Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-10-16
lFOLWELL'S ELEVEN SHOWED
\ IMPROVED FORM IN SEVERAL
DEPARTMENTS ON SATURDAY
Loss of Game May Prove Good for Team as It
Showed Coaches Weak Points and Need
4 of Quarterback
BY CHANDLER D. RICHTER

/ Ix>rNNsYLvANIA's defeat at the hands
4 a. svarthmore on Saturday was ter.
| "a, h,ov 20 the hopes Of the followers OF
shs Rsd and Blue. who had visions Of a
I ~,..r siate under the Folwell regime. but Il
~,av urove the best thing that possibly
I ~ould have happened Weaknesses IN one
! sr two positions and In departments Of play
~>rrk brought 70 the attention Of the
~,.ches in n game that was Of minor Inn
portance. and u is much better that this
j rortest was lost lnsteod OF having the team
. 10 along smoothly until the important bat
dies that are TO come and then have the
same mistakes crop UP.
~ many respecia the work OF the Penn
team was encouraging. and even though
ewarfhmore was presented with a victory
because OF poor direction OF the team and n
tendency 20 tumble, there is little doubt but
what the Red and blue showed better inter-
ference smoother teamwork and a stronger
6sfense than the 1915 aggregation dis
played NJ any time.
Coach TM.-ell spent one entire week OF
the preliminary practice teaching his men
how 20 hold the ball no that the chance
AZ fumhlirg would be lessened and until
+ saturday clean handling OF tho ball had
been feature Of Penn's play, but against
ewarthnlcre tho men appeared 20 forget
everything they had been taught and FUN
bled time and again Just when II seemed
I certain that n touchdown would be made.
"A
the fact that the men were trying TO do
something that was entirely unknown to
them until Fciwcli took charge Of the team
The best illustration of this can be got
Ten from an explanation of Shorty Louck's
tumble on swarthmores twenty-yard line
with not a Garnet player within five yards
Of him. Many Of the fans sitting In the
south stand could not understand why
: Ioucks fumbled and a few were inclined TO
believe that he became excited. but such
was not the case Folwell has been teach
ing his backs 70 switch the ball from one
hand to the other according TO the direc-
zion the nearest opponent is coming at him.
and that is what Louclss was doing when
the bail slipped from his grasp.
Louck's tumble Excusable
II was disastrous tumble and cost Penn
. sure touchdown. but Loucks should not
be censured for making It. as he was do
ing just what Folwell wanted when the
slip occurred Last season we saw Penn
I backs In the open field with a great chance
for a touchdown II they had known how
or thought to switch the ball so that they
, could stiff-arm the approaching tackier. but
they failed 10 do II and were helpless to
ward Off the opponent.
The majority OF the other mistakes made
BY Penn were OF the same nature and are
not likely to be repeated again In the near
future, and II is well that they were made
IN an unlmportant game. A defeat at the
hands OF small college eleven often has
made a great team out of mediocre ag-
rregation. and this may prove to be the case
with Penn.
A good start was imperative to Penn
this season after the five lean years. but
n Is possible that this defeat may impress
upon them that they are not invlncible and
must fight and master every detail of the
game as taught by Folwell.
Folweil has instlled the proper fighting
spirit into his players and they are not
likely TO go to pieces, as the 1915 team
did after It lost n game or two. The team
was fighting just as hard In the last minute
OF play. when II was certain that nothing
but an accident could save II from defeat.
as II fought early in the game when
swarthmore was on the run and playing
In its own territory.
Defensively, Penn played beautiful foot
ball. and indications are that the Red and
Blue Will have the most powerful line, from
end to end that they have had In years.
The tackle. guards and Center Wray charge
lower and harder than any line that has
played on Franklin Field in years. Swarth-
more found It impossible to gain through
Penn's line. and for that matter. very little
ground was gained. excepting for the occa.
sional dashes by Alva Bush. who is one
Of the best backs in the East.
Different Line Play
The system OF line play followed by Penn
this season differs from that OF other lead
ing colleges, but appears to be far more eff
fective. providing the secondary defense
does its part In taking care OF forward
passes. Since the rule changes opened the
game and the forward pass has become an
important offensive feature. the majority Of
coaches favor playing the line high and
teaching the lnemen to use their hands.