The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1921-11-27
FOOTBALL SEASON
HAS SEEN MUCH
PROGRESS IN GAME
Shift Plays, Forward Pass
and Run From Kick
Has Been Highly
Developed
BY WALTER CAMP
Special Correspondent OF The Age-Herald
Copyright. 1891. by The Age HeraId.)

Specinl correspondent OF The Age Herald
Copyright. 1921. by The Age HcraId.)
New York, November 26.-The foot
ball season of 1921. the curtain on
which was rung down today east OF
the Rockies. showed more real prog
ress in the scientific development of
the game than any season in the last
decade. 1t produced a far more
rounded out attack throughfthe com
bination OF three factors-the shift
the forward pass and the run from
kick for mation-than has ever been
seen before, Shift plays in some for
mer seasons have worked havoc with
a defense. The writer has seen the
forward pass highly developed, put
ting the defense in an extremely I'M
comfortable position. He has seen
the threat from kick formation pug
cling more than one team In the past
but never before has he seen all
these combined before. There have
been shifts of all kinds, line shifts,
backfield shifts, whirls and turns.
and even what, at times, looked like
march around by line men.
The forward pass has been far
more delicately timed than in the
past and used with methodical pre-
cision. II has been screened" and
by that is meant the charging down
the field of line men, eligible and
ineligible, who, while conforming to
the law so far as running into the
defensive backs is concerned, still
cause considerable illustration in
attempts to get to the receiver or to
the pass.
Protection Given Passes.
Another development has been in
passer, enabling him to delay his
pass until his men get down the
field. Also the receiver of the pass
has acquired much greater dexter
ity, showing ability to turn and take
the ball on the run, interposing his
shoulder and body at the same time
to the defensive back.
The run from kick formation has
been built into the shift plays so
as to cause more hesitation by the
opposing line men and ends, who are
left in doubt ,as to where the play
is to strike. and whether IL is to
be a run, a kick or forward pass.
The quick kick from close behind
the line of scrimmage has been re-
introduced, deterring the far back
defensive man from stealing up and
making himself an extra defense man
to long forward passes.
Ability to make long passes has
been greatly increased. Several men
in the game can hurl the pigskin
more than half the length of the
field. Deceptions and false motions,
concealed by ball players and other
tricks have appeared. All this on
the attacking side.
The defense naturally has been
forced to extraordinary anxiety and
has shown Improvement also. 1t has
improved very largely against the
forward pass, but has not caught
up with it, Ii it had not improved
there would have been more scoring.
The defense has learned that the for
ward passer must be hurried more
and more and that the backfield men
must be OF extremely quick percep
ton and active enough to cover a
large radius and bat down the ball.
Some teams have drawn men out
of line into the backfield to guard
against forward passes. while others
have depended on hurrying the pass
err The latter method has been more
successful, If the passer can be so
hurried that none OF his men can
get far down the field, then the pos
sible danger zone is confined to the
10 or 12-yard shorter passes, more
readily defended against The rather
short, flat pass across the end of the
line toward the outside has been a
terrible boomerang to some teams.
It's probable gain is only seven or
eight yards, il successful. and if ir-
tercepted, 1t may mean a touchdown
for the opposing team.
The lesson has been pretty well
learned and any team making these
passes now in another year will eth
er send the passer out wider to pro-
tect itself against disastrous result
in some other way. Notre Dame car
ried the forward pass to a high de-
gree of perfection, based on very
clever and scientific timing. Cali