Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-03-04
FOLWELL FAVORS PENN SYSTEM
BROUGHT UP TO THE MINUTE
Penn Football Coach for 1916 Declares Red and
Blue Method Is Correct in Statement
Issued in Alumni Weekly
BY ROBERT c. FOLWELL

rem iOOludu
TT HAS been my ambition to coach Penn
lsylvana's football team ever since |
laid aside my suit on Thanksgiving Day
1907. I did assist in the coaching little
in 1908. but I had little influence. Not
enough to he invited back in 1909. So
went to Lafayette. There had full sway
i had the opportunity to try out my
theories and develop my system Of foot
ball
Let me say right here that my system is
the Pennsylvania system as was taught
me during the fours years ending in 1907
brought up to date. The Pennsylvania
system as played by the four teams on
which | played was sound, practical foot
ball ] give all credit to the man most
responsible for working it out, I mean
Carl Williams. ! think Carl Williams has
one of the best football brains--if not the
best-that | have ever come in contact
with. Carl Is a football genius. But the
game has changed and Carl is a busy man.
Modern football requires great study to
thoroughly master its many and intricate
points. | don't know for certain, but |
rather suspect that Carl Williams hasn't
devoted the time to the study of the tao
tics of the game that he did in 1902, 1903,
1904 and immediate subsequent years.
And the game has changed.
AZ any rate WITHOUT going INTO detail,
my football is based on the splendid sys.
tenn of play founded and taught by Carl
Williams and his associates when |
played. | have brought it up to date. to
take full advantage of the wonderful pos.
siblites of offense afforded by the new
rules and by corresponding moderniza-
tion of defense.
Weak Teams
In common with every other Pennsyl-
vanian, | have been mortified at the show
ing of our football teams in recent years.
There must be something wrong, 1t hasn't
been the material. 1t must be the system.
And so, | believe there should be an en-
tiTely new deal. I believe an opportunity
ought to be given man of the younger
school. ! believe the authority ought to
be centralized into an all-powerful head
coach. These are the things that have
been done, and now it is up to me.
Football has taught me many things
and | believe il has Il very useful place
in our modern scheme of education. Foot
ball teaches n man 10 respect himself. 1t
gives him confidence IN his own powers
mental and physical. 1t teaches him con-
troll. concentration and organization In
short football helps to develop a mans
character and thus equip him for use
fulness on broad scope when he leaves
college to go out into the world. That is,
Clcdn IOOlDdll, pldSeu III wholesome
manner, affords these benefits to the stu
dents who are players and it is part of
the service rendered by the college to
the man.
Clean Football
Dirty football, played in an unwhole-
some atmosphere, has just the opposite
effect. Amy college with a football de-
partment that is rotten fails to protect
its students, or, rather, it leads them
into evil ways in such an insidiOus man
ner that ii cannot help but have its eff
feet on their after life. So l wish to go
on record as possessing clear UNDER
standing of these fundamentals. I think
/ understand the true proportions of my
Job as head coach I'm out there to help
those boys who come out for the team
make real, clean-Cut men out of them
selves To win for Pennsylvania is not
my only job. | must win fairly cleanly-
all fundamentals must be ight'
Wants Candidates
If my premise is correct, the more
men that will come out for football, the
better il will be for the men and for the
University. Therefore, / am cooperating
with the Football Committee in trying
to secure more land so that we may have
a real interclass series or some form OF
intramural football | will give all of my
time IIldl Gdi pb9oAbAy NC SllhlNA rum Allt
varsity work TO coaching and planning fol
an intFamural series. 1t is my plan tc
| live at the University, right at the train,
| ing house, so l will be on deck at all hour:
and so will my assistants.
| Intra-mural football will not only ale
| the University to AFFORD manly exercise tC
/ those students desiring IL, but IL will aE
| help the football department by bringing
! out a large number of players. You nevel
| can tell where your men that make up {
! winning team will come from. How very
, well 1 remember the fall OF l9O6-my