New-York tribune., 1919-11-17
By Ray Mccarthy

One of the biggest surprises in Sat
urday's football games was the fail
ure of many of the teams to use the
open game. Elevens that were sup
posed to be adept along this line and
elevens that had never shown any
ability with the forward pass and other
open plays but who were supposed to
have developed such,an attack showed
nothing of tho sort
Colgate, a team which had executed
forward passes as we'll as any team
until last Saturday, made practically
no attempt to open up its play until
almost the last quarter. Which is all
the more surprising in view Of the fact
that Syracuse was in the lead and that
Gillo was playing with q couple of
broken ribs.
Yale did nothing in the way OF play
ing modern football against the Tigers
because evidently it had no effective
forward pass formations. Princeton,
despite the fact that it outplayed the
Blue, showed little also in the way of
open plaN
Next there is the Pitt-Penn game.
PenE's open play against Dartmouth
was matter of much commendatioil
by the experts after the tussle, yet
Saturday Penn made no attempt what
ever until the second half to throw any
forward passes or to run any plays
from such a formation.
Pitt did better that its opponents in
this respect. but it made little use of
the pass, relying mostly on runs and
plunges for its gains. Its passes when
made were generally short thrusts Of
from four to eight yards. Hastings
used the forward pass mostly to bluff
the Penn players, generally ducking
into the line after a bluff throw. In
all likelihood had Pitt thrown more
passes it might have won the game
Then there is the Dartmouth- Brown
game. The open play and forward
passes of these two teams were con-
spicuous by their yawning absence
The Green, in fact, has done poorly in
employing forward passes to gain it's
play this season. Had Dartmouth had
in its coterie Of formations several
good ones Of the modern type it might
have gone through its schedule clean
ing up opponents with ease The Han
ties, but they are certainly lacking in
the execution of the forward pass
Brown has done little open play
either, probably because of the fact
that most of its players are green and
inexperienced. Teams from the Provi-
dence institution in the past have al
was done we'll in the open style of
play SO 1t is rather surprising that
the Brunonians have not done better
in the modern game this fall
Columbia and Wesleyan had a battle
Of the old time sort, is the report.
ms might have been expected of the
Blue and White, which cannot hone to
attempt many new plays until they
learn the fundamentals better But
the Mlddletown students at times have
shown much abilit. in forward passing.
SO that on the whole it was day of
what what might, be termed poor football.
The spectacles, Of course, were fine as
such, but as regards the playing itself,
it was probablv the worst exhibition
this fall with the exception of the first
few weeks. AS one man puts it, the
play of the teams Saturday wasn't
"late season stuff by any means. In
fact" he added, sit appears to me that
1t seldom is in these big contests.
whether it be due TO the fact that the
players are stage struck or afraid to
take chances
And now begins the drive for the big
games Saturday which will practically
wind up one OF the most remarkable
football seasons Of all time. Football,
like other sports since the armistice
was signed, has attracted more partici-
pants than it ever did before and has
attracted the largest crowds in its his
tory.
Following the close Of the season will
come the mid-winter league, with its
reams of matter for debate Thu rara