Evening star., 1930-10-30
M'GUG|N REFRA|NS
FROM NAMING TEAM
Thinks Differing Qualities
Would Make It Unfair to
Pick an Eleven.
BY DAN McGUGIN,
Vanderbilt Foot Ball Coach.


I suppose have
been asked that several thousand
times. It is doubtless the ques-
ton asked most often Of coaches,
and it is one none can answer.
I coached at Vanderbilt three
years before the forward pass was
introduced, and the rule permit
ting the forward pass has changed
the game more than any other
modification of rules.
without the pass we tried to get men
of strength, power and speed. For all
positions we still try to get men OF
strength, power and speed, but under
the old rules certain power was neces-
sary. Under the present rules you can
sacrifice strength and power in one or
two backs for speed.
So a man who was great back
under the old rules might be Of less
relative value under the present rules,
and no doubt many fast running men
who are now stars under passes would
have failed to make the old-time team.
Qualities Are Different.
I doubt whether any man who has
coached q quarter century should be
reasonably just in selecting his best ALL
time team. If were to undertake that,
and start, say, with left end, the names
Of half dozen men or more would ~
once come to mind.
Here's an end who was absolute
poison getting down under puntS and
on the defense, but only fair at block
ing and tackling. Here's one who would
punish the best tackle who ever lived
and who was good on defense, but
mediocre getting down under punts.
So it would be. going through all
positions.
And then, asked as to the best player
you have coached, you would have
right to inquire what type Of man Is
in mind. Is powerful, intelligent
tackle meant, q man VINO consistently
broke I'D every play on his side Of the
line and who averaged blocking punt
in each of his important games, or
some man who fitted like ghost with
the ball but was unable to block?
I can think of cases where We phad
a running back who as runner was
skillful and brilliant, but who would
have been useless without good block
ing. I can think Of q number Of backs
whose regulations were largely due TO
a teammate in the backdeld, who did
nothing but block on the offense, who
never missed his man and who was like
the Rock of Gibraltar behind the line
on the defense.
Blocker Preferred.
Now would not hesitate as between
these men to pick tine blocking back as
the more valuable. ANY fast man OF
intelligence and courage can make dis
tance with the ball II he has the
have never undertaken to select the
most valuable man have ever coached,
or to pick an ali-time Vanderbilt team.
In the first place could not be just.
No man could. In the second place,
why hurt some good mems feelings by
picking an all-tirie team and leaving
them out? think 1t better for men to
feel that the coach in his heart regards
them as useful as any he ever had.
I began coaching in 1904, when was
just out of college, and have coached
Vanderbilt ever since. When 1t comes
to valuable men on other teams think
almost every coach has pretty good
idea.
have always felt that william Hes
ton. halfback ON the Michigan team
from 1901 to 1904, was probably the
most valuable player In foot ball.
Heston, Gregory and were class
mates. We entered Law School at
Michigan in 1901, and became members
Of what was known as the Point o
Minute" team, winding up season
with score of $50 points to 0, including
a game with Stanford at the Carnival
of Roses in Pasadena New Year day.
We were new faces on the team, and
the old men at first were rather chilly.
Michigan had q custom at that time Of
having the new men make good before
A0tw tWa Hat
Gregory and myself to stick together
and form close friendships.
Heston . Speed Demon.
After we had made good We were
taken in whole -heated1y by as generous
o crowd as ever lived, including Neil
Snow, Boss Weeks and Bruce Shorts
though rough in play, and had TO
keep up my end.
Heston weighed l84, stood feet 8,
and had powerful arms and shoulders,
a deep chest and remarkable legs. In
the same class was Archie Hahn, who In
two Olympic games won the daskes, one
corresponding to the 100, the other 10
the 900. saw Heston beat Archie In
40-yard dashes many time.
With this speed. in covering short
distances, 50 valuable in foot ball, with
his great power with stiff arm, equal
10 the kick Of an army mule, and with
the ability to change, pass. sidestep,
whirl and do all any good halfback can
do, Heston was almost irresistible. In
easy games, at defensive halfback, he
would look ordinary. But when the
hard games came around he was as good
defensively as extensively.
Heston went through his four years
Of college foot ball undefeated. In 1908,
Michigan was tied by Minnesota, 6-6.
] was assistant coach at Ann Arbor, and
I had gone over 10 Madison to scout
Wisconsin and Chicago We were un-
able to get accurate information on the
Michigan-Minnesota score, and stayed
up until 4 in the morning, when the
Michigan team came through.
I went into the sleeper. and there was
Heston in his night clothes In the smok-
ing ROOM singing to himself. He had
been unable to close his eyes. He showed
me scratches and bruises on every part
OF his body.
Michigan had taken the ball on its
20-yard line. had used Heston on every
play, and had march the remaining
10 yards, the distance then provided
by the rules, for a touchdown. His
longest gain was 5 yards. Minnesota
that year had one of the greatest de-
fensive teams in the history of the game
Heston would have been as good al
the new game as at the old, because oi
speed, strength and power.
(Copyright. 1880. by North American News
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