The New York herald., 1922-10-26
ROCKNE SADDENED
BY LACK OF TALENT
Some NOtre Dame Men May
Not Make All-America--
Butt!
ny WALTER TRUMBULL.


Indiana city of $4,000 inhabitants was
In former days famous for It's plows and
its wagons. New industries have ap-
peared. II Is now famous for its manu-
facture OF football teams.
There was time when II you saw
furrows in any field you knew that a
South Bend plow had been doing its
work. Now you are not so sure. If
the burrows I'm the field are deeper than
ordinarily II may be that a Notre Dame
eleven has been frolicking about a bit.
The football industry really was
founded here by Jesse Harper. It has
been greatly enlarged and improved by
Harper's SUCCESSOR Knute RoclSne. The
latter has established a reputation of
being the greatest exponent of the open
game IN the country. Many other
coaches have attended his demonstra-
lions and learned considerable thereby.
It was with the idea of looking over
some OF his specialties that we sought
Mr. Rockne here to-day. We found him
in his Office trying TO decide which OF
several hundred applicants really was
entitled TO the last remaining ticket for
the game with Indiana. Even with the
new NcNOtN clADQS lit Sedll0S CdIdCtty
~ the field Is only about $4,000.
Mr.. Rockne greeted us with his sunny
smile. but then we unfortunately in
auired concerning his team. 1t is terrible
10 see the sunshine go out of life as it
did then. The look on his face reminded
one OF nightfall in the Grand Canyon,
except that II was gloomier.
My tackles would be all right" he
said IN despairing tones, except that
they are In the hospital My guards are
of tho subway variety and my center
iR as delicate and fra!l rs a hothouse
blossom. When / observe one OF my
wing men ! think I SEQ the end OF all
things. My backs are all right aside
from the fact that they don't know the
game. can't run, kick or throw and are
oil hurt. My smart men are lighter
than straws and my heavy men are
paralyzed behind and above the ears.
some OF my players may have seen a
football before. I really couldn't say"
Pressing a handkerchief 10 our eyes
we accompanied Mr.. Roclxne to the
gymnasium. We spoke little, being un-
willing 20 intrude on such grief In the
dressing room we found Rodger Kiley.
iast seasons All american end. getting
Into football suit. Kiley is an
assistant coach. He r. about six
feet In height and weighs close to 1so
pounds. There were also about fifty
players dressing IN the gymnasium.
Some OF them may possibly have been
as small az Kiiey.
We misht as well digress right here
10 advise all followers OF Georgia Tech
and the Army not TO take what Mr..
Rockne says about his team too serioua-
~. After due delberation IL would ap-
pear 20 us that he Is a trine pessimistic.
All, Yes, the Backs Are slow.
Just as we got 20 the field something
zipped by VS., for a moment recalling
war time memories. We supposed that
u was a bullet.
That's one OF my haifbacks." said
Rocknc. "If only they were not slow.
he nurmured sadly.
The first thing that the sturdy little
coach did was TO form his players IN q
fugc ring and put them through some
setting up exercises. There was no feol.
Ing about. Each man went through tho
thing In deadly earnest. There was one
oxencise We never had seen before. One
man lay on his back while his leg was
grabbed by another and bent and twisted
IN all directions. We supposed that thi,
was some sort OF treatment for the frac
Rockne claimed n was a great limbering
up exercise.
The same earnestncss OF purpose was
evident In everything which the boys did
There was no waste motion and no hesi.
tation. Rockne IN supreme in his domair
and he has no use for Elackers. The
moment that "a man showed any signs OF
taking things easy the coach was after
him like a hornet. lie knew what hs
wanted--and he got II.
The chances are that rs \ whole the
Notrc Dame team OF this season isn't as
good as that of last year. But last
years team was one OF the best--anc
probably the fastcst-which we ever saw
h. football This team is plenty goot
enough. Rockno. like most Western
coaches, has a wealth OF backfield mate
rial. He probably could put In thrc,
complete sets OF backs N he go desired
Crowley, Miller and Cashier are as
pretty a backfield trio as you'll find IN
the game. olive any one of them a yard
start and the next place you'll meet him
will be somewhere back OF the goal posts
No Kfiey cr Anderson.
Rockne may not have a Kiley and
Anderson, hut don't worry about his
ends. lie has plenty and they are good
Rockne always has good ends. lie was
"A great end himself and he knows al
that there a. To know about end play,
Carberry and Negarra may possibly b
regarded as his regulars. but he car
replace them with men ae good OF
better.
Ills line has been hurt Ny an injury
20 Iseib. his leading tackle. and Descf
Il out of the backfield for the present
but ne has more hacks than he needs
and hts line A. far from weak More.
over. no has a smart team.
OF course what most persons always
are curious about IN regard 60 Notrs
Dame - its passing game Rockne has
devsloped this branch 81 football 10.
yond any other coach Well we aaw
to-day az least five men who. We should
Judge, could throw a ball accuratei,
anywhere up 90 fifty yards and plenty
OF other men who car catch the bal
while on q dead run, That is ons
thing about Rockne'a passes They arv
made ana received on the run and they
are covered by sorno of the most De.
ceptiva formations We ever cav.
Ills teams 90 not advertise the fact
that they are Koing 10 pass A pass
may develop from practically any play
There is always decaption and uction
connected with them.
rtrus Believer o. Asrisi..
Rockne believes IN the pass - a..