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AMERICAN FOOTBALL 
 
CHARLES D. DALY 
 
AMERICAN 
 FOOTBALL 
 
 By 
 CHARLES D. DALY 
 
 F. A., U. S. A. 
 
 With Many Diagrams by the Author 
 
 And Portraits of Prominent 
 
 Players and Coaches 
 
 Harper 6f Brothers Publishers 
 New York and London 
 

 SEP -■-■"iJi"! 
 
 American Football 
 
 Copyright, 1921, by Harper & Brothera 
 
 Printed in the United States of America 
 
 c-v 
 
 0C1.A624181 
 
CONTENTS 
 
 CHAPTER PAGB 
 
 Introduction ix 
 
 I. Organization — Condition and Training • i 
 
 II. Fundamentals 15 
 
 III. The Offense 30 
 
 IV. The Defense 59 
 
 V. Position Play 71 
 
 VI. Drill 100 
 
 VII. The Kicking Game 118 
 
 VIII. The Forward Pass and Its Use .... 132 
 
 IX. Generalship and Quarterback Play . . 146 
 
ILLUSTRATIONS 
 
 Charles D. Daly Frontispiece 
 
 F, Gordon Brown, Guard, Yale . . . Facing p. 12 
 
 E. H. Coy, Fullback, Yale ** 12 
 
 T. L. Shevlin, End, Yale ** 12 
 
 W. W. Heffelfinger, Guard, Yale . . ** 26 
 Charles Brickley, Fullback, Harvard . '* 50 
 Edward Mahan, Halfback, Harvard . . " 70 
 Frank A. Hinkey, End, Yale .... '* 102 
 John J. McEwen, Center, Army ... ** 134^ 
 Prominent Coaches — Alonzo A. Stagg, 
 University of Chicago; Col. Ernest 
 Graves, Army; Walter Camp, "Father 
 OF American Football"; Fielding H. 
 ("Hurry Up") Yost, University of 
 Michigan; Percy D. Haughton, Har- 
 vard University *' 150 
 
INTRODUCTION 
 
 The author of this book desires to present 
 a treatise on the game of football, primarily 
 for the benefit of football coaches, football 
 players, and the football public. The ma- 
 terial is presented in a popular form, except 
 in a few chapters where it has been necessary 
 to limit the discussion to the technical side 
 of the subject. 
 
 In general the author has tried to estab- 
 lish certain basic principles that govern the 
 game and has laid down what may appear to 
 be hard-and-fast rules for training and play- 
 ing. But though he realizes that rules are 
 largely a matter of individual opinion, he 
 feels safe in saying that the principles which 
 he has stated are sound as a result of their 
 having been tried and proved during many 
 years of successful application by some of the 
 best coaches in the country. 
 
 Although the author treats his subject 
 from the standpoint of the large college team 
 with a squad of fifty or more men, and with 
 
INTRODUCTION 
 
 one or two important contests at the end of 
 the season toward which practically the en- 
 tire effort of the team is directed, the prin- 
 ciples and rules that apply on a large scale 
 to the large-college team apply equally on a 
 small scale to the little college, preparatory 
 school, and even high school. 
 
 Therefore, the author hopes that American 
 Football will serve as a reliable guide for all 
 who want to know the principles of the game, 
 but more particularly for the coaches and 
 captains, upon whose knowledge of the game 
 depends largely the success of their teams. 
 The author desires to make grateful acknowl- 
 edgment for certain material used in con- 
 nection with this book to Colonel Graves, 
 Colonel Thompson and Major Pritchard, 
 U. S. A. He feels particularly indebted to 
 Colonel Graves. 
 
AMERICAN FOOTBALL 
 
FOOTBALL AXIOMS 
 
 1. FOOTBALL IS A BATTLE, GO OUT TO FIGHT 
 
 AND KEEP IT UP ALL THE AFTERNOON. 
 
 2. A MAN*S VALUE TO HIS TEAM VARIES IN~- 
 
 VERSELY AS HIS DISTANCE FROM THE 
 BALL. 
 
 3. IF THE LINE GOES FORWARD THE TEAM 
 
 WINS, IF THE LINE COMES BACKWARD 
 THE TEAM LOSES. 
 
 GAME AXIOMS 
 
 1. MAKE AND PLAY FOR THE BREAKS. WHEN 
 
 ONE COMES YOUR WAY, SCORE. 
 
 2. IF THE GAME OR A BREAK GOES AGAINST 
 
 YOU, DON*T LIE DOWN! PUT ON MORE 
 STEAM. 
 
 3. don't SAVE YOURSELF. GO THE LIMIT. 
 
 THERE ARE GOOD MEN ON THE SIDE 
 LINE, WHEN YOU ARE EXHAUSTED. 
 
AMERICAN FOOTBALL 
 
 I 
 
 ORGANIZATION— CONDITION AND TRAINING 
 
 AREMARKA.BLE similarity exists be- 
 tween war and football. This is par- 
 ticularly manifest in their organization. In 
 both war and football we have the staff and 
 the troops. In both we have the supply 
 department, medical branch, and the instruc- 
 tion branch. In both, the importance of 
 leadership is paramount. The principles of 
 war laid down by Clausevitz are the princi- 
 ples of the application of force. Just so in 
 football, we have exactly analogous principles 
 of the application of force and a similar or- 
 ganization. 
 
 There are five elements that enter into the 
 organization of a football team: first, the 
 material; second, the coach; third, the as- 
 
2 AMERICAN FOOTBALL 
 
 sistant coaches; fourth, the captain; fifth, 
 the trainer and the doctor. 
 
 The Material 
 
 If the material at the start is to be without 
 defect there must be the following : 
 
 1. Powerful and fast line material. 
 
 2. An experienced player available for quarterback. 
 
 3. Speedy, rugged, back-field men. 
 
 4. A reliable kicker who can get good distance. 
 
 5. Sure catchers for the back-field. 
 
 6. A back and a kicker, both of whom can pass. 
 
 7. Speedy ends who are sure tacklers and who can 
 
 catch passes. 
 
 Unless the material has players capable of 
 fulfilling these requisites, and good substi- 
 tutes to take their place, the material is weak. 
 
 The above statement covers the ideal case. 
 Ordinarily a coach is not fortunate enough to 
 be blessed with such rounded-out material. 
 If he is, victory will ordinarily perch upon 
 his banner. In the ordinary case there are 
 generally one or two weaknesses in the ma- 
 terial which must be adjusted by skillful 
 coaching. 
 
 It is the business of the coach to determine 
 these weaknesses in both his own squad and 
 in the enemy squad. His scheme of play 
 
ORGANIZATION 
 
 Two Successful Offensive Distributions 
 
 o o 
 oooo#oo 
 
 Normal attack developed into eight men on line of acrimmage 
 using direct pass. 
 
 O 
 
 o 
 
 o o 
 
 o ooo#oo 
 
 Cbncentration for a direct pTunge with dispersion for passing. 
 A freak formation. 
 
4 AMERICAN FOOTBALL 
 
 should then be so designed as to minimize his 
 own weaknesses and still take advantage of 
 those of the opponents. Play to the other 
 team's weakness is one of the basic principles 
 of both football and war. 
 
 The Coach 
 
 The head coach supervises the organization 
 and its work. He takes charge of the first 
 eleven when it assembles for dummy scrim- 
 mage or signals. 
 
 He is responsible for the organization, 
 schedule, equipment, officials, and all other 
 matters incident to the team's progress, not 
 specifically in the hands of parts of the organi- 
 zation. The manager and his assistants are 
 the supply officers of the head coach. 
 
 However, the most important duty of the 
 coach is to put character into both the team 
 and the squad. He should not only promote 
 and secure harmony in all the elements of the 
 organization, but at midseason, when ''drive " 
 and *' fight '' are the watchwords, it is the head 
 coach who should secure that savage drive 
 and desperate fight which are essential to 
 victory. 
 
 Above all, the head coach is responsible for 
 the spirit and morale of the team. He should 
 
ORGANIZATION 5 
 
 so co-ordinate the effort of the parts of the 
 organization that, as a result, there should be 
 produced for the final contest a band of cru- 
 saders with nothing in their hearts but vic- 
 tory and with the unshakable determination 
 to have that victory at all costs. 
 
 The Assistant Coaches 
 
 Five assistant coaches are necessary. Daily 
 attendance from the first day*s practice is 
 imperative. More than seven assistants are 
 bad. A large number of coaches produces 
 an underdeveloped, characterless team. The 
 coaches should be: one end coach, two line 
 coaches, one back-field coach, one second- 
 eleven coach. The position coaches make the 
 team, by their work in position and group 
 drill. The success of the team or its failure 
 is mainly theirs. 
 
 The limit on the number of coaches pre- 
 scribed above is not meant to rule out special 
 coaches for particular performances. It is 
 always advisable to secure a good instructor, 
 if available, for work on the specialties, such 
 as drop kicking, goal kicking, and passing. 
 
 Too much credit cannot be given to the 
 position of assistant coaches for the success of 
 the team. The individual excellence of each 
 
6 AMERICAN FOOTBALL 
 
 player arises from the work of the position 
 coach. It is this individual excellence that 
 spells victory, and the coach should have the 
 credit for it. 
 
 The Captain 
 A good captain accomplishes the following: 
 
 1. He plays his own position excellently in the final 
 
 game. This is his first duty. All others are 
 secondary. 
 
 2. He keeps the squad cheerful and in harmony with 
 
 the coaches. 
 
 3. He advises the coaches of opinions or sentiments 
 
 on the team at variance with their ideas. 
 
 4. He checks all decisions by the officials and claims 
 
 his rights. He should know the rules thor- 
 oughly. Many slip-ups can happen due to the 
 failure of the captain to secure his advantages 
 under the rules. It is advisable, therefore, to 
 detail another player who is well versed in and 
 quick to appreciate the application of the rules 
 to check the captain throughout a contest and 
 to advise him, when necessary, of his rights. In 
 other words, two heads are better than one. 
 
 5. He encourages the team in games when necessary. 
 
 The captain should, however, be careful not to 
 talk too much. A youngster chattering to his 
 fellows all the time is an irritating influence, and 
 a good captain should talk only when necessary 
 and then in a manner which will appeal to his 
 comrades. 
 
ORGANIZATION 7 
 
 Many captains have made the mistake of 
 thinking that they were administrators in- 
 stead of players. No more fatal error could 
 be made. If the captain does nothing more 
 than play his position well he is generally a 
 success. If he attempts to do much else he 
 is generally a failure. Quite often the worry 
 of the captaincy requires the player to lay 
 off considerably in order that he may be 
 able to play his own position well. If he 
 plays it exceedingly well, leadership will fall 
 to him naturally. Nothing can make up for 
 the failure of the captain to play his own po- 
 sition as well as his comrades are playing 
 theirs. 
 
 The Trainer and the Doctor 
 
 The trainer and the doctor are responsible 
 for the physical condition of the players. 
 The doctor is directly responsible for all the 
 injured. The trainer must see that the re- 
 serve energy of the players is never ex- 
 hausted. He must also make sure that the 
 prescribed treatment for injuries is carried 
 out. He keeps the head coach informed as 
 to the equipment of the players and super- 
 vises the fitting and use of pads and guards. 
 
 Mike Murphy, in an article on training a 
 
8 AMERICAN FOOTBALL 
 
 football team, placed his finger on the crux 
 of the matter. In substance, he said that 
 players must be so trained that they will 
 enter a contest eager to play and eager to 
 make a touchdown. They must be, so to 
 speak, tugging at the leash. Unless this 
 strong desire to play and to win is present, 
 there is something the matter with the 
 physical or mental condition of the player. 
 
 Condition and Training 
 
 Organized practice each day rarely can 
 consume more than two and one-half hours. 
 There are ten weeks in the regular football 
 season. Games are played on Saturdays, 
 leaving five days per week for practice — 
 that is, 5 X ID X 2^ hours, or 125 hours. 
 Therefore, it is true that the preparation of 
 a team for its final contest is a race against 
 time. 
 
 The time of preparation is even more 
 limited than stated above. Players over- 
 train easily and often the regular practice 
 must be shortened. From time to time it 
 is, of course, necessary to withdraw certain 
 players from practice in order to rest them. 
 Physical condition is paramount. Coaching 
 is secondary. 
 
ORGANIZATION 9 
 
 The following principles are standard in, the 
 training and development of a team : 
 
 1. Always underwork the players, individually and 
 
 collectively. 
 
 2. Place no stress in the first half of the year on 
 
 that character of fight which leads to the rapid 
 exhaustion of nervous energy. 
 
 3. At midseason drive the team, individually and 
 
 collectively, for at least one week. The fighting 
 spirit here is paramount. 
 
 4. At least two and often three weeks from the final 
 
 game, the team must be handled solely with the 
 idea of perfecting what they already know and 
 conserving their reserve vitality. 
 
 5. The result of good training is a mental attitude 
 
 of eagerness for the entire afternoon's play, 
 with muscles and sinew capable of sustaining 
 the fight at high pressure. 
 
 Coaches always tend to overwork a player. 
 They are inclined to drill a man (or a team) 
 until the man draws on his reserve energy to 
 sustain him. This is a great mistake. Drill 
 should never draw on anything except the 
 excess and ordinary energy of the player. 
 The reserve energy must always be carefully 
 guarded. It is used only in the final game. 
 Its exhaustion at any other time results in 
 overtraining. Recuperation takes not less 
 than three weeks of almost entire rest. The 
 
10 AMERICAN FOOTBALL 
 
 guarding of the reserve energy of the in- 
 dividual players is the most important duty 
 of the trainer. 
 
 The trainer should make a careful note of 
 each player's physical and nervous qualities. 
 He should keep a book showing the weights 
 from day to day before or after practice, or 
 both. He should carefully note the amount 
 of work each man can stand without undue 
 effort, the quickness of his recuperation, and 
 the amount and kind of food he eats. Above 
 all, it is his business to step in and advise the 
 coach when a player should cease work. On 
 this expert advice a good trainer defers to 
 no one. 
 
 A good trainer keeps constantly in touch 
 with the doctor who has charge of the in- 
 juries. He should seek his advice on matters 
 of condition, as well as being entirely guided 
 by him with respect to the injuries. 
 
 The doctor is responsible for the care and 
 treatment of all injuries. In the caring for in- 
 juries the trainer works under his supervision. 
 
 Scrimmage should not be held if the doctor 
 is absent. This rule is a vital one in safe- 
 guarding the best interests of the players and 
 the sport. 
 
 Football injuries are characteristic. In 
 
ORGANIZATION n 
 
 order to be competent to decide how soon cer- 
 tain injuries may be subjected to the strain of 
 scrimmage, previous experience on the part 
 of both doctor and trainer is necessary. 
 
 Equipment 
 
 All clothing and equipment should not 
 weigh over eight pounds when dry. 
 
 Shoulder pads should cover the collar 
 bone and be sprung over the point of the 
 shoulder. They should be under the jersey. 
 
 Headguards should not be too large and 
 should resemble a helmet rather than a cap. 
 
 A piece of light leather should re-enforce 
 the jersey at the elbow joint. 
 
 The hands or wrists of line men should be 
 taped. 
 
 The point and edge of each hip joint and 
 the small of the back should be covered with 
 a light felt pad about one half inch thick. 
 This pad is sometimes re-enforced with 
 leather. 
 
 The knee joint should be covered with a 
 felt cover fastened below the knee or sewed 
 into the trousers. 
 
 The thigh should be covered with a rigid 
 guard sprung off the muscles of the leg. 
 
 Ankle supports should always be worn. 
 
12 AMERICAN FOOTBALL 
 
 Shoes should be light in weight, close fit- 
 ting, and flexible. 
 
 No player should be allowed to scrimmage 
 who is not properly protected as stated above. 
 
 Whenever a man is injured, so that it is 
 questionable as to his capacity to protect 
 himself, due to being stunned, loss of speed, 
 turning ability, or other causes, he should be 
 instantly removed from the scrimmage. 
 Always err on the conservative side. 
 
 Certain injuries are typical and charac- 
 teristic of the game. 
 
 1. Tackle shoulder: Injury to the cartilage covering 
 
 'the point of the shoulder, due to a sharp blow. 
 Player unable to raise elbow above shoulder. 
 Not less than two weeks of absolute quiet for 
 the shoulder required. When play is resumed 
 a brace should be sprung over the injury, 
 resting on chest and shoulder blade. 
 
 2. Bruised thigh muscle, "charley horse,^' *^a poop." 
 
 Will last, if properly treated, not longer than 
 three weeks. Never massage. Bake, hot water, 
 tape, and absolute rest. 
 
 3. Wrenched knee. Bake, hot water, and tape. A 
 
 brace may be worn in practice. Where silio- 
 vitis may prove chronic, the player should give 
 up football. Rest essential. 
 
 4. Blow on head. Recognized by small pupils of 
 
 eyes, wabbly walk, or inability to multiply 
 quickly. Should be removed from scrimmage 
 
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 Bk-*^'^ 
 
 
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ORGANIZATION 13 
 
 instantly and turned over to doctor, and should 
 not play again that day. 
 
 5. Bruise on point or edge of hip bone. Hot appli- 
 
 cations, tape, and rest. Should not be trouble- 
 some, if properly treated, after two weeks. 
 
 6. Sprained ankle. Bake, hot water, tape, and abso- 
 
 lute rest for very short while; then mild use. 
 
 The above remarks on ordinary football in- 
 juries are in no way meant to take the place 
 of the medical advice which should always be 
 present. 
 
 Schedule 
 
 It is better to have too hard than too weak 
 a schedule. The teams played should de- 
 mand the maximum effort without drawing 
 on the reserve energy. Fifty per cent of 
 them should be such that they could be held 
 in check by the substitutes. However, as 
 intimated, no more insidious element in de- 
 velopment can exist than that of a weak 
 schedule. 
 
 It is well to play two teams unusually 
 strong on the forward pass. 
 
 Scouts should follow the work of all the 
 teams played that appear dangerous. Re- 
 ports should be submitted from the beginning 
 of the year. 
 
14 AMERICAN FOOTBALL 
 
 The work of the team against an opponent 
 with a strong kicking game should be care- 
 fully studied. 
 
 The last word on every item of condition 
 and training is: Never exhaust the reserve 
 vitality of the players; always keep them eager 
 for a whole afternoon's battle. 
 
II 
 
 FUNDAMENTALS 
 
 THE game of football is based on three 
 underlying fundamentals: tackling, in- 
 terference, and following the ball. These are 
 called basic because the entire success of the 
 attack and defense depends on their skillful 
 execution by each and every man on the field. 
 
 Interference 
 
 Advancing the ball by rushes is based on 
 the rule allowing interference in advance of 
 the runner. Offensive line work is really a 
 study in interference and is considered under 
 Position Play. 
 
 When the runner passes through the line 
 of scrimmage, or skirts it on a sweeping run, 
 or by any other means is running in the open, 
 open-field interference becomes of the highest 
 importance. This interference should be a 
 matter of drill. 
 
 There are several ways of interfering : No. 
 
i6 AMERICAN FOOTBALL 
 
 I or 2 back, when covering the runner on a 
 skin tackle play, may interfere and block the 
 opposing end or halfback by advancing to 
 him, and then, with wide steps and arms close 
 to body, going forward and covering him. 
 When the shock of contact is not great this 
 may be called '* covering interference." On 
 an end run the backs often find it advisable 
 to lunge with their shoulder at the opposing 
 end or back, sometimes actually leaving the 
 ground on a diving interference. This has 
 the disadvantage of compelling the inter- 
 ferer to surrender control of his body. This 
 may be called *' diving interference." A 
 skillful interferer often may jump at an op- 
 ponent, sustaining the shock on his arms and 
 still keeping his feet. This is a particularly 
 effective form of open-field interference. 
 This is *'high interference." ''Diving inter- 
 ference" is, of course, low. Another kind of 
 open-field interference, which may at times 
 be used on an end run, is where the interferer 
 dives slightly to one side of the tackier and 
 swings his legs across the legs of the tackier. 
 This is effective for open-field work where 
 the tackier is not close to the runner. 
 
 These various forms of interference should 
 be drilled at least three days a week. The 
 
FUNDAMENTALS 17 
 
 basic nature of this work should be carefully 
 explained to the team. Although the matter 
 of drill is important, the player should have 
 it impressed upon him that, irrespective of 
 
 O-^^ J 
 
 Two methods of attacking an qwl 
 
 
 Backs hold their feet 
 and "^issor" the end 
 
 form or coaching, when it is his place to in- 
 terfere, he must take the man out, skillfully 
 if possible— if not skillfully, by any other 
 method. The result must be obtained. The 
 tackier must be eliminated. 
 
 Tackling 
 
 Good tackling is the result of daily trips 
 
 to the tackling dummy — Mondays excepted, 
 
 possibly. The men should be taught to 
 
 throw their body across the dummy, chest 
 
 against the thighs, head well beyond the off 
 2 
 
i8 AMERICAN FOOTBALL 
 
 leg, eyes opeUy arms and hands extended 
 wide and gripping. Great stress should be 
 laid in striking with the arms and holding on 
 with the hands. A good handgrip is often 
 the saving grace of a tackle. Good tackling 
 is always low. However, if the situation is 
 such that the tackier cannot get low or will 
 not get the runner by going low, let him 
 tackle any way he can. Knock him down 
 with the shoulder, tackle him high with the 
 hands or arms, but at all costs bring the 
 runner down. The result must be obtained. 
 The runner must be brought down. 
 
 The use of the hands and arms in getting 
 by interference, in order to get at the runner, 
 is almost a fundamental of good tackling. A 
 good tackier is built with his hands and 
 arms ready to extend in front of him and 
 ready to strike his way by interference. 
 
 The judging of the speed of a runner is 
 another essential of good tackling. The 
 tackier should be paired off with another 
 player and together they should drill in run- 
 ning down each other. All the practice of 
 straight-arm work, change of pace, and dodg- 
 ing can be obtained in this drill by the runner. 
 The tackier makes every movement except 
 the actual lunge. The actual tackle should 
 
FUNDAMENTALS 19 
 
 not be made. Actual tackling is best done 
 at the dummy and in scrimmage. 
 
 Following the Ball 
 
 Following the ball is one of the attributes 
 of all good players. Without it the best of 
 teams will lose. With it, teams 50 per cent 
 weaker will stand off their opponents. Eleven 
 men following the ball every minute of the 
 play means victory. It has been said that a 
 man's value to his team varies inversely as his 
 distance from the ball, and no saying was ever 
 more true. Close following of the ball means 
 that every man on the team follows the ball 
 and never loses sight of it, whether his own 
 team or that of the opponents has it. This 
 is one of the keys to success in football. 
 
 Following the ball is best coached by harp- 
 ing on it throughout the season and making 
 each individual player responsible on any 
 long run, no matter whether the team be on 
 the offense or defense. It may be drilled in a 
 minor way by having two men practice pass- 
 ing on the run to one another, while two 
 others attempt to intercept and spoil the 
 pass. This passing drill is called '* Passing 
 and following the ball/' It is possible that 
 other drills may be devised. 
 
20 AMERICAN FOOTBALL 
 
 The above are the essential fundamentals 
 of the game of football. The minor funda- 
 mentals are : 
 
 1. All forms of kicking — punt, drop, placement, 
 
 field goals, 
 (a) Catching punts. 
 
 2. Carrying the ball. 
 
 3. Dodging. 
 
 4. Falling on the ball. 
 
 5. Charging by line men. 
 
 6. Use of hands by line men. 
 
 Kicking and Catching 
 
 The various kinds of kicking and catching 
 are so important that they are considered 
 under a separate section. It need be said here 
 only that all kinds of kicking and catching 
 should be practiced a short time every day 
 before practice. '* Before practice" is speci- 
 fied because it is at that time that the atten- 
 tion of the players is keenest. After practice 
 is undesirable because the player is liable to 
 catch cold or to lessen his vitality for the 
 week by too long practice. 
 
 Carrying the Ball 
 
 All the players should know how to '*fix" 
 the ball. It should be grasped between the 
 wrist and the elbow, and held tight and close 
 
FUNDAMENTALS 21 
 
 to the body. One point should be covered 
 with the palm of the hand, the other point 
 with the crook of the elbow. Players should 
 be cautioned against swinging the arm and 
 carrying the ball loosely. When running, the 
 ball should never be changed, on ordinary 
 plays, from one arm to the other. At times 
 an old, skillful player can slip the ball from 
 one arm to the other when running free in 
 the open, but this is a practice which should 
 be discouraged. The ball, on wide slants and 
 wide runs, should be carried in the arm 
 farthest from the scrimmage line, thus per- 
 mitting the free use of the arm nearest the 
 opponent. On close slants and plunges, the 
 ball should be placed by the quarter firmly on 
 the belly of the back receiving it. One of the 
 back's hands should cover the upper part of 
 the ball, the other the lower half, with the 
 quarter's hand in between. The long axis of 
 the ball should be parallel with the ground. 
 Receiving and fixing the ball is an essential 
 drill of back-field work and a matter that 
 must be watched the entire season. It is the 
 answer to all the fumbling in scrimmage 
 work. Some backs will be found, at times, 
 who seem to be unable to receive or fix the 
 ball and hit the line at the same time. Such 
 
22 
 
 AMERICAN FOOTBALL 
 
 backs are natural fumblers and are not avail- 
 able material. 
 
 It should be stated that a back hitting the 
 line should not hurry to fix the ball at the 
 
 Revering the field in opeo field nmnia^ 
 
 expense of his eifort to go forward. He may 
 and should carry it covered with both forearms 
 until the opportunity for fixing it is at hand. 
 
 Dodging 
 
 All the members of the team should prac- 
 tice dodging in the early season. The con- 
 verse is also true — that is, that the entire 
 squad should practice pocketing a dodging 
 runner and negotiating his straight arm. 
 
 The backs should practice a few dodges 
 every day. This work should be of two 
 
FUNDAMENTALS 23 
 
 kinds: close dodging and open-field work 
 where the back ** reverses the field.'* Close 
 dodging may be practiced by making the 
 backs in turn run in and out among a line of 
 their fellows or by setting one man with the 
 ball to dodging around among three tacklers 
 close to him. Reversing the field consists in 
 making the tacklers run full speed toward 
 the runner, who watches his opportunity and 
 by a sharp change of direction drives through 
 a space in the oncoming field of tacklers, who 
 must reverse their direction to cross again 
 the path of the runner. The best open-field 
 runners have used this method considerably. 
 It consists in running for the open on a 
 straight line at full speed and then sharply 
 reversing the field by cutting directly across 
 the line of oncoming tacklers. Often the 
 back, after crossing the line of tacklers, will 
 find himself in the open field with nobody 
 near him. This idea should be carefully ex- 
 plained to the backs and it should be prac- 
 ticed as best it may be. 
 
 Falling on Ball 
 
 Falling on the ball is dangerous and should 
 be practiced with great care and only at in- 
 tervals. Line men should never be required 
 
24 AMERICAN FOOTBALL 
 
 to run after the ball and throw their bodies 
 on it. The result of such work has always 
 been injurious to shoulder, elbow, hip, and 
 knee. There is very little advantage to line 
 men in falling on the balL When they do 
 practice it, the ball should be placed five or 
 six feet in front of them or rolled gently 
 along the ground on its side. The line men, as 
 also the backs, should be cautioned not to in- 
 jure themselves, and nobody with an injury 
 ^ should be allowed to fall on the ball. Backs 
 should fall on the ball gently about three days 
 a week in the beginning of the year to harden 
 themselves by the shock of hitting the ground. 
 In midseason this work should be reduced, but 
 not altogether eliminated. 
 
 The player falling on the ball should throw 
 and drop his body in front of and across its 
 path, surrounding the ball with his arms and 
 legs. He should not attempt to roll over 
 and come up on his feet. 
 
 The last word on falling on the ball is that 
 it is dangerous work and should command 
 the care and watchfulness of the head coach. 
 
 Charging by Line Men 
 
 Although an instantaneous start is not 
 all-important to a back, it is all-important 
 
FUNDAMENTALS 25 
 
 to a line man, particularly offensive line men. 
 The ability of an offensive line man to start 
 sharply and powerfully from a strong stance 
 to a hard charge, which is properly followed 
 up by his feet with short steps, marks the 
 critical point of the rushing attack. 
 
 If the team has a starting signal, the charge 
 and the signal should be practiced con- 
 stantly for the various plays, against a 
 dummy defense. If the team starts with the 
 ball, the drill becomes even more important. 
 
 A detailed discussion of this, and charging, 
 is made under Position Play. It will suffice 
 to say here that the offensive line should be 
 practiced daily in getting off with the ball 
 or the signal in order to get the jump on their 
 opponents. It is the key to the success of 
 the rushing attack, and too much time or 
 care cannot be spent on it. Every detail of 
 the stance of the player should be given the 
 most careful consideration. 
 
 The positions of the feet, arms, elbows, 
 and hands require careful study in each in- 
 dividual case. Slight modifications of stance 
 for different players are often necessary. 
 But the result should be the same, so far as 
 getting the jump on the opponents and carry- 
 ing through the charge is concerned. 
 
26 AMERICAN FOOTBALL 
 
 This point should be made in regard to 
 Une position. The weight of the player 
 should be carried on his legs. A hand may 
 sometimes be used with which to balance the 
 body, but it is of the highest importance 
 that the line man play the game on his legs. 
 
 Line play is a combination of fighting and 
 wrestling. The position of a wrestler about 
 to begin a bout is almost identical with the 
 stance of a line man, except that it is higher. 
 The position of a fighter mixing it up in 
 close work with his opponent is also almost 
 identical in its elementals with the position 
 of a line man carrying through his charge. 
 The wrestling mat and the fighting ring have 
 been the source of the best information on 
 line play. It will pay line men to study 
 both. 
 
 Use of Hands by Line Men 
 
 The key of good defence work is aggres- 
 sive breaking through by the line men, which 
 depends for its success on the use of the 
 hands. 
 
 The general theory of retaining control of 
 one's body and holding the weight in hand 
 should be carefully explained to the entire 
 team. The success of this principle in de- 
 
W. W. HEFFELFINGER, 
 GUARD, YALE 
 
FUNDAMENTALS 27 
 
 fensive line work depends on the sharp, 
 aggressive use of hands. 
 
 The principle of retaining control of one's 
 body or weight is that a player either in 
 tackling, interfering, charging, or breaking 
 through should not commit himself until he 
 is sure of doing effective work. Once com- 
 mitted to diving interference, or once having 
 allowed the opponent to get under the arms 
 close to the body, it may be said that the 
 player has passed control of his body or 
 weight to the opponent, to be steered as the 
 opponent may desire. This is a wide prin- 
 ciple in all athletics and is no better exempli- 
 fied in boxing or wrestling than in the game 
 of football. Keep your weight in hand, 
 under control. 
 
 Keeping opponents away from the body 
 when the play is directed at the defensive 
 player is dependent upon the sharp, aggres- 
 sive use of hands. Breaking through by 
 spreading the offensive line or by slicing 
 through is also dependent upon the use of 
 hands. The answer to hard, sharp charging 
 is the harder and sharper use of hands by 
 the defense. 
 
 It is to be noted that the rules of the game 
 of football practically state that the offen- 
 
28 AMERICAN FOOTBALL 
 
 sive line men must stand on the line of scrim- 
 mage with their heads protruding for the 
 defensive players to use their hands on. 
 Drills in hitting-power and striking the head 
 are essential to the most effective line work. 
 Guarding the head, of course, becomes essen- 
 tial to the offensive line, but this, in the heat 
 of scrimmage, is often ineffective. It is true 
 that, even with long and careful drilling, de- 
 fensive line men are able to hit a line man 
 on the head only occasionally. If one 
 investigates the statistics, he will find that 
 out of one hundred attempts only about 
 thirty are successful. 
 
 Powerful striking of the opponent on some 
 part of his body is essential to the best de- 
 fensive line work, and it should be drilled 
 constantly. The hands should at times be 
 kept absolutely quiet. At times the arms 
 should be swung back and forth. The 
 charge should always be accompanied with 
 hard striking with the arms or hands. It is 
 the secret of good defense. 
 
 Charging and the use of hands should be 
 an important part of the gioup-work practice 
 each day. The line coaches should put two 
 lines opposite each other (never more than 
 fourteen players, all told), and then they 
 
FUNDAMENTALS 29 
 
 should go into every detail of this work, which 
 is so essential to good position play. 
 
 Summary 
 
 A team skilled individually in these funda- 
 mentals is bound to be strong. A team with- 
 out this individual skill is bound to be weak. 
 The excellence of the team is limited abso- 
 lutely by the excellence of the individual 
 players. The excellence of the individual is 
 measured by his skill in executing the above 
 fundamentals. 
 
Ill 
 
 THE OFFENSE 
 
 FOOTBALL is a war game. The most 
 remarkable similarity exists between the 
 basic principles of combat in war and in 
 football. The War Department has pub- 
 lished a book known as the Field Service 
 Regulations for the government of troops in 
 the field. One chapter of this book is devoted 
 to combat operations and in its beginning are 
 enumerated the great underlying principles 
 of combat in football. 
 
 Let us make these changes and quote. In 
 doing so we are stating the great principles 
 of both war and football. 
 
 Combat 
 
 Combat is divided into two general classes — the 
 offensive and the defensive. The defensive is divided 
 into the purely passive defense and the temporary 
 defense, which has for its object the assimiption of the 
 offensive at the first favorable opportimity. 
 
 Decisive results are obtained only by the offensive. 
 
THE OFFENSE 31 
 
 Aggressiveness wins battles. The purely passive de- 
 fense is adopted only when the mission can be fully 
 accomplished by this method of warfare. In all other 
 cases, if a force be obliged by uncontrollable circum- 
 stances to adopt the defensive, it must be considered 
 as a temporary expedient, and a change to the offensive 
 with all or part of the forces will be made as soon as 
 conditions warrant such change. 
 
 Combat Principles 
 
 1. Individual superiority insures success. 
 
 2. Unity of command is essential to success. 
 
 3. Simple and direct plans and methods are produc- 
 
 tive of the best results in war and football. 
 
 4. Avoid dispersion; concentrate for action. 
 
 5. Some reserves are essential. 
 
 6. The flanks in an action must be protected. 
 
 7. Reconnaissance continues throughout the action. 
 
 1. Individual superiority in football is 
 directly analogous to fire superiority in war 
 and it means success. It is not plays that win 
 football games; it is the development of the 
 individual excellence of the players to the 
 point where individual superiority in combat 
 is secured. 
 
 2. Divided leadership on or off the field 
 of combat spells defeat in football as well as 
 in war. There are few colleges that can- 
 not recall disastrous years due to the viola- 
 tion of this principle. 
 
32 AMERICAN FOOTBALL 
 
 3-4. Of all the great causes of defeat, the 
 greatest arises from violating the rule of 
 simplicity. Under the great stress of combat 
 only that which is simple, clear, and capable 
 of execution by the player of ordinary ability 
 can be consummated with success. Allied 
 with this rule of simplicity is the principle 
 which states that dispersion in combat 
 spells defeat. Complexity and dispersion 
 go hand in hand as the Charybdis and 
 Scylla to which 80 per cent of all defeats are 
 due. 
 
 6-7. It is well understood that a play un- 
 protected on the flank cannot succeed, and 
 there is no need to point out to the coaching 
 systems that maintain telephone communi- 
 cations with observers during games that 
 ''reconnaissance continues throughout the 
 action.'' 
 
 These great principles of combat in war 
 are the great principles of combat in football 
 and they are violated by those doing so at 
 their peril. 
 
 The Attack 
 
 The attack in football may be by rushing, 
 by kicking, by passing, by deception, or by 
 a combination of any two. A good team is 
 
THE OFFENSE 33 
 
 skilled in all methods of attack. Generalship 
 and the attack are so closely allied that the 
 one cannot be appreciated without an under- 
 standing of the other. Scores resulting from 
 a well-directed, effective attack are the object 
 of the attack. 
 
 By Rushing 
 
 Various distributions of the eleven on the 
 attack are permissible. The following stand- 
 ard distributions are in general use: 
 
 Seven men on the line of scrimmage, with the ball 
 and center in the middle of the line; seven men with an 
 unbalanced line of four men on one side of the center 
 and two on the other; eight men on the line of scrim- 
 mage, with five on one side of the ball and two on the 
 other; eight men, with four on one side and three on 
 the other. The back-field unit in general arranges it- 
 self behind the middle of the offensive line, distributed 
 either in tandem or parallel to the rush line at a distance 
 that will permit the unit to hit the line as quickly as 
 possible, going at maximum speed. 
 
 Concentration is the keynote of the dis- 
 tribution for a successful attack. The po- 
 sition of the ball with respect to the distri- 
 bution is of no consequence, provided that 
 it is placed along the line of scrimmage so 
 that the runner is not delayed on any drive 
 
 or slant. 
 3 
 
34 
 
 AMERICAN FOOTBALL 
 
 Destruction or sweeping aside of the op- 
 posing force is the method of advance. 
 All concentrations have the same lines of 
 
 Lines of attack on the offense. From behind the concentration 
 the backs, or "shock troops," may assault any interval or th« 
 support of any interval in the opposing line of defense. 
 
 "rvrx 
 
 Lines of attack from the kick formation. The vital area 
 
 when kicking is shaded This space must be protected at all 
 
 costs. 
 
 advance, irrespective of the position of the 
 ball There are two straight drives through' 
 
THE OFFENSE 35 
 
 the middle of the line, two close slants inside 
 the defensive tackles, two wide slants out- 
 side the defensive tackles, and two runs 
 around the ends. 
 
 This gives eight plays in the running 
 attack, and there can be no more or no less. 
 The end run and the wide slant to the short 
 side are weak. 
 
 The following principles are basic in the 
 attack : 
 
 1. The line must advance. If it cannot remove the 
 
 resistance it must get out of the way itself. 
 
 2. The backs must start immediately and hit the 
 
 line at full speed. 
 
 3. Delay of any character is fatal. 
 
 4. Sending men away from the attack for deception 
 
 weakens the attack. 
 
 5. If the rimner takes more than five steps behind 
 
 the line of scrimmage the play is weak. 
 
 6. If the ball is behind the line of scrimmage for any 
 
 reason such as line divides, splits, crisscrosses, 
 or brain storms, for more than the time it takes 
 a fast man to start and to take five steps running 
 (say, one and one half seconds), the play is 
 weak. 
 
 7. If the line advances, the backs should go through 
 
 to the secondary defense. At least once out of 
 three times they should pass the first secondary. 
 
 8. Forwards and interference, irrespective of other 
 
 duties, always guard the line of the play until 
 the runner has passed. 
 
36 AMERICAN FOOTBALL 
 
 9. Forwards more than twice removed always go 
 through ahead to the secondary. 
 
 This statement of the principles of the 
 running attack is, of course, generah Any 
 distribution that gives proper concentration 
 is good. The backs may be arranged in any 
 way. The ball may be in any position along 
 the line of scrimmage. Any concentration, 
 however, must advance on the lines stated. 
 Having complied with these underlying prin- 
 ciples, the issue becomes one of individual 
 excellencfe. 
 
 Line Play 
 
 In general, the seven men on the line of 
 scrimmage play foot and knee together, 
 shoulders and feet square, weight over legs, 
 a little weight on one hand. In general, the 
 men at the point of attack drive straight 
 forward and carry their opponents back. 
 Those once removed charge close to those at 
 the apex. The apex men ''pass their op- 
 ponents along" to those once removed and 
 go through on to the secondary. Diving 
 opponents must be steered aside, stepped 
 over, or brought up. There is nothing that 
 can overcome the failure of the line to charge 
 in front of the play. Failure in the charge is 
 
THE OFFENSE 37 
 
 ruination to the attack. If the line goes Jor- 
 ward the attack advances and the team wins. 
 If the line comes backward the team loses. 
 
 Seven Nomial Offensive Distribution? 
 
 oooo#oo ooo^ooo 
 
 o o 00 
 
 ooooaoo OOOOO0O 
 
 o 
 
 S o- 
 o 
 ooooeooo o ooeoo o 
 
 These seven diagrams show the normal 
 offensive formations. It will be noted 
 that simpUcity and concentration are 
 paramount. The position of the ball 
 000 varies. These fonnations are of the 
 
 Q kind used by practically all successful 
 
 o o o «> o o o ^^^"'^• 
 
 Success in this feature is paramount even 
 when the attack lacks scoring strength, as it 
 makes the defense concentrate against it. 
 
38 AMERICAN FOOTBALL 
 
 No detail or study is too trivial or exacting 
 in perfecting the offensive line. 
 
 Offensive Backs 
 
 The offensive backs are the striking unit. 
 They may not directly help one another, but 
 the concentrated shock of their rush will 
 often drive the line forward when the issue 
 of the charge hangs in the balance. Starting 
 which causes the back to overreach on his 
 first steps is to be avoided. Slight loss at the 
 start is insignificant as compared to hitting 
 the line with maximum effort. Gathering 
 power culminating in the shock of hitting 
 the line is what should be sought. 
 
 Backs crouch in a position with the weight 
 three quarters on the legs and one quarter 
 on one hand. The position of the feet and 
 weight admits of starting in any direction. 
 The backs in front of the ball must be trained 
 in helping the line on drives and close slants. 
 
 Herewith is outlined a plan of a simple 
 direct assault on the opposing defense. The 
 formation assumed is the classic distribution 
 with four men on one side of the center, the 
 long side, and two men on the short side. 
 The back field is arranged behind the middle 
 of the offensive line in tandem. The backs 
 
THE OFFENSE 39 
 
 are referred to as Nos. i, 2, and 3, in the 
 order of their position from the line. That 
 is, the man at the head of the tandem who 
 is nearest the Une is called No. i. 
 
 Straight Drives — Bucking the Center 
 
 In these two plays the four men in front 
 of the play advance together — the apex men 
 going through on the secondary defense 
 
 Standard Plays in Execution 
 
 -•' ^ (S X.'Qt. 
 
 The Play Straight Ahead 
 
 This diagram shows the wedging rushline with linemen and 
 end through in front of the runner. 
 
 after passing their opponent along. The 
 long side end goes through to the secondary. 
 No. I back goes through in front of runner if 
 the charge is successful. If not, he works to 
 
40 AMERICAN FOOTBALL 
 
 the outside. No. 3 back strikes the line in 
 rear of the quarterback. The No. 2, or 
 middle, back strikes the line with the ball 
 going through, as signaled, on either side of 
 the middle line man. 
 
 Close Slants— Cross Buck to Either Side 
 
 In these two plays, all the offensive line 
 in front of the play, except the end, work to 
 turn the guard in. The end checks the tackle 
 
 Standard PIay$ in E?tecut{oi> 
 
 o^d d 
 
 A Close Sla^t 
 
 until the two backs in front of the ball arrive 
 and crash into him. This is the strongest 
 play in football. On the goal line, this slant 
 noses out around the tackle and No. 2 back 
 takes the end. In any territory the No. 2 
 back is responsible for an in-driving end. 
 
THE OFFENSE 41 
 
 No. 3 carries the ball. After passing through 
 the line he turns and *' reverses the field.'* 
 The removed end, after protecting the line 
 of the play until the runner is well started, 
 goes through to the secondary. 
 
 Wide Slants — Off-tackle Plays 
 
 In these two plays the offensive rush line 
 pins the opposing end of the defensive rush 
 line in place and the play then ** skins*' by 
 
 Standard Plays in Execution 
 
 c/e-^-e-e-e-db /^ 
 
 ^cf 
 
 The Off-Tackle Play 
 
 '*off tackle.'' No. i back boxes the tackle if 
 the end has failed to do it. If the tackle is 
 boxed, No. i goes on to the defensive back. 
 No. 2 takes the end. This play is executed 
 on a slight swing, not on a straight line as 
 
42 
 
 AMERICAN FOOTBALL 
 
 with drives and close slants. No. 3 swings 
 out or reverses the field, at his option. The 
 removed end and tackle go through to the 
 secondary, after protecting the line of the 
 play. 
 
 End Runs 
 
 These plays start parallel to the rush line. 
 If the end comes well across, Nos. i and 2 
 hold him out, the runner swinging in and 
 
 Standard Plays in Execution 
 
 X/ 
 
 
 The End Run 
 
 then out. If the end drives in, No. 2 takes 
 him, the runner goes outside, No. i and the 
 quarterback cut inside the end, and meet 
 the runner outside. The principles of open- 
 field running then apply. 
 
 The method of play outlined above is that 
 
THE OFFENSE 43 
 
 in which a wedge is driven through the de- 
 fense on the straight drives. On the close 
 slants a hole is opened by driving the de- 
 fensive guard in and the defensive tackle out. 
 On the wide slants and end runs the defen- 
 sive tackle is pinned in place and skirted. 
 Simple, clean-cut, fast, direct assault is the 
 keynote. 
 
 There is another method of line play used 
 by some teams when the direct pass is used. 
 
 Standard Plays in' Execution 
 
 00 
 
 A Reverse Play 
 
 The direct pass permits of an eighth man per- 
 manently on the end of the line of scrimmage. 
 It is the practice of some coaches to pair 
 off these eight men against four of the de- 
 fensive line men, neglecting the defensive 
 
44 AMERICAN FOOTBALL 
 
 line man farthest removed. In this method, 
 sometimes one defensive Hne man is carried 
 back and sometimes another. This is taken 
 advantage of by developing a style of play 
 where the backs, after having started, run at 
 medium speed parallel to the rush line and 
 then drive by the tackle by making a right- 
 angle turn when opposite him. If the tackle 
 blocks the play, the runner noses back toward 
 the center and tries to work through, where 
 either the defensive guard or center has 
 been carried back. The usual drives, slants, 
 and end runs are also used with all the essen- 
 tial elements of the simple direct assault. 
 
 The Kicking Attack 
 
 The kicking game is an offensive rather 
 than a defensive measure. A good kick 
 transfers the struggle one third the length 
 of the field nearer the opponent's goal. The 
 essential requirement of the distribution is 
 that it shall thoroughly protect the kicker. 
 It is the strongest forward-pass formation. 
 
 The general formation is with three line 
 men on either side of the ball. The kicker 
 should be eight to ten yards directly behind 
 the middle of the line, with two backs in 
 front of him on the side of his kicking foot, 
 
THE OFFENSE 45 
 
 so placed that they can protect the vital 
 space in which the ball rises from the kicker's 
 foot. The fourth back protects the kicker 
 on the side away from his kicking foot. 
 
 Running plays are executed on the same 
 principles as in the close attack. Some 
 schemes of offense have even moved the de- 
 fending backs close to the line and distributed 
 the line men as in the running attack. There 
 is this difference in the play of the line, how- 
 ever: the line is free on all drives or slants 
 to open holes and allow the runner to go 
 through free. On sweeping runs, which have 
 recently been somewhat effective, owing to 
 poor defensive end work, the line men pro- 
 tect the line of the play, the removed side 
 swinging back into the interference. 
 
 The essential feature of the open forma- 
 tion is the kick. The essential feature of the 
 kick is distance, with sufficient height to 
 enable the ends to cover. The kick should 
 advance the ball at least thirty yards be- 
 yond the line of scrimmage. 
 
 Protection 
 
 In order to protect the kick, the line holds 
 fast. Nobody goes down with the ball ex- 
 cept the ends. The line does not charge. It 
 
46 AMERICAN FOOTBALL 
 
 sustains the opponent's charge and holds 
 fast from tackle to tackle. In doing this the 
 individual members of the line are careful 
 not to allow the opponents either to spread 
 them or to jump over them. 
 
 The line men are free to go down the field 
 after they hear the ball kicked. The removed 
 tackle may go slightly before the kick, pro- 
 vided he is sure that in leaving his position he 
 does not jeopardize the kick defense. Good 
 coaching will enable linemen to time their 
 start and the kick very closely. It is always 
 safest to wait for the kick. The kick should 
 take not more than two seconds against a 
 strong opponent. 
 
 The defensive backs form protection on 
 both sides of the kicker. The back on the 
 side away from the kicker's foot, usually the 
 quarterback, if attacked by two men, takes 
 position well back and moves forward at that 
 fraction of a second when the opposing line 
 man starts to cut through in front of him. 
 The situation is handled similarly if the 
 back is attacked by three men. If only one 
 man comes through, the back may handle 
 him from his position under the line or back 
 of it. Sometimes a quarterback can handle 
 two men from his position under the line by 
 
THE OFFENSE 47 
 
 driving the inside man out against his 
 partner. 
 
 The defensive backs on the side of the 
 kicker's foot form an arc behind which the 
 ball is kicked. They sustain the charge and 
 are careful neither to spread nor to allow 
 opponents to jump over them. Their work 
 is vital and they must never fail. 
 
 The kicker is responsible for his protection 
 being in the right position. He must also 
 see to it that he and his protection take 
 plenty of distance. The answer to aggressive 
 charging is ''more distance" or a '*fake kick'' 
 at the fast opponent, or both. 
 
 The kicker must kick behind his protection. 
 Kicking, like catching, is inherent in the in- 
 dividual. Rarely do two men kick exactly 
 aUke. Rarely are kickers **made.'' 
 
 The Ends 
 
 When the ball is put in play for a kick, the 
 ends are called upon to cover it — the most 
 important duty of their position. They 
 start from an unobstructed position, dig like 
 a sprinter for fifteen yards, note the direc- 
 tion of the kick, and swing down upon the 
 catcher from the outside. Generally they 
 slow up at the end of their run so as not to 
 
48 AMERICAN FOOTBALL 
 
 overrun the catcher. A good end at times 
 takes a chance and lands the catcher going 
 full speed. But when the ends slow up, they 
 must be careful to watch out for the op- 
 posing ends or halfbacks interfering from the 
 rear. If they encounter obstruction while 
 starting or running, they use their hands and 
 arms without diminishing their speed. 
 
 The Line Dow^n the Field 
 
 The line men drive down the field, spread- 
 ing out like a fan, and altering their direction 
 
 Standard Deccptjon^ 
 
 A crisscrosflL 
 
 ^6 
 
 O O CT* O O 
 
 according to any movement the catcher 
 makes. Of course, the backs follow the line. 
 These principles are basic in the kicking 
 attack. 
 
 1. The kicker must get his kick off within two 
 
 seconds. 
 
 2. The kick must go at least thirty yards and be 
 
 high enough to be covered. 
 
 3. The Hne and defensive backs must hold. 
 
THE OFFENSE 49 
 
 4. The kicker must kick behind his protection. 
 
 5. The ends must tackle the catcher with little or 
 
 no run back. 
 
 6. The defense must hold the attack of the opponents 
 
 and the back field catch the return kick. The 
 issue is then one of individual excellence. 
 
 The Drop Kick 
 
 When the attack by running, passing, or 
 kicking finds itself in the vicinity of the op- 
 ponent's goal and elects to try a field goal, 
 a regular-kick formation is taken. 
 
 The only difference between the drop-kick 
 formation and the^regular-kick formation, in 
 both distribution and duties, lies in the ends. 
 
 The ends in the drop-kick formation play 
 in close and block until the kick is made. 
 They then resume their down-field duties. 
 
 In all drop-kick formations, all the backs, 
 especially the kicker, are safety men — that 
 is, they recover a blocked kick. 
 
 All runs and passes may be executed from 
 drop-kick situations. Indeed, the drop-kick 
 formation near the opponent's goal, threaten- 
 ing run, kick, or pass, is one of the quarter- 
 back's strongest weapons. 
 
 The final word on the kicking game is that 
 it is an offensive weapon. Those teams that 
 resort to it only when compelled to do so 
 
so 
 
 AMERICAN FOOTBALL 
 
 and after their rushing or passing attack is 
 stopped make a great mistake. Quarter- 
 backs, before they leave the kindergarten of 
 football, must learn to ** press the kicking 
 
 Standard Deceptions 
 
 A delayed run. 
 
 oooo#o 
 
 9 
 
 A quick kiclc. 
 
 OOO 
 
 game/' The successful quarterback must 
 know its principles thoroughly. Most closely 
 contested games are kicking contests, from 
 which the break and the opportunity are 
 developed. 
 
 The Attack by Forward Passing 
 
 The forward pass is executed from any 
 formation. It is always made to an open 
 space and almost always received on the run. 
 
CHARLES BRICKLEY, FULLBACK, HARVARD 
 
THE OFFENSE 51 
 
 For both offense and defense the question 
 is one of the receiver getting to an open 
 space uncovered. These open spaces exist 
 in the center territory between the wing 
 backs or to the outside flanks of the wing 
 backs. Open territory exists in rear of all 
 the defensive backs. It also exists close to 
 the line of scrimmage in rear of the charging 
 end and tackle. Open spaces can be made by 
 deception. For instance, both ends, by lead- 
 ing out into the open, may draw the wing 
 backs away from their territory. A halfback 
 may then receive in the vacated space. 
 From kick formation the offensive line may 
 charge through without obstructing the de- 
 fensive line, thus leaving the rush-line terri- 
 tory free f^r a receiver. 
 
 Passing to the side flat, in rear of, or along, 
 the rush line is highly dangerous. Passing 
 to the territory uncovered by a charging 
 tackle or end, if the pass is made directly 
 ahead, is, however, sometimes effective. The 
 best passes are made to the receiver going to 
 the open spaces down field. The receiver 
 reaches this space by change of direction and 
 pace, and he takes the ball going fast, gener- 
 ally turned in. 
 
 Passes cannot be made on the run. They 
 
52 AMERICAN FOOTBALL 
 
 cannot be caught safely at extended speed. 
 They are thrown on a fast traveHng lob. If 
 the receiver is unusually reliable, they may 
 be shot like a baseball. They are generally 
 thrown to a spot in advance of the receiver, 
 the spot being dependent upon the speed 
 and route of the receiver. Passes are always 
 caught with the hands, like a baseball. 
 
 Delay is desirable. Two seconds' delay is 
 necessary to make a good attempt from close 
 formation. From open formation, the passer 
 generally has all the time necessary with one 
 protector. In close formation, this delay is 
 obtained by the line holding. The backs 
 spread and protect either side of the passer. 
 In open formation the line need not block. 
 Delay is obtained by the single protector in 
 front of the passer. The passer raay back 
 off to the side. Plenty of time is available 
 from the open formation. 
 
 The passer does not pass if he sees that the 
 receiver cannot get the ball. 
 
 The passer and receiver should appreciate 
 the fact that a ball thrown to an open space 
 in advance of the receiver will result only, 
 at the worst, in an uncompleted pass, pro- 
 vided the receiver is leading, by no mattej* 
 how small a margin, the defensive backs. 
 
THE OFFENSE S3 
 
 The forward pass is a strong play. It is 
 peculiarly strong as a scoring play. In the 
 hands of greater individual excellence it is 
 
 Standard Deceptions 
 
 A fake forward pass. 
 
 a rapid means of scoring. In the hands of 
 inferior players it is a boomerang. Close to 
 its own goal it is unusually dangerous to 
 weak and strong alike. 
 
 Passing and receiving can be learned only 
 by constant daily practice, under a good 
 coach, from the beginning of the year. 
 
 When the direct pass is used and the dis- 
 tribution is such that the extra man is out- 
 side and behind the end, two receivers are 
 available on that side of the attack. It will 
 be seen that in this case the defensive wing 
 back is in a serious dilemma if the two re- 
 ceivers run at him, one turning out and the 
 other down the field. This is an important 
 
54 AMERICAN FOOTBALL 
 
 advantage resulting from the use of the 
 direct pass. 
 
 Delay, secured by deception, will do much 
 to strengthen the passing attack. For in- 
 stance, some of the very excellent passers 
 can fake a run, stop, and pass. A crisscross 
 preceding a pass, with a delayed receiver 
 running into an open space from which the 
 defenders have been drawn by the other 
 eligibles, can be used successfully. 
 
 The Attack by Deception 
 
 The standard deceptions from the close and 
 open formations are as follows: 
 
 1. The crisscross. 
 
 2. Split plays. 
 
 3. The hidden ball. 
 
 4. Delayed runs. 
 
 5. Quick kick. 
 
 6. Fake forward pass. 
 
 In addition, the fake kick is an important 
 deception used from the open formation. 
 
 The old crisscross, where the back starts 
 on an end run and passes the ball back to 
 the end going in the opposite direction, is 
 one of the best deceptions. It has a long his- 
 tory of success. Split plays, where part of 
 the backs go in one direction and the others 
 
THE OFFENSE 55 
 
 with the ball in another direction, have had 
 little success. The defense is too quick to 
 spot the ball. The *' hidden ball'' is executed 
 in the same manner as a split play or a criss- 
 cross. The transfer of the ball is hidden by 
 the player passing, by keeping his back to the 
 opponents, thus preventing them from seeing 
 who really gets the ball for a small vital 
 fraction of a second. Delayed runs and the 
 fake forward pass both depend for their suc- 
 cess on the defensive end failing to cross the 
 line of scrimmage and spotting the ball. A 
 good end very rarely fails to execute both 
 these essentials of good end play. The quick 
 kick is advantageous and necessary only 
 
 ^qO AspUtplay. 
 
 000*000 
 
 when the defensive quarterback comes up 
 to support the defensive backs. In such 
 case, a quick kick over his head, provided it 
 can be well executed, is a desirable play. 
 
 The really vital deception is the fake kick 
 because it tends to protect the kicker and 
 strengthen the kicking attack. A good fake 
 kick is a run or drive that may be launched 
 
56 AMERICAN FOOTBALL 
 
 at any fast-charging line man or end who is 
 hurrying the kicker. So used, it will tend to 
 slow up that defensive player on his suc- 
 ceeding charges and thus give the kicker 
 plenty of time to get his kick away. 
 
 Deceptions are all weak. Too many are 
 ruinous. A fake kick, and possibly one other 
 from the well-proved standard list, might be 
 adopted. 
 
 Unusual Distributions on the Offense 
 
 Unusual distributions on the offense may 
 be disposed of by noting that lack of strength 
 goes with lack of concentration. On running 
 plays, delay of the ball behind the line is a 
 weakness. Obvious forward-pass formations, 
 which are without concentration, are always 
 doomed to failure in rushing, through lack 
 of concentration, and to failure in passing 
 through the spreading of the defense. 
 
 Summary 
 
 An analysis of the foregoing will show that 
 a well-rounded attack should have eight 
 running plays (four or five of which can be 
 executed from open formation), a kick, three 
 passes (one to the center and one to either 
 jflank), and one or two standard deceptions, 
 
THE OFFENSE 57 
 
 one of which is the fake kick. Under no cir- 
 cumstances should there be more than these 
 fourteen plays. If the character of the team 
 and its development permit, the number 
 may be reduced. 
 
 Conclusion 
 
 It may seem to many that the attack out- 
 lined in the preceding exposition is old fash- 
 ioned and out of date. In many parts of the 
 country, spreads, flying interference, sudden 
 shifts of the rush line, and various other com- 
 binations are much in vogue. To those who 
 believe that such complex formations make 
 for success, a study of the history of the at- 
 tack in football is recommended. The direct 
 and simple assault of the defensive rush line 
 has been the only form of attack that has 
 yielded consistent success in football. For 
 years, from 1890 until 1907, Yale was pre- 
 eminent in the college football world. This 
 pre-eminence was obtained and maintained 
 by adhering to the simple direct assault. 
 From 1908 until the present day. Harvard 
 has wrested this pre-eminence from Yale by 
 adopting the simple, concentrated, direct 
 attack, whereas Yale has yielded her former 
 glory the more readily by flirting with vari- 
 
S8 AMERICAN FOOTBALL 
 
 ous jumping or spread rush lines, queer 
 lateral passing, and other complex formations 
 in defiance of her success and her history. 
 There has been in the history of football but 
 one successful attack, and that attack is the 
 one that has been outlined above. 
 
 Success should follow simplicity of opera- 
 tion. The ordinary player — the problem of 
 all coaches — ^is then free to concentrate on 
 proving his individual superiority over his 
 opponent, and it is on this individual superi- 
 ority that the success of a team rests. 
 
IV 
 
 THE DEFENSE 
 
 IT is necessary to turn again to the prin- 
 ciples of war to obtain the proper concep- 
 tion of the defense in football. The defense 
 is but a temporary expedient. It does not 
 give us positive results. It should never be 
 passive, however. Indeed, each defensive 
 operation, in the classic defense, is a savage 
 attack of the offensive play. 
 
 Three great principles underlie all success- 
 ful defense. They are as follows: 
 
 1. When the attack concentrates, spreads, divides, or 
 
 deepens, the defense does the same — that is, the 
 center of mass of the defensive distribution is 
 always opposite'the center of mass of the offense. 
 
 2. The best defense is to foresee the play to be 
 
 chosen by the offense and to concentrate quickly 
 against it when the ball goes in play — that is, 
 outguess the opposing quarterback. 
 
 3. A savage attack of the offensive play. 
 
 Balance the Attack 
 
 The classic distribution against the con- 
 centrated attack consists in placing seven 
 
6o AMERICAN FOOTBALL 
 
 men on the line of scrimmage. The center of 
 this rush Hne is opposite the center of mass 
 of the attack. Behind this center and within 
 immediate supporting distance is a halfback. 
 Somewhat withdrawn on either wing two 
 
 ,, o o o o « o o 
 
 X y X ® X y X 
 
 /v 
 
 X 
 
 s yds. 
 
 to yds. 
 
 
 ^ 
 
 X 
 
 40" yds. 
 
 V 
 
 X 
 
 X 
 
 Nonnal defense against rushing attack.^ 
 
 other halfbacks stand. They are as close to 
 the line of scrimmage as they can get and 
 still feel sure of being able to cover a for- 
 ward-pass receiver darting suddenly from the 
 offensive rush line. In the back field, at the 
 extreme range of the offensive kicker, is the 
 eleventh man on the team — usually the 
 quarterback. 
 
 The variations of this distribution depend 
 upon the attack formation. If a kick or open 
 formation is assumed by the offense, the de- 
 fensive team must deepen also. If, instead 
 of a standard-kick formation, the offense 
 
THE DEFENSE 6i 
 
 only partially deepens, the defense must do 
 likewise. 
 
 One man sent out to the flank is balanced 
 by the defensive wing back ; two men by the 
 end and back; three men by the tackle, 
 end, and back. In each case the remainder 
 of the defensive team shift their position so 
 that the center of mass of the defensive dis- 
 tribution is opposite that of the offense. 
 
 Should the offense assume a formation 
 with one, two, or three yards between the 
 offensive line men, the defense does the 
 same. In general, in this case the defensive 
 line men charge through the interval and not 
 at the offensive player. This charging is the 
 reverse of that against a close concentration, 
 where the defensive line men charge the man 
 and not the interval. 
 
 There are three groups in all defensive 
 distributions. The end, tackle, and wing 
 back form a triangle on either flank, while 
 the center of the defense is held by the two 
 guards, the center, and the middle back. 
 It is important that the triangular relation- 
 ship of the tackle, end, and wing back be 
 understood by the players, and that they be 
 trained to realize that on the defense they 
 are not individuals, but a group. For in- 
 
62 AMERICAN FOOTBALL 
 
 stance, should the end desire to drive in more 
 quickly than usual, he should speak to the 
 halfback and caution him to watch the out- 
 side. Should the tackle desire to break wide, 
 he notifies the halfback; similarly, he noti- 
 fies both end and half if he is going through 
 inside. The center group has a similar de- 
 pendent relationship. Communication be- 
 tween players in matters of this kind is gener- 
 ally by private signal or catch phrases. 
 
 In general, against the close formation the 
 principle governing the position of any line 
 man is that he uncovers from the ball all the 
 ground he is able to protect. This generally 
 results in bringing the defensive tackle oppo- 
 site and not outside the offensive end. 
 
 It is vital that a defensive line man should 
 not stand outside the territory he expects to 
 protect and then charge into it. On the 
 contrary, the history of successful line play 
 shows that the defensive line man should 
 stand well within the territory he expects to 
 defend and charge out. 
 
 Following this procedure it is clear that 
 the defensive line, in attacking any play, 
 must operate as follows: The tackle charges 
 over through or outside the defensive end 
 and is responsible for the territory between 
 
THE DEFENSE 63 
 
 the offensive end and tackle. He should get 
 two to two and a half yards into the defen- 
 sive territory. The guard charges over 
 through or outside the defensive tackle and 
 should get about a yard into the opposing 
 attack. He is responsible for the territory 
 between the offensive tackle and guard. The 
 defensive center charges to the outside guard 
 and is responsible for the territory between 
 the offensive guards. This places the short- 
 side defensive guard opposite the center, and 
 he is responsible for the territory on either 
 side of this center. It is assumed that the 
 offensive center is so handicapped by han- 
 dling the ball that this is possible. The short- 
 side defensive tackle operates exactly as his 
 fellow on the long side. 
 
 The result of this method of operation of 
 the defensive line men is that the defensive 
 line breaking through forms an arc inside the 
 offense, with both tackles at its tips. This 
 arc encompasses all plays of the attack. 
 
 If the play is directed at a particular line 
 man, it will be seen that the line man is 
 standing within the territory to be protected. 
 By merely stopping his charge, fighting his 
 way to the ground, and going under the play, 
 he blocks its route. Moreover, his fellows, 
 
64 AMERICAN FOOTBALL 
 
 due to the policy of breaking wide, are coming 
 directly to his assistance. The only un- 
 guarded hole has the middle defensive back 
 directly behind it. 
 
 It is vital, whenever the attack begins 
 to gain ground, that the defensive backs hit 
 the play before it gets beyond the line of 
 scrimmage. 
 
 Outguess the Quarterback 
 
 The players must be trained to figure, 
 while on the defense, upon what play the 
 opposing quarterback is about to call. The 
 defensive team must understand the prin- 
 ciples of generalship to such an extent that its 
 members can make a reasonable guess as to 
 what their opponents propose to do. 
 
 In order to stimulate the thought and ac- 
 tion of one another, the defensive football 
 team should talk like a baseball team. It is 
 a good plan to encourage the ends and the 
 backs to call the down and distance, and to 
 caution one another constantly on what they 
 think the next play is to be. 
 
 It is essential, and none too easy, to train 
 the defensive team to recognize certain vital 
 situations which require additional effort on 
 its part. One of these situations is where the 
 
 1 
 
THE DEFENSE 65 
 
 offense finds itself near the side line. The 
 defense must realize that in this predicament 
 one half of the possibilities of the attack are 
 cut off. It is, therefore, of great advantage 
 to hold the offense in close to the side line 
 without letting it get outside. Similar posi- 
 tions are those where the attack is backed up 
 on its own goal line. It sounds trite, but it is 
 none the less of vital importance that the 
 defensive team should realize its opportunity 
 and endeavor by a supreme effort to hold the 
 attack in just this fix and then try to block 
 the kick, or at least make a fair catch and 
 shoot for a score. 
 
 Either the center or the middle back should 
 be required to change by signal the distri- 
 bution of the back field, the roving center, 
 and possibly one end. The man giving this 
 signal must be sufficiently trained in field 
 positions and the probability arising from a 
 given down and distance, so that he can call 
 the kick defense, forward-pass defense, or 
 close defense with reasonable safety. How- 
 ever, a well-trained individual or group is 
 above any signal system. They will, by con- 
 stant co-operation and guessing of the op- 
 posing quarterback, shift their positions to 
 meet the probable play. 
 
66 AMERICAN FOOTBALL 
 
 It is customary, when expecting a kick, to 
 drop the center back. His position, when 
 dropped back, depends upon what the de- 
 
 o 
 
 o 
 
 Kick deCense. 
 
 O 
 
 p _op#oo o 
 
 >yds, 
 
 X X X^ X X X 
 
 X X 
 
 Si X 
 
 fensive ends are to do, either one or both, 
 about going through. The center also comes 
 back on the forward-pass defense, and some 
 times with one end. 
 
 The defensive back field should be in con- 
 stant motion, if only for the purpose of mis- 
 leading the opposing quarterback. For in- 
 stance, a back may be able to draw a forward 
 pass by coming up close to the line and then, 
 as the signal is called, hurrying back to a 
 safe position. This general method of opera- 
 tion also applies to defensive line work. 
 
THE DEFENSE 67 
 
 The defensive back field also changes po- 
 sition with the down and distance and the 
 number of players in the back field. If the 
 center drops back, the middle back and 
 center divide up the defense behind their 
 rush line. If one end stands flat or drops 
 back, the remainder of the back field all 
 move over to cover more securely the 
 ground vacated by the opposite end when 
 he goes through. Above all, all members in 
 the back field keep shifting their positions 
 and constantly guessing aloud the opposing 
 quarterback. 
 
 When the attack has two eligible receivers 
 on the end of the rushline, the closest co- 
 operation must exist between the wing back 
 and the middle back. The quarterback, in 
 case this situation is very dangerous, must at 
 times be ready to come up fast to help the 
 wing back out of his predicament. 
 
 A Savage Defense 
 
 Paramount to all other features of the de- 
 fense is that of an aggressive, attacking spirit. 
 The defense, above all, must carry the fight to 
 the opponents. This is accomplished by line 
 men in the sharp, aggressive use of hands in 
 breaking through. The backs must be taught 
 
68 AMERICAN FOOTBALL 
 
 that when the attack is gaining ground they 
 must meet the runner before he passes the 
 line of scrimmage. The ends must not only 
 turn the play in, but they must also drive 
 into it — getting the runner or smashing the 
 interference. » 
 
 A desperate attempt to block every kick 
 is an essential of good defense. Only an 
 excellently trained team can withstand a 
 determined onslaught on the kicker. A 
 
 o o o o # o o . 
 
 X XX XXX 
 
 5 yds. 
 
 V 
 
 
 X 
 
 lo yd*. 
 
 4o^ds. 
 
 X 
 
 X 
 
 A forward pass defense.' 
 
 
 blocked kick wrecks morale and often gives 
 the defense not less than half the field. Often 
 it wins a game. A determined attack on the 
 kicker always results in hurrying the kick. 
 This generally results in a short kick. 
 
 A savage attempt to block the forward 
 pass is the best forward-pass defense. The 
 rules permit a defensive player to launch him- 
 
THE DEFENSE 69 
 
 self into the passer while attempting in good 
 faith to block the pass. This should be done 
 if necessary. It is vital that the passer be 
 compelled to throw the ball the moment he 
 gets it. 
 
 There are certain features of defensive 
 play on which there is considerable difference 
 of opinion among leading coaches. One of 
 the greatest of these is the method of playing 
 defensive end. Some coaches have the de- 
 fensive end, on all plays, drive straight into 
 the back field. This has not been a very 
 successful method. The classic method of 
 end play has been to make the end respon- 
 sible for the outside. He crosses the line of 
 scrimmage three steps, slows the play up, 
 and turns it in, and then gets the runner or 
 the interference. The greatest ends have 
 followed this method. 
 
 Another defensive feature over which 
 there has been considerable difference among 
 coaches is the method of line play. Many 
 coaches require their line men to play with 
 their weight on one or both hands and then 
 to drive ahead straight, going under the 
 offensive line. Given equal personnel, this 
 method has generally failed. The traditional 
 method of line play, which has met with 
 
70 AMERICAN FOOTBALL 
 
 success, is that in which the defensive player 
 occupies the territory he is to defend and is 
 trained to break through to the outside of 
 his opponent — arresting his outward charge 
 when he sees the play is at him, otherwise 
 
 O G O O ® O O 
 
 X X X (S) X X X 
 
 X X 
 
 X X 
 
 A goal line defense. 
 
 going through. This latter method requires 
 more of the defensive player, develops him 
 more, yields greater results, and is the way 
 that the greatest players have played. 
 
 Conclusion 
 
 The defense in football, as in war, is but a 
 temporary expedient. It is, of course, vital 
 that the defense hold, otherwise it is difficult 
 for the attack to play their kicking game 
 or rushing attack as an offensive feature. 
 Therefore, sufficient time must be put on de- 
 fensive training to make it difficult for the 
 attack to gain any ground in any part of 
 the field, at any stage of the game. 
 
EDWARD MAHAN, HALFBACK, HARVARD 
 
V 
 
 POSITION PLAY 
 
 THE objective of all coaching is excellence 
 in position play. Team work is the 
 natural result of high-grade position play. 
 The coach who depends primarily for team 
 work upon well-drilled, co-ordinated group 
 work is building his house upon sand. Good, 
 reliable team work is the product of but one 
 thing, and that is high-grade position play. 
 Therefore, it behooves the coach to concen- 
 trate upon the individuals and to develop 
 each to his highest excellence. 
 
 All really good football players have cer- 
 tain endowments without . which it would 
 have been difficult for them to succeed. 
 These are brains, speed, co-ordination, and 
 power. All are essential. All of us can recall 
 plenty of great players who were decidedly 
 lacking in one or another of these attributes. 
 But their success was due to an unusual 
 endowment of one of the other essentials and 
 
72 AMERICAN FOOTBALL 
 
 they were great in spite of the lack of any 
 given one. There are a very few who seemed 
 to have them all. 
 
 Certain positions on a football team de- 
 mand, in addition to the essentials named, a 
 certain amount of experience. Few back- 
 field men can make good before acquiring 
 several years of experience. It is rare, in 
 the modern game, that an end or a center can 
 learn to interpret properly in his first year 
 the chameleon like changes of a football 
 game. Experience is an asset hard to replace. 
 
 Quite often we hear inexperienced coaches 
 complain of the lack of courage or sand in 
 some of their players. The fault is not with 
 the player, but with the coach. There is no 
 quality so universal as courage when the 
 players are handled properly. Any player 
 properly handled will give everything he 
 has for the success of the team. It is merely 
 a case of expert management. A young line 
 coach was noticed once to have discarded 
 certain apparently very promising players. 
 When asked about it he said: ''They are no 
 good. They are yellow." When pressed for 
 an explanation, he said that he was showing 
 them how to use their hands in breaking 
 through ; after arranging their heads just so, 
 
POSITION PLAY 73 
 
 he hit one of the neophytes a good jolt on the 
 jaw and sHced through. He then repeated 
 the formation, and if the player winced or 
 ducked on the second trial he knew he was 
 yellow and no good. So he wasted no more 
 
 O o 
 
 o 
 
 # oooooo 
 
 Freak formation: an attempt to overbalance the defense. 
 Surprise necessary. 
 
 O 
 
 O 
 
 O 
 
 OOOOO 
 
 O • O 
 
 Freak formation: following the command "Hep,*" this distri- 
 bution jumps to any normal or freak fonnation. Used 
 extensively in the West and South._ 
 
 time on that particular man. If the success- 
 ful coaches in the game of football had a 
 predilection for any such Spartan acid tests 
 as had this young coach, their successes 
 would have been few and far between. Any 
 
 ^ 
 
74 AMERICAN FOOTBALL 
 
 coach who is worried about the sand of his 
 men should consider how the white race, 
 believing in its cause, went over the top 
 during the World War. 
 
 End Position 
 
 The end on the offense should take a square 
 stand on the line of scrimmage. His tail 
 should be down and his head up. The 
 weight of the body should be on the feet and 
 not on the hands. He should not take po- 
 sition until the last moment, so as to worry 
 the defensive tackle. When he takes po- 
 sition the distance from his own tackle should 
 be varied. 
 
 When the ball goes in play he should make 
 a quick, hard charge, followed up with short 
 steps. At times he should make contact with 
 his shoulder and sometimes with his elbow. 
 Some ends have been quite efficient at driving 
 sideways under a tackle's hands, hitting him 
 with their hips, and crawling into him on 
 hands and feet. In general, the tackle is 
 attacked from the inside or outside, de- 
 pending on whether an inside or outside 
 tackle play is called. 
 
 On straight drives the end holds his ground 
 momentarily, protecting the flank of the play. 
 
POSITION PLAY 75 
 
 When the line of the play is safe, the end 
 drives through in front of the runner and 
 takes out the first defensive back he can get 
 to who threatens the play. 
 
 Good ends must be expert in leaving the 
 line of scrimmage quickly when called upon 
 to run with the ball. They must be drilled 
 in taking the character of step which comes 
 natural to them in getting away from the 
 line quickly. 
 
 When called upon to receive the forward 
 pass, he must get away from the line of scrim- 
 mage quickly at all costs. An end who al- 
 lows the defense to check him on leading out 
 for a forward pass has wrecked the pass. 
 At all costs, the end must get away free. 
 After leaving the line of scrimmage, the end 
 leads out into the open space, receives the 
 pass, and becomes an open-field runner — 
 that is, he leads out into the open on a 
 straight line, draws out the defense, and re- 
 verses the field or outruns it. 
 
 The pass should be caught with the hands 
 like a baseball. One or both hands check the 
 momentum of the ball, guide it to the body, 
 and both hands then pin it there. It is then 
 ''fixed** under the arm, elbow and hand 
 covering either point rigidly. 
 
76 AMERICAN FOOTBALL 
 
 The skill which marks a good offensive end 
 is that which always keeps the defensive 
 tackle guessing. 
 
 When a kick is called, the end must move 
 out so as to have an unobstructed start from 
 the line of scrimmage. He moves away like 
 a sprinter and after about fifteen yards he 
 should verify the direction of the kick, swing 
 to its outside, and bear down upon the 
 catcher. Just before the ball lands, the end 
 ordinarily slows up somewhat so as to have 
 his weight well in hand in case the back tries 
 to dodge or to reverse him. Sometimes it is 
 good policy to tackle the catcher while going 
 at full speed, just as he catches the ball. 
 The end must be prepared to meet the oppo- 
 sition of the defensive back and he must re- 
 member that he is authorized to use his 
 hands. At times the best defense is an attack 
 of the defensive back. Some backs are 
 trained to attack the end when he looks up 
 to verify the flight of the ball or when he 
 slows up to tackle. Forewarned is fore- 
 armed in such cases. Deception and proper 
 use of the arms and hands will protect the 
 end. 
 
 Defensive end play is reasonably simple. 
 Against the running attack the defensive 
 
POSITION PLAY 77 
 
 end goes straight across the line of scrim- 
 mage, meets the play with outstretched 
 arms, slows it up, and turns it in. He takes 
 as little ground from his tackle as he can, 
 remembering that he is responsible for the 
 outside. Having turned the play in, the end 
 should drive into it from the flank, trying 
 for the runner or all the interference. 
 
 He follows all plays on the opposite side 
 of the line from behind, remembering that 
 above all else he is a ball spotter. The end's 
 first business, after crossing the line on all 
 plays, is to spot the ball and guard against 
 crisscrosses and other deceptions. It fol- 
 lows that he should be the man on the spot 
 in case of a fumble. 
 
 Against the forward pass, the rule for end 
 play is to hurry the pass. He must knock 
 down the ball if possible, always jumping 
 high at and in front of the passer. Consider- 
 able variation is permissible in end play 
 against a forward pass. By signal he may 
 stand flat and make himself responsible for 
 short passes into his territory. In this case 
 he must never let the receiver pass him. He 
 should catch the ball if he can and knock it 
 down, at all costs. Crowd the receiver, jump 
 for the ball when necessary. It is vital that 
 
78 AMERICAN FOOTBALL 
 
 the ends vary their play to fit the occasion 
 against a good forward-passing team. They 
 must smell out the pass and notify their wing 
 
 o 
 o o 
 
 ooo • ooo 
 
 Tvesk fonnation: an attempt to scatter the defense apd still 
 retain concentration. 
 
 O 
 
 o o o 
 
 o o o • o o o 
 
 Freak formation: entire dispersion; all rushing strength 
 .sacrificed.. 
 
 back. by signal of whether they are going 
 through or standing fiat. Near the side line 
 they have an excellent opportunity to take 
 the shortest, straightest line to passer or 
 kicker. 
 
POSITION PLAY 79 
 
 Against the kicking attack, the rule is for 
 the end to hurry the kicker. This must 
 always be so varied that a skillful quarter- 
 back cannot figure exactly on what the end 
 is to do. Near the side lines and close to the 
 opponent's goal, the end generally goes 
 straight to the kicker, working in conjunc- 
 tion with the tackle, and by signal cautioning 
 the wing back to watch his territory and the 
 outside. Sometimes the end may stand flat 
 or even drop back off the line of scrimmage. 
 
 An end has considerable leeway in playing 
 his position. He may break any rule pro- 
 vided he achieves the result. Above all he 
 must remember that on the defense he is re- 
 sponsible for the outside. On the attack he 
 must be a good receiver of the pass, capable 
 at handling the tackle, and fast and effective 
 down the field under a kick. 
 
 Position Play — Guards, Tackles, and 
 Center 
 
 Before the forward pass was introduced 
 into the game of football, it was a fixed and 
 vital principle that if the line went forward 
 the team won and if the line came backward 
 the team lost. This principle in the modern 
 game has its exceptions, but they are few and 
 
8o AMERICAN FOOTBALL 
 
 far between. If nowadays an advancing line 
 does not always lead directly to a touchdown 
 by rushing, it always makes opportunities 
 and generally ruins the opposing attack. 
 This great underlying principle of offensive 
 and defensive line work should be engraved 
 on the heart of every line man. If the line 
 goes forward the team wins, if the line comes 
 back the team loses. 
 
 The line is the center of the battle. Skill 
 and knowledge of the game will help a line 
 man tremendously, but neither knowledge 
 nor skill will relieve line men of the rough, 
 hard fight which is the essence of, football 
 and which begins, and often ends, on the line 
 of scrimmage. Above all, the line men must 
 be imbued with a spirit of punishing fight. 
 They must carry the fight to the opponents 
 and keep it there all the afternoon. 
 
 Line men should practice the art of con- 
 centration. To fight in a dream is as fatal 
 for them as it is for a pugilist. Eye and mind 
 must be trained to concentration. The un- 
 derlying principle of eye concentration is 
 that it must be concentrated on the ball. 
 Some coaches will tell their men to watch 
 both ball and opponent. Never was a more 
 fatal error made. The eye cannot watch 
 
POSITION PLAY 8x 
 
 two fast-moving things at the same time. 
 To tell when the ball moves, the eye must be 
 absolutely concentrated on it. On the de- 
 fense, the line should always start with the 
 ball. On the offense, the line may start with 
 the ball or on verbal signal. In either case 
 the line man must choose the object to be 
 watched and concentrate upon it. 
 
 DEFENSE 
 
 The principle of defensive line work is to 
 stand well in and to charge out, thus spread- 
 ing and opening the offensive line. In 
 general, the offensive line principle is the 
 reverse of this. The line should make a 
 wedge-shaped advance, keeping a close line. 
 
 The position of the defensive line man is 
 analogous to that of a fighter stepping into 
 a clinch or that of a wrestler starting a bout. 
 Much of the best thought on line work has 
 come from professional fighting and wrestling. 
 The line man stands square on the line of 
 scrimmage, with feet well separated. The 
 weight and tail should be very low and the 
 hands should be held still, but ready to strike 
 in aiding the line man to break through. 
 
 Before taking final position the defensive 
 line man should keep moving up and down 
 
82 AMERICAN FOOTBALL 
 
 the line. Often it is a good plan to worry 
 the opposing quarterback by lining up in 
 rear of the man at his side and then jumping 
 into position at the last moment. After 
 having taken position, the feet should be 
 shifted slightly in order to get the opponents 
 
 cPo 
 
 ooo 
 
 oqp 
 
 oo 
 
 O Ball 
 
 Freak formation: players congregate and get signal for next 
 
 play. They then jump to the new distribution and ball goes 
 
 into play without signal. 
 
 guessing and thus break down their plans 
 for charging. 
 
 There have been many famous methods of 
 breaking through. Heffelfinger is said to 
 have charged his opponent with his elbow, 
 holding his hands locked while doing so. 
 Brown had a tremendous uppercutting jolt 
 which he used to turn his opponent aside. 
 No line player ever played lower than Brown. 
 His tremendous frame was drawn down like 
 a powerful spring. When the ball went in 
 
POSITION PLAY 83 
 
 play, he drove up and through his opponents, 
 striking a powerful uppercutting jolt as he 
 came. Bloomer was wonderfully quick, side- 
 stepping as well as side-swiping with his 
 hands. McEwen was exceedingly clever at 
 guessing the point of attack and concen- 
 trating his charge on the face and head of 
 the opponent nearest it. And so on, almost 
 without limit, the special stunts of famous 
 players could be cited. 
 
 There are, however, certain standard 
 methods of leading. These methods are in a 
 way as standard for line men as the methods 
 of leading in boxing are for boxers. 
 
 The defensive line man may take a low 
 position inside his opponent and make a 
 straight charge with one hand on the throat 
 and the other on the face, thus moving the 
 opponent by steering his head. Or he may, 
 in charging, step to the outside, striking a 
 blow on the side of the opponent's head. 
 Should the line man elect to take a low posi- 
 tion somewhat outside his opponent, he may 
 then charge straight ahead, striking one 
 hand to the head and the other to the body. 
 Or in this case he may side-step to the in- 
 side, charging with a blow to the inside of 
 the head. An oblique charge in is bad. 
 
84 AMERICAN FOOTBALL 
 
 When the defensive line man is not pressed, 
 his position becomes more erect. Taking the 
 erect position inside or sHghtly outside his 
 opponent, he may practice the leads outlined 
 above. The erect position at times offers 
 opportunities for using both hands in catching 
 the neck of a very low opponent. 
 
 The initial movement of the defensive line 
 man with hand and leg is simultaneous. If 
 the hands fail to clear the way for the legs, 
 the player must be skilled in withdrawing 
 his leg, stepping over or on his opponent, 
 breaking through at all costs. 
 
 Once through the line, the defeipisive player 
 must be careful not to go too far. His effort 
 is absolutely wasted if he slices through the 
 
 o ° ° o 
 
 o o o • o o o 
 
 Freak formation: backfield scattered so as to get Strength fot 
 passing. Runner exposed to defensive line. 
 
 play without doing any damage. He should 
 be trained to stop and spot the core of the 
 play. He should then wade toward it, getting 
 the runner if possible, taking all the inter- 
 ference at least. By all means make it rough 
 for the backs. 
 
POSITION PLAY Ss 
 
 Against a standard-kick formation the 
 defensive line should spread somewhat in 
 order to give the tackles a clear shot at the 
 back field. Driving straight through, they 
 should knock the backs out of their path, 
 drive through them, or step over them, and 
 then make a desperate attempt to block the 
 kicker by jumping in front of the path of the 
 ball. 
 
 OFFENSE 
 
 On the offensive a line man should take a 
 position with his feet well up under him. 
 He should be crouched as low as possible, 
 tail and weight away down, head up. One 
 hand may touch the ground to balance with. 
 The other arm should be bent, forearm and 
 elbow in front of the body. In this crouched 
 position there should be nothing exposed 
 except knees and elbows. 
 
 This point should be made about the posi- 
 tion of line men who have their feet well up 
 under them. After initial contact is made 
 between the two lines of scrimmage, the line 
 man who has his feet under him is in a far 
 more powerful position than the one who, for 
 mstance, has one foot or both well to the rear. 
 The first is in the position of the fighter 
 
86 AMERICAN FOOTBALL 
 
 stepping into a clinch, the latter is out of 
 balance and committed to a straight drive 
 with his weight well in advance of its sup- 
 ports. The one has positive forces under 
 him, the other has not. 
 
 There are several types of charge for the 
 offensive line man. He may drive ahead 
 with his shoulder, holding his forearms and 
 elbows in front of his stomach. He may 
 drive ahead with one elbow advanced and 
 re-enforced by locked hands. Either of these 
 methods may be used, either driving straight 
 into the opponent or by dipping well under 
 him. Should the defensive line man dive 
 head-on under the play, the offensive line 
 man must either walk on and over him or dip 
 his leg under the dive before it gets to the 
 ground. Once an offensive line man gets his 
 knees under the shoulders of his opponent 
 he can often walk him straight to the rear. 
 
 The great rule for an offensive line man is 
 this : He must either go forward or get out of 
 the way. If he comes backward he is a de- 
 fensive player and a most effective one. 
 The back never lived who could gain ground 
 when his line came backward. The converse 
 is also true. Any back can gain when the 
 line goes ahead. But when the lines are a 
 
POSITION PLAY 87 
 
 stand-off, It then takes a combination of 
 excellent line and back-field play to produce 
 results. The first principle in this combina- 
 tion is for the line man to give the back a 
 chance by not obstructing his path. If the 
 line man cannot go ahead, he must get out 
 of the way. 
 
 The offensive line, on passing and kicking, 
 should block without charging until the pass 
 or kick is made. Under no circumstances 
 must they permit an opponent to get through 
 them. 
 
 It would be well for all line men to make 
 themselves familiar with the following state- 
 ment of line-play requirements and offensive 
 and defensive stunts: 
 
 First Requirement: Discover and accustom yourself 
 to that offensive position which gives best results in 
 stability, quick starting, and a lifting charge. Such a 
 position must be one in which the legs are well drawn 
 up under the body; the body itself square to the front 
 and inclined upward, with the buttocks close to the 
 groimd; weight resting on the toes, but balanced for- 
 ward on a hand; and head up, with eyes open. 
 
 Second Requirement: Develop fast starting and hard 
 charging. You should be able to throw your entire 
 weight at an opponent in such a manner that when you 
 strike him your legs are collected well under you, pre- 
 pared for further effort. Speed is one of the most valu- 
 able habits in football^ but to acquire a fast start from 
 
88 AMERICAN FOOTBALL 
 
 the crouching position of the line man requires constant 
 training of mind and muscles. Get the habit. 
 
 Third Requirement: Practice using the hands and 
 arms. You are allowed these on the defense in order 
 to offset the natural advantages of the offense. Be 
 sure that you take all that the rules provide. Use the 
 hands and arms to keep away the opponent's body 
 and for the purpose of shoving him right or left, up or 
 down. It is not a game of tag. 
 
 Fourth Requirement: Concentrate your mind on the 
 subject at hand. There may be said to be three dis- 
 tinct mental phases in the operations of a line man. 
 Vision is centered correspondingly. 
 
 On Offense: 
 
 1. Getting the signal and deciding on the action 
 
 required. 
 
 2. Starting with the ball or signal and starting 
 
 fast. 
 
 3. After contact with opponent, a general co- 
 
 operation in play of line. 
 On Defense: 
 
 1. Deciding on how you will go through. 
 
 2. Starting with ball and starting fast. 
 
 3. After striking opponent, forget him and go 
 
 toward ball. You will shake off opponent 
 
 unconsciously, but if you keep thinking of 
 
 him you will stop and wrestle. Your object 
 
 is to get to the ball. 
 
 Fifth Requirement: Play your defense game from the 
 
 standpoint of the opposing quarterback. For instance, 
 
 if it is third down and they have ten yards to go, you 
 
 are fairly safe in looking for an open play. Of course, 
 
 you cannot neglect your usual territory, but you can 
 
POSITION PLAY 89 
 
 play a little wider and attempt to cover more ground. 
 Tighten up as they get near your goal line, and in their 
 end of the field spread out. In other words, try to regu- 
 late your game according to the attack you expect. 
 Sixth Requirement: Try to outwit your opponent. 
 Make him think you are going to do one thing and then 
 do the other. Don't hit him the same way every time. 
 If he once becomes bewildered he will spend his time 
 watching you and will forget to move. Football has a 
 psychology of its own. 
 
 DEFENSIVE STUNTS 
 
 1. Strike opponent in face or shoulder for purpose 
 
 of shoving him back. 
 
 2. Charge opponent in front or flank with elbows or 
 
 forearms. (Heffelfinger and Hogan.) 
 
 3. Strike opponent on side of head or neck with 
 
 either hand, charging through gap thus made. 
 (Weeks made this result in a blow.) 
 
 4. Jvimp to side as ball is snapped and allow opponent 
 
 to shoot by, helping him with your hands. 
 (Bloomer.) 
 
 5. Grab opponent by headgear, neck, or clothes, and 
 
 pull him through to either side as you charge 
 through gap. (McKay.) 
 
 6. Slice through between opponents by turning side- 
 
 ways, using hands to assist. 
 
 7. Simply lift up opponent and throw him aside. 
 
 (Can be used only against small man.) 
 
 8. Ram opponent into groimd and vault over him. 
 
 9. Charge low, hug opponent's leg, put your shoulder 
 
 in his belly, and throw him back. 
 Caution. — Under no circumstances allow yourself 
 
90 AMERICAN FOOTBALL 
 
 to be thrown back. You simply lead the opponent's 
 attack when you move backward and you interfere 
 with your own secondary line of defense. If thrown 
 off your balance, throw yourself to ground and spill 
 as many opponents as possible by the use of your own 
 arms and legs. 
 
 OFFENSIVE STUNTS 
 
 1. Use of elbows, with hands close to body to increase 
 
 width of shoulders. 
 
 2. Use of knees in walking back a plunging opponent. 
 
 3. Dip charge — dipping under opponent and throw- 
 
 ing him aside with head. 
 However, the best of all qualifications on offense is 
 the fast charge which allows you to hit your man before 
 he has started. 
 
 GENERAL RULE ON KICKS AND PASSES 
 
 Defensive: 
 
 1. Go through, attempt to block kick or pass, and 
 
 at least hurry kicker or passer. Then keep after 
 the ball and get it if loose, otherwise put out 
 as many opponents as possible. 
 
 2. Use individual defensive stunts in eluding or 
 
 knocking aside backs in attempt to block ball. 
 Ofensive: 
 
 1. Do not charge, but hold long enough to provide 
 
 necessary protection to kicker or passer. The 
 proper amount of time must be learned by 
 experience and study. 
 
 2. As soon as free, sprint down field, the line as a 
 
 whole spreading out like a fan. 
 
POSITION PLAY 91 
 
 The last word on the work of the forwards 
 is this: If the battle belongs to the strong, 
 it is theirs because they represent the power 
 of the team. Intelligent application of power 
 takes brains, and no line man can rest con- 
 tent on physique alone. Football is a game 
 of brains, and for its success it requires in 
 the line of scrimmage not only power, but 
 also mentality. 
 
 CENTER POSITION 
 
 There is little basic difference between 
 successful center play and that of the other 
 positions on the line. The center, however, 
 both on offense and defense, has additional 
 vital duties. On the offense he must pass, 
 and on the defensive he is continually drop- 
 ping out of the line of scrimmage to strengthen 
 the protection against the pass, kick, or trick. 
 
 Every play starts with the center. The 
 line cannot get into position until he has ad- 
 justed himself over the ball. He should take 
 a square stance with his legs well apart. 
 The guards and center should lock legs. 
 Continual practice in adjusting the feet and 
 weight is necessary to enable the three center 
 men to lock legs and still obtain a low effec- 
 tive charge. 
 
92 AMERICAN FOOTBALL 
 
 The paramount and vital duty of the 
 center, the duty that comes before all others, 
 is that of making a good accurate pass. Daily 
 and painstaking drill is absolutely necessary. 
 This drill can never be dispensed with. The 
 older and more experienced the center is, the 
 more he insists upon this daily drill. 
 
 In general the center makes three passes: 
 a very short lob to the quarterback, a travel- 
 ing float to the No. 3 back, and a quick 
 spiral shoot to the kicker. The time element 
 is important in all the passes. The ball must 
 travel as fast as is consistent with safety. 
 Accuracy is absolutely vital. Speed and 
 accuracy in the long pass to the kicker will 
 often speed up the kick by one half a second. 
 The pass is generally made with a flip of the 
 arms, wrist, and hand for the short pass and 
 with a sharp shoot for the long pass. In this 
 latter pass the fingers grasp the lacings and 
 give the spiral motion to the ball as it leaves 
 the hand. If the center has a tendency to 
 pass over the head of the kicker, he should 
 practice depressing the long axis of the ball 
 as he shoots it to the rear. 
 
 It has been well said that the center is no 
 better than his poorest pass and that one 
 poor pass will lose a game. 
 
I 
 
 POSITION PLAY 93 
 
 On the defense the center should never 
 leave his position in the Une unless the line 
 is holding. The distance he may take to the 
 rear varies directly with the chances of suc- 
 cess of a plunge through the line. On third 
 or fourth down with five or more yards to go, 
 the center should always get out of the line. 
 
 An especial effort should be made to drill 
 the center on critical plays and positions. 
 He may leave the line with impunity in one 
 part of the field where it would be fatal to 
 do so in another. If a center is wise, he can 
 foresee the critical play and, by changing 
 position at the last moment, he can ruin the 
 attack. A good center shifting back and 
 forth from line to back field and the reverse 
 can worry a quarterback considerably. 
 
 It is true of all line men, but particularly 
 of the center, that they can never handle 
 any two situations exactly the same. Foot- 
 ball is not played by rule of thumb. It is a 
 game of brains; success follows the player 
 and the team that make the fewest mistakes. 
 
 The Back Field 
 requisites 
 The general requirements of a good back 
 are experience, rugged physique, and speed. 
 
94 AMERICAN FOOTBALL 
 
 Most important of these requirements is 
 that of experience. Quite often we see Hne 
 men developed in one season. This is never 
 the case with a good back. A good back 
 is a product of several years' experience. 
 It is only through this experience that he 
 learns to interpret and act instantly upon 
 the chameleon-like changes of the football 
 field. 
 
 There are two types of backs which should 
 be on every team. The first is the heavy, 
 hard-running, line-plunging back; and the 
 second is the light, fleet, dodging, open-field 
 runner. Both of these types should be 
 capable in the field of the other. 
 
 Under the modern game it is also a neces- 
 sity to have at least one back who can kick, 
 run, and pass. With such a back the offense, 
 from either the close or the open formation, 
 holds a threat which compels the defense to 
 keep well spread and on the watch for all 
 variety of attack. 
 
 UNDERLYING PRINCIPLES 
 
 There are certain rules of back field play 
 which may be classed as principles of play. 
 They are as follows: 
 
 i 
 
POSITION PLAY 95 
 
 On the Ofense: 
 
 1 . Never nm backward. 
 
 2. Rim in climax. By this is meant, gather speed as 
 
 you approach the line of scrimmage and hit 
 the line with maximum momentum. 
 
 3. Run collected. By this is meant that a back 
 
 should nm with his chin and elbows tucked in 
 and his weight well in hand, so that when 
 necessary he can change direction. 
 
 4. Be dainty with your feet. Don't fall down. By 
 
 this is meant that the back should be trained 
 in that co-ordination which enables him to 
 step over or on a pile without tripping, and that 
 he should be so skillful in the use of his feet 
 that it will be very difficult to throw him down 
 except by a fair tackle. 
 
 5. On open-field play, lead out into the open, draw 
 
 the defensive field, pick yoiir opportunity, and 
 reverse it by cutting back through the defensive 
 players. 
 
 6. After passing the line of scrimmage, fix the ball 
 
 imder one arm and use the other hand and arm 
 on the defensive players. 
 
 7. Speed is paramount. 
 On the Defense: 
 
 1. Talk to one another at all times, checking up on 
 
 defensive territory and down and distance. 
 Guess the quarterback. 
 
 2. If the opponents are gaining ground, hit the play 
 
 before it passes the line of scrimmage. 
 
 3. Against a forward pass never let a receiver outside 
 
 or by you. Play your territory as long as the 
 receiver is in it. Cover the receiver in any 
 
96 AMERICAN FOOTBALL 
 
 territory in which he is uncovered. When the 
 ball appears, play the ball. Crowd the receiver 
 to obtain your rights. Jump when necessary. 
 Do not catch the ball on fourth down unless 
 you can make a long gain. Be ready for a 
 quick pass played In sequence. 
 4. Vary your position from the line according to the 
 down and distance. 
 
 Drills 
 
 The foUov^ing drills should be carried out 
 through the season: 
 
 As soon as the backs arrive on the field 
 they should spend about five minutes on 
 individual drills. A quarterback should be 
 required to pass the ball to the backs as 
 they stand in front of a pile of sand bags one 
 or tv70 high. The back should start, receive 
 the ball, go over the pile either by stepping 
 on it or over it, and then should practice 
 nosing off, turning, side-stepping, or dodging. 
 It is a good plan to put several backs on the 
 other side of the pile and require them to try 
 to steal the ball. With a group obstructing 
 the back as he comes over the pile, he is also 
 trained in using his eyes to pick out the open 
 ground betv^een the players into whom he 
 advances. 
 
 After each back has executed the above 
 
POSITION PLAY 97 
 
 drill once or twice, the backs should pair off 
 and practice straight-arm work, reversing 
 the field, and running down wide plays. 
 After the completion of this they should be 
 assenibled by fours, pair against pair, and 
 practiced in knocking down forward passes. 
 These individual drills should not be per- 
 mitted to take over ten minutes at the most, 
 but they should rarely be omitted. 
 
 GROUP DRILLS 
 
 The backs should then break up into two 
 groups — the kicking and catching group and 
 the forward-pass group. Where a back is 
 both the passer and the kicker he should 
 spend the appropriate time at each group 
 drill. The operation of these groups has been 
 explained elsewhere under ''Drill.*' Having 
 completed the kicking and passing work, the 
 backs should be assembled for offensive- 
 defensive group work. In this drill two teams 
 without the lines of scrimmage are assembled 
 for dummy work. The attacking group prac- 
 tices the particular plays necessary to ad- 
 vance the ball to the goal Hne. The defensive 
 group adjusts its defense accordingly. Crit- 
 ical plays are made at full speed and the 
 coach supervising the drill notifies the players 
 
98 AMERICAN FOOTBALL 
 
 on such drills whether to permit their com- 
 pletion or not. This is necessary to avoid 
 smash-ups. This particular group drill is 
 very valuable in developing forward-pass 
 defense, goal-line defense, and the execution 
 of critical plays. It is obvious that all for- 
 mations, plays, kicks, and tricks are executed 
 and defended against in this drill. Following 
 the individual and group drills teams should 
 be assembled for dummy scrimmage. 
 
 THE ATTACK 
 
 A few general remarks should be made 
 about the way a back should operate on the 
 attack. When carrying the ball on an end 
 run, a back should be careful to keep behind 
 his interference and to carry the ball in the 
 arm farthest removed from the, scrimmage 
 line. He should turn inside or outside the 
 end, depending on whether the end is turned 
 out or in. 
 
 On a wide slant the same rule applies. On 
 both the end run and the wide slant, once the 
 back has passed the Hne of scrimmage he 
 should lead out into the open and watch for 
 his chance to reverse the field. On the clos^ 
 slant, the back should drive into the line, 
 not with the idea of finding an opening, but 
 
POSITION PLAY 99 
 
 with the intention of bucking the line. This 
 play usually opens toward the center and 
 the back must be ready to turn in toward 
 the center the moment he sees open ground 
 in that direction. On the close slant, as well 
 as in all other plays, the back must be careful 
 that he goes exactly where the play is called. 
 On straight drives, most backs hit the line 
 high, with the chin tucked in and the body 
 collected. Above all, on these plays they 
 must keep their feet. 
 
 DEFENSE 
 
 On the defense a back is not only required 
 to apply the principles stated above, but he 
 also should work incessantly at increasing his 
 effectiveness against the kicking game. He 
 should take the offensive end out by himself 
 when possible, and from time to time he 
 should encourage the loose center or even the 
 end to join him in waylaying the offensive 
 end. 
 
 In conclusion, aside from the necessary 
 experience, a back, to rise to high level, must 
 have speed, fire, and drive. He should have 
 all these requisites with enough intelligence 
 to apply them effectively. 
 
 b 
 
VI 
 
 DRILL 
 
 FEW coaches clearly realize the para- 
 mount importance of a carefully planned 
 and organized drill schedule. The secret of 
 good performance at critical moments is 
 found in drill. No soldier ever benefited 
 more by intensive and carefully planned drill 
 than does the football player. It is through 
 drill, and drill only, that the coach can make 
 reasonably sure of good performance under 
 great pressure. 
 
 The underlying principles of military drill 
 and drill in football are the same. The 
 striking analogy between war and football is 
 once more made evident. Our Infantry 
 Drill Regulations say that close-order drills 
 are designed to inculcate that prompt and 
 subconscious obedience which is essential to 
 control, and that smartness and precision 
 should be exacted in every detail. The same 
 is true in football. Just as in war, we have 
 
 I 
 
DRILL loi 
 
 the analogy of extended-order drills, combat 
 exercises, and field exercises, all of which it 
 is best to follow by **a brief drill at at- 
 tention in order to restore smartness and 
 control/' 
 
 Drill should be of the kind that will not 
 sap the player's vitality and which will 
 yield him as much fun as possible and con- 
 sistent. It should be executed at top speed 
 only at intervals. Complete co-ordination 
 of the eye, mind, and muscle should be 
 taught at slow speed, then somewhat faster; 
 and finally at intervals the individual or 
 group should test themselves out at full 
 speed. Easy drills co-ordinating eye, mind, 
 and muscle, covering all the phases of in- 
 dividual, group, and team work, are the 
 essential features of each day's practice. 
 
 SCHEDULES 
 
 A coach should lay out a general plan of 
 development for his team which covers the 
 entire season. The speed with which he de- 
 velops his team depends upon the date of his 
 most important game. Herewith is pre- 
 sented an outline of a general plan of develop- 
 ment for a team which plans to play its final 
 game toward the end of November. 
 
102 
 
 AMERICAN FOOTBALL 
 
 • WEEKLY SCHEDULE 
 Week Ending 
 
 Knowledge in 
 position play 
 
 Precision and 
 position play 
 
 Speed and fight 
 Spirit 
 
 ' Sept. 7th — Dope sheets and tryouts. 
 Sept. 14th — Mechanics of offense and 
 
 position play. 
 Sept. 2 1st — Mechanics of defense and 
 
 position play. 
 Sept. 28th — Kicking game, forward- 
 pass defense, forward pass, 
 and position play. 
 Oct. 5th — Generalship, forward pass, 
 
 and position play. 
 Oct. 1 2th — Forward pass, kick ad- 
 vanced, precision in run- 
 ning plays. 
 Oct. 19th — Defense and rushing game 
 
 advanced. 
 Oct. 26th — Defense kick and forward 
 . pass advanced. 
 
 I Nov. 2d — Rushing game and drive. 
 \ Nov. 7th — Rush, kick, pass, and drive. 
 ^ Nov. 1 6th — Special situations; pass, 
 kick, rush, and three 
 days' drive. 
 Nov. 23d — Condition and polish. 
 Nov. 30th — Condition and polish. 
 
 It will be noted that this schedule provides 
 for the assimilation of all the attack and 
 defense in the first three weeks. The re- 
 mainder of the season is devoted to raising 
 the efficiency of the team by laying stress 
 on individual or group excellence along 
 various lines which, of course, differ with 
 different teams. No effort should be made to 
 adhere arbitrarily to any schedule. The 
 
FRANK A. HINKEY, END, YALE 
 
DRILL 103 
 
 schedule should be changed as often as 
 conditions demand. 
 
 Similarly, a weekly schedule should be 
 compiled at the beginning of each week. The 
 governing feature in making up this schedule 
 is the amount of scrimmage to be prescribed 
 for the team. A tentative weekly schedule 
 for midseason should read about as follows: 
 
 Monday — No scrimmage. Light drills and dummy 
 kicking scrimmage. 
 
 Tuesday — Short scrimmage, followed by drills and 
 dtimmy forward-pass scrimmage. 
 
 Wednesday — Hard scrimmage. Rush, pass, and kick. 
 
 Thin-sday — Short scrimmage and drill. Forward- 
 pass dummy scrimmage. 
 
 Friday — Short dummy kicking and catching scrim- 
 mage. 
 
 Saturday — Game. 
 
 Each day, however, the coach should 
 write out and publish a detailed schedule of 
 work for the day. A typical example of such 
 a schedule is as follows: 
 
 Monday, September 26th 
 
 2.30 P.M. — Jones, Brown, and Smith will report early 
 to the coach in charge of forward passing for extra 
 practice. 
 
 3.00 P.M. — Everybody in blackboard room for crit- 
 ique on Saturday's game. 
 
I04 AMERICAN FOOTBALL 
 
 3.30 P.M. — Everybody on field. Backs at south goal 
 post, line at north goal post, ends in center of field. 
 
 3.30-4.30 — Individual and group work under posi- 
 tion coaches. 
 
 4.30-4.40 — ^As teams practice signals for ten minutes. 
 
 4.40-5.10— Dtimmy rushing and kicking scrimmage. 
 
 5.10-5.30 — Specialists work at goal kicking, kick off, 
 passing, etc. 
 
 5.30 — Dummies, nm, and in. 
 
 The above schedule merely blocks out the 
 day's work in a general form. As a matter 
 of application to a particular day and team, 
 this statement of the day's work should be 
 most detailed. All individual cases, for 
 whom extra or special instruction or drill is 
 desirable, should be mentioned. This daily 
 schedule should be completed in time to 
 furnish typewritten copies to each training 
 table at luncheon. In this manner each 
 player knows in advance the general or 
 special layout of the day's work. It should 
 be said here again that the coach must not 
 hesitate to depart from the schedule when 
 desirable. More often than not, it is best to 
 take liberties with the schedule in the in- 
 terests of working out a particular drill or 
 sometimes even in the interests of harmony. 
 
 The head coach, having allotted the field 
 and the time to the position coaches, must, 
 
DRILL 105 
 
 together with the position coaches, see to it 
 that the necessary time and space are appor- 
 tioned to the necessary drills. 
 
 Basic Individual and Group Drills 
 
 There are certain individual and group 
 drills in football which are basic and in 
 which all must excel. 
 
 The basic individual drills are tackling and 
 interference. These two fundamentals must 
 be drilled daily at the tackling and inter- 
 ference dummies, under the close supervision 
 of a coach. The time required is not great, 
 but it is essential that the drill should never 
 be omitted. 
 
 The basic group drills for the backs, ends, 
 and center are kicking and catching, passing, 
 center and quarterback, and the skeleton 
 offensive-defensive group. 
 
 The basic group drills for the line are the 
 starting signal, offensive line work, and 
 breaking through. 
 
 The kicking and catching group should be 
 carried on at the same time as the passing 
 group. The kicker should be placed about 
 ten yards from the side line and required to 
 kick behind protection to the catchers. It 
 is well to have unimportant players walk into 
 
io6 
 
 AMERICAN FOOTBALL 
 
 the interference, so that all the conditions of a 
 game will be simulated. A stop watch should 
 always be used and the time taken from the 
 
 Organi^atioxi o! the 
 Pield for Practice; 
 
 Kicking 
 
 and 
 Catching 
 Group 
 
 Line Group 
 
 End Group 
 
 Passing Group 
 
 or 
 
 Offensive Defensive 
 
 Skeleton Formation 
 
 40 yd. Uoe 
 
 moment the ball is put in play until it hits 
 the kicker's foot. Very little coaching of 
 kickers, or, for that matter, of catchers, should 
 be done. A kicker or a catcher either can or 
 cannot perform with reasonable efficiency. 
 If he cannot, the coach had better get some 
 one that can. At times some of the ends 
 
DRILL 107 
 
 join this group and practice leaving the line 
 of scrimmage with the ball and closing in on 
 the catchers. The catchers drill not only on 
 actually catching, but also on how to play 
 muffs, bouncing balls, and doubtful catches. 
 They also drill on how to get the leading 
 down-field end. In particular they co-ordi- 
 nate with one another in crying **Mine," 
 ''Yours,'^ or, ''I have it," etc. 
 
 While the kicking and catching group is at 
 work, the forward passer should be practicing 
 throwing his different passes. He can keep 
 a large group of receivers busy at this work, 
 as the receiver often takes the ball on the 
 dead run. Too much of this sprinting work, 
 however, will soon overtrain a player. Here 
 again the stop watch should be in constant 
 attendance, and the passer should have simu- 
 lated protection and opposition. It is often 
 well to have a couple of defensive backs operat- 
 ing with the ends or backs receiving the pass. 
 
 Both of these groups should set aside^ every 
 few days, a half hour in which to move about 
 the field, practicing their kicks, catches, and 
 passes in different field positions. In general, 
 however, the kicker should practice on his 
 own goal line, with his foot about ten yards 
 from the side line. The passer should do 
 
io8 AMERICAN FOOTBALL 
 
 likewise in general practice on the opponent's 
 twenty-five-yard line. Both of these posi- 
 tions are obviously critical. 
 
 After the completion of the work in the 
 kicking and passing groups, all the backs and 
 some of the centers should be assembled for 
 offensive-defensive skeleton group work. The 
 ends should join this group when it is not 
 essential that they work with the line or by 
 themselves. 
 
 The offensive element of this skeleton 
 group takes the ball at midfield and advances 
 the ball by various plays to the goal line. 
 The work is done either at a jog trot or at a 
 walk. Critical plays, such as forward passes 
 and drop kicks, are executed at top speed. 
 It is desirable very often that the offensive 
 element be directed from the quarterback 
 position by the coach. He may then drill the 
 offense on all the plays necessary, and at the 
 same time watch for his opportunity to catch 
 the defense off balance. 
 
 It is apparent that as the offense drills in 
 the execution of its attack, so the opposing 
 defensive skeleton group is drilled in defense 
 work. It is important that the defensive 
 center be in this group. Of course, the offense 
 and defense exchange places after a while. 
 
DRILL 109 
 
 The skeleton group just outlined above is 
 one of the most valuable group drills in 
 football. 
 
 There is, finally, a small basic group which 
 must also drill together incessantly. This 
 group is made up of the center and quarter- 
 back. Only by constant practice and asso- 
 ciation can the center and receiver become 
 absolutely accurate in transmitting the ball 
 to the backs. Indeed, so important has the 
 work of the center become in modern foot- 
 ball that it seems as though it would be best 
 to separate the center for a drill by himself 
 each day while the other individual and group 
 work is going on. This drill of the center 
 should cover all kinds of passing. 
 
 It has been well said that all plays start 
 with the center and that he is no better than 
 his worst pass. It is a very interesting study 
 to analyze the effect of bad passing on kicking 
 or forward passing. It will be found that 
 accurate and fairly swift passing is one of 
 the vital ways of speeding up these critical 
 performances. 
 
 It will be noted in the discussion of these 
 drills that it is assumed that a squad of about 
 fifty — say four elevens — are available. Of 
 course, the coach should direct the work of 
 
no AMERICAN FOOTBALL 
 
 at least one group with the idea of developing 
 the first-string men. 
 
 The first basic group drill for the line is 
 that of the starting signal. The offensive 
 starting signal is primarily for the use of the 
 line. Each day, or every other day, the line 
 coach should have the various rush lines 
 assembled in their proper positions and prac- 
 tice starting by signal. Five minutes of 
 this, every other day, will keep the line men 
 in first-clas§ practice starting with the signal. 
 Care must be taken to see that the center 
 does not allow the line to beat the ball. 
 
 The second important group drill for the 
 line is that of offensive line work. In this 
 group, the ends may or may not be present. 
 Two lines are placed opposite each other, and 
 while one line simulates breaking through, 
 the other line practices its assignments on 
 particular plays. 
 
 The defensive line is the third basic-line 
 group drill. The work is so hard that it is 
 preferably taught with four lines operating. 
 Two lines face each other and the defensive 
 line actually breaks through when the ball is 
 put in play. After doing this once or twice, 
 it is best to have this group replaced by two 
 other lines that perform for the edification of 
 
DRILL III 
 
 themselves and the fir^t two lines that stand 
 as spectators. 
 
 In this offensive and defensive line work 
 all the detail of position play should be 
 thoroughly thrashed out. 
 
 List of Drills 
 
 The preceding basic group drills have 
 been described sufficiently to bring out the 
 point that they cover the basic and critical 
 operations of a team. Teams that can per- 
 form these operations well will probably play 
 good football. 
 
 It is necessary to realize that perfect drill 
 does not in itself guarantee high excellence. 
 The team work of the great teams in the his- 
 tory of football was not based upon drill. 
 
 The excellence of our greatest teams — in- 
 deed, it might be said of all teams — arises from 
 the excellence of the individual players. 
 Teams are great and the team work is there 
 because of this individual excellence. 
 
 Therefore, too much importance cannot be 
 attached to those drills which develop the 
 individual. They are too numerous and too 
 various to be gone into in this book, but a 
 sufficient number will be outlined for each 
 position to enable any coach to choose some 
 
112 AMERICAN FOOTBALL 
 
 or to devise others which may be applicable 
 to his players. 
 
 DRILLS FOR ENDS 
 
 Offense 
 
 Individual 
 
 1. Sprinters' start. 
 
 2. Short races. 
 
 3. Long races. 
 
 4. Position on line on offense. 
 
 5. Interference dummy. 
 
 6. Catching passes. 
 
 7. Dodging. 
 
 8. Holding ball. 
 
 Group Work 
 
 1. How to run down under kicks. 
 
 (a) Last end of run. 
 
 (b) Getting past a man trying to bloek. 
 
 2. Running down under kicks with and without 
 
 tackling. 
 
 3. Boxing tackle. 
 
 4. Working with tackle, and with tackle and half- 
 
 back, in ways of disposing of defensive op- 
 ponent. 
 
 5. Forward passes. 
 
 6. Special situations and field positions. 
 
 Defense 
 
 Individual 
 
 1. Tackling dummy. 
 
 2. Very easy live tackling. 
 
DRILL J13 
 
 3. Falling on ball. Picking up ball. 
 
 4. Stealing ball. 
 
 Group Work 
 
 1. Defense against end runs, open and close forma- 
 
 tions. 
 
 2. Defense against skin tackle. 
 
 3. Defense against forward passes. 
 
 4. How to block an end going down under kicks. 
 
 5. How to block kicks. 
 
 6. Special situations and field positions, 
 
 DRILLS FOR LINE 
 
 Shifting along line (offense), (which man to take). 
 
 Shifting along line (where to be), (defense). 
 
 Diagnosing plays (end runs, passes, line drives, 
 
 splits). 
 
 Going down on kicks. 
 
 Dummies. 
 
 Stance. 
 
 Breaking through. (stance, use of hands, body charge). 
 
 Plays once removed. 
 
 Falling on ball. 
 
 Light line tackling. 
 
 Catching man in open field. 
 
 Dodging. 
 
 Sprints. 
 
 Easy use of hands. 
 
 Special situations (goal line, side line), (end through). 
 
 Starting signal drill. 
 
 Tackle and end (offense and defense). 
 
 Blocking a kick. 
 
 Critical situations. 
 8 
 
114 
 
 AMERICAN FOOTBALL 
 
 DEFENSIVE DRILLS FOR TACKLES AND GUARDS 
 
 Low position 
 inside 
 
 Low position 
 outside 
 
 Erect position 
 inside 
 
 Erect position 
 outside 
 
 Position 
 Exercise (both 
 erect and low) 
 
 Straight charge — one hand to head, 
 
 other on face. 
 Side-step to outside — blow on side 
 
 of head. 
 
 Straight ahead — one hand on head, 
 
 other on body. 
 Side-step in — blow on inside of head. 
 Oblique charge in — bad. 
 
 Straight ahead — one hand to head, 
 other on face. 
 
 Side-step to outside — blow on out- 
 side of head. 
 
 Oblique charge out — blow on inside 
 of head. 
 
 Straight ahead — one hand on neck. 
 Side-step in — ^blow on head or catch 
 
 neck. 
 Oblique in — bad — one hand on neck, 
 
 other on body. 
 
 Use hands each time. 
 Stand inside — side-step out. 
 Stand outside — side-step in. 
 Feint one way and go other. 
 
 OFFENSIVE DRILLS FOR TACKLES AND GUARDS 
 
 1. Protecting the line of the play on an end run or 
 
 wide slant. 
 
 2. Turning opposing guard in on close slants. 
 
 3. Wedging on straight drives. 
 
DRILL IIS 
 
 4. Passing opponent along from point of wedge. 
 
 5. Going through on secondary defense. 
 
 6. Avoiding good defensive hand work. 
 
 7. Against a plunging defense, use of legs, and step- 
 
 ping on or over. 
 
 8. Square stance and short steps. 
 
 9. Blocking for kicks. 
 
 DRILLS FOR CENTER 
 
 1. Passing to quarterback, kicker, and No. 3 back. 
 
 2. Starting signal drill. 
 
 3. Co-operating in offensive and defensive line drills. 
 
 4. Co-operating in defensive back-field drills. 
 
 5. Forward-pass defense and kick defense. 
 
 6. Critical offensive and defensive situations. 
 
 DRILLS FOR BACKS 
 
 Backs 
 
 1. Fixing ball and starting. 
 
 2. Picking up ball, going over pile, nosing off, turn- 
 
 ing, side-stepping, dodging. 
 
 3. Straight arm and defense, reversing field. 
 
 4. Running down wide run. 
 
 5. Coming up on line plays and wide plays. 
 
 6. Spoiling forward pass. (This work is done in 
 
 pairs, and in skeleton open and close forma- 
 tions.) 
 
 7. Short kick. 
 
 8. Field positions, side lines, inside opponent's 
 
 ten-yard line, inside own ten-yard line. 
 
 9. Kicking, catching, kicking defense. 
 
 10. Each particular play, defense. 
 
ii6 AMERICAN FOOTBALL 
 
 II. Each back, immediately upon coming on the 
 field, will get a partner and practice for five 
 minutes individual stunts as follows: over 
 bags, nose off, turn off, dodge, side-step, 
 straight arm, reverse field, run down wide 
 plays, knock down forward pass. 
 
 Quarterback 
 As above and 
 
 1. Working with center with ball and signals. 
 
 2. Drilling on field positions, downs, and distance. 
 
 3. Scoring play. 
 
 4. Voice and bearing drill. 
 
 The drills of the individual and group are 
 followed by dummy scrimmage, which is ap- 
 plied to all situations and phases of the game. 
 It is important that a dummy kicking scrim- 
 mage end the week. For those to whom the 
 term ** dummy scrimmage'' is new, let it be 
 explained that it refers to simulated play at 
 reduced speed in which two teams engage. 
 The defense is cautioned not to tackle and 
 not to oppose violently. Critical plays, such 
 as passes and kicks, should be played at full 
 speed. In this case, the defense should be 
 especially cautioned not to bump the offen- 
 sive player. 
 
 In conclusion, let it be said that the im- 
 portance of carefully planned and skillfully 
 
DRILL 117 
 
 organized drill cannot be overestimated. It 
 is the secret of good performance. There is 
 one caution, however, that should be given 
 and that is : Do not drill the individuality or 
 initiative out of your players. Drill should 
 never be hidebound nor arbitrary. The 
 player should at all times be encouraged to 
 control the drill himself. The real stars of 
 the game of football have generally been men 
 who did drill themselves to the high degree of 
 excellence they obtained. Under no circum- 
 stances must either the drill itself or the drill- 
 master dominate the player. On the con- 
 trary, the player must be encouraged to con- 
 trol the drill and to rise above the coach and 
 the coaching. In this manner only is high 
 individual excellence obtained. 
 
VII 
 
 THE KICKING GAME 
 
 A GOOD kick is an indispensable part of 
 the offense. A mediocre kick, properly 
 used, can do wonders. Even a poor punt 
 skillfully used is a tremendous strength to 
 either attack or defense. 
 
 The writer is well aware that the basis of 
 some football systems requires that the ball 
 shall be kicked only as a last resort. The 
 general theory of such an attack is that the 
 opponents cannot win if they never get hold 
 of the ball. Such a theory is all very well 
 where one team has a very considerable ad- 
 vantage over another. This condition does 
 not exist when equal personnel and skillful 
 coaching oppose each other. Under these 
 latter conditions the history of the game of 
 football shows that the rushing and passing 
 attack comes to a standstill and the issue 
 turns on the breaks in the game. These 
 breaks are developed best through the skillful 
 use of the kicking attack. 
 
THE KICKING GAME 119 
 
 Moreover, the use of the kicking attack is 
 one of the great offensive weapons, and a 
 coach cannot afford to disregard it in the 
 development of his team. The statistics of 
 most big games which have been equally con- 
 tested show that the contests hinge in many 
 respects upon the skillful application of the 
 kicking game. The statistics of Harvard- 
 Yale games and Army-Navy games and most 
 other equally contested big games show that 
 the number of kicks in such contests will 
 range from thirty to fifty by each opponent 
 per game. 
 
 The Kicker 
 
 A kicker cannot be made. Many good 
 kickers have been ruined by unnecessary and 
 ill-advised coaching. Good kickers are gener- 
 ally the result of continued practice through- 
 out preparatory-school days. Each indi- 
 vidual kicker has a form of his own, and 
 any attempt to change his form generally 
 results disastrously. As long as a kicker is 
 giving good results it is best for a coach to 
 confine himself to suggestions, which the 
 player may or may not use, as he sees fit. 
 When the kicker is not giving the desired 
 results, it is generally best to point out where 
 
I20 AMERICAN FOOTBALL 
 
 he should show better results and then watch 
 to see if the kicker can get the results himself. 
 If this plan does not work, or even m the 
 beginning, a skillful coach of kicking can 
 point out the part of the kicking performance 
 which the kicker might improve on. 
 
 General Theory op the Kicking Game 
 In theory, the kicking game is greatly 
 strengthened by kicking from the center of 
 the field toward the side lines, provided that 
 the kicker is skillful enough to do so. The 
 
 A Method of Blocking a Kick 
 
 ® 
 
 > 
 
 Halfback behind 
 tackle and end. 
 
 O 
 X 
 
 quarter should bring the ball to position in 
 midfield, and the kicker should try to land 
 the ball in the vicinity of the side line. The 
 kicking team should then hold the opposmg 
 attack close to the side line and compel ther 
 
THE KICKING GAME 121 
 
 to kick from its vicinity. Thus the opposing 
 kicker may kick out to the center of the field, 
 thereby giving the catcher a good oppor- 
 tunity for a free run in the open. What is 
 worse, he may kick the ball outside well 
 within the limit of his kick. Thus the kicking 
 attack may advance down the field either by 
 outkicking, run-backs, or by the breaks in 
 the game. 
 
 It must be understood that this statement 
 of kicking from the center to the side is highly 
 theoretical. The success of the kicking game 
 is no way dependent upon it. A good kick 
 straight ahead is quite sufficient for the suc- 
 cessful prosecution of the kicking game. 
 However, when a team is blessed with a 
 highly efficient kicker, the application of this 
 theory will help tremendously. 
 
 One of the great rules of quarterback play 
 is to press the kicking game. Play for and 
 make the breaks. In a close contest, the 
 kicking game leads to the breaks. A poor 
 catcher in the back field, a slow kicker, a 
 bad passer at center — any one of these weak- 
 nesses or others may develop. Under hard 
 smashing the opponents will crack and the 
 opportunity for a score will appear. It is 
 then that the rushing attack, the forward 
 
122 AMERICAN FOOTBALL 
 
 pass, and the scoring kick become effective. 
 Work for the opporUmity and then make good 
 is one of the great axioms of the game of 
 footbalL 
 
 Technique of Kicking 
 
 The kicking performance may be divided 
 into the following parts: receiving the ball, 
 handling the ball, dropping the ball on to 
 the foot, the swing of the leg, the manner of 
 holding the foot, the steps preliminary to the 
 swing. 
 
 In receiving the ball, the kicker should 
 stand not less than eight yards back for a 
 quick performer and not more than twelve 
 yards back for a slow performer. Ten yards 
 back is about the usual distance. He should 
 stand with his weight evenly on both feet, 
 but ready to shift it quickly to the foot not 
 used in the first step before kicking. His 
 body should be square to the front. Many 
 kickers extend both arms, hands, and fingers 
 outstretched, ready to receive the ball. 
 
 When the ball strikes the hands an im- 
 portant part of the kicking performance is 
 the quick manipulation of the ball in the 
 hands to bring the lacings up and to extend 
 the ball ready to drop it on the foot. A good 
 
THE KICKING GAME 123 
 
 drill for this is obtained by tossing the ball a 
 few inches into the air, quickly adjusting it 
 the moment it strikes the hands, and then 
 going through all the motions of kicking. 
 
 Dropping the ball accurately on to the foot 
 is the next vital step. By many kickers, the 
 ball is best placed on the foot by balancing 
 the ball on one hand while extended. It 
 should come accurately on to the outside of 
 the foot, lacings up, long axis either parallel to 
 the long axis of the shoe or slightly turned 
 in. The eye of the kicker should be kept con- 
 stantly and vigilantly on the ball. More kicks 
 are spoiled by failure to place the ball ac- 
 curately on the foot than from any other 
 cause. 
 
 When the ball starts on the fly-back from 
 center to the kicker, the kicker should start 
 to prepare himself to kick. Many kickers 
 are ruined by prescribing set steps for them 
 to take. Kickers vary considerably in the 
 steps they take before kicking. Some step 
 back with their kicking foot, then forward 
 with the off foot, and then kick. Some take 
 two long steps forward and then kick. Some, 
 with quick hitching steps straight up and 
 down, kick from their tracks. 
 
 The leg swing is best made at about an 
 
124 AMERICAN FOOTBALL 
 
 angle of from thirty to forty degrees to the 
 side, although a few kickers kick straight to 
 the front. The foot is held tense at the mo- 
 ment of hitting the ball, with the toes de- 
 pressed. It is important that the toes be 
 kept depressed and the foot rigid. The kick 
 should be firm and as powerful as possible 
 without deranging its accuracy. The foot, 
 when striking the ball, should pass under it 
 in a slight arc, which will give the ball the 
 spiral rotation. 
 
 VITAL POINTS 
 
 Several important points should be made 
 about the coaching of a kicker and the kick 
 itself. 
 
 In the first place, the most important thing 
 about the kicking performance is to get the 
 ball off. It must not be blocked. This 
 means that the kicker, when pressed, must 
 be able to kick inside of two seconds by 
 the stop watch. A kicker should be able 
 to tell on each separate kick just how much 
 his opponents are pressing him. The acme 
 of good kicking is to kick at the last moment, 
 thereby allowing the ends to get down the 
 field. This is a dangerous proposition for all 
 except the most experienced and should not 
 
THE KICKING GAME 125 
 
 be coached. When a kicker is kicking slowly, 
 the best thing for the coach to do is merely 
 to say, ''Kick faster.'* When the kicker goes 
 too far forward, the best thing for the coach 
 
 Another Method of Blocking a Kick 
 
 vt/ Short end inside: a 
 dangerous expedient. 
 
 o 
 o oo^ooVNp 
 
 XXX X XX 
 
 ® 
 
 to do is to make a mark on the ground and 
 tell the kicker to kick behind the mark. The 
 manner of lacking faster or arranging not to 
 go forward should be left to the kicker. He 
 may be encouraged to experiment. Coaching 
 that affects the kick in consistency or dis- 
 tance should be stopped at once. 
 
 END WORK 
 
 The second element of the kicking game is 
 the covering of the kick. This is the most 
 important work of an end, and no end is 
 available material if he is unable to cover 
 kicks properly. An end should vary the po- 
 
126 AMERICAN FOOTBALL 
 
 sition from which he starts down the field. 
 In general, he should start down far enough 
 out so that he is sure to be on the outside of 
 the opposing back field. At times he may- 
 start down from in close— that is, from his 
 regular position when on the attack. This, 
 however, is dangerous. If skillful, he may- 
 start down from just outside the defensive 
 tackle. He should start wide and turn the 
 catcher in at all costs. Making the tackle 
 is, of course, more important than turning 
 the back in. After his first ten yards down 
 the field he should look for the ball, to see the 
 side to which it is flying. While doing this 
 he should be careful not to allow the defen- 
 sive back to get hooked up with him. When 
 going down the field, the same as on the de- 
 fense, a good end has his hands and arms 
 ready for immediate use for getting by the 
 defensive back. 
 
 An end should be careful not to overrun 
 the opposing catcher. By this is meant, 
 running full speed the full length of the 
 kick and trying to negotiate and tackle 
 the catcher without slowing up. A good 
 end generally slows up as soon as he sees 
 the catcher getting the ball. He then starts 
 to make the tackle with his weight and speed 
 
THE KICKING GAME 127 
 
 well in hand. Overrunning on the part of 
 an end generally results from the kicker 
 outkicking his ends — that is, kicking so far 
 that the ends feel they must go full speed to 
 keep up with the ball. It is a mistake on the 
 part of the end to try to keep up with the 
 ball by overrunning, but it is a far worse 
 mistake for the kicker to indulge in low, 
 long kicks that cannot be covered. The 
 kicker should always kick to his ends, with 
 the privilege of trying, at times, to sift 
 in a long, low one over the heads of the 
 back field. The kicker can, of course, pre- 
 vent over-kicking by increasing the height 
 of his kicks. 
 
 RECEIVING THE KICK 
 
 Good back-field work on the receiving end 
 of the kick is essential. 
 
 Catchers cannot be developed by coaching. 
 A back can either catch or not. If not, he 
 should be gotten rid of at once. It does not 
 pay to coach a catcher very much. He 
 should, however, have daily practice to keep 
 himself in good shape. Most players catch 
 by checking the momentum and steadying 
 the ball with one hand. This hand guides 
 the ball to the body, where it is pinned by 
 
128 AMERICAN FOOTBALL 
 
 both hands and arms. High kicks are the 
 most difficult to catch. In this case, one 
 hand should be kept under the ball. Most 
 good catchers guide the ball with the hand 
 that checks its flight to their chest, pinning 
 it there with bdth hands. 
 
 The second back-field man should back up 
 on all bounces and on all kicks the catching 
 of which appears doubtful. When he does 
 not back up, he should hang well out to the 
 flank of the first down-field opponent. He 
 should smash into this opponent at about 
 an angle of ninety degrees, crack him either 
 in the head or in the body with as much 
 momentum as he can gather with safety 
 to himself. This method of taking out a 
 down-field end will often scare an end for 
 a whole game. 
 
 SKELETON KICKING FORMATION 
 
 The kicking group should operate every 
 day. Service conditions should be simulated. 
 The kicker should kick behind protection, 
 and ends should go down on a catcher with- 
 out tackling. Defensive halfbacks should 
 be used from time to time. The opposing 
 ends and tackles should be simulated. With- 
 out trying to block the kick, they should 
 
THE KICKING GAME 129 
 
 walk through on the protection, thereby 
 reproducing all the elements of a game. 
 Substitutes should be used in this work to 
 simulate these conditions. 
 
 It is absolutely vital that a stop watch be 
 used to time the kicker during this drill. 
 The kicker must always kick in less than 
 two seconds from the time the ball goes in 
 play. 
 
 It is desirable from time to time to put 
 the catchers under pressure by yelling at 
 them as they receive the ball. 
 
 On Fridays and Mondays a certain part 
 of the dummy scrimmage should be devoted 
 to the exchange of kicks. 
 
 FAKE KICKING 
 
 There is a principle in the use of the fake 
 kick that the quarterback should under- 
 stand thoroughly. When the kicker is 
 pressed, the quarter should immediately 
 drive a fake kick at the opponent who is 
 hurrying the kicker. Both quarter and kicker 
 should be on the watch to determine what 
 opponent this is. There should not be many 
 fake kicks. A few drives through the line, 
 similar to those from the close formation, 
 are sufficient. It will be found that the skill- 
 
 9 
 
 b 
 
I30 AMERICAN FOOTBALL 
 
 ful use of the fake kick will arrest opponents 
 who are threatening the kick. 
 
 DROP KICKING 
 
 Drop kicking is a highly specialized per- 
 formance. The kicker should rarely kick 
 from his own break. He should secure the 
 services of a center, and the coach should 
 time each kick. The kicker, glancing at the 
 goal, passes an imaginary plane through the 
 center of the goal posts and his foot. He 
 notes where the trace of this plane cuts the 
 ground immediately in front of him. He 
 receives the ball, adjusts it, and drops it 
 along the line of this trace previously marked 
 on the ground. Some drop kickers actually 
 draw a line along the ground, marking the 
 direction of the center of the goal posts. It 
 is vital that the kicker be skillful in adjusting 
 the ball before he drops it. Most drop kicks 
 that fail are unsuccessful because the ball is 
 improperly adjusted or carelessly dropped. 
 Just as in punting, the kicker must always 
 keep his eye on the ball when kicking. 
 
 Conclusion 
 
 The above outlines the machinery of the 
 kicking game. It is simple, but its im- 
 
 / 
 
THE KICKING GAME 131 
 
 portance cannot be overestimated. Played 
 in combination with a good running attack, 
 it should land the attacking team within 
 striking distance at least two or three times 
 in a game. The score can then be effected 
 either by the rushing game, the drop kick, or 
 the pass. 
 
 Once again the attention of the reader is 
 invited to the history of close contests. Such 
 games will show that the running attack 
 against an equal opponent fails until the op- 
 ponent's condition or morale has been broken. 
 If their endurance and determination remain 
 good throughout the contest, scores are 
 effected most readily by the kicking game. 
 The history of close contests is offered in 
 testimony of this fact. 
 
VIII 
 
 THE FORWARD PASS AND ITS USE 
 
 THE most interesting element of the attack 
 in the modern game of football is the 
 forward pass. The spectator enjoys this 
 play more than any other. It gives the player 
 and coach a splendid gamble with which to 
 advance the play. Were it not for the for- 
 ward pass, the game of football would be 
 more or less of a mathematical proposition. 
 With the forward pass, the element of chance 
 and speculation is tremendously increased. 
 
 Certain facts concerning the forward pass 
 have been developed during the few years in 
 which it has been authorized. In the first 
 place, an offense which rests entirely on the 
 forward pass is a failure. It is a proven fact 
 that when the defense knows the pass is to 
 be made (no matter what the distribution of 
 the offense may be) the defense can fully 
 defend against the pass. The best illustra- 
 tion of this fact is found in the experiences 
 
THE FORWARD PASS 
 
 133 
 
 of the Canadian players when they came to 
 certain American colleges for the purpose of 
 illustrating the possibilities of passing under 
 
 Forward Pass Areas 
 
 0000 
 XXX 
 
 X 
 
 X 
 
 • GO 
 X X 
 
 X 
 
 The successful execution of a pass depends upon the receiver 
 
 arriving uncovered kt an open space. The open spaces in the 
 
 normal defense are indicated above. Similar diagrams may be 
 
 worked out for the defenses of any .opponent. 
 
 the British game. These men were pro- 
 fessionals and had developed passing to a 
 point far beyond anything seen in the Ameri- 
 can game. Nevertheless, the American de- 
 fense was fully competent to handle their 
 passing. It is said that the Canadian players 
 completed pass after pass laterally and back- 
 ward, but were unable to advance the play 
 down the field by this method. Most 
 coaches and players can, from their own 
 
134 
 
 AMERICAN FOOTBALL 
 
 experience, cite cases of teams unusually 
 skillful in the pass which were unable to gain 
 victories because the offense was limited to 
 skillful passing alone. 
 
 Indeed, it has been found that the forward 
 pass cannot be used generally and with im- 
 punity on all parts of the field against a 
 
 The Attack by Passing 
 
 A Downfield Pass 
 
 strong defense. Given a strong defense, the 
 chances are two to one against the success of 
 the forward pass. It can be readily under- 
 stood that the offense, in its own half of the 
 field, is unwilling to take this chance of 
 losing the ball. The forward pass, then, is 
 
THE FORWARD PASS 135 
 
 reserved in general for use in the opponent's 
 half of the field when the normal methods of 
 attack have failed. It is, of course, necessary 
 to foresee the failure of the attack and to 
 make the pass before the defense have 
 realized that the attack is stopped. 
 
 We may say, then, that the forward pass is 
 a very strong, critical play or gamble. In 
 
 The Attack by Passings 
 
 A FJat Pas$ 
 
 general, it should never be thrown inside the 
 attacking team's forty-yard line. Its use is 
 confined to midfield and the territory of the 
 opponents. It is an exceedingly strong 
 gamble for a score. In the prescribed terri- 
 tory, a strong forward-passing team may 
 often mix the forward pass with the running 
 
136 AMERICAN FOOTBALL 
 
 attack in an exceedingly dangerous fashion. 
 Most of us have seen defensive teams whose 
 forwards have been demorahzed by the 
 failure of the backs in defending against the 
 pass. In this case, the running attack imme- 
 diately begins to advance. Forwards must 
 realize that their best method of defending 
 against the pass is to crash through and hurry 
 the passer. 
 
 Principles of Passing 
 
 There are certain principles in forward 
 passing which have been established by 
 experience : 
 
 (a) The pass is thrown best by the No. 3 
 back. It has been found that he has more 
 time than any other player and that, due to 
 his position, he can be used as a passer at 
 any place where delay is gained by deception. 
 
 (b) The pass should be a traveling lob, not 
 a shoot. A shoot is far too difficult to handle 
 or to throw with the required accuracy. 
 
 (c) The ball should be thrown over the 
 end or halfback. It should arrive and hang 
 over his face when he looks up, floating or 
 traveling through the air like a ripe plum 
 ready to be picked. The receiver should 
 catch with his hands as in baseball. The ball 
 
THE FORWARD PASS 137 
 
 may be steadied and guided to the body 
 when necessary, as in the case of catching a 
 punt. 
 
 {d) In general, the ball should lead out the 
 receiver into an open space, so that the re- 
 ceiver can take the ball on the run without 
 materially slowing up. The receiving end of 
 the attack generally goes down outside the 
 defensive tackle, changes direction after 
 passing the wing back, looks for the ball, 
 keeps on running, at the proper time again 
 looks for the ball, and finally receives it 
 going with speed held in slight check. 
 
 {e) The ball is thrown with the long axis 
 parallel to the ground or slightly tilted up. 
 In throwing, it is best to teach the passer 
 not to grip the ball. 
 
 (/) The effectiveness of the pass is greatly 
 increased when it is thrown as a surprise on 
 a quick lineup. 
 
 FoRWARD-PASS PlAYS 
 
 The following general types of forward- 
 pass plays have been used more or less 
 successfully : 
 
 (a) The receiving end or back both going 
 out wide to the open space or both going 
 straight down field to the middle open space, 
 
138 AMERICAN FOOTBALL 
 
 or where there are two receivers on the same 
 side, one going out and the other going down. 
 The pass with two eHgibles against the same 
 defensive wing back is exceedingly hard to 
 defend against. 
 
 (6) Passes in which the receiver cuts di- 
 agonally across the defensive back field, 
 taking the ball over the inside shoulder. 
 
 (c) Passes in which receivers, as stated 
 above, lead the defensive backs away from 
 the territory, and then the real receiver, 
 somewhat delayed, comes into that terri- 
 tory, taking the ball after the defenders have 
 been drawn away. 
 
 (d) Some teams have developed certain 
 special formations for the forward pass. 
 These formations have been so constructed 
 that a strong running attack behind a rush 
 line is attempted, while at the same time a 
 group of forward-pass receivers hang on or 
 off the line of scrimmage well out to the 
 flank. The running attack of such teams has 
 generally failed, due to lack of concentration. 
 Some other teams have practiced sending 
 their entire rush line through and down field 
 on forward passes with some success. Ordi- 
 narily this method sacrifices the protection of 
 the passer, which, in a close contest, is vital. 
 
THE FORWARD PASS 
 
 139 
 
 It may be said that any scheme of forward 
 passing must be so conceived that the passes 
 will be made from the normal close and open 
 
 The Attack by Passing- 
 
 A Crissfcross Pass 
 
 formations. If this is not done, the basic 
 element of the attack is sacrificed, and the 
 defenders may loosen up and distribute 
 themselves successfully against the pass. 
 
 Decoys 
 
 A vital element in the forward-pass play 
 is the work of the players whose duty it is 
 to decoy the defenders away from the re- 
 ceiver. These men must be exceedingly keen 
 about leading out at full speed in a manner 
 exactly similar to that in which they would go 
 if they were to receive the ball. In addition, 
 
I40 AMERICAN FOOTBALL 
 
 they must call for the ball by shouting or by 
 such other outward manifestations as the 
 situation may demand and as are calculated 
 to mislead the defense. A coach cannot be 
 too particular about training players in their 
 work as decoys. 
 
 Protection and Delay 
 
 Protection and delay may be obtained 
 either by the line and backs blocking fast all 
 opponents charging the passer or by decep- 
 tion. In the first method, the line and backs 
 should block for the two seconds necessary 
 to accomplish a forward pass from close 
 formation. If the element of surprise is 
 properly handled by the quarterback and the 
 pass is thrown from a quick lineup, this delay 
 and protection are readily obtained. More- 
 over, in this case the receivers have no trouble 
 passing the line of scrimmage and often 
 pass the defending backs before the latter 
 are alive to the situation. Protection and 
 delay may also be obtained by deception. 
 The good old-fashioned crisscross is an 
 excellent method of obtaining a standard 
 deception with a forward pass. A highly de- 
 veloped forward-passing team may also 
 
THE FORWARD PASS 
 
 141 
 
 vSecure this delay and protection by finst 
 making a lateral pass and then a forward 
 pass. With delay secured by deception the 
 offense is enabled to throw one of the most 
 dangerous of the forward passes, the so-called 
 
 The Attack by Passing 
 
 A Delayed Diagonal 
 
 delayed diagonal. In this case, the deception 
 or lateral pass leads the defenders and the 
 decoys to one flank, while the delayed re- 
 ceiver slips well out and down on the other 
 flank. The delayed pass is a long throw 
 diagonally across the field to the receiver. It 
 is an exceedingly effective forward pass. 
 
142 AMERICAN FOOTBALL 
 
 Passing from Open Formation 
 
 It often happens that the offense has great 
 difficulty in getting off its passes from the 
 close formation. Quarterbacks should be 
 trained to realize this situation and should 
 throw their passes thereafter from the open 
 formation. Although the defense is opened 
 out against the pass when the offense is in 
 open formation, nevertheless, a good back, 
 threatening kick, pass, and run from the 
 above formation, can at times consummate 
 successfully the forward pass. Passing from 
 the drop-kick formation is particularly dan- 
 gerous to the defense when close to its goal. 
 
 Drills 
 
 There are two drills in connection with the 
 forward pass which should be practiced 
 throughout the season: 
 
 (a) Passing. 
 
 The passer, with receivers and substitutes, 
 should assemble at the various critical posi- 
 tions on the field and the passer should prac- 
 tice throwing the ball on his different plays 
 to the various receivers. It is imperative 
 that a stop watch be used in this drill in 
 
THE FORWARD PASS 143 
 
 order that the passer be required to throw 
 within the required time Hmit of about one 
 and three fourths seconds. In this drill the 
 passer not only learns to throw, but also to 
 vary the ball thrown for the particular 
 receiver and play. 
 
 (6) FoRWARD-PASS DEFENSE PlAY. 
 
 This drill is practiced in skeleton formation 
 without the rush Une. The attacking ele- 
 ment varies the passes and rushes for the pur- 
 pose of catching the defense off balance. 
 The defense must be required to practice the 
 following elements of forward-pass defense: 
 
 1. Learn to be ready for the pass play to come in 
 
 quick sequence. Don't be caught napping. 
 
 2. The best safeguard is to guess when the quarter- 
 
 back is going to throw it. Opponents stopped 
 in the beginning of the game, third ot fourth 
 down. Always a possibility that they will 
 throw on first or second. 
 
 3. Opponent's attack stopped, one end at least 
 
 must be prepared to re-enforce the back field. 
 
 Ends bone this. 
 4i The center must be careful about getting out of 
 
 defensive position. 
 $. The line must hurry the pass. 
 6. The defensive back field must never let a man 
 
 outside or by. 
 
144 AMERICAN FOOTBALL 
 
 7. Play your territory as long as the receiver is in 
 
 it. Cover the receiver in any territory in which 
 he is uncovered. When the ball appears, play 
 the ball. 
 
 8. Crowd the receiver to get your rights. 
 
 9. Sometimes it will be necessary to jump. 
 
 10. Catch the ball if you can; beat it down, at least. 
 
 11. Talk, talk, talk. 
 
 12. If ball is sure to strike ground, don't catch it on 
 
 fourth down unless you can make a long gain. 
 
 The items on forward-pass defense given 
 herewith, which refer to the Hne, should be 
 the subject of drill under the line coach. 
 
 Typical and Critical Situations 
 
 From time to time, during dummy team 
 work, the two teams should be taken to 
 typical and critical positions on the field, and 
 the forward-pass plays and defenses should 
 be practiced. 
 
 Conclusion 
 
 Experience has shown that the vital ele- 
 ment in the forward-pass game is the effi- 
 ciency of the passer. The success of the for- 
 ward pass is 90 per cent dependent upon the 
 passer. A good forward passer can throw a 
 ball which any fairly good receiver can 
 
THE FORWARD PASS 145 
 
 handle. A good forward passer at times be- 
 comes so efficient that it is extremely difficult 
 for the very best defense to prevent him from 
 accomplishing the pass. The essence of the 
 forward pass is a high-class individual per- 
 formance. It is extremely difficult to train 
 a successful forward passer in one season. A 
 coach and team are extremely fortunate that 
 find among the players an accomplished 
 passer. Such a man creates an effective and 
 most dangerous weapon for the offense, 
 10 
 
IX 
 
 GENERALSHIP AND QUARTERBACK PLAY 
 
 General Considerations 
 
 CONDUCT of Quarterback: The quarter- 
 back after every scrimmage should be 
 the first man in position. The team should 
 see him ready, alert, cheerful, and confident. 
 
 By the way he carries himself, he can com- 
 municate to the team the kind of game he 
 wishes them to play. If he moves briskly and 
 calls off his signals in a snappy manner, the 
 team will immediately follow this lead. If 
 he is deliberate and cautious, the team will 
 respond likewise. The carriage of the 
 quarterback, as the team approaches the 
 goal line, is particularly important. He 
 should then, by leading and example, inspire 
 carefulness and determination. 
 
 The play is often greatly affected by his 
 manner of giving the signals. The quarter- 
 back should practice changing the character 
 
QUARTERBACK PLAY 147 
 
 of play by voice tones. This is very im- 
 portant as the team approaches the goal. 
 
 The quarterback is the field captain; he 
 is the leader of the play and, therefore, 
 should be an experienced player, if possible. 
 The coach should not hesitate to take an 
 experienced man from any position on the 
 team and put him at quarterback, if it is 
 practicable. It is not a good plan to have 
 a man other than quarterback give the 
 signals. 
 
 The moment the ball is down, the center 
 should be over it ready for the next play, 
 with the quarterback behind him, always 
 showing himself to the team as alive, sure of 
 himself, aggressive. He must be skilled in 
 making quick decisions. He must remember 
 that, when there are two or three things that 
 can be done, it is best to do one of them con- 
 fidently and without a moment's delay, even 
 though it be the second-best choice, rather 
 than delay and shake the team's confidence 
 in his judgment. 
 
 Preliminary to the direction of the play in 
 the games, the quarterback should know as 
 far as possible the weight, age, and experience 
 of every member of the opposing team. In 
 fact, it is often a good plan to throw your 
 
148 AMERICAN FOOTBALL 
 
 spare plays at the youngest and most inex- 
 perienced man on the opposing side. By 
 careful study of the newspapers a quarter- 
 back can often familiarize himself with many 
 of the weaknesses of players and of teams. 
 His knowledge concerning his own men and 
 team should, of course, be infinitely greater. 
 He should have his plays listed, and this 
 list should be revised from time to time, 
 eliminating from the top of the column the 
 weaker plays. At the end of the year some 
 quarterbacks have put on a small card a 
 short list of powerful plays, combinations, 
 and methods which they memorized beyond 
 the point of overlooking, even in the struggle 
 of a game. Some quarterbacks have carried 
 such a card into games with them to consult 
 when in the back field. 
 
 Basic Principles in Choice of Plays 
 
 There are certain basic principles in the 
 choice of plays by a quarterback which, long 
 experience has shown, a quarterback can vio- 
 late only under the most exceptional circum- 
 stances. All good generalship rests upon 
 these basic principles. The work of any par- 
 ticular quarterback who has been unusually 
 successful will be found either consciously or 
 
 I 
 
QUARTERBACK PLAY 149 
 
 unconsciously to rest upon these principles. 
 They are rarely violated with impunity. 
 
 The first of these great principles is, An 
 advance by rushing of more than 40 yards is 
 rarely successful. Experience has shown that 
 the great concentration and stress of the 
 rushing attack can be maintained, without 
 break, against strong opposition for a dis- 
 tance of not more than 40 yards. This rule, 
 of course, does not apply where the opponent 
 is weak and the distance can be gained in two 
 or three plays. The rule applies to an ad- 
 vance through stout resistance, where the 
 going is hard and rough. Experience has 
 shown that if an attack against a defense of 
 this nature is persisted in over a stretch of 
 ground for more than 40 yards, fumbles will 
 result, due to a break in the offense, or there 
 will be a tie-up in the play, or the defense 
 will have sized up the attack successfully. 
 A quarterback adhering to this principle 
 should plan to use his rushing attack over 
 stretches of not more than 40 yards. It must 
 be borne in mind, however, that this rule 
 may be modified to a certain extent, where a 
 long run or an unusual gain is sifted in during 
 the rushing advance. 
 
 The second great rule of generalship is, 
 
ISO AMERICAN FOOTBALL 
 
 Never lose the hall on downs. The value of the 
 ball to a football team is measured in yards 
 by the distance the team is able to kick it. 
 We may say that, in general, the ball is worth 
 35 yards. It is apparent that if we surrender 
 the ball on downs in any part of the field, we 
 simply hand the defensive team 35 yards. 
 No such policy can be pursued with success. 
 It is vital that a quarterback realize the su- 
 preme necessity of never failing to kick the 
 ball forward when the attack is stopped. 
 
 This rule is subject to a certain modifica- 
 tion when the attack is close to the opponent's 
 goal. Here the quarterback should either 
 kick into the corner, shoot a drop kick for the 
 goal, or play a scoring pass. All three of 
 these methods are offensive moves, and the 
 particular one to be chosen depends upon the 
 distance the ball is from the opposing goal 
 and the particular situation at the time. 
 
 The third basic principle of generalship, 
 which, in a way, is a corollary of the preceding 
 two already stated, is. Press the kicking game. 
 We know from a great many years' experi- 
 ence in football that it is impossible to rush 
 the ball over half the length of the field. 
 We know through our experience with the 
 modern game that it is impossible to pass the 
 
 I 
 
FIELDING H. (" HURRY UP") YOST, 
 UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN 
 
 PERCY D. HAUGHTON, 
 HARVARD UNIVERSITY 
 
 WALTER CAMP, "FATHER OF AMERICAN FOOTBALL" Unset Piclurc) 
 
QUARTERBACK PLAY 151 
 
 ball up and down the field against a good de- 
 fense. We know that the mixture of passing 
 with rushing offers a good defense an excellent 
 opportunity to deprive the offensive team of 
 the ball in midfield or in the attacking team's 
 territory. The only sound rule for advancing 
 the ball down the field against an equal op- 
 ponent is either to outkick the opponent or 
 to gain more territory by a combinaton of 
 rushing and kicking. If the defending team 
 can kick as far as the offensive team, it is 
 apparent that the superior yardage can be 
 obtained by a certain amount of rushing — 
 say twenty yards or so — ^followed by a good 
 kick. If the offense can outkick the oppo- 
 nents by reason of a better kicker or a favor- 
 able wind, the proposition is, of course, ex- 
 ceedingly simple. The problem is stated in 
 one phrase — Press the kicking game. Many 
 coaches are never satisfied with their material 
 unless they can find among the players a 
 first-class kicker. Such a player is a tre- 
 mendous asset to any team because he really 
 is the main feature of the attack. 
 
 The fourth great principle of generalship 
 is, Make and play J or the breaks. The 
 problem of defeating a weaker team is simple. 
 But the problem of defeating an equal or 
 
IS2 AMERICAN FOOTBALL 
 
 better team generally turns on the applica- 
 tion of this rule, and this application, in turn, 
 depends upon a particular team and situa- 
 tion. For instance, a close stu4y of the op- 
 ponent may show that its weakness lies in 
 defending against the forward pass, or 
 catching kicks, or defending the passer or 
 kicker, or in a particularly poor player. In 
 most of these instances the quarterback can 
 guide the play, so as to take advantage of 
 these weaknesses of the opponent. In other 
 words, he should play to the opponent's weak- 
 nesses. This is one of the great basic prin- 
 ciples of generalship, which not only applies 
 to the work of the quarterback on the field, 
 but is a guiding rule for the coach in deter- 
 mining matters of policy while developing 
 the team for a particularly hard contest. 
 
 Certain basic principles have been enunci- 
 ated above. Herewith are stated certain 
 general rules for the choice of particular 
 plays in any contest. These rules and the 
 basic principles already laid down have been 
 the basis of most of the successful quarter- 
 back play in the game of football. Long 
 experience has shown that they can be vio- 
 lated only with great peril to the perhaps 
 
QUARTERBACK PLAY 153 
 
 reckless quarterback and the team under his 
 command. It will pay all quarterbacks to 
 study and meditate with great care con- 
 cerning these principles and rules. 
 
 1. No rule is absolute; break any rule in order to 
 
 succeed. 
 
 2. Never lose the ball on downs — that is, get its 
 
 full value forward by kicking or by a scoring 
 play. 
 
 3. In your territory: 
 
 (a) If outkicking opponents, go to position and 
 kick. Press kicking game. Exception: at 
 times, ball may be rushed to steady team or 
 when in danger of kicking to fair catch. 
 
 (6) If outkicked, hold the ball as long as possible, 
 playing slowly and carefully for the period. 
 
 4. In opponent's territory, hold ball as long as 
 
 possible, ending with scoring play if possible. 
 
 5. In general watch for: 
 
 (i) Spreading in opponent's line. 
 
 (2) Boxing the tackle. 
 
 (3) Open space in back field. 
 
 (4) Critical positions. 
 
 6. Convinced that the game is an even break, take 
 
 a chance outside your 40-yard line. 
 
 7. Pake kick when kicker is hurried at dangerous 
 
 opponent. 
 
 8. Inside your 20-yard line do not hold on to ball 
 
 too long. No wide runs, 
 
 9. Take chances, provided there is nothing to lose. 
 
154 AMERICAN FOOTBALL 
 
 Quarterback Drills 
 
 Only a very few coaches know how to train 
 a quarterback. The following drills will prove 
 an excellent guide for obtaining a standard 
 performance from quarterbacks: 
 
 (a) Voice and Bearing Drill. 
 
 In this drill, a team or skeleton team is 
 assembled either from substitutes or quarter- 
 backs, and the quarterback candidates are 
 required to call formations and signals. He 
 should shift the team and change his field 
 position slightly between each play. The 
 coach, by example or by criticism, shows the 
 quarterback the actual technique of assuming 
 his position, the manner of giving his signals, 
 and the method of switching his formations. 
 The quarterback should be taught the para- 
 mount importance of the use of his voice. 
 He is like an officer in command of troops, 
 and he must be able to get his command 
 across in the proper manner. A good voice 
 is an exceedingly desirable asset. In this 
 drill, the quality of the voice tones should 
 be brought out. A clever quarterback can 
 produce determined concentrated play by 
 inserting that quality into his voice. He 
 
QUARTERBACK PLAY 155 
 
 can also produce fire and dash from certain 
 matters of command. Unhappily, he can, 
 by an unfortunate use of his voice, also bring 
 about nervousness and start his men before 
 the ball is in play. This drill may be prac- 
 ticed with only three men — all quarterbacks. 
 One candidate should play the quarterback 
 position, the other two candidates playing 
 the positions of center and halfback, re- 
 spectively. 
 
 (b) Field Positions. 
 
 After the quarterback candidates have 
 mastered the technique of handling the ball 
 and have acquired the proper bearing and tone 
 of voice, they should be given drills in field 
 positions. The group outlined above should 
 be moved from position to position on the 
 field of play — the coach calling a hypothetical 
 down and distance, the quarterback calling 
 the formation and signal for the play. Dis- 
 cussion of critical situations and positions is, 
 of course, an exceedingly interesting part of 
 this drill. The quarterback group should be 
 taken to the following critical positions: 
 (i) The ball two yards in front of either of 
 his own goal posts. (2) The ball within a 
 yard of the goal line and two yards from any 
 
156 AMERICAN FOOTBALL 
 
 tiorner. (3) The ball two yards from either 
 vside line. (4) The ball six yards from either 
 side line. (5) The ball on the opponent's 4- 
 yard [line, etc. The coach, in each of 
 these particular situations, calls the down and 
 distance, and may, in addition, prescribe 
 such other conditions as may make the situ- 
 ation critical, as, for instance, the ball on the 
 opponent's lo-yard line in front of the goal 
 posts, third down, ten to go, five seconds to 
 play, score 7 to 6 against you. 
 
 (c) Watching for Spreads and Open 
 Spaces. 
 
 The third quarterback drill is handled as 
 follows : Two complete teams, either first and 
 second, or, if more convenient, third and 
 fourth, are assembled. The quarterback is 
 required to shift the formations back and 
 forth, open and close them, and call the signal 
 for the most advantageous play resulting 
 from defensive players being out of position. 
 The coach should require the defensive play- 
 ers to take improper distances and intervals 
 in order to develop the quarterback. For 
 instance, a guard at times should leave an 
 excessive gap between himself and the center 
 or tackle, or a wing back should move up 
 
QUARTERBACK PLAY 157 
 
 close to the rush Une. The quarterback 
 should be required to call the answering play 
 immediately. After the quarterback has de- 
 veloped a few days under this training, he 
 should be required, by shifting the formation 
 and by close analysis of the defense, to pick 
 flaws where he can find them. An experienced 
 quarterback will rise a step higher and, in 
 shifting or assuming a formation, call a par- 
 ticular play and get it off with a surprise 
 element added to it. This is particularly 
 applicable to the forward pass. A good 
 quarterback can line up his team and throw 
 the pass often before the defense is ready 
 for it. 
 
 (d) Scoring. 
 
 It has been said of quarterbacks that all 
 that is required of them is to catch kicks and 
 to score. They should have daily drill at 
 both requirements. Scoring drill is handled 
 by requiring the quarterback to take posi- 
 tions in the opponent's territory while at 
 either group or individual drill, and then to 
 call the proper plays for scoring. The coach 
 may call the down and distance. After the 
 quarterback has developed, however, he will 
 make his own decisions. Whenever he is 
 
is8 AMERICAN FOOTBALL 
 
 drilling in opponent's territory he should 
 train the team in the execution of the critical 
 plays upon which he proposes to rely for 
 scoring. For instance, he may drill the at- 
 tack in driving over for a score when on the 
 opponent's 2 -yard line; or in making a 
 scoring pass from drop-kick formation; or 
 in making a wide run from drop-kick forma- 
 tion when the drop kick is assumed to be too 
 difficult. 
 
 (e) Pencil-and-paper Work, 
 
 Quarterbacks should be worked during the 
 beginning of the year at night off the field 
 of play with a blackboard or pencil and 
 paper. The coach should draw a miniature 
 field of play, locate the ball thereon, assume 
 the down and distance, and require the 
 quarterback to call the formation and signal. 
 In this manner the quarterback can be 
 trained in the idea of watching for spreads, 
 open spaces, players out of position, etc. 
 
 The above drills are not complicated 
 nor do they require a great deal of time. 
 They should be so handled that the drills will 
 occupy only that period allotted to group 
 work in the early part of the season. Con- 
 
QUARTERBACK PLAY 159 
 
 siderable stress should be laid upon getting 
 the quarterback in condition to handle his 
 attack at the very beginning of the season. 
 
 OVERCOACHING 
 
 Great care should be exercised to avoid 
 overcoaching. At every stage of the game 
 the quarterback should be encouraged to 
 make his own decisions. Everything possible 
 should be done to develop his initiative and 
 confidence. After the season is two or three 
 weeks old the quarterback coach should 
 retire to a position of friendly criticism and 
 encouragement. In this manner only can 
 the quarterback be trained in self-reliance 
 and daring. 
 
 Following is the general theory of the use 
 of the various methods of attack: 
 
 The Kicking Game 
 
 The kicking game should be resorted to 
 only when one's kicker is superior to that of 
 the opponents. The ideal kick is to send the 
 ball down the field and toward the side line, 
 so that, when the opposing team lines up, its 
 players will be ** boxed'' against the side 
 line and be compelled to kick the ball to 
 the center of the field or to resort to a long 
 
i6o AMERICAN FOOTBALL 
 
 end run in that direction. The double ad- 
 vantage of kicking the ball to the opponent's 
 side line is obvious: the kicker has in all 
 probability gained from 30 to 40 yards on 
 his kick; the opposing kicker is obliged to 
 kick and thereby lose the ball to the other 
 side somewhere in the center of the field. 
 Of course, if the opposing kicker can kick 
 directly over the center and down the side 
 line, he can thereby place the other team at a 
 disadvantage on the side line. But, unless 
 he is an unusually reliable kicker, he will 
 kick toward the center of the field and run 
 the risk of one of the opposing players running 
 the ball back. 
 
 However, the successful prosecution of the 
 kicking game is not dependent upon this 
 rather theoretical kicking from the center to 
 the side and the reverse. On the contrary, 
 generally all that can be expected of the 
 kicker is to get off a good kick straight down 
 field. A good kick straight ahead is quite 
 sufficient. But where the kicker is unusually 
 skillful he can often apply the above theo- 
 retical rule with great success. 
 
 When the team is kicking within 40 or 45 
 yards of the opponent's goal, the kick should 
 be directed outside at the 5 -yard or lo-yard 
 
QUARTERBACK PLAY i6i 
 
 line, compelling the opponents to kick out to 
 a fair catch. 
 
 Should a team be kicking from behind its 
 own goal line, it should kick into the side 
 belt invariably, keeping the opposing team 
 from a fair catch. 
 
 On a very windy day it is often desirable 
 to try an extremely high kick, even though 
 a short one, in order to try the nerve of 
 the opposing back field and to develop a 
 muff. 
 
 The quick kick is strong when there is a 
 kicker capable of getting his distance in that 
 manner. It quite often gets the ends and 
 tackles down the field unblocked, and it has 
 the element of surprise. 
 
 In the last minutes of a half, high short 
 kicks are a good means of trying for a fluke 
 score. 
 
 Just as the kicking game is played with the 
 superior kicker, so the rushing game is played 
 by a team of superior power. Though a team 
 is better grounded in the finer points of the 
 game, a more powerful opponent can often 
 change the complexion of the game by re- 
 fusing to kick the ball and by hammering the 
 opposing team in all parts of the field. 
 
 The rushing game consists in going for the 
 
i62 AMERICAN FOOTBALL 
 
 lo-yards' distance repeatedly. No rules can 
 be given for the selection of the plays, because 
 they vary with the team, the opponents, and 
 the game. But the following underlying 
 principle may be established: Given one 
 weak point on the opposing line, there is, 
 theoretically, the possibility of a steady ad- 
 vance, since in order to strengthen that point 
 some other point must be weakened. The 
 quarterback, by watching the feet and the 
 heads and shoulders of the opposing players, 
 can tell what point has been weakened. 
 Thus with one weak point there can be a 
 kind of pendulum advance, first striking the 
 weak point, and then, when that is re-en- 
 forced, striking the point from which re- 
 enforcement has been drawn. 
 
 It should be noticed that in the rushing 
 game the opposing line will play wide in the 
 center of the field and close in as you ap- 
 proach their goal line, so that advance may 
 be made from tackle to tackle when between 
 the 2 5 -yard lines, whereas within 25 yards 
 of the goal line the quarterback must watch 
 carefully for the closing in of the opposing 
 line and hold himself ready to roll a play 
 around the tackle rather than smash through 
 the line. 
 
QUARTERBACK PLAY 163 
 
 To test the rushing game, try the plays 
 that have proved strongest in practice. If 
 they go, save them for scoring distance. 
 
 As you approach the score, stick to the 
 plays that have been going; don't try new 
 plays on the goal line. 
 
 Do not allow yourself to play the entire 
 game in the side belt ; it cuts off half of your 
 plays. Either rush the ball outside and take 
 it in 15 yards, or sacrifice a play for position 
 and, by a long end run, take the ball into the 
 center of the field. 
 
 In general, you cannot carry the ball more 
 than 40 yards. 
 
 There is a combination of kicking and 
 rushing which can be played against a team 
 having a superior kicker. Theoretically, 
 this is played by making up the distance 
 lost, due to the failure of the kicking game, 
 by superiority in the rushing game. The 
 team, on receiving the ball from a kicker, 
 must carry it back the distance gained by 
 the opponents in kicking, and a little more, 
 too. 
 
 The combination game is the one ordinarily 
 played, even when you have a superior 
 kicker, because rushing the ball gives con- 
 
i64 AMERICAN FOOTBALL 
 
 fidence to your own team and teaches your 
 opponents your power; while the kicking 
 game, to a certain extent, gives your op- 
 ponents a rest. It must be remembered that 
 the ball cannot be carried by rushing more 
 than 40 yards, except under exceptional con- 
 ditions. When extended beyond 40 yards, 
 the probability of a fumble is so great that 
 it is exceedingly dangerous to persist in 
 holding on to the ball. This rule may be 
 violated in the very beginning of the game, 
 when the opponents are off their feet; at 
 the very end of the game, when either you or 
 your opponents are trying desperately for a 
 score; or on a windy day when scoring dis- 
 tance is considerably increased. 
 
 The forward pass, as an element in the 
 attack, is used in combination with the 
 kicking and rushing offense. The quarter- 
 back, foreseeing that the rushing attack is 
 stopped, may pass in any position outside 
 his 40-yard line. Should he pass when well 
 out from the opponent's goal, he should 
 choose that character of pass which will not 
 be intercepted. Should he pass close to the 
 opponent's goal, he should attempt a scoring 
 pass. The forward pass is an extremely 
 
QUARTERBACK PLAY 165 
 
 strong, critical play, particularly for scoring. 
 It is doubly strengthened when the element of 
 surprise is present. A team that is unusually 
 skillful in passing can often play a combina- 
 tion rushing and passing game with great 
 success. 
 
 Technique of Handling the Ball 
 
 The following statement of quarterback 
 technique applies only where the ball passes 
 through a quarterback playing up under the 
 line: 
 
 The first requisite of a play is that the ball 
 shall be safely lodged in the hands of the 
 runner. The play of the center and the 
 quarterback is subordinate to this necessity. 
 The quarterback and the center should study 
 each other's play. The center should make 
 any changes the quarterback desires, in 
 order that the ball may be more safely or 
 easily handled. The center's play is always 
 subordinate to a safe pass to the quarterback. 
 Putting out the opponent, making a hole, or 
 any other detail of his play must not be con- 
 sidered as important as passing the ball 
 safely to the quarterback. 
 
 In receiving the ball, the quarterback has, 
 with his hands and arms and body, what may 
 
1 66 AMERICAN FOOTBALL 
 
 be called three cups. These cups are formed : 
 first, by the hands; second, by the forearms; 
 and third, by the arms and the body. The 
 ball, when tossed by the center to the 
 quarterback, will pass from the ground to the 
 ground in a small arc. The long axis of the 
 ball is always horizontal. The top of this arc 
 is the point at which the ball is received by 
 the hands of the quarterback. At this point 
 the ball has neither an upward nor a down- 
 ward motion. If the quarterback receives 
 the ball before it reaches the top of its arc, 
 the upward motion of the ball strikes the 
 hands, producing what is known as fighting 
 the ball — -that is, the ball rebounds from the 
 hands. If the hands are moved forward 
 while the ball is moving toward them, fighting 
 the ball also results. It is one of the common 
 causes of fumbles. Hard passing also causes 
 rebounds. 
 
 Should the hands be below the top of the 
 arc, the quarterback loses valuable time, 
 because he allows the ball to rise and then to 
 begin to fall. The ball should be received 
 at the top of the arc, and, if it is necessary 
 to quicken the time, it should be done by 
 making the arc smaller or by tending to re- 
 ceive the ball while it is rising. The hands 
 
QUARTERBACK PLAY 167 
 
 of the quarterback should not be thrust out 
 to receive the ball at the last moment. They 
 should always be in position at the top of the 
 arc ready for the ball and a second or two 
 before the ball is put in play. The hands 
 are held like a small cup, palms up, fingers 
 extended and wide apart, the little fingers 
 adjacent and separated by about five or six 
 inches. The palms of both hands are under 
 the path of the flight of the balL The ball 
 rises and the hands receive and draw it in. 
 
 Receiving the ball in the second cup is 
 brought about by the ball rolling over the 
 hands into the forearms and touching the 
 upper arm. When the first cup fails the 
 second and third are rendered certain by 
 closing in the elbows and knees. Should the 
 first two cups fail and the ball roll between 
 the arms, it should lodge in the pit of the 
 stomach and be surrounded by both arms 
 and thighs. A quarterback should always 
 try to use the first cup, no matter what the 
 conditions are. Sometimes it is impossible 
 to handle a wet, muddy, and slimy ball 
 with your hands alone. A quarterback will 
 then find himself using the second and third 
 cups. 
 
 The general position of the quarter is as 
 
i68 AMERICAN FOOTBALL 
 
 follows: Pace the center, one foot advanced 
 five or six inches beyond the other, knees bent 
 as desired, body bent at the waist, hands and 
 arms held well forward. This permits you to 
 turn with equal facility to either side. The 
 quarterback should, however, vary his feet 
 with the play, putting forward either foot as 
 desired. The only rule that he must never 
 break is that which forbids his disclosing the 
 play to the opposing team. He may work at 
 times even with one knee on the ground. 
 
 The quarterback, receiving the ball from 
 the center, draws his hands back with the 
 flight of the ball toward the side of the body 
 to which he is to pass, fixes the ball in his 
 hands for the pass, at the same time turning 
 his body at the waist, turning his head, and 
 turning his eyes on to the runner. He is, at 
 the same time, adjusting his feet into any 
 position he may consider desirable to facil- 
 itate the pass. 
 
 There are, in general, three passes: the 
 pass for close plays from tackle to tackle, the 
 pass for plays outside tackle, and the pass 
 for end plays. The most important is the 
 pass for plays from tackle to tackle. The 
 essential that governs the play of the quarter- 
 back on this pass is that he shall not interfere 
 
QUARTERBACK PLAY 169 
 
 with the runner or the play. In order not to 
 do so and at the same time make a safe and 
 sure pass, he is obUged to swing up under the 
 Une, keeping out of the path of the play. 
 Otherwise, he will either strike the runner and 
 throw him out of his path or, by getting 
 slightly in his way, cause the runner to sheer 
 off out of the path. As the runner ap- 
 proaches, the quarterback must be able to 
 place the ball in the runner's body and then 
 withdraw, leaving the runner a free path. 
 
 The pass for plays outside of tackle is a 
 short, quick float, whereas for an end rtm the 
 pass is made on the run to the back, after 
 both are well started. In the latter case the 
 pass is an easy float. 
 
 When a play has failed, the quarterback 
 should know exactly what caused it to fail. 
 He should know which men were in their 
 proper places, and which were not. Often it 
 is impossible for a quarterback to watch this 
 and go into a play at the same time. But 
 there are quarterbacks who can do both. 
 However, a quarterback should be compelled 
 to give his first attention to the direction and 
 supervision of the offense. 
 
 A valuable exercise for the quarterback 
 is to receive the ball from the center and 
 
170 AMERICAN FOOTBALL 
 
 then swing up under the line, practicing 
 passes. As the center passes the ball, he 
 should move forward. During the first half 
 of the year the center and quarter should 
 do this daily, and they should return to this 
 exercise whenever there is a tendency to 
 fumble. 
 
 The quarterback should know every back 
 on the squad. He should make it a point to 
 get some practice with all of them, and regu- 
 lar practice with the regular backs. He 
 should learn every detail of the pass desired 
 by each back, and endeavor to conform to 
 that as far as practicable. 
 
 Backs often object greatly to the stand of 
 the quarter, on the ground that his legs inter- 
 fere with the view of the ball. The quarter 
 must rectify this by continued practice with 
 the individual backs. The fact that the back 
 does not see the ball in any play is no excuse 
 for any failure on his part. The back must 
 know the quarterback and the center so well 
 that he can tell when the ball goes in play, 
 whether he sees it or not. Throughout the 
 year quarterbacks and the other backs must 
 practice constantly to perfect the passing 
 and receiving. Of course, the position of the 
 quarterback cannot be arbitrarily assigned 
 
QUARTERBACK PLAY 171 
 
 for the benefit of the backs. Both must yield 
 a little to the other's wishes. 
 
 Conclusion 
 
 The writer is well aware that many foot- 
 ball teams use methods of play different 
 from those he has outlined, but the history 
 of success in football shows that the best 
 teams have played largely in accordance with 
 these methods. The most successful teams 
 have been built along these lines. 
 
 Whether the direct pass or the indirect 
 pass is used is of no consequence in so far 
 as the principles of generalship apply. In 
 most cases success has followed the system 
 of generalship outlined herewith. 
 
 THE END 
 
34?7**^ 
 
-- LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 
 
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