Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-09-22
COACHES Do MOST
Of DROP-K|CK|NG
Goal Booting Mere Diversion
Since Uprights Were
Showed Back.
BY LAWRENCE PERRY.
TN the course of preliminary practice
at several important universities,
this observer has seen no drop

TN the course of preliminary practice
at several important universities,
this observer has seen no drop
i kicking save by the coaches. who
have amused themselves before and
after the workouts by indulgence in
a beautiful art which in Their day
before the goal posts were moved back
was an important factor in foot ball
games.
Place kicking Is being stressed, not
so much as scoring factor to be woven
into the fabric of an offensive SYST
as a means of adding that extra point
after touchdown. For notwithstanding
the fact that the rules committee has
sought still further to diminish the sig
stipulating that after touchdown the
scoring team may put the ball in play
on the 2, instead of the 8 yard
line, coaches will still rely upon the
place-kick against an opponent OF ap-
proximately equal strength. At least
they will at first.
Psychology Hits Kickers.
The appalling number of goals missed
after touchdown throughout the country
last year was not a phase of the 1928
game that merely happened. 1t was
the result of a growing psychology af-
fecting kickers, who find the increased
distance intimidating. Even on the 2
yard line place-kicker called upon
to add the extra point faces a 24-yard
drive and while this may not sound
extreme, it involves none the less
difficult task, especially from scrimmage.
An expert drop-kicker would not worry
much about 20 odd yards, even with
the defense coming through. But there
are no expert drop-kickers these days.
Tho rifles HnV1nnnitfaA ig TnSn0nSihl6 for
this.
Place-kicking calls three men into
play. the passer, the holder and the
kicker. And some one of the trio con-
trives to gum the attempt so frequently
that failure to score after touchdown
has come to be practically a custom.
As part of teams regular scoring
equipment, it Is used as a half-hearted
expedlent, a forlorn hope, save in in
stances where tradition is cherished and
kicking well taught.
Place BoOting Surer.
Michigan's 1928 success in scoring
the three points that come from a sue
ceSsful field goal may be cited as proof
of the fact that given a clever place
kicker, the setting back of the goal
posts does not affect the scoring posi-
bilities of foot ball adversely. It is quite
true that the iifaAEe and blue won three
of her games last year by opportune
kicks, Michigan State, 8 to o; Down,
10 to z, and the Illinois classic, to 0.
But when you consider that no other
team in the country, important or I'M
had anything like this record
Of toe achievement there is no reason
able alternative to setting, with the
Michigan case either as one of bull
luck or, to put 1t perhaps more fairly,
one of those miraculous exceptions that
are occurring always in every rule of
life.
Put the crossbar over the goal line,
leaving the posts 10 yards back, If
that be desirable, and many a thrill
will be restored to foot ball and many
game that under present conditions
ends in tie will work out to de-
cision.