The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1937-10-29
Proven Bar
TORunnlng
Attack
FOUND OKAY
Rx HARRY COSTELLO

BY HARRY COSTELLO
This fiveman line business on
defense is causing no end Of COM
ment throughout the football
world
without doubt, it is the outstand'
ing defensive development Of the
past is or 20 years-against the
running attack.
Those of you who do not quite
grasp the technical details OF the
game probably will hesitate to &C.
cept the idea that a five-man line
can be stronger than a Six-man
line, or a seven-man line. How
ever. it is true that the five-man
line is stronger, that is, stronger
against the running attack.
HAS ELASTICITY
OF course. "five-man line" really
is a misnomer. While 1t Is true
that only five defensive units align
themselves at the Scrimmage line,
there are three more men imme-
diately behind the forward five,
thus actually making it an eight
man defensive line, yet Lending
great elasticity and mobility to
the whole defense, and in particu-
lar to the first line Of defense.
against the running attack.
Heretofore. the DEVELOPMENT OF
attack has attracted attention.
Now, with the latest defensive
measure tested and found sound,
it is possible the five-man line Will
revolutionize the attack.
It is doubtful that any team
pitted against another OF about
the same strength can make much
Roadway with a running attack
against the five-man defense.
JAsPERs EXPONENTS
John clipper" Smith, Villa
nova's up-and-at-'em coach, points
out that Chick Meehan's Man
haitian Jaspers, utilizing the five
man line on defense, slowed villa
nova's excellent running attack
down to a walk, yet Manhattan, on
the whole, was a weaker team than
Villanova.
Pop" Warner used a five-man
line against Gil Dobie's powerful
Boston College team and stopped
the Eagle running attack cold.
Gus Dorias, of Detroit, tried the
five-man line against B. c. TOO,
and the result is now history.
Ursinus, rated several touch.
downs weaker than Albright, used
the five-man line and stopped Al
bright's sensational Dick Rifle as
cold as day before yesterdays
pancakes.
It is interesting to study this
five-man line defensive formation.
TOUGH TO OVERCOME
The first thing that strikes
home is this: with these three
back men getting to the point OF
attack, which becomes the point
of defense for them once the at
lacking play has developed, you
have an avalanche defense, as II
were. and one which will be ex'
tremely difficult for the running
attack to overcome.
Apropos this matter Of five
man line, with three other men
stationed Immediately behind, it
is more than passingly interesting
to note that a female school
teacher out in Michigan has her
children playing football with
eight players on side, and often
with only six. She states that
this ARRANGEMENT makes the game
more open and therefore much
more sensational High school
teams In the East, especially in
Delaware and New Jersey, have
tried football with siX-men teams
and the trials have been distinct
successes.
KNOWS SOMETHING
The Michigan school teacher ar
rived at her arrangement Of the
players for the reason that she
had only 16 boys and wanted all
to play. Knowing something Of
football (she had taken football
coaching courses at summer
schools. she began an intensive
study of the eight-man team. She
arrived at the conclusion that the
game is more interesting than the
regulation game of today, that it
prevents piling up in scrimmages,
and that injuries are fewer.
She writes:
II am convinced the college
teams of the future will be COM
posed Of either six or eight men
each. If it's speed we're look
ing for, then this six-man team,
or the eight-man team, shows to
great advantage. If it's open
play, and that seems to be the
desire Of the spectator, then this
six-man arrangement lends itself
admirably to the utilization of
players who are fast and agile,
who are actors and who can
throw and catch a football.
II might add that, from my
more or less limited knowledge
, of advanced football, have
come to the conclusion that the
burden of proof in a game be-