Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1920-12-09

We are not at present concerned
with either body. 1t is better for the
time being to study the situation, and
note what the forward pass can do
in the line of winning games. No
table instances of winning apparently
lost or tied games by it's use are too
numerous to specify in detail, but a
few of the important contests of this
character are worth noting. Prince
ton, when behind, came up to an
equality with Harvard by the use Oh
the long forward pass. Harvard re-
turned the compliment in the last few
minutes of the game, when apparently
4, beaten, by netting a touchdown
! through the use of the same long
throw.
Ohio state Proflted.
Ohio State, under similar circum-
stances, and practically beaten
team, won her game against Wiscon-
,sin in the last few minutes of play
through two forward passes OF thd
same style. She also won the con-
ference championship in the last min-
ute of the Anal game against illinois,
with this forward pass. And these
teams were leaders in their section;
In the beginning of the season the
defense against this method of ad-
? raneing the ball was only partially
understood, and the old habit was
strong upon players: 1T has taken
them weeks of experience to learn
that this defense consists largely in
playing the balr' rather than the
man. as well as in hurrying in every
possible way the forward passer in
order to shorten his radius of ef-
I ffciency. These points now are pretty
well admitted, but there Is another
phase which apparently in many
, cases has been lost, and that is the
relative comparison OF danger De-
tween long and short forward passes,
! and how to play to the score In the
! Nse of this aerial method.
Little Chance of Long Gain.
There is small proportion OF chance
, ID . man receiving snort rorwaro
: pass getting away with long gain.
{ Il is possible, but, with an alert de-
tense, extremely improbable. If the
pass Is completed or lo YARD
gain is about the best that can De
the field for a team that is one or
two touchdowns behind is pretty
slow. even if several of these passes
are completed. On the ether hano,
if the pass is intercepted. ana 'ns
, almost as bad as tumble in a run.
ming play in the scrimmage. 1or IL
loses what is equivalent to the dis.
lance of a kick in the transfer Oh
the ball. 49,. ,,,e
II.
forward pass is completed. IT not
only gains SO to 40 yards, but, as the
bali has passed over usually ali tne
opponents save one. there Is hUIe
than possibility 1acs, a;n proo1f
bility-of a touchdown resulting.
the pass is ineompleted or groundea
IL costs a down only, just the same
as in the case of short pass. So
n the pass is intercepted, there ID
not. nearly the danger that often re-
suits from an intercepted snort pass
Of the opponent getting iong ,, rrm,
down the field with their eyes open
and. in fact, the interceptor Is In
much the same position as the man
. catching a long kick. There!ore, on
the theory of chances. there is apso.
luteIy nothing to prevent team thal
forward passes and taking the gam
bler's risk, which may in one mo-
ment of time net a touchdown.
Such a premium upon play OF TINS
kind is well worth the consideration
of coaches, and every coacn KNOWS
that when he has a lead OF one or
two touchdowns he is really much
more uneasy if the opponents oegin
To hurl those long forward passes
than il they try by line plunging or
short passes. no matter now wen
masked, to turn the tide
While it is a well known fact that
. a teams game is not rounded out un-
less it has a combination OF running
and-kiclSing game with Its forward
PASS game ii is coming to be decio-
e5Iy recognized that the proportion OF
Aese two is not quite as definite as
thas been generally supposed, ana
there is more premium upon opening
ND a game with these long passes
than had been dreamed Of year or
two ago.