Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-10-13
BY w. w. ROPER,


TIME evolution of foot ball has
been steadily away from the
kicking feature, which original
4 ly was the characteristic and
basic play.
The kick survives partly as an arbl-
trary matter of rule-makers' tradition,
so that the game begins with a kick
and a score is still completed and en-
larged by the goal kick. which was
once the only means of scoring.
But, except for these, the play has
gradually diminished in favor and Inn
portance, except as an incident in the
really beautiful variety ~ attacking
measures and as a means of emergency
defense.
AS a defensive play the punt remains
Of first importance. Even when 1t is
used mainly as a threat, like the for
ward pass, it has indiSputable value,
provided always that the team using
it has a punter known to the OPPOSE
ton to be formidable at all times. A
team without a reliable and reasonably
long. high punter is always at severe
disadvantage and may easily lose its
game for want of one,
Exchange Sometimes Necessary.
The punt is one effective means
whereby a team may exchange the adj
vantage Of possession for lessened
disadvantage of position, with relative
certainty that this will. be the result.
Every game is almost certain to pro-
duce situations in which this exchange
becomes advisable or necessary. A
punter is essential3 in winning foot ball.
But as a purely or chiefly attacking
play the value of the kick is open to
debate, and depends certainly on con-
ditions. 1t presupposes first OF all,
superiority in this department, man
aosa Ill
Der of the opposing team. 1t demands,
too, a forward line capable of getting
down under the kick and preventing
this difference in distance from being
Offset by a runback. 1t also ought to
be reserved for a position from which
1t can be made with reasonable safety
against going out of bounds for little
or no gain, and where 1t will be helped
or at least not hindered by the wind.
Again, it serves only when there is
distance enough between the probable
limit Of the kicker's range and the OPP
posing goal line to make a touchback
unlikely, for one feature of an offensive
kick must necessarily be its chance OF
being fumbled and recovered by the
kicking side. This potential advantage
Is, Of course, forfeited by punts which
20 out of bounds or cross the goal line
without being touched by the defend
ing players.
Only Introduction to Running.
Given all or most of these favoring
conditions a punting attack may be
formidable indeed, but at its very best
IL serves only as an Introduction to
the running game. The trouble with
even considering it as an attack is tnat
1t has an insidious effect on some
coaches, who can hypnotic themselves
into believing that an exceptional
punter is a scoring asset, and will teach
their teams to rely on his foot instead
of on running or passing combina-
tions which alone can score points.
OF course a high wind always In
creases the effectiveness OF punt, anc
I believe in using that advantage when
one has it, and with that circumstance
favoring the other side 1t is certainly
extra poor policy to kick except Wner
: absolutely necessary.
individuals Also Justify Punt.
: Great individual punters also justif!
]. the use of a kicking attack TO an ex'
tent otherwise ill-adVised. The history
of the game is full of them from Billy
Bull and Alex Moffett down through
Andy O'Dea and Hcrshberger ant
George Brook to FELTON, and Shivericl
and Kipke. Where a team Is blesset
with a miracle man of this type 1t.
certainly badly coached II it does no
use him to the limit.
The trouble with the kicking gam
Is that 1t really needs an exceptions
punter to make 1t strong attacktn
measure, and too many coaches ar