Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1914-11-05
BIC ELEvENS TO
USE new SYSTEM
Football Coaches to Give Open
Game Thorough Trial.
CADETS LEARNED A LESSON

Experience Gained In Notre Dame
Game Responsible For Victory Over
Navy Last Fall-Forward Pass to
Figure In Contests Again.
Judging by the reports that have
come from the various training camps
Of the big university football teams. it
seems that Il more open and complicat-
ed style Of play will be used in the
great majority of big contests this
fall
1t appears to be the predominating
sentiment that the eleyenS cannot
worry along for three-fourths Of the
season with a few plays Of the simple
variety and then hope to establish upon
Il firm and dependable basis enough OF
a change in their otfense to accomplish
much against q we'll drilled defense.
Instead of devoting the time during
the first days of practice solely to
elementary considerations, nearly
every coach is spending a lot Of his
efforts in rounding out the beginning
of q series of open formations and q
great variety Of plays intended to
puzzle opponents in the actual con-
tests.
There are two reasons for this. The
first is that it is generally realized Il
more open style of play must be de-
veloped to insure n competent offense
and success against teams that employ
those tactics; second. that the big
teams are tired of running the risk of
defeat during the early games with
smaller but more highly developed
elevens.
The former change was probably
caused by the success of certain teams
in their big games last year with the
forward pass. and the latter by the
numerous defeats in recent years that
members of the big five have suffered
ut the hands Of schools that had pre-
viously been unable to do more than
afford good practice.
It has been difficult for the smaller
teams to get going. but by developing
more rapidly than their larger rivals
they have managed i'll many instances
10 win from institutions twice their
si2s.. The big schools. in order to pre-
vent Il general recurrence of the de-
fc;ltS sustained in that manner, are go
ing to push their work more rapidly
and in the first contests there will be
Il better developed and more interest
ing combination representing each OF
them.
Another good reason for the change
lies in the experience of the West
Point academy team last season. West
Point Slccumbed to the Notre Dame
eleven chiefly through Il varied attack
of the western eleven made possible
by the forward passing of Dorais and
Rockne. mixed up With runs by Dorais
and line pounding by Eichenlaub
Profting by defeat. West Point turn.
ed the Notre Dame system to account
by grating it on its W scheme OF
play and defeating the strong Navy
eleven. although expected to lose by
experts. The diversity of attack lent
by the use of the forward pass not
ohIS "NNoulltNb SiOtlld SSillillS
but bewildered the enemy as to the at.
lacking instances of the cadets.
West Points success apparently has
sunk deeply into the minds of eastern
coaches. and the forward pass will be
used much more generally this year
than formerly. both as a feint and as
Il ground gamer.
The forward pass. however. has its
limitations. The army game is the
groundwork on which all successful
football teams must be built.
After that is perfected the NOR
variations learned the better. The for
ward pass is Il diversion. not an essen
tial. to winning football.
The use Of it might decide a battle
in favor of one team employing il
against n that did not. although in
all other respects the two were equal.
No Umpire Baiters on A+hIe+ics.