Evening star., 1933-09-30
BY H. c. BYRD.

BY ii. L. B1kD.
~ EFENSIVE play of the four
local university foot ball
- teams in their opening
games this afternoon is
likely to be of a higher order than
the offense. In the first place 1t
is easier to teach a team the tech
nioue of defense than offense, and
far more difficult for players to
master the mechanical intricacies
of the latter.
When Georgetown lines up against
Mount St. Mary's, George washington
against CataWba, Catholic university
against LaSale and Maryland against
ST.. Johns, each of the coaches that
control the destinieS of these teams
will have greater confidence in his de-
fense than in his attack.
In a large sense, defensive play
Is more or less instructive, and
player, while he may learn GOOD
deal, is either naturally gooo
defensive player or he is not.
On the other hand, no matter how
much instructive foot ball player
NAV know, he must spend hours anu
hours developing the proper timing the
correct Judging of distances, ana the
rnachanical accuracy that makes play
good before his team can lay claim "
a good offense.
It is for this reason that coacheS
spend eight hours on offensive foot pali
for ever one they give to teacnlng oe-
fensiye play. No one knows better now
diffic,1lt it is to master plays than the
coach.
Offense Takes Time.
IF anv of the coaches of Georgetown
George Washington, Catholic UNI
yerslty or Maryland. or any OF the
four elevens that are to visit here, were
asked how much time he has given 10
develop his offense and now muCh "
defense in practice SO Tar TINS ran lile
chances are that the reply Woulo pe
anywhere from six or seven OF Ten "
one Despite that. though, every coach
also nrobablv would say that he has
greater confidence in what his team
will do On defense than on oHense.
All tour of the local schools are
crnectino difficult games, and
none feels absolutely certain IL
uiU 1rin, although all feel they
should.
1t may be that one or two OF rt tne
VISITING teams will show enough
strength to carry the fight to its enemy
in which case the local school Is pretty
certain TO find itself in plenty OF dl1n-
If a composite statement could be
given o1it by the coaches OF the 1our
local elevens it would probably read
something like this: Ill
mo we cannot be sure that we Will
win. We haven't had time to shape
cur offense so that we have entire con-
fdence in it. and then IN an opening
game when YOU know little about your
0nnonent and therefore cannot prepare
for him, there is SO much uncertainty
that it is impossible to toretell Wnat
NAV happen. We feel we ought to win
hut know that we can be defeated, but
hope that our opponent Will not pe
strong enough to do it. We have built
our defense to a point where we are
reasonably sure it will hold, but what
we shall do on offense we are not able
to say. We ought to win, but we may
not"
vt is doubtful if there is any game on
a foot ball schedule. except possibly
"A the one big game Of the year, which
tries the patience OF coach SO mucn
as the opening.
Usually the coach knows little or
nothing about the team his men are to
face, and inasmuch as he usually Is
against a supposedly weaker comblna
ton he has all to lose and nothing to
gain. If his team wins it is nothing
more than was expected, While II II
loses the result is a calamity.
ITO players also the opening game
is one of uncertainty. often
- they are kept in the dark by
coaches even as to who will be in the
lineup at the start, usually because the
coach does not want his men to know
VINO Is peIng banked on for regular
JOBS.
This keeps up the spirit and
aggressiveneSs of the players, in
the opinion of the coach. but 1t
also breaks down to a certain ex-
tent the morale of some men.
However. for an opening game the
average player is on hot spot, be-
cause it is the one game in which he is
more on his own, as far as tactics and
strategy are concerned, than in any
other. The player must meet unknown
quantities and solve them largely on
his own initiative. Many college foot
ball men are more nervous and high
strung for the opening game of sea-
son then for any of the others, except
the one big and outstanding contest
OF the year.
The majority of local followers Of foot
ball are wondering which of the four
college games scheduled here today Is
likely to be most attractive, and the
hardest played. The attempt to give
the real answer to that thought would
be almost impossible.
From some points of view the Catho-
lie University-LaSalle contest seems to
stand out, but on the other hand. If
Mount St. Mary's is as good as some
people think it is. then its battle with
Georgetown may take the prize.
Another way to look at it is to say
that Catawba College of North Caro-
lima already has ore good game under
its belt and that, having held North
Carolina State to lone touchdown,
should be picked to give George WASH
ington the best struggle.
And to take another tangent, If st:
Johns is as much more experienced
and has first-string team as capable
as its own supporters believe then 1t
might run wild in its game with Mary
land and cause a desperate struggle.