The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1915-11-16
ATTACK ON COAL
after TOUCHDOWN
Coaches Hold Single Point
Often RObS Eleven of Tie.
MAY ABOLISH The RULE.
A Number of Experts Will Petition
Rules Committee to Do Away With
Kick After Touchdown-Many Games
Won by Aerial Route.

Rules Committee to Do Away With
Kick After Touchdown-Many Games
Won by Aerial Route.
Because of the many games which |
have been won and lost by the margin
of one point a number of coaches will |
petition the rules committee to abolish |
the goal kick after a touchdown. Many |
persons believe this is a move in the |
right direction, as the opposing team |
has little chance to block the kick, |
especially when it is made from a
point fifteen yards out in the field
There has been considerable agita-
ton over the point in former years,
but it is understood a concerted effort
will be made this. year to have the
committee either abolish the kick or
give the blocking eleven more of a
chance to Illustrate the attempt
Notre Dame was defeated by Ne
braSka this year in a stubbornly fought
contest, 20 to 10, failure to kick the
last goal robbing the Hoosier eleven
of the chance to tie the count Both
teams struggled with all the energy
in their makeups, and a tie score
would have shown the relative strength
of the two teams. AS a result, Notre
Dame had TO journey to South Bend
with the small end of the score after
it played on even terms with its oppo-
nent.
Coaches maintain that it is unfair
to place man fifteen yards out in the
field and allow him to kick. The men
tors assert the blocking team should
not be put farther away than ten
yards from the ball, the same as when
q fair catch is made in the field of
play. If this were done more at
tempts to kick goals would be either
blocked or the kicker worried enough
to make his attempts less accurate
Field Goals Were Difficult.
1t seems unfair for a team to win a
game by the margin of one point.
Games have been won through field
goal kicking, but in such cases the de-
Tending eleven had more chances to
block the ball than team now has to
block an attempt to kick goal after a
touchdown has been made.
In order to equalize offense and de-
Tense the committee in recent years
reduced the value of field goals from
. to 3 points. This was done to have
touchdown and its following goal
kick offset two field goals. AS field
goal kicking has always been a fea-
ture, the committee did not care to
abolish it, but wanted to discourage
the practice in favor of touchdowns.
Games have been won this year by
the air line route, but not nearly so
often as when the value of such at
tempts was points. At that time the
coaches specialized They developed
men who We're proficient in kicking
and then sent them into the game for
/ the sole purpose of making an attempt
I to score a field goal. After this player
! had made his attempt he was taken
out and another player who was more
proficient in all branches of play sent
into the contest.
The ma ority of such goals made this
year have been the results of droE
kicks. The coaches think drop kicks
kicks. AS it is necessary to have three
players for the successful execution OF
the place kick, the kicking team is
weakened in its blocking by the player
who holds the ball.
Present Rules as Popular.
With the exception of the goal afte
a touchdown. the rules are meeting
with universal satisfaction from tn,
standpoint of player and spectator
That the code is well understood gen
orally is shown by the increased at
: tendance at most of the contests
There have been misunderstanding il
high and preparatory school ranks, bu
not in college or university games.
Since the alteration of the code sey
eral big teams have gone down in de
feat at the hands of the so called small
er elevens. Washington and jefferson
team which under the old game neve
figured prominently in eastern football
attracted attention from the footba
world by winning from Yale, and Vii
ginia was put on the map by trouncin
Old Eli.
Before the changing of the rules til
MlcnlSdn AggleS never were c0nSl(
cred dangerous, and they were used 8
a tool in the development of othe
teams for the harder and more impo
tant games to be played later in til
season. Since 1906 the Aggies hay
been climbing the ladder of footba
fame, and their greatest achieveme1
this season was their victory ov,
Michigan. Last year they did not los
game and had an equal claim wit
Illinois, Nebraska and Notre Dame
the western title
When such teams are able to win o
casionally from larger elevens more /
terest is taken in the games at Il
smaller colleges and a better cole:
spirit is fostered, while more ,cand
dates turn out for the athletic team
Snoh Victories Sra a lOnn NOV 2