Evening star., 1926-05-09

tnat TINS would not De dCCoIllpli9iC'
TO curb passing generally. That th'
the communication from Stagg.
The letter from the great Chicago
coach, the oldest man in foot ball
coaching today, is self-eXplanatory
and follows:
There is apparently a misunder-
standing as 20 the effect of tee new
rule passed by the foot ball rules COM
mittee, which penalties u second. and
possibly third, incoMpletod forward
PASS between two first downs. This
rule was rasSed unanimously by the
rules committee. which consists of' Is
members. On this rules committee
were five men who are now actively
coaching foot ball, three others VINO
coached for several years, and who
are now athletic directors, and three
men who have had a long experience
as officials. while the remaining two
members Of the committee have been
members of the rules committee for
20 and - years. respectively.
1T was the feeling of the rules COM
mittee that the present rules were
lust about right, and only the most
minor changes should he made to pre-
serve a nne balance in the strategy
of the game. 1t was believed that
there is need for a slight restriction
on the use of the forward pass.
Hence, the placing Of n fVe-yard
Denalty on a second and a third In
completed forward pass within the
same series of downs, except on the
fourth down, when the bail goes TO
the opponents.
Personally ! am of the opinion that
this change will not affect the game
ct all seriously. AS | see it, the rule
81. Will not prevent a team
from trying forward passes.
"2. II does not penaliZe completed
forward passes either behind the
line of scrimmage Or beyond the
line Of scrimniage.
"3. Ii does not seriously anect
the strategy Of the game. III any
thing, in my opinion, il adds
sIightiy 10 Ii.
"a The rule should tend to en-
courage perfection in forward pass
play. not only in passing and re.
ceiying. but also In accuracy OF
timing and I'm selection of the best
types of passes.
IS. The rule not infreQuently
will penali1e the hitherto unDun-
ished groundin: of the ball by in
tenfionally throwing it into open
spaces when the passer sees ms
receivers are covered.
&c. The rule, while not prevent
Inc desperate gambling on chance,
will very properly place small
penalty on such efforts when not
successful.
THE worst which can happen TO
any team that makes three hcohl-
pleted forward passes on the lrsl'
sacond and third downs VIII be TO
kick on fourth down from poihl
10 wards further back than Wheli ti,e
bali was first put into play WHICH
in my opinion. is not an excessive
penalty for the use OF sucn tacIicS'
Analyzes 1925 Games.
In addition TO the above. Stagg
analvzes five of his big games last
vaar the five conference games
Dlaved bv Chicago. and shows that
had the rule been in existence d
that time the play of the cohleilu-
inp teams would not have been sefI-
o,lslx, affected from any point oE
view. ,,,...- .,,,d
Ohio State not once "ou'u .n1
nenalty have been inflicted on either
iea{n. In the Chica go Northwestern
t.ane Chicago would have suHefed
no nenaltv and Northwestern four.
In the Chica go Perdue game, IN
vhich ~ passes were thrown. ohiy
TWO penalties would have been given.
In the Chicago Wisconsin game 81
masses were thrown, vet only ~
wards would have been lost py Shi-
cago and 10 by Wisconsin as re
suit of penalties from incomplete
throws. The same thlng Nlrtua.y
was true of the Chicago Dartmouth
contest. in which 43 passes were
thrown. 90 .to
This is the first real study OF the
effect of the new rule on actual play
and is interesting. Stagg ) COIN
{; rnt.nication also puts to rest any
/, further argument as 10 what was
L the intent OF the committee III
f effecting the change when ne says.
at was believed there is heed Aof
a slight restriction on uhe use
The forward pass.
Georgetown, Catholic L. and Mary
land have plenty OF competition this
week. The first is to engage in Two
hail games and three tennis matches'
,he second IN q long base ball trip
and the last in three ball games;
lacrosse game and a track meet.
Catholic L. begins diamond trip
Tuesday night that carries II through
rhe New England States and over
mart of next week. Its first game Is
with the Army at West Point Ned-
nesday. 1t lays off Thursday, but
on Friday meets Yale and on satur-
day Holy Cross. a week from To-
morrow the Brooklanders play at
Boston College, and on the following
Tuesday and Wednesday at Tu1ts
College and Providence College.
Washington and Lee comes here
tomorrow for two games with Mary
land, the first tomorrow and the sec
ond Tuesday. The Generals have
been playing good ball and hope to
avenge the defeat handed them a
year ago by the Old Liners. Besides
the two games with w. and L., Mary
land has one contest away from home,
being scheduled to play Washington
College at Chestertown.
GeOrgatown's two games are with
Washington College and Navy. the
Eastern Shoremen are scheduled 10
come here tomorrow and Georgetown
goes to the Naval Academy Saturday.
Washington College should be fairly
easy for the Blue and Gray, but the
Navy is another kind of proposition.
While its base bail team is at Wash
ington College on Saturday the Mary
land lacrosse team will be at Lehigh
and the track squad at University of
North Carolina for the annual South
ern Conference championship games.
COLLEGE TENNIS.
At College Park--Ma;yland. 6;
V-niuQEGifV