Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-12-24
PENN IS In LINE
FOR SUCCESS ON
GRIDIRON in 1916
Quakers Will Be in Cham
pionship Running, Pre-
diets DR.. Williams
PRAISE FOR 1915 LINE
BY EDWARD R. BUSHNELL

Dr. Carl S. Williams, football strategist
| OF the University of Pennsylvania and
| coach of the backield last year, has
contributed an article for the current
number of the Red and Blue, Pennsylva-
MAS illustrated monthly magazine, on
"A Football Team in the Making" AL
though referring only indirectly to diff
culties on Franklin Field last season,
Doctor Williams infers that under condi-
tions which existed no championship
team could have been produced this fall.
He boldly predicts that next fall Penn
sylvania will be in the running for cham
pionship honors.
Doctor Williams blames the October
schedule for most of Pennsylvania's mis-
fortunes. More than one good team has
been ruined byits manager or thoughtless
COACH" says Doctor Williams ITO point
team for severe game in October eX-
pecting to do 1t again late in November,
is nearly always fatal at the later date.
Yet not to do so may also be fatal as
Harvard found in the Cornell game this
year. Only by carefully graduated
schedule can a good team even with
safety be carried through successful
season.
What more ridiculous for a green team
than Pennsylvania October schedule this
season. when both State and Pittsburgh,
two veteran teams of the first rank, were
piuN GU Ilshiilb the pHS SlCdl tOHulllOH DIS
well as the morale of inexperienced
players"
Line Came Through
Doctor Williams also explains why with
green line and green backfield the
line came through" on time and the
backheld did not. on this point he says:
"Inasmuch as in the line each man has
but one thing to do, and does this over
and over again, successful line of
scrimmage with proper men and proper
coaching can be produced In a single sea-
son, as was demonstrated at Pennsylva-
mia this year. Lucky is the coach who can
find in single season general, quar-
terback, a man who possesses all those
peculiar qualities which go to make a
leader. to drive this team, to select its
plays and use them at the proper time.
This Is a matter of inspiration and eX-
perience rather than OF coaching"
Although not mentioning any indlvid-
uals by name, Doctor Williams is under
stood to be referring to his disappoint-
ment in his various quarterback candi-
dates in the following passage:
Some men are uncoachable If treated
on general principles The presence of
others may be a positive detriment to
team. One disorganizer can ruin the
morale of whole squad II he be not dis
ciplined or eliminated Sometimes, when
all bul loO idle, Oic WHOM you nave
trained for a position and learned to
count on at a critical time is found to
lack courage-to fail under fire."
Followers Expected Too Much
In proof of his contention, expressed
several times during the season, that
followers of the team expected too much
of them. Doctor Williams says:
"A study of the past discovers the fact
that every really good team, without ex-
ception had as a nucleus at least seven
or eight so-called veterans upon it-good
men developed in their Individual play,
familiar with each other, the system of
play, the coaches and with discipline"
Doctor Williams concludes with the fol-
lowing prediction concerning the 1916 sea-
son:
"If the theory taught at Pennsylvania
during the last season has been correct;
If the coaching stan has been efficient,
with the abundance of good and expe-
rienced players returning to college in
1916, then above are the reasons why
Pennsylvania football teams should once
more be in the running for Championship
honors."