The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1923-11-10

u&uT6 OUT the STSdlGSI Q4ety
logical ones too-and put them down
in writing. But he couldn't seem
TO get the boys to understand
them.
when he resigned, in 1917,
Rockne was given the job-and
then Notre Danes football life
began.
'ROckne is only tIlirty-fOur
years old and young enough to
be . pal to the players. He's
loyal TO his team, and makes
every one feel right at home.
The players have lots of fun with
him1-but when he talks every
one stops to listen.
Here's an incident to show
what kind of a man Rockne is. 1t
happened just before the Notre
Dame team took the field against
Princeton, and holds true OF Rockne
and the team before every contest.
Before the game the players
went to their dressing room. Two
minutes before the team was to
take the field Rockne came in and
made his speech.
i've heard Rockne's speeches
many times before. So had the
tour other alumni who were stand
ing in the room. In those two min
utes Rockne had tears in the eyes
Of every player and alumnus.
sAbOut that great baclxfield Of
Tense that's been Wanted so
highly; IL simply isn't. That's why
R0clxne has made such q big hit
at NOtre Dame. His Offens0 IS
I'm the Inc, and it's his line that
brings home the victories to
South Bend.
Ordinarily. a college line will
try to open holes by driving
straight ahead. Notre Dame drives
20 the sides, criss-crosses its for
wards and completely battles the
opposing defense. It is easier Tor
the backs to go through, and they
run less chance of being tackled
"a hole in the line is open only
q second. The back must be there
at the time to take advantage OF
the opening. Notre Danes backs
are drilled to follow signals. not to
rely on their own Judgment CT
openings, and are more successfuI.
ssPrinceton, on the other hand,
was too slow in getting to the line,
and when its backs arrived the
holes had been opened and closed
again.
$50 far as screened passes CO.
Notre Dame never used them.
Every pass is openly played. True,
Il was decoys, but that's only to
Give the least suspected eligible
man a chance to go in the other
direction and grab the ball.
'sNO forward pass should be
successful. The attacking team
has five eligible players to re-
ceiye PASSES, and il the defensive
team has every eligible guarded
there isn't chance of the pass
working.
ITO get back to that line offense,
it would be perfectly right to say |
Suhldeher, Bergman, Layden, Crow |
ley and the rest OF the backs would |
not be the stars they aSS now were |
they playing on other teams. The |
perfect cohesion in the line enables |
all Notre Dame backs to stand out |
prominently"
It has been said Rockne would |
be 25 per cent less effective in |
any other college. Cofan doubts |
this.
seRockne, given free hand, would |
be a success wherever he went" he |
asserted. His personality alone |
would be heavy factor to his
credit His players could not help |
liking him, and he would turn out |
great teams if not hampered by a |
committee
Another thing. Rockne is a |
keen student of football. He al |
ways is willing to learn, and not |
one of those 'knows-it-alls.' For |
this reason his assistant coach-he |
has only one aide for the varsity
10 not Notre Dame graduate.
HE feels this way about it:
IL L were to teach q man all the
football he knows, what good
would he be as an assistant? He
couldn't teach me anything and
I'm likely to fall into q rut.'
$50 Rockne has secured George
Keogan, former Minnesota player.
for an assistant. In reality Keogan
is the freshman coach.
Two weeks before Notre Dame
was to play Princeton, for instance
Keogan secuted the Tigers. He
took with him a Notre Dame
graduate, and got all sorts of In
formation that would help Rockne
Then, for week, he drilled the
freshman team with Princeton
plays, and the yearlings scrim-
mayed with the varsity the follow.
ing week"
Loyalty to his alma mater has
been imbedded ir xne breast of
every Notre Dame graduate. That's
why they continue to send in an
lending supply Of football mate.
sial every year.
For instance, last year Joe Be-
land, Vince McNally and. Joe
Maxwell were considered three of
the greatest scholastic players i'm
Philadelphia. CofaII coached them
at Catholic High, and then
shipped them to South Bend. 1t
Is the same everywhere. He,
heading the Eastern division, has
his eyes open for material at all
times.
Walsh, star center on this years
Hoosier eleven, was found" by
Cofal out in Los Angeles.
Charlie Bachman takes care of
the middle Western district, and
Gus Dorais watches the Pacific
Northwest. Al Feeney looks out
Tor North Contra! material, and
Ray EichenIaub takes care Of Ohio.