The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-10-15
COACH,S HARDEST TASK


 COACH'S HARDEST TASK
 About the hardest task for the coach is instructing a team to make interference It is all very we'll to have fine tacklers and wonderful runners cannot carry the ball without interference In the old days interference was not as highly de- veloped as it is today. For example, any old players or coaches of 10 or more years ago still maintain and do preach the doctrine of interfering or blocking off tacklers, with the shoulder. The in- terferer, they say should never leave his feet I have before me such an ar ticle written by football authority Of many years standing who has not been actively connected with the game Tor many years. He advocates the old style of interference, the kind we were taught in my college days, and the kind that is not practical today. Today the inter ferer generally leaves his feet to take off a tackler.
 Interference has developed within the past 10 years along with football. It has reached a high point. The spectator rarely notes it's effectiveness except in open field play Now and then it IS brought most forcibly to everyones' at tention on a kickoff In 1903 the pres ent form of running back kick-offs was used for the first time by Columbia in a game against Pennsylvania in which was playing I think the idea first originated in the brain of Morley, a for mer Columbia halfback, then coaching it's team.
 MORLEY IDEA ADOPTED
 We kicked off to this eleven at the start and when the Columbia eleven ran back and gathered in front of its half who caught the ball and then ran interference for him we encountered a new idea in football difficult to cope with and of such value that the first kickoff of that game was brought back to midfield. Since then the Morley idea with slight changes has been adopted by most football teams.
 As is usual in such cases the specta- tor and the public is rather inclined to call such play 'luck'' As matter of fact running interference on return kickoff or at any other time Is about the finest example of team work and preparation that an eleven can show It has broken up many a game and while it is decried as ''luck'' or good for tune such a play like the blocked kick. is an actual example of the highest kind of football. Either strikes for scores which demand the least effort of the eleven
 
 physical education at Colgate, man who knows football thoroughly told me this story recently of Colgate's "come back victory over Syracuse in 1913, after Colgate had defeated Yale. A GOOD INCIDENT Luck" said pr. Huntington, lis a common word in football talk, but it IS usually thorough training and prepara- ton in fundamentals that it stands for. 1 kickoff, the runner bringing the ball 1 up the field well surrounded by his l teammates. It never seemed to work 1 in reality as in practice; yet Bankart. l our coach, schooled his men diligently in ] this play.
 l Tn the Colgate Syracuse game of 1915 1 I saw demonstrated the fact that genius and luck consist but in the ability to ap- ply training to opportunity. The score I was 1910 in Syracuse's favor and the l game three-fourths over. Syracuse kicked off to Colgate. As I watched the ball it seemed fully five minutes before 1 it came down in my son Ellerys arms 1 he. was playing quarterback. quick dash, a clever sidestep another forward l flash and he was within the sheIterine wings of the protecting V that had beer l so long and thoroughly practiced. Thus l guarded he rushed up the field for z l touchdown and from then on, what 1 looked like close game was really one I sided for Colgate. The outsider saic luck the man on the inside saie I ready ?
 Copyright, 1917, by Sol Metzger.)