The Washington times., 1922-09-10
PUNTING NINE
ONE WEAKNESS
AT ANNAPOLIS
BackfieId and End Positions
Well Provided for In Squad
at U. S. Naval Academy.
BY HUGH R. RILEY.

10 Bob Folwell and the members
Of his staff, with the single ex-
ception Of weakness in the punting
line. !1s.s-.
Not only is there an abundance
Of seasoned players for these posi-
tions and many of the second-string
men of last year have shown the
greatest promise, but the new class
has also yielded a number of
players who are likely to be use
ful during the coming season, and
highly valuable in the years to
come,
In particular. the Naval Academy
should be in a better position than
ever to carry out its relay system
in the backfield. This system, In.
troduced by Gil Dobie and retained
by Foiwell, has proven one OF the
greatest sources of strength to
academy teams in recent years, but
II requires large number OF backs
with the physical equipment and
aptitude for the game necessary to-
develop them into reliable attack
men.
Under this system, there are from
four TO six complete backfieldsI each
man trained In the work df his own
position alone. The Navy does not
have first substitutes for any back.
field position, as Is generally the
practice with other college teams
but uses, when substitution Is neces-
sary or desirable. the back trained
for the particular place. and this
system Is carried out to the last
substitution.
Follow Dobie's Idea.
Dobie believed that though a
stronger back might be available.
that the team work and general
speed and power OF the attack was
promoted by training each back In
the special duties OF one position be-
hind the line, and his view has been
adopted by all the Naval coaches.
Speed and coordination have un-
doubtedly been secured through the
practicability OF introducing new
men In the backfield almost without
limit. hs,
The Naval Academy lost Koehler
and Cruise by graduation last year,
and Noyes has since resigned. Tne
great value Of Benny Koehler is not
generally recognized outside OF
Annapolis. but his work for four
years as a member OF the naval
Academy squad. three as a regular,
Is very highly Appreciated here,
While a brilliant runner with tho
ball. Koehler was essentially team
player, and his assistance did q
great deal towards assisting Barchet
and other backs, whose runs were
somewhat more brilliant.
Cruises place will be taken by
Hamilton. player OF almost ex-
actly the. same type. Neither
player Is likely to make more than
short gains. but both are splendid
defensive players and fine cogs in
the attacking machine. They
played as regulars for about an
equal period during the last three
years, and the backfield viii not
be weakened by the regular play
ing OF Hamilton. - .ss 5
Won't Weaken Team.
Noyes, a brilliant runner. failed
TO work with the rest of the back
field for some reason, and did not
do the work last season that he
did the first, He did not get In
the playing to a large extent last
season. so that ,his resignation from
the Academy will not weaken the
squad TO a marked extent.
Conroy. who has been elected
captain, and Barchet, the most bril-
liant Navy runner In years, with
/ Hamilton. form the nucleus for the
backfield. Cullen and Mckee ap-
pear to have the best chances to
fiji the vacant position Cullen, a
Washington high school player of
some note before he entered the
L. N..- 40
in the Navy during the war, and
is one of the strongest youths In
the Academy. He was handicapped
bu. has bright prospects for the
Mckee made a regular berth on
the varsity his first year. which
was 1920. He did not retrograds
at all last season, but lost his
place on account Of the brilliant
development OF Barchet. Mckee
is a good runner and defensive
player. and can do some kicking.
Many believe that he will stage a
real comeback this year.
New Lads Promising. Il
OF the backs who were new on the
squad last year, but who look like
brilliant runners, Norris and e. b.
Taylor are the most promising, while
Devens, O'Regan and Soucek are
larger and stronger men and have
great ability as line breakers. The
work of Devens and Soucel1 against
the varsity toward the last part of
last season was most telling. All
three have speed as well as weight
and strength.
In the new class, two youths, back
field prospects, have already at.
tracted much attention. One is
Ward, who played at Marietta Col.
lege. and who has considerable local
Reputation. He is built on almost
the same lines as, Barchet. the
Nays brilliant runner, but Is ten
pounds heavier. Shapley comes with
a fine reputation from Peddie Insti.
tute. He Is very fast and weighs
close to $50 pounds, but is so sym
metrically built that he does not ap-
pear to approach that figure. The
work OF, combing out the new class
\ has Just begun, and It Is expected TO
yield more backfield material.
The backs already on hand assure
the formation Of four or more splen-
did combinations. With such mate
rial at hand. the Navy will have no