Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-10-25
PENN'S SHOWING AGAINST PITT
VINDICATES COACHING SYSTEM
Red and Blue Plays Wonderful Defensive Game in Hold
ing Westerners to Low Score-Tutors Overcome
Obstacles-Team Looks Better
By ROBERT W. MAXWELL

The Penn coaching system which was
inaugurated this year has shown results
at last After slipping up several times
in the early season games-notably
against Penn State-the team came back
AGAINST the University of Pittsburgh Sat
urday and rut up a battle that reminded
one of the days when Mike Murphy in
stilled that good old lighting spirit into
the players True, Penn was defeated.
was predicting an enormous score, with
Pittsburgh on the long end, and the II
to I count was big surprise.
Pitt fought hard for her scores, for the
Red and Blue defense was powerful and
smeared many plays before they got
started. This unexpected opposition at
the start Of the game was disconcerting
to Warmers men for they expected to
run through the Red and Blue with ease.
In the first half 1t required only a short
time to get the ball on the S-yard line,
where a touchdown seemed certain; but
Penn held and Dehart was hurried so
that he fumoled a lateral pass and Penn
got the ball. On the whole, Penn put up
a wonderful exhibition and deserves
praise even in defeat.
When it is considered that Pitt came
here with a well-trained and we'll
coached team, the men on edge to play
the game of their lives to beat Penn, the
performance of the Red and Blue is all
the more remarkable The team was
not especially prepared for this contest.
1t was on the schedule and regarded
merely as practice Came"-a game to
prepare the team for the battles with
Dartmouth Michigan and Cornell The
kad nj he
il Albright, Gettysburg, or any other
weak team was to be played. instead of
one of the best elevens In the country.
So it is apparent that Penn was not
tuned up for a big game. while the
Westerners were The Red and Blue
offense was not strengthened, but more
time was spent on the defense, and the
results were highly satisfactory. The
team showed up better in this depart
ment than at any other time this year.
Pitt was expected to sweep around the
ends for big gains and the heavy backs
tear through the line whenever they
pleased. Instead, the Penn ends smashed
up the majority of the wide runs and the
secondary defense took care of the line
plunges. De Hart got away to a good
gain right at the start of the game, and
1t was the longest run made from scrim-
mage. Penn's defense made itself felt
after this and fifteen yards was the most
gained in any one play.
The Red and Blue coaching staff should
be satisfied with the showing of the team,
for 1t demonstrated that good football will
be played before the season is over.
Early In the fall It was known that the
offensive possibilities were greater than
the defensive, and the first few games
proved 1t. How to keep the other team
from gaining was the problem that con-
fronted the tutors and after some hard
work this was solved. The offensive was
weak Saturday. but with a weeks coach
ing. this department can be strengthened.
With Berry. Ross, Williams, Welsh,
Quigley. Tlghe, Rockefeller, Bell and
Grant to play behind the line. Penn
should be able to develop an attack that
will compare favorably with any other
I'm the country. The material Is good
enough for any college team and IL will
take only a short time to get the men in
top form The only weaknesses shown
thus far are poor interference and FUN
bling, and practice will remedy this.
Few persons realize the difficulties that
confronted Penn's coaches at the start
OF the season. The Red and Blue fol-
lowers were enthusiastic, the material
was said to be the best that Penn ever
had and every one was pleased over the
prospects for a successful season. They
pointed with pride TO the wonderful
backfield and were confident that Berry,
Welsh and the others would set the
world on fire az soon as they got into
action. This early season dope was per-
fectly good, so far as the backield was