Evening star., 1932-09-13
-FOUR TEN-SEC0ND
MEN IN BACKF|E[D
Kelly, Bradley, ParcoIa and
Donahue Would Make Up
Fine Relay Team.
BY II. C. BYRD.

speed, is what all foot ball
~ coaches try to develop, and
Coach Tom Mills Of George
town believes that he has it to
the nth power in one backfeld
that he is working behind his
line. Mills claims with reservation
that he has the fastest backfield
from the Atlantic to the Pacific.
and says that he would back it to
beat any other quartet in a relay
race. Four men who can average
10 seconds, possibly a shade better
than that, represent the kind of
speed Mills speaks Of with pardon
able pride.
Al Kelly, rated as one of the best
100-yard dash men In the country
Wilmer Bradley, hurdler and fine
quarter miller; Chubby Parcels, another
sprinter, and Bernard Donahue, sprinter,
are the backs Mills claims have 1t all
over any other college backfleld, as far
as speed is concerned. Mills says that
men of this type represent real threat,
as well as great possibilities in ground
gaining, and that he expects to make
good use Of them all.
This chap Kelly" says Mills, "is
green, but we are working hard with
him, and he Is learning fast You
would ne surprised to see how he has
picked up forward passing, and he is
fast developing ability to run well on
plays between tackle and end. I be-
lieve he is going to be very valuable to
us before the season ends.
Il don't know that we shall use all
four of these fast men at the same time,
but we can If we SO desire. Probably
they may work together in certain po-
sitions. but if we wanted to put on the
field the fastest set of backs in the
country, believe we could do it. I do
not know of any other school that has
a group of backs as speedy"
tom MILLS is one coach who does
i not believe that the change in the
rules which prohibits interferers
leaving their feet to block defensive
backs will work much harm. On the
contrary, Mills Is inclined to think that
benefit, as it should prevent lot Of
snowy useless rolling on the ground by
blocking backs and linemen.
"Of course, I cannot make a definite
prediction" said Mills, "but practice so
far this Fall mas just about convinced
me that it was good thing for the
game when that rule was changed. The
rule makers made the change to pre-
vent linemen and backs throwing them
selves across the legs Of defensive ends
and backs. thus causing at times serious
knee injuries. 1t has been my ex-
perience that such tactics never caused
many injuries+that is, when the block
was legally carried out, for the very
simple reason that the men going
through the rolling block seldom hit
anybody.
big linemen would cut across or
come around behind the line, rush out,
throw themselves on the ground and
roll over without much chance that any
defensive back would be put out Of a
play. Under the present rule the inter-
fering iinemen and backs must stay
on their feet and go hit somebody
either with a shoulder or a hip block.
and if they stay on their feet they may
at least get in some defensive player
way. I believe that before the season
is ended it will be found that this
change which prevents rolling block
will improve the offense.
when first heard OF the change I
was against it, believing that it would
break down some Of the fine factors in
offensive play, but practice last Spring
and this Fall, actually working out
under the changed rule. has convinced
me that It was q good thing. not so
much to prevent injuries to knees, but
because it should improve offensive
play" Is the opinion Mills gives.
MILLS is perfectly right in his STATE
lVl ment about the more or less use
less rolling block. Anybody that
may have watched foot ball game at
any place and any time certainly must
have noticed players who shot from the
line of scrimmage, hit the ground,
rolled over several times and then
sprang to their feet as if they had done
a good job.
As matter Of fact. most OF that type
of thing is good show and not much
as far as effective foot ball Is concerned.
Some coaches never have believed much
in the rolling block and have always
taught their players to keep their feet
and go on and let the ball carrier shield
himself.
Some Of the best offensive work, and
interference too. of this type that ever
has been developed was used by the
George Washington team of 1908. 1t
Is doubtful if any other team ever de-
yeIoped this type of interference to q
higher degree than did the Colonials
of that year They had two backs,
Ellis and Thrall. who seemed able to
keep their feet and keep going as in
terferers no matter what the condi-
tions, and two other backs who had
ability to stay with the two interferers
for consistent gains.
George Washington Of that year wa;
great ground-gaining team, and 1t
ran up some high scores. It beat Wash
only team to which it lost was Navy
WITH George Cole, tackle from las,
w year, and Ware Rouzer, freshman
guard in 1881, reporting Yesterday
the Maryland squad Is complete, with
the exception of three or four men
who are not to return at all. About
the best of those who will not be back
is Gene Collela, who was one Of the
shiftiest runners on the freshman team
last season.
Maryland got down to work yester.
+ day with the two longest workouts II
has staged this year, probably the two
longest it has ever staged don on the .:ans same
going two hours in the morning, three
in the afternoon, and one at night
Practically all the time was devoted Il
teaching plays.
The Old Liners have long way X
go before they are ready to NEE
Virginia on October l, and nobod!
knows that better than the member!
of the squad themselves, and they ar
working with willingness and spiri
that is unusual and admirable.