Evening star., 1952-01-15
Football 10 Retain
Two-pIafoon System
With Little Change
By the Associated Press

WHITE SULPHUR SPRINGS.
w. Va, Jan. l5.-A little gray
haired man spoke up with one of
the biggest voices in college foot
ball today and proclaimed "the
game is the best it ever has been"
Amos Alonzo Stagg, college
footballs grand old man" who
has coached so of the 90 years Il
has been played, declared:
There's no doubt in my mind
we have the most interesting game
we've ever had"
His fellow members of the
NCAA Football Rules Committee
listened respectfully to his strong
stand for retention of the liberal
substitution rule which enables
extensive use of platoons.
A majority of the committee
members agreed with Stagg to-
keep the 1851 liberal substitution
rule in principle. Only minor, if
any. changes will be made at the
close of the three-day meeting
tomorrow.
Helps Small Colleges.
I've been in the big leagues and
the very small leagues" Stagg told
the committee. of which he has
been a member since 1904. Out
OF that experience. I have realized
the liberal substitution rule is very
beneficial to the small colleges"
Many critics Of the in-and-out
substitution business have argued
1t gave an advantage to the COL
lege with the big football squad.
But the. 89-year -old Stagg said
this wasn't so.
At Susquehanna we played our
whole squad last season, which
ran between % and, 80 players.
We had to utilize every one we
had. And anybody who comes
out for the team is going to be
used at some time. It would be
hard for us'to get along without
liberal substitution"
Stagg has been at Susuuehanna
for five years. Il coached the
backfleld and Lonnie (his son) the
line" Stages son is over go.
Stagg coached Chicago for Al
years, the longest tenure in his
tory, and was at College of Pacific
for IA years.
Sees Restriction Unfair.
E. E. Wieman. committee secre-
tary. in summarizing the majority
opinion, said, ''1t decided the lib
eral substitution rule is not a
significant factor in the ills of
the game today.
"a major change at this time
in the direction of restriction
would be unfair to the players
and younger coaches who have
little or no knowledge OF any
other type of game"
He added that teaching a new
rule this year would be harder
because of the reduced time avail
able since the NCAA has restricted
spring practice to 20 sessions.
The Rules Committee provision
ally voted to retain the liberal
substitution rule because, Wieman
said, lit extends benefits of play
ing to more individuals, reduces
injuries. makes a faster game and
results in more effective and
wholesome use of personnel"
Meanwhile, a subcommittee of
Elwood Geiges Of Norristown, Pa;
Coach Bob Neyland of Tennessee,
Coach Lloyd Jordan Of Harvard.
Commissioner Wallace Wade of
the Southern Conference and Lee
K. Anderson of the Oklahoma
High School Athletic Association,
will bring in any recommended /
minor changes.
ROughness Penalty Studied,
Another subcommittee is work.
ing on proposals to make the
penalties for unnecessary rough
ness more severe than Is yards
and disqualification. The COM
mittee in a statement yesterdayI
said, it is disturbed by reports of
unnecessary roughneSS" during
the last season.
Concern over rough football
arose after two outstanding in
JurleS last season. brakes john
ny Bright was put out of the
Oklahoma AIM game with al
fractured jaw, and Princeton'sI
Dick Kazmaier was sidelinedI
early in the Dartmouth game.
The majority of coaches polled
by the Rules Committee proposed
the penalty for smuggling and un-
necessary roughness be increased
from Is yards and disqualification
of the offender. to half the dis
tance to the goal and suspension
Of the violator.