The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1926-12-13
May BE
ELIMI MATED
ALTOGETHER
Recent Action of Coaches
Seen as Opening Gun in Eff
fort TO Amend Rules

chicago, Dec. 13.--lHC-ActiOn on
the part Of the Western Conference
coaches placing definite restric-
tion on the backficld shift, in which
the mentors agreed on two seconds
hiatus in the maneuverine of the
backfield before the ball is snapped,
is regarded by many as the opening
gun in campaign to amend the rules
so that the shift will be tab0Oed al
together. Falling in step with the
Big Ten movement, the Missouri Val
ley officials adopted Il rule calling
for a pause Of one second between
shifting and putting the ball into
May. CURLING this play will hamper
the running attack Of many teams.
The contention is advanced that
there is no way to combat the adj
vantage gained by the backfield
players, when they gather momentum
just before, and at the time the ball
is snapped back by the center. The
rebuttal is that present rules properly
regulate shift formations, and penal
iZe violations.
The famous shift originated in the
middle west, and was first used as an
offensive weapon by the great Min
nesota teams coached by DR.. Will
liams. For years this phase Of foot
ball attack was known as the "Min-
nesota shift" The shift: was intro
duced to the east when Tom Shevln,
the old Yale star, returned to his
alma mater to assist inc coaching.
Shevln lived in Minneapolis, and he
had plenty Of opportunity ID observe
ticcd by Minnesota.
ROcknc Uses It
Later many coaches took over the
shift. and developed it, but perhaps
Knute X. Rockne of Notre Dame
made the best use of the shift to
launch the running attack Of his
teams. There were some rumblings
against the move several years ago,
when Rockne's team invaded the east
and beat the best in the section.
A great many teams employ the
shift formation, and this method of
attack now has generally become to
be known as "the Notre Dame shift
or "Notre Dame style Of play" sim
ply because Rockne's teams have
made spectacular use Of the play.
Rockne is one of those opposed to
any change in the rules that would
hamper the free use of the shift. his
argument is that football is an of
fensive game, and il the teams are
prevented from using legitimate
methods Of scoring football will be-
come purely defensive game, with
the teams that are nearly evenly
matched being unable to score ut ALL
It was pointed out that the Army
Navy game at Chicago showed the
followers Of the game, and there were
10000 in the stands that Saturday
afternoon, how much kick there is
in contest in which the teams show
a scoring punch. Each of the SER
vice teams counted three tOuchdowns.
The Army used the shift consider
ably, but the Navy relied on the for
ward passing attack. The Army was
penalized several times because the
officials believed that the backfield
was illegally in motion when the ball
was snapped.
Spears Agrees
DIR. Spears, the Minnesota coach,
who is an advocate Of the shift,
readily agreed to the new ruling in
the Big Ten games, although this
play is one Of his teams principal
offensive weapons.
RUckne argues that defensive play
is overemphasized, that the game is
good sport as it stands, and he urges
that there be no changes in the pres
ent playing code. Others, however,
including Fielding H. Yost, the ia
nous athletic director Of .Michi-
gan, and Robert Zuppke, coach
of Illinois, are just as insistent that
scoring plays, can be devised without
the use Of the shift, as it is used now
by many teams.
The contention is advanced that
there is no way to combat the adj
vantage of the crashing backfield
players, when they gain momentum
at the time the hall -is mn sod