Evening star., 1940-12-30
Hits Present Gridiron
Setup, but Appeals
For Defense Aid
Rival Football Squads
Should Be Equal in
Numbers, He holds
BY SID FEEDER.
Associated Press Sports Writer

NEW YORK, Dec. 30.-Having
talked themselves hoarse about the
offense in football, the Nations COL
legiate athletic heads turned today
toward the national defense program
as applied to college sports, and
heard an indictment of the evils of
over-emphasis" in the gridiron world.
While still discussing the nine
rules changes recommended by the
coaches Rules Committee to help
gridiron attack, delegates to the con-
ventions of the coaches and the
National Collegiate Athletic Associa-
tion heard new explosion when DR..
William Mather Lewis, president of
Lafayette College, teed off on the
current collegiate gridiron setup,
Head of a school which has just
concluded an undefeated-untle
football season. he was the chief
speaker of a Joint meeting of the
coaches and the N. c. A. A. which
included also addresses by Bo Nc
Millin. Indiana coach, and Prof.
w. B. Owens of Stanford, the N. G..
A A. prexy. They, like the Lafayette
president, pleaded for expansion OF
intercollegiate and intramural ath-
letics to help fit the Nations youth
for defense.
Would Equalize Manp0wer.
DR.. Lewis. urging colleges to "be
content to play in your own class,
said:
Every football contract should
contain a clause stating that both
teams shall have the same number
of men on the bench I don't object
to seeing a team in which am in
terested lose occasionally, but to see
1t beaten by four different teams on
the same afternoon is little too
much.
Most of the evils of overemphasis
can be overcome readily. If you be-
lieve a certain institution Is not up
tn your ethical standard you do not
have to have it on your schedule.
Birds of feather flock to-
eether."
Speaking as Pennsylvania admin
istrator of the Selective Service Act,
DR.. Lewis explained officials were
concerned about the number OF
Young men who are given deferred
classification because of physical i'm
perfection" The N. C. A. A. and
coaches. he said, are a tremendous
factor in Fighting this situation"
Would Train All Students.
He. like McMillin and Prof. Owens,
urged that collegiate athletic activi-
ties be widened to include "every
student on the campus" Prof.
Owens asked not only expansion OF
competitive sports programs, both
intramural and intercollegiate. but
also widening of physical training
programs in college to insure the
largest possible percentage of men
physically fit" expansion of physi-
cal education programs for the
training of teachers and leaders, and
increased research in public health,
physical training. prevention of in
juries and allied problems.
Chief among the coaches rules
changes recommendations was one
to eliminate the touchback on
fourth-down pass over the goal line
and have the ball turned over to the
defending team at the point at which
the fourth-down scrimmage began.
Other suggestions, to be recon-
mended to the N c. A. A. Rules
Committee meeting at Pine Valley
N. j., Wednesday, included widening
the goal posts feet 10 "a feet 6
inches to encourage field-goal kick
ing, and permission for player to
re-enter ball game once during
each quarter.