New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-10-18
Rodgers, Real Line Wire,
on GridirOn at Stevens

speed never slackened, and his merry
tongue never stopped flashing the boys
along.
Leap frog over, the boys counted off
in squads Of eight, and lay down on
their backs and went through a regu-
lar army setting-up drill. They raised
their legs in the air and swung IN
circles eight times, first on one side
and then on the other. Then they lay
face down, and forced themselves up
on their arms, and stopped until their
foreheads touched the ground. After
doing this for ten or twelve or fifty
times, they jumped up and touched
their hands to the ground without
bending their knees for about ten
minutes.
All these exercises develop the back
and abdominal muscles, and help to
increase the lung capacity Of the boys.
The last stunt of the day was TO form
at one end Of the field and race down
TO the other at top speed, stopping to
touch the five-yard marks as they were
passed. No one, not even the few
crlpples, were excused from this drill.
1t was hard work, but it was play, too,
and the boys enjoyed it greatly.
Everybody Works.
81 put the boys through this drill"
said Rodgers, "and see TO it that
every single one Of them does his
share. have few big fellows here,
and have to build the little fellows
up. This drill will put weight on
them. You know, the knsck Of hand
ling young men is TO make them work,
but make them think it's all play. As
a matter of fact, they are under moro
Of strain performing these setting
up exercises than they are in a scrim-
mage, but it's all play TO them.
There is nothing Of greater benefit
to football men than the drill in diving
on the ground, first forward and then
backward. II teaches them how TO fall,
and IN the game they do it instinctively.
A good many injuries in this game
might be traced to the boys not know
ing how to brace themselves when they
are being tackled
1--WE have light squad here, but |
want to say that | never have worked
with better squad. The spirit is ideal.
The boys are all friends, loyal to their
college, loyal to themselves and loyal
to football. There is not man on this
squad who would stoop to any deed that
might bring discredit to Stevens or
themselves or the sport.
About thirty Of our best ana most
promising backheld men are freshmen,
and by next season / look forward 20
having good team here. Etzel, first
string tackle, never played football be-
fore, but he is an adept at the sport,
and ! look for great things from him
soon. Lofquist is another green man,
but he surely can play the game. Nat
ural ability, you know. Take Hopkins,
the varsity left end. He boasts Of
every ounce of his 1875 pounds, but he
makes IL all count.
Brett has never played before, and
II ne would only stop grinning for a
few minutes he'd be a real curly wolf
Ford, the tackle, can be a good man II
he wants TO, and | hope that he will
forget some OF the little ways he has.
IL he will sail in and fight he'll surely
make lot Of the fellows hustle"
stevens finds itself much In the same
predicament Us West Point Lectures
keeps the team in classes until late in
the day, and often Rodgers has TO turn
on the electric lights and use a white
washed ball. But he is building along
the right lines, and the coming OPP
ponents OF the engineers may expect 10
meet a team which, IL not big, Is we'll
grounded In the game, and game to the
core.