New-York tribune., 1921-11-27
Slippery Football Affords
Speedy French No OPP
portunity for Fast w ork
By Ray Mccarthy

straight rushing, slam, bang football
tactics into discard and substituting a
brand new system patterned much
along the lines of the flying Notre
Dame attack, made great bid for VIC
tory over the Navy in the twenty
fourth historic encounter yesterday.
That bid failed through no fault of the
Army coaches. And with a favorable
turn Of the breaks it is quite likely the
West Pointers might have succeeded
in their purpose of downing their chief
rivals.
Knowing on Friday that Coaches
DAILY and McEwen had made good use
OF the lesson taught them by Notre
Dame recently, and that they had re-
constructed their offense with the in
tent of getting the fleet little Walter
French away, we nominated the Ar1nv
yesterday as the probable victor. That
prediction was based largely on the
weather report. But the weather man
was slightly in error, as those who Wis.,
tied the Polo Grounds yesterday we'll
know.
instead OF having nice, clear day
such as Friday was, the crowd had for
It's entertainment one of the best rainy
days of the season; and before the con-
test was half over the field was a young
lake. Thus, literally and fguratiyely
speaking. the Navy players were right
at home or at sea.
Mud Hindered Cadets
The exasperating condition of the
field did not initiate against the run-
ming attack Of the Annapolis students
nearly so much as it did against the
open field running of. the speedy
French, who really never did have
chance. The conditions must have
been exceedingly disappointing to the
Army coaches, who, having decided to
switch their entire offensive system
and to substitute a shifting attack
from direct pass, had spent hours in
perfecting the formations.
No system can be installed and per-
fected within q season and the Army
coaches deserve great credit for their
daring in trying to adapt that Notre
Dame offense for their own use in such
q short space of time. That they might
have succeeded was shown in the very
first period when the Army, taking the
kickoff, swung into action Immediately
and swept down the field in a series of
rushes to within shadow of the Navy
goal line.
Now, everybody knows that any shift
play in order to be successful must go
through rapidly and without hesitation.
Consequently when the field had been
turned into a quagmire by the drench-
ing rain, the Army attack was slowed
down considerably. The interference
was slow in forming and it was no
difficulty for the Navy forwards to jam
through and stop French before he
could get beyond the line of scrimmage.
Forwards Failed to Charge
Nevertheless, the Army would have
made more than battle of the issue
if the forwards, instead Of standing
and waiting in. the first two periods,
had charged through as they did in
the second half and smeared the Navy
runner before the interference was
formed. McEwen, the Army line coach,
lost no time in Informing his charges
as to what was wrong when he got
them in the locker room between the
halves. But then it was too late.
In spite of all this the West Pointers
would probably have come through the
first half on even terms had it not
been for very foolish play on the
part of an Army forward during the
second period. The Navy had the ball
on the Army 24-yard line, with two
downs left to make about five yards.
This particular lineman, apparently
believing the ball had been moved, dove
onto it and claimed it as the Army's
Referee Sharpe refused to allow the
claim and when the cadet disputed the
point with him he quickly penalized the
cadets five yards. That gave the Navy
first down on the Army 19-yard line
and from there, after a terrific strug-
gle, the middies were able to push over
the only score of the melee.
The play in detail:
FIRST PERIOD
Captain Greene, of Army, won the
toss and chose to defend the east goal,
slightly favored by quartering wind.
King kicked to French, who ran the
ball from Army's Is to 3O-yard line.
FRENCH skirted right end and for
tnlrty yards on the first play, using
the Notre Dame shift. Again from this
play French made gain of Ave yards
through right tackle. The third time
ne nit the same spot for first down. 1t
was Army's bal on her 43-yard line.
Smythe hit center but the Array was
caught holding and penalized fifteen
yards. Wood wan forced to punt. His
kick went out Of bounds on Navy's 40
yard line. However, the bali was
brought back and the Navy penalized
five yards for off-side. French slammed
through center for twelve yards. He
then attempted forward pass which
was grounded, Smythe ran through
the right aide OF the line for tsn-