The Washington herald., 1915-09-26
By EDWARD r.. BUSHNELL.
Copyright. 1915. by Edward R. BushneIIl

Copyright 1916 by Edward r. BushnellO
Will Yale succeed in making over
offensive football this year? This query
is suggested by the information which
comes from the Ellis coaching staff
that Yale intends to stick to the brand
Of aerial football which with two eX-
ceptions was triumphant last year.
There will be some modifica tions IN
the scheme of attack as worked out
by Coach Frank Hnkey last year, hut
the same system will be followed. The
men who are in charge of Iale's foot
hall destinies believe it will succeed.
The rest of the college world is either
frankly skeptical, or waiting to be
shown. But the football experts every
where are agreed that if it gives Yale
championship team this fall, the
Ellis system will be copied far and
wide, because almost from the begin
ming the college world has learned
tmost of its football from Yale sue
cess
Hnkey's new style OF football. IN
which the combination side and for
part, was put down as more or less Of
a failure last year because of tina
overwhelming 800 defeat administered
by Harvard. But Yale men are not
easily frightened They convinced
themselves. at least. that the game
was not as one-sided as the score In
dicated They knew. too. as nearly
everyone else did. that Harvard had
physically the best eleven the college
world has seen in a decade. With al
most any coach, or none at all. Har-
ward would have been invincible.
Another logical point in Yale's reason
ing was that this was the first test of a
brand new and radical attack. Yale men
could not foresee for themselves how
certain things would work out. They ex-
pected to make mistakes, but are wise
enough to profit from them. Still an
other point to be considered is that 10
championship team was ever built up in
a year. Therefore Yale ought to be bet
ter this year.
The logic of the foregoing facts is that
Yale has everything to gain and little to
lose by sticking to 1914 system with GER
tain mofifications suggested by expert
ence. The Yale authorities appreciate
this. That is why they scorned the ad-
. vice OF certain timid advisers who want
ed them to let Hinkey go. Their answer
was that Hinkey would have two more
years in which to make good They be
lieve in the man and his system and he
will have all the time and help he needs
TO vindicate himself.
II any further argument were needed
TO convince them that Hinkey should be
given more time the experience of the
crews furnished II. Ever since Yale let
John Kennedy go as crew coach the
rowing authorities have been working to
establish winning system. Year after
year they failed, but in spite OF criti-
cism within and without they stuck to
their task and this year were rewarded
with the intercollegiate championship
crew. Such results, may not come this
year in football, but the Ellis will srrely
work out their own salvation In good
time. and they may revolutionize football
as well.
Field Goals should BE PlentifuI.
This ought to be great year for field
goals. All the big Eastern universities,
rs well as many of the minor colleges,
are well supplied with men who can drop
and place kick with surprising accuracy.
And since coaches are paying more and
more attention to the development Of |