The Washington herald., 1920-09-04

Preliminary football practice for
University of Pepnsylvania hope
fuls is already under way-and
there's a reason.
John w. Heisman, whose peculiar
shift plays developed the Georgia
Tech team of Atlanta into one of
the most formidable machines in the
country, has left the Southerners to
shift for themselves and consented
to show Penn just how the trick is
done. Because his is complicated
system of play, it is necessary that
he begin early If he is to perfect
the Penn team in the miracles of
his shift by the time their big games
roll around. Hence, - is already
on the job, getting off ahead of any
of the Eastern teams.
Shift Hits Rocks In East.
Though the Heisman shift aroLs SEQ
some protest from Southern teams,
1t was generally o. KID by officials
in that section. In the annuaI
games between Tech and Pitts
burgh, however, the Georgians suG-
fered heavy penalties because they
were held to be in motion when the
ball was put in play.
Heisman's shift is based on per-
feet timing. Jumping into position
from tandem fOrma ton, the back
field men are supposed to pause
momentarily while the ball is
snapped. AS a matter of fact the
shift and the passing of tie bail
are almost simultaneous, making it
extremely dicfhult to have the men
stationary as the rules require. De-
pending upon the speed with which
his plays get away for their ef-
fectivcness, Heisman faces the prob
lem Of bringing his play within
the law" as it is interpreted in the
East
Rules Cover Shift Play.
The rules this year read that
when a player in making a shift
comes to his position, he must have
both feet stationary" but also say
that at the moment the ball is put
in play no player of the side which
has the ball shall be in motion ex-
cept that one man may be in mo-
tion directly or obliquely towards
his goal line, or line extended"
Heisman faces a hard task in in
Producing a new system at Penn.
even were there no objection to his
shift. But the rules governing such
play add to his difficulties. 1t is
hardly fair that h should be judged
by his first year at Penn. Another
season may be required to bring er-
fectiveness. even If the much dis
puted shift is officially passed by
hnn IL -
Worked Havoc in south.
Though Heisman had been coach
ing in the South for some twenty
years, 1t was not until about
ten years ago that his fertile
mind evolved the shift. Then
his stock began to rise. Pre-
vious to that time his teams
were nothing much to brag of. His
system worked like a charm in his
own section for a number of years.
Then the opposing coaches began to
get their heads together to find a
method of stopping it,
The defense finally evolved to
break up the peculiar Georgia Tech
play was to play the opposing line
about yards behind the line of
scrimmage and to require it to jump
into position as the shift was made.
1t seemed simple enough to meet
one shift with another. In principle
1t was o. K. but it was not until last
year that Auburn alabama Poly
tcchnic Institute) defeated the Tech
ties, the first time it had been done
by team in that immediate sec
tiOn for some time
If Heisman can make his style of
attack comply with the rules, Phila-
delphia is going to see something
new in the football line.