Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1915-10-21
MINERAL POINT FOOTBALL DOPE
BY DR.. wEsTgHNHAGEy.


Platteville high school and our local
school, feel in position to comment
upon the possibilities of our t&'m and
its needs and prospects
We were beaten last Friday and are
not offering excuses Beaten because
we stacked up" against superior
weight and also against superior foot
ball ! do not wish anyone to infer
that We shall continue to have inferior
football. The boys are willing and APP
parently fearless, but most Of them are
new at the game
Coach Schubert has done well with
the material at his disposal; and wish
to point out here that to turn out a
football team with but twelve candi-
dates, and the greater portion Of them
new at the game, is gigantic task
Football is, essentially, a game Of
concerted aggressiveness, with little
strategy thrown in. To become sue
cess as a football player the candidate
must learn TO throw every ounce Of ag-
gressiveness in his makeup into the
game. If a man, so to speak, has fifty
pounds Of aggressiveness and enters
game with the ability or ourage to use
but twenty-five, he will be no use as an
individual nor as unit in the team play.
Now this essential quality is what must
be brought out in our Mineral Point
team, and with the perseverance of
coaching which they will get and the
persistency of practice which they
must have, feel the same will be ac-
compished
To return to the game Of last Friday:
The boys in the line were not charging.
Instead of going in to meet the play
they waited for the play to come to
them, thus giving their opponents
chance 20 gain momentum and form
interference as we'll The lack of ag-
gressiveness in the line is apparent
when one considers that there was but
one penalty for off-side play in the Ell.
tire game. If the boys were on their
toes and anxious to charge as soon as
the ball was snapped, their over-anxiety
would have pulled them ofT-site more
than once, assure you The back
field worked fairly well, but the team
as whole lacked unity The fullback,
Ellsworth, is a powerful runner and
holds his feet well, but he had no inter
ference to carry him beyond the oppo-
nents primary line of defense Time
and practice will remedy this absence
of unity in the team Doering and
Haas worked hard at half-back but the
advancing of the ball was purely an in
diyidual effort. Paynter at quarter
ran his team fast but used at times
errors of judgment. He was far too
reckless with his forward passes, which
are difficult plays under the best Of
conditions. These plays should be with
held until a team is we'll on toward its
opponents territory to obyiatc the pos
sidiIity Of one Of the opposing side
grabbing the pass and running a few
steps across the goal line for a touch
down. Kirst at center played a good,
steady game and with a little more
coaching will develop into an excellent
man in this position Stellar and Zim-
mer at guards, with the exception Of
their lack of aggressiveness, played
hard football They will develop and
improve Frieden at tackle gave the
best there was in him, He was in the
game at all times. Davis, playing the
opposite tackle, will make a good run
ming mate for him although somewhat
below the weight Of a man | should
like TO see playing the tackle position.
His aggressiveness may make up for
his lack of weight
The whole team was woefully weak
on taci,hug and those who witnessed
the game will recall the inability of our
men to down the opposing runner. man
after man was brushed aside before
the man was finally brought down.
Our ends played hard football but they
were severely Handicapped by the fail
ure Of our forward rush line to charge
and smash the interference and So all
low tha end to tackle the runner. Tenn
by at left end is comparatively small
man but has the heart and will make |
q most creditable end before the sea-
son is over. thinner playing the oppo- |
site wing had the same difficulty in /
downing his man but this was not
wholly his fault for as explained above |
the line was not giving their quota of |
assistance.
We shall olow the play Of the team /
from week to week and note its inn
proyement as the season advances. /
The Improvement will come because
The boys are willing and courageous
and where there is viii and courage
there is success.
almost forgot to mention Fitz-
simons who came in as substitute guard