The Washington times., 1934-01-06
LOATH
To DISCUSS
81 At n. D.
BY DAVIS ]. WALSH


PITT SBURGH, Jan. 6
U.N.SD the mans
voice deepened unaccountably
and seemed to fall an octave.
But he was ROckne. He was
the master"
Elmer Layden, back for the
last time on this curious little
campus that seems to hang al
most by friction above the roar
Of a city's streets, was trying to
explain away few popular Ge-
lusions today, and, before he got
through, he confided few facts.
The most interesting of these,
I would say, was the observation
that the Notre Dame system, all
told, was just another way of
getting the ball in motion. He
didn't say so, but the impress
sion I got was that the system
would work as we'll. At least
under the modern rules, from a
standing start.
After Win In Florida
Layden was back in town after
trip to Florida at the head Of
his victorious Duquene Uni
versity team, the last they will
take together after seven years
of an intimacy, all too rare be-
tween a coach and his team. He
goes to answer the higher call
at Notre Dame in about three
weeks, and, while this is only
another impression, 1 think he
feels that he'll be treading hal
lowed ground. After all, mis-
manner seemed to say. is it
necessary to explain why it is
that only Rockne was Rockne?
Briefly. Layden was willing to
talk about almost anything ex-
cept. the 1884 situation at Notre
Dame. He said:
ut would be a presumption
for me to sit here in Pittsburgh
and say what ought to happen
in South Bend. Remember, I
haven't been back there much
in the last few years. Remem-
ber, too, that I'm not yet in
charge of NOtre Dame football.
I'm only going to be-"
Just In General
He was. however, of a mind to
discuss the Notre Dame system
in general and did so with SUR
prising candor. Why was it that
Notre Dame coaches at other
colleges, so thorougly grounded
in the Rockne tradition, differed
by subtle shades and degrees in
its application? Easy. Notre
Dame systems we're forever meet
ing other Notre Dame systems
and nobody would ever get any,
where if all had the same stuff.
But. said the inquiring reporter,
Rockne kept meeting other Notre
Dame systems and he didn't seem
to be giving away any advantage
by using the stuff they all knew
so we'll.
"But ROckne was the master"
And there you have picture
of the man who played under
Rockne, carried his tradition else
where and now is to take his
place. Layden may be no Rockne.
He certainly doesn't think he is.
But in the matter of refreshing
frankness, he has one thing in
common with the man who is
gone.
Merely a Means
Concerning the Notre Dame sys'
tenn, for instance. There's moth
ing occult about it, it seems. It's
merely means of getting a play
or a series of plays under way.
But, as such. it's the best there is;
at least, that's Layden's notion.
He added:
"The rules against the shift
have forced alterations in the
formations from time to time.
and in certain ways have made
us compromise the original ma
neuverS. But they haven't
changed the basic features of
the attack, which are blocking
and quick openings and thrusts.
These are nothing more than
sound football, applied in the
most ingenious and interesting
way.
"We win with it and the
crowd gets a show. What more
can you aSk?"
There seemed to be no good
answer to that, and in much the
same manner, there was none to
his reioinder when mention was
made of the fact that Notre
Danes first varsity seems to be
graduating in a body. Said he:
'T'm not going to start out by
losing games in January"
The idea seems reasonable, at
that