The New York herald., 1921-11-14
GREAT EXPOSITION
OF RUNNING GAME
Penn State and the Navy Take
Turns at Pounding
Each Other.
by WILLIAM n. HANNA.

A few days ago mention was made
in this column of the excellence Of the
Penn State and Navy football elevens
in the running game. The game between
these two strong teams. played in Phila-
delphia Saturday, called additional at
tention to their proficiency in the run
ming game department. Also. as a
grinding, exciting. hard fought and high
class contest 1t was all it was expected
to be. Penn State was better than
the Navy in the running game, for Penn
State has backs of more individual skill
and line which. over sixty minutes Of
play, Is a bit more rugged. although it.,
like the Navy's, suffered periods In
which it was driven back on long re-
treats.
That the Navy lost any prestige by its
defeat, or. to put il differently, that the
game showed the Navy to be overrated
or not entitled to the high esteem in
which it had been held. is belief the
writer does not think there is any cause
10 entertain. It's just a question of
meeting stronger team.
The power of the Navy's running at
tack was demonstrated by two long ad-
vances against a formidable adversary
and one exceptionally well coached. The
Navy went forty yards at one time, sew.
enty-siX at another. The midshpmen
must have been in great condition. for
they were wearing down their rugged
opponents.
A Question OF Inches.
1t was only question of inches and
possible touchdown when the Navy
lost the ball on downs in State terri
tory near the close Of the game, and
that State showed pronounced defensive
strength at this point is statement
with which the writer does not agree
State showed sufficient defensive
strength. but just did survive the ordeal
and no more, for the measurers came
running out to determine to which side
the ball belonged.
State was backing up fast in that
series of rushes. but in all fairness to
the Nittany men it must be stated that
the moment they got hold of the ball
their demolishing offence---an offence
which has been the talk of the East
set out again with all Of it's original
power and effective organization Thus
proving that State had the reserve to
summon its attack at least one more
advance however hard pressed it may
have been on defence. Two strong
forces We're pounding each other in turn.
with Penn State the stronger. and each
with notable stamina and sticktoitiv-
ness. That summarizes it.
What Penn State would have done to
Yale on Saturday. or Yale would have
done to Penn State, nobody knows 1t
Is 50 easy to say that State would have
done this, or Yale would have done that
to State that 1t isn't worth while saying
either. That Yale has not met an at
tack as strong as Penn States this
year is doubtless true. but Penn State
is far from invincible on defence, not
as good perhaps as the Blue. Possibly
Yale's line Is stronger and the backs not
as good. Aldrich is the nearest thing
to Killinger seen around here. but the
latter is the moro valuable offensive
man.
The Army coaches who went to Phila-
delphia went there to scout a team
which they are by no means hopeless OF
beating. That isn't their frame of mind
at all. They didn't think the Navy
team unbeatable by their team, and they
still don't think so. They did see
through determined running attack of
striking power to give them pause and
to convince them of the seriousness Of
their job. but they didn't see anything
in forward pass way by the Navy to
frfChten them.