The Washington times., 1930-12-02
n A 7 | D n A |
HONORS
AHEAD

Notre Dame is likely to be the
national gridiron champion at the
completion Of the present week.
The resourcefulness of the Fight
ing Irish is likelysto earn them a
final verdict over Southern Cali.
fornia.
The South Bend outfit is never
licked. They cannot be out
gained. Their sensational victory
over the strong Army makes them
. choice over their West Coast
rivals.
It is seldom any aggregation is
able to struggle through such q
hard and trying schedule as Knute
Rockne has led his Fighting Irish.
Every game has been a battle.
There were no "pushovers" on the
South Bend schedule. They tao
kled the best In the various sec.
tions of the country without a de-
feat.
Their clean record is one
which makes them the stand
out aggregation of the season.
This no one can deny.
Howard Jones may have built
UP a great football machine at
Southern California. His squad
has made a clean sweep OF every
rival but Washington State. The
latter stopped the much vaunted
Jones attack without much yard
age.
Many excuses have been offered
for this unexpected setback. But
excuses are never necessary for q
champion. Notre Dame has
progressed through a much
harder and trying schedule with
out resorting to alibis. In this
respect they look to be stronger
than their Far-West rivals.
Jones and ROckne are
disciples of systems of foot
ball that are based upon de-
ceptiOn. Both employ back
field shifts.
The latter formations have
been made the target of much un-
just criticism by a few gridiron
moguls. But it is not likely any
further legislation against the
style of play will be taken.
Both Notre Dame and Southern
California have introduced spin
ner plays" into their shift forma.
ton. These variations have off.
set some Of the harm imposed
upon the shift by the latest legis-
lation. Other coaches have been
slow to adopt the same methods
as these two great football men
tors. Until they do, their forma-
ton will fail to prove anywhere
near as effective as either the
plays of Southern California or
Notre Dame.
Notre Dame showed great re-
sorcefulneSs against Northwestern
and Army. A less game and de-
termined squad would have fallen
victim to the aggressive playing
of each Of these hard fighting
agregationS. In ordinary sea-
sons Northwestern and Army
would be good enough to be
awarded championship honors.
Each boast of a we'll coached and
finely conditioned squad Of cour-
ageous players.
Nothing but bulldog cour.
age, in the face of what ap-
peared at times to be unSur.
mounted heights, enabled their
adversary to triumph over
them.
Notre Dame writes its name
deep in football history for it's
wonderful accomplishment of
taking two such worthy rivals in
a row on successive week.ends.
No team in football history has
accomplished a more remarkable
feat. Gridiron history is sure to
record the present Notre Dame
outfit as one Of the most re-
sourceful Of all time.
The trip to the West Coast is
not going to do Rockne's play
ers any real harm. In fact, the
three-day train ride, from Chi
cago to Los Angeles, is likely to
do the team and coach much
good.
If ever an aggregation deserved
rest the lads from South Bend
is that outfit. They played two
Of the hardest games of recent