_ THE FOOTBALL OUTLOOK IN THE EAST 
with the ball on a heavy mass play at center or 
the tackles, it would be impossible for any 
team to gain ten yards in three downs even 
against a much weaker opponent for any 
consistent length of time. It might be possible 
to do it two or three times in succession, but 
utterly impossible to carry the ball the entire 
length of the field in one of those series of 
heartbreaking plunges from tackle to tackle, 
which we have witnessed in former years. But 
without the privilege of calling on the heavy 
linemen it would be doubly out of the question. 
To gain ten yards in three downs by end runs 
was not to be thought of. 
It will be noted, however, that under the 
third point above, the word “‘supposed”’ was 
inserted before the word “‘restriction.”” When 
the rules were printed it was immediately seen 
that this particular rule was so worded that the 
very point aimed at was still allowed. Con- 
sequently, at a recent meeting of the Rules 
Committee and a large number of officials in 
New York, this point was referred back to the 
committee for further elucidation. 
If the committee had stopped here they 
would surely have sounded the death knell of 
football, for most of the games played would 
have resulted in no score for either side. The 
great improvement in the second lines of 
defense would have caused this, taken in con- 
nection with the two changes just mentioned. 
But, having restricted the offense very mate- 
rially, the committee then went for defense 
and, by adding the forward pass and on-side 
kick rules, very largely offset changes I have 
designated as 1 and 3, and incidentally intro- 
duced an element of luck, the effect of which 
yet remains to be seen. One thing is certain, 
under the present rules there will no longer be 
a “Big Four.” It is almost a certainty that 
Yale, Pennsylvania, Princeton and Harvard 
will be beaten occasionally by colleges which 
have always before been rated in the second 
class. Not only will the new rules themselves 
lead to this, but also because of the fact that 
some of the smaller colleges will have better 
material to draw from, even though not as 
large in numbers. The reason for this will be 
the fact that all of the above have adopted the 
one year eligibility rule, forbidding freshmen 
taking part in athletics. There are many men 
about to go to college who would rather have 
the chance to play four years on Lafayette, 
Syracuse, Amherst, Dartmouth and other 
colleges of this class in football than three 
years on the “‘big teams.”’ Moreover, the latter 
will often be caught unprepared early in the 
season by minor colleges and receive unpleasant 
surprises, as was the case with Cornell on 
461 
September 29, against Colgate, and -Pennsyl- 
vania on the following Wednesday, against 
Gettysburg. The latter, by the way, has in 
Sieber a back who would make a place on any 
team in the country and who would also knock 
loudly at the door of the All-American eleven. 
Of the four important changes mentioned, 
probably the most important is the on-side 
kick rule, which reads as follows: ‘‘When the 
ball has been kicked by a player other than 
the snapper-back, any player on the kicking 
side shall be on-side as soon as the ball touches 
the ground.”” Even though this rule is void if 
the ball rolls out of bounds or over the goal 
line, it will at once be seen what a tremendous 
influence it will have on the defense. The 
problem at once confronts a coach as to 
whether or not he can trust the entire back- 
field defense to one man. If another is dropped 
back part way, the second line of defense is 
immediately weakened. The advantage seems 
to be greatly in favor of the kicker’s side, for 
they know just where the kick is going to be 
placed and are immediately in motion toward 
that point at full speed, whereas the defensive 
side has to first solve the direction and then, 
if it is a short kick, turn and get speed up. Of 
course, if the kick is poorly directed, it will 
often fall directly into an opponent’s waiting 
arms and he will be off with a clear field for a 
touchdown. There is an axiom that when an 
irresistible force meets an immovable object 
something is going to happen. Likewise, when 
two determined players going at full speed are 
equally distant from a ball which is ‘“‘any- 
body’s”’—under this rule—it is going to be up 
to the doctors. 
The value of the forward pass is as yet 
problematical. It is very much restricted by 
rules and “exceptions,” and so far has worked 
out with very varying success. There is no 
doubt that the secondary line of defense will be 
coached to meet it, but just herein will probably 
lie its value. It will so weaken the secondary 
defense on line plays, by necessitating their 
standing farther back to prevent forward 
passes, that it will be possible to gain the 
required ten yards by plays directed at the line. 
It is too early as yet to accurately forecast 
the prospects for the success of this or that 
team. It would be well, however, to keep a 
close watch on Princeton, Cornell and Lafay- 
ette. Yale will undoubtedly have another good 
team, and Pennsylvania, a little later on, will 
probably be as good as in 1904 and 1905, even 
without Stevenson at quarter. Harvard is 
problematical, having been very hard hit by 
eligibility rules and greatly hampered by the 
attitude of President Eliot toward the game. 
