The Washington times., 1917-10-15
ny SOL METzGER.
Coach Washinston and Jenerson
Eleven.) 4

EIsvsn.) &
As the football season grows older
we are In q better position to state
what effect this war will have on this
most interesting branch of college
sport than has so far been the case.
Hitherto our views, for the most part,
have been surmises. Now we ray
deal with fact. 1t. Is not surprising
that the effect is somewhat different
than Il was expected to be.
While we have lost many valuable
player because OF the war and ara
prone to exaggerats our losses from
this cause It would seem ~ though
the absence OF these stars Is not
going to AFFECT the quality Of football
we are to witness this fail. We have
also lost substitutes and scrubs In as
great proportion 20 that our present
problem In building teams IL one of
lack OF numbers rather than lack or
quality.
Football players, unlike baseball or
golf players. are readily developed to
high point In playing proficiency
during one season. This IL 30 be-
cause the game holds a greater ap-
peal to the participant than any other
sport and because our systems of
coaching are so systemAtIzed that re-
suits OF the above kind-producinR
stars In a sigle season-are not ex-
ceptionaL
Problem Il Different.
The problem this year in coaching
differs from previous ones in that the
coach has fewer men to work with.
In case Of injury there are few sub
stitutes to draw upon and so small
are some squads that practice scrtrn-
images are largely done away With
simply because there are not enouyh
men In good condition to put agains.
each other.
In my experience this fall at w
q J. our squad is limited to but
twenty-five men and as several Are
always unit for scrimmage we have
had quite a new problem to solve ia
our coaching. It Is necessary for us
to work along new lines. to build up
the team with little scrimmage TO aid
US
In former years q squad of forty
players made Il possible 10 hold
scrimmags on any day we desired. All
sorts Of make-shift Advancement,
have been necessary and they are
working we'll But we, like others,
DO miss the second string men who
have gone to the colors as much as
the veterans, although the varsity
men who have enlisted or been draft-
ed have been getting most Of the pub
licity praise everywhere. =
Have More Men Injured.
Then, too. this fall football SQUADS
have had more men injured so far
than In previous years. This Is due
to the curtallmSnt OF preliminary
training. It IL . fact that IL the team
are scrimmaged within
three weeks OF the starting of prnc-
they are in good phyA-
cal condition-inJurles often occur
Fortunately, though, this period is
now past and the work of deyeIop-
ing the elevens will 60 ahead much
as before.
All OF this Is resulting in cIoser
games in the beginning than has been
the case in the past. These teams
which will, In the nature of things.
come to the front At the end OF the
season and In the big games, are
showing but little more form right
now than the so-cAllSd smaller elsv-
ems. Therefore II would not be sur
prising to see the so-called big teams
get an upset or two.
For one thing, their period OF de-
yelopment must be so delayed that
they will reach top form in Noyem-
Der and, for another thing, with green
men to be developed and bad Bruises