The times-news. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1927-current, 1938-12-29
BASIC RULES
OFGRID GAME
RETAINED
Six Changes Recommended
Are Neither Radical Nor
Fundamental
BY ERNEST BARCELLA
United Press Staff Correspondent

United Press Staff Correspondent
20 CHICAGO. Dec. 20. (UP)-
Football coaches decided yester-
day to stand pat on basic rules
that will govern intercoiieglate
and secondary school g1dlron
competition in 1899,
The rules committee of the Ma
tionaI Football Coaches asSocia-
ton, after a five-hour session. rec
ommcnded six rule changeS-none
Of then radical or fundamental.
This YVES in keeping with it's an
nouneed intention of giving foot
bal p chance to catch up with the
rules.
Three of the recommendations
which will be placed before the
football rules committee OF the
National Collegiate Athletic asso-
citation at Colorado Springs, Colo,
Jan. ., concern forward passing,
two involve punting and the six n
urges careful study of equ p
mcnt in the interest of safety to
PLAYERS. -,
II also was suggested thai
coaches experiment in spring prac-
tice with the possibility of allow
ing a team scored upon TO exer-
else the same option during the
period as the team which wins the
toss has at the start of a game.
Results of these experiments will
he reported back TO the committee
next year.
Two of the recommended rule
changes would reduce the severity
of penalties, another would add
penalty and a fourth would result
in stricter enforcement Of the rule
penalizing a team for Intentional
~ grounding a pass.
The recommendations:
p. la case of a forward pass,
all ineligible men must remain on
the line Of scrimmage until the
pass is touched or completed.
Infraction of this rule would re-
suit in a l5-yard penalty from the
spot of the preceding down and
the play would be counted as a
down. Under the present rule, in
eligible receivers may go down the
field, but not beyond the eligible
receivers. Coaches considered this
the most important rule recon-
nendation. asserting it would viz
tually eliminate screened passing
and reduce downfeld blocking.
PA l5-yard penalty from the
spot Of the previous down plus loss
Of down when q forward pass -
touched bv an, ineligible receiver
on or behind the line Of scrim-
mage. Infraction of the present
rule calls for loss of the ball to the
Opponent at the spot of the preyi-
Gus down. The recommendation
would permit more shovel passes
without the danger Of losing the
ball for infraction.
~; 3-An exception be made in
connection with the penalty under
general rule 2, section 6, article l,
which governs punts from scrirn-
mage. TO the effect that this pen
atty viii not Offset a foul commit
ted by the non-kicking team un-
less it is disqualifying foul.
- Under the present rule, the play
is called back If the receiving
team commits a foul after a punt
ed ball is touched or downed by
the kicking team, which technical
ly commits foul in doing so. The
Recommendation would give the
puntinS team the right to refuse
the penalty against the receiving
team. -- Il
4-Modifcation of the penalty
in the. case of a foul being COM
mitted by a player of the punting
team while the ball is in the air
and in the field of play. The pres
ent rule calls for loss Of the ball
to the offended team at the spot
of the foul. This was considered
"too severe"
5-Striet enforcement of the
rule which provides 15-yard pen
atty and loss of a down for inten-
tional grounding of a pass. II also
was recommended that the rule be
supplemented with a note more
clearly defining intent"
GA careful study of equip
ment in the interest of safety to
players and that all equipment, in
Guiding the ball, irigidly comply
with specifications set forth. in the
official n. C. A, A. football rules.
This is designed to reduce the
danger from broken cleats and