Evening star., 1932-09-21
SURE TO Be MANY
# CODE ENFORCED
Players to Be Punished for
Things They Were Taught
Were Good Tactics.
BY H. c. BYRD.

ENHANCES made in the rules
for foot ball are going to
~ result in more frequent in
Fiction of penalties, if Of
flcials carry out anywhere near
the letter of the code. In several
types of play the rules forbid
certain actions on the part of
players that for years have been
drilled into them as good foot
ball, and those men who have
played the game through two or
three years OF high school and
one or two of college are not 60
ing to readily conform to the
changes. AS a matter of habit,
acquired in drills extending over
years. it is doubtful if they can
II they want to.
Take, for instance, the diving on
man, who has dropped on the ground
for fumbled ball. 1t has in former
years been instructive for players to
drop on the man to prevent him getting
up to run with the ball, and players
still are doing that, notwithstanding
the change in the rule which provides
that the player who is on the ground
with the ball in his possession is down.
II the player is automatically down and
cannot thereafter advance the ball, it
Is only fair for the officials to enforce
the rule against piling on.
A S a matter of fact, though, on such
"A plays in the scrimmages that have
been held here, players are SO in
stinctively smearing the man who drops
on tumble that it may result in sue
cession of penalties. Of course, due al
lowance will have to be made for the
players who battle in an actual at
tempt to get possession of the ball them
selves, but even with that there should
be frequent penalties. if the officials
follow the letter of the rules.
Another type of play that may draw
q good many penalties is the leaving OF
feet in interference. Just how the varl-
Gus and several officials are going to get
any consistent form of general ruling on
this is hard to foresee. One team goes IN
a game and its players leave their feet
and the officials judge that they &c
not leave their feet too soon. The game
the next week may find different set
of officials determined to enforce the
ru1e and calling almost everything on
which a player leaves his feet to take
out defensive players. And players un.
doubtedly are leaving their feet. ana
leaving their feet in violation OF tne
regula ations.- Pity the team that has one
kind officiating one week and another
kind the next.
As far as the use Of hands in the
n line is concerned, it is unlikely that
officials are going to do anything
different from what they did last sea
son. The rule makers started OH last
wear with a great hullabaloo about the
restrictions on the use of hands by the
defense, but the sum total OF tnelr ac-
complishment seems to be nothlng.
Actually, the intent Of the RUE
makers was good, but such a howl rose
on the part of a good many coacnes
against what was intended tnat lhe
whole campaign against use OF nanoS ny
the defense has sunk to zephyr anu
probably by the time the games ttiIS
week are played it Will be Veri'aoAe
calm.
A MOTHER thing that the rulemakers
n did that may not be as successful as
was expected is the placing OF nVe
men of the side receiving the KICKOFF
in such position that they may not drop
hack of the 45-yard line. This was zone
with the intention of making 1t less
easy for the side catching the ball 10
run back kicks, to prevent the lorna
ton of q wedge.
As a matter of fact, what actually Is
likely to happen is even more dan-
ueroi1s to the players of the kicking
SIDE. as it seems highly probable that
two wedges will be formed. Any team
that can form an initial wedge around
the 25-yard line to carry the back VINO
catches the ball as far as the 45-yard
mark will find there another group OF
i've men formed into another wedge.
In this connection, the writer Is
almost willing to make prediction tnat
more touchdoWns will be made this year
hv running back the kickoff than IN
anv nreyiolls season. Once player
reaches the 45-yard line with the pail
IT. is difficult to see how he can be pre-
vented going deep into the other teams
territory. even if he Is stopped before
the goal is reached.
However. as the writer stated IN this
column last Spring, the game from the
stands is going to be just the same
The average spectator hardly will note
a single change. 1t will be foot ball.
the same slashing, driving, physical
contact sport that has made it so gen.
orally attractive.