Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-10-22
PENN HOPES TO
GET JUMP ON
PITT PLAYERS
Advantage at Start Will
Be Important Factor in
Big Game Tomorrow
ROCKEFELLER HALFBACK
By ROBERT w. MAXWELL

oy -NODEhl w. mAAW ELL
The Penn--Pittsburgh football game,
which Will be played on Franklin Field
tomorrow. will be won or lost in the
first Ave minutes of play. The team
that gets the jump on Its opponents Will
have a big advantage for, in modern foot
ball, the start is more important than
anything else. II one side gets Sff some
spectacular plays or pulls a couple of
long runs soon after the kickoff, the
other side does not feel so sure about
winning the game and begins to lose
courage, while the others grow more con-
fident.
If Penn takes the ball away from Pitts
burgh at the start and then makes
few good gains, there will be something
doing on the Red and Blue playground
before the shades of night have fallen,
On the other hand, II Pitt gets started
the same as in the Navy game large
score is probable.
Penn has everything to gain and moth
ing to lose tomorrow. Pitt has been
awarded the game and the score is the
only doubtful point-in the minds OF these
prophets 1t is known that the western
ers have a good team and are capable OF
playing wonderful football; but Penn is
not so bad and the players can deliver
the goods II necessary.
This is the first game on the Penn
schedule that has really worried the
players. They were confident OF beating
Penn state and found that they were
mistaken. In the Navy game this same
confidence returned and the score was
the result. But the Pittsburgh game
has been so widely talked about and the
team touted so much, that the Red and
Blue athletes realize that they will be
up against tough proposition and will
enter the game with an entirely different
spirit than has been shown this year.
The old pep and fight is in the
team at present and 1t looks like a diff
ferent set of players. One day this week
the men got so worked UP that several
fist fights were put on during the prac-
tice The players went into the game
with that determination which usually
wins. and it is needless to say that the
coaches were highly pleased
Penn will take no chances in the game
Saturday. The team has not been spe-
cially prepared for this battle. for there
are other more important games on the
schedule which must be considered Pitts
burgh has made this her big game and
every effort has been made to get the
team in first-ciass shape. In this par
ticular, Pitt has a decided advantage
over the home folks
1 do not mean that Penn has not prac-
ticed hard for the battle. The players
have worked harder than ever before
this year and have been given several
new formations to be used. But they
are not in what one might call cham
pionship FORM" and will not be until
November g. when Dartmouth is played
IN Boston. It is difficult to keep a team
going at the top notch for four or five
weeks and the Penn coaches are wise
when they don't attempt it.
Penn hopes to make a good showing,
and the players are not convinced that
they haven't chance to win. They say
it is hard to "beat team that won't be
beaten" and will give everything they
have to bring victory to their side They
believe that Pitt will be overconhdent,
and this alone is enough to defeat any
eleven, no matter how good II is.
Wray will start at centre and will OPP
pose Peck 1t will be an interesting bat
tie, as both OF these men originally were
halfbacks before being shifted to the
pivotal Job. They are speedy, aggressive
players and play good defensive games.
Peck has had more experience, but Wray
has done some excellent work in all or
the games. He is improving every day
and Doctor Wharton is getting him in
shape to handle any opponent in the East.
Nein and Henning are fairly good
guards and will not be outclassed by
warmers men. Neil is playing his first
year on the team, while Henning was
on the varsity last year. Henning has
improved wonderfully and played a good
game against the Navy last week. He
seems to get into the play better and
is continually on the move. He plays
low, is a fast charger and does we'll on
the defense. NELL also charges low and
his defensive work has improved.
The tackle positions are worrying the
coaches and no one knows who will
start the game. Captain Harris probably
will take care OF one OF the positions and
Dunlap the other. Dunlap wandered over
20 the varsity from the scrubs early this
week and has put up such an aggressive
game that the regulars began TO worry
about their Jobs. He weighs 100 and is
speedy.