Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-04-08
BY LAWRENCE PERRY.

N YEW YORK. April S,--Through
IN the kindness Of prominent
VI foot ball coaches throughout
i the country in submitting
their views on the practical
influence on the game Of the changes
in the foot ball rules. the writer Ia
privileged 20 present today the most
important commentary on the action
OF the rules committee that has yet
been made.
The significance Of these opinions
is enhanced by the fact that the find
fngs are based in large measure upon
Spring practice now in progress in all
sections.
In some cases coaches do not feel
that present tests have been carried
far enough to warrant final Judg-
ment. but even so. they have reached
interesting conclusions.
OF all the American coaches the
one best qualified TO speak on the
lateral pass is Clarence (Nibs) Price
of the University of California, who
was an undergraduate at Berkeley
when rugby foot ball was in vogue
there. Price. varsity man in rug
ger. never played the American game
in college.
II believe" he says, that the eff
and backward pass will strengthen
greatly the offense, as it will be very
difficult for the ends and tackles as
well as for the secondary defense to
handle.
Field Restricts Pass.
mo doubt my experience in Rugby
can be greatly utilized, but not to the
fullest extent. because Of the fact
that the gridiron is So 1-3 yards wide,
whereas the width of the rugger
field is rs yards. The American grid
iron will not permit of more than one
effective lateral or backward pass. L
believe also that high tackling by the
ends and secondary, just as in rugby,
will be necessary next season, and
this will be displeasing to players and
coaches If not disgusting. In short, l
believe the effect of the new rules will
be to overbalance the defense by the
Offense."
Knute Rockne holds that the call
ing of time on shifts with a 15-yard
penalty will hang like the sword of
Damocles over the offense.
Next FALL" he says, AL shifts
will be legal, with no question at all
about their coming to a full stop.
Field goals viii be much more difficult.
"A few elevens will concentrate on
the lateral pass, but in SO doing their
coaches will make a mistake, as the
la teral plays will not work against a
proper defense"
occasionally" writes Robert Zup-
PIKE, "a game will be won and occa-
sionally lost by the attempted use of
the lateral pass. But the average
game will not run wild in scoring.
Fumbles resulting from double and
triple passes will not be so dangerous
to the offense, and expect to see the
very weak college teams Inundated
by their bigger rivals much more
often and much more completely than
in the past"
Not Worried by Lateral.
Wallace Wade, coach at the Uni
yersity of Alabama, one of the lead
ing foot ball thinkers, wires as fol-
lows: :,
II believe the lateral pass rule will
make very little difference in the
game next year"
DIR. j. w. Wilce of Ohio State be,
lieves otherwise.
I'VE have just started Spring prac-
tice," he says, land will be better
qualified to speak two weeks from
now. / believe, however, there Will
be more scoring, and teams that have
the power to run the ball consistent
" will continue to do Sc"
Enoch Bagshaw. of the University
of Washington wires as follows:
ct have prepared to meet lateral
and backward passes by thinning my
defensive line am prepared to say
that / believe lateral and backward
passes will strike at one of foot balls
greatest fundamentals, that of good,
clean, hard tackling, by making it
less decisive, especially so when a
tackler in taking a man finds the ball