The sun., 1916-10-08
BACK MUST LEARN
SEVERAL LESSONS
BESIDES RUNNING
quick Thinking. Aggressive
ness. Strength and Speed
Needed In Makeup.
STARS OF FOOTBALL
WERE ALL ROUND MEN
~ SOL NETZGER.
Coach Of The Washington and JcC.

Coach Of the Washington and JcT.
crson Football Team.
The more one coaches football teams
'he more he Is impressed with the diff
,ul,y Of producing capable backfeld
players, although for these positions
quarter. full and the two half backs
mere are more candidates tina for any
other places on the eleven. Boys OF all
sizes and abilities come out for the back
fcld and few are fitted to play there.
This is due to the fact that In nearly all
preparatory school football the big boys
usually play In the backfield. Nothing
&" more natural than for them to at
tempt the same In college.
In spite OF all this there are few good
backs. Most of this type know only
low to run with the ball, and running
with the ball liz the last requisite OF a
back. In fact. because of the other re.
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES interference and
playing on defence-it Is more difficult
10 play these positions properly thar any
other on the team.
All the players want to run with the
ball. Carrying the ball Is as satisfying
~ ~ VN'c"'t pthsVt oS IT Univ IVA -
Yards to the golfer. but a back mus,
first know how to interfere &c be on n
winning team just as a golfer mus,
first master putting and approaching
Consequently making interference and
playing "A stiff defensive game Is the
problem Of the backfeld player and
coach. In the formee the back becomes
n lineman In that he Is not likely To re.
ceive much public praise for good work
In the latter he must not only be able to
tackle viciously. but he must lie quick a,
diagnosing the offence in order To break
y up before II is under way. And with
equal Importance his value grows as he
% able to catch. pass and kick the bali
Has Many Requirements.
Knowing the requirements for goot
hackfeld play 1t Is not strange that 81
few players really are great backs. Ii
become a great back one must he .
quick thinker. aggressive. strong anC
speedy In order 10 accomplish his tasks
&c well rs to stand the rounding on,
n this position IL subjected to Run
ling with the ball IL n secondary con
slderation OF the good coach in selecting
Ms frst string OF backs.
There have been few backs playins
IN winning teams because Of their run.
ling ability alone, In a number o.
Years OF experience in closely followinl
he game I know Of hut one. lie coult
not make interference or tackle. yet h.
proved of benefit to his team because h,
made many touchdowns by almost su'
perhuman speed. His coach played hin
solely because he could score more point.
than the opposing eleven and he broke
1p" many games In the first quarter By
his magnificent runring-a time wher
49, - .N- la .. ~.
any opposition.
Yet this back. whose name an no
AZ liberty TO give. was only a success be
,ause his teammates made the needed
Interference for him. This player was q
'potball freak. the exception whtcf
proves the rule that interference ant
iefence must come first.
Discipline IL Needed.
While many backs are better AZ run
ming with the ball than others, becaus'
% speed. driving power. ability 10 hol'
heir feet and to fight forward whei
iickled or because OF some odd knac
eluding tacklers, they often prov
10 be n problem for the coach II the!
tCk other and more important essen
tlals. AT the start Of "A season when tn
coach is bending every effort to teaci
.#t'n IltNe tFFtllttt4F alb bbi ~
Ist practice gamcs especially the coa'i
Inclined TO disciplin. such players b,
rrcping them off the team which start!
'Hcso m
Later. I'm order 10 see them under nr'
e sends them In. They are then f-es'
and with victory already assured own
clnnot play great football on n w.nnlnl
ram?) they thrill the crowds 10y spec
ocular runs fox scores against "A beair'
nd worn ont opponent. The result .
q half baked back who knows all there
T.. to know about football, in his owl
opinion. but who, on the contrary. hat
9th planted the seeds of d!ssatisfhctio
his own mind and given the coacI
one of the many intricate and d!fhcul
problems In handling human nature tha
.e daily meets during a season.
This problem Is one Of the most eNas
i~,erating from the coach's standpoint. 10
10 must keep the candidate OFF the teai
.ntil he masters the essentials of back
ield playing in spite OF the demand 10
9 appearance by the public and II
Ig.ss as well as the belief OF the be!
mself that he Is being discriminate
tsainst. Any other course but ruins al,
'dance of making this player a goo
-Ick, while the following OF this propc
r'urse brings out censure and criticism
I,c a. oome IN he coach Win ,hei
sus re Law. ,,irIJng dInerentIy
~
Must sense Attack.
II II scarcely necessary to discuss de
inslve backfeld play. because 1t Is ~
marily tackling. except to say that III
defensive back IN to a team what
general with his reenforcements Is to al
army-the back must sense the attac
.rA pnaat ~ hnfn,. - a. nnIar Ny4y 1