
play.
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