The Washington times., 1921-11-01


and blew itself out as back draught
trying to stem States attack. Which
ileaves us with an abiding respect for
football defense.
There Is an old say Ing that the best
defense Is a good offense, but that
doesn't always hold good In football.
A team strong enough to match along
to a goal on first downs needs no de-
fense, tits true, but where the offenses
are about equal in strength strong
defense is the big point winner.
Possessing the Ball.
II is an axiom in football that to
score you must possess the ball
Techs early attack was strong enough
TO score a number OF first downs
against Penn State, but unfortunately
State had the ball most Of the time.
This forced the Yellow Jackets into
a style of football unfamiliar to them
They found themselves playing new
game. Plunging backs are fine when
they are plunging with the ball, but
when their talent must be devoted to
plunging in uncertain fashion at an
elusive target that is something else
again.
On such occasions strong line is
urday. and Penn State threw it's backs
through the center for big gains.
Value OF Strong Opposition.
1t must be remembered, however.
that Tech, was on the defensive for the
first time this season. Therein lies
the fault in outclassing opponents in
early games. Serbs or minor teams
can never approach In strength or
strategy the attack of a big league
eleven.
Tech, unfortunately, outclassed it's
rivals until last Saturday. The Yellow
Jackets averaged around seventy
points in their first three games an
then beat Rutgers 4S to O. How much
defensive strategy this developed on
Techs part can be imagined. NO
doubt Coach Alexander subjected his
men to the best available tests. How
ever, there is no practice test that
will ever compare with spirited at
tack by real rival.
The coaching staff Of Tech is well
aware of the value of defense. 1t had
been amply demonstrated to them on
other Northern excursions cf the Yell
low. Jackets. Yet 1t is ditficult 10 de-
velop opposition to chronically
weak aggressive.
Centre Learned Lesson.
Take the case of Centre College.
Neither prayer nor a good offense
could win for them at Cambridge
last year. This fall, however, Coach
Charley Moran specialized on defense.
In Centres early games the Colonels
would roll up a safe score and then
deliberately give the ball away. Thus
they became accustomed to defensive
play and perfected systems devised 20
break up standard forms of attack.
Accounts of Saturdays affair ct
Cambridge contain more than one Jas
sage describing Centres splendid :ine
through which the desperate Crimson
cohorts could not pass as they did
wear ago Even with this improve
, ment Centre was hard pressed by a
resourceful Harvard team that had
not tasted defeat in five years, and
probably would have lost If a penalty
had not been inflicted at moment
fatal for the Crimson.
The Centre squad that visited Cam
bridge was no stronger in substitutes
than it was year ago and the
back field had lost a star. Centres
victory, therefore. appears to be due
mainly to two things-Harvards un-
preparedness for a hard game and
the Centre defense.
Is 1t to Be a Yale Year,
There is much food for consola-
ton at New Haven in the score at
Cambridge last Saturday and the
score u. Princeton the previous Sat
urday. Maybe this is to be the big
year for Yale after all.
Princeton is just beginning to get
started Harvard, with a wealth of