Evening Republican, Volume 15, Number 287, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 6 December 1911 — INSIDE GAME COUNTS [ARTICLE]

INSIDE GAME COUNTS

4 Credit for Ray. ' Chances for Rea. Scientific Work There is an "inside” football just as well' as “Inside” baseball. ■ The great difference is that there Is so much more inside football that not only does the average spectator miss it, but the players and coaches themselves see little of IL At present it seems that the possibilities of“taside” football are unlimited.

Every player on a team has chances to pull off inside work, but the position which most needs the ability to grasp a situation and grapple with it in a new way is that of quarter back. Around, the little men who call the signals' for the big elevens open a thousand possibilities for inside play, and many are the quarter backs who do not take advantage of their opportunities. That is why the "beady” quarter backs, that is, those who can run a team on the field as well as the coach on the side line could direct it, may be counted on the fingers of one hand.

The quarter back must keep in mind the number of downs, the distance to be gained, the position on the field, the length of time that remains to be played, the individual and collective strength of Mb own men, ana the individual and collective strength and weakness of his opponents, the peculiarities of the officials, „and the number and kind of plays at his disposal. All of these things must be considered in a single instant and decision given sometimes in a fraction of a second, frequently while rising from the ground or struggling to be disengaged from the mass, and frequently when suffering from painful injuries. And .yet they say it- requires no brains to play football.

A football player seldom gets credit for “inside” work for the reason that the grandstand does not recogJust a few Instances: Under the new rules it Is sometimes rhore advisable for a member "qf a team on the defense to drop a forward »-3a which he has caught than to hold it This is on the occasion of a forward pass on a third down. A defensive halfback has a chance to catch the ball, but sees that he would be downed without carrying the ball back to the line where It started. In this case, the right play Is to touch the ball and let it drop to the ground, so that the ball will then be brought back to the place where it started and. given to .his side. To the grandstand this play properly executed Wbuld be hissed by the unthinking. Again, a quarter back in the safety position Is standing almost on his own goal line. The ball is kicked to him. He can’t make an easy catch, but the heady man In this case will usually allow the ball to fly or bounce across* the goal line. The defending side is then allowed to take the ball out to the twehty-five-yard line and put It In play. If he elects, to catch It he will probably be downed before reaching that line. Yet quarterbacks have been 'called dubs and poor catches by the grandstand for this play. The same procedure should be used where a high kick-off is kicked so as to pass or bounce over the goal line immediately, especially where the ends coming down under the kick are fast. /

The heady backflelder of these days runs outside and continues parallel to the goal line for a few paces, In order to tempt some unwary man on the other team to tackle him and secure a penalty against the tackler. A thousand possibilities are open to the student of the game for inside work. Running with the halt, catching, passing, kicking—each has a do*en little tricks which spell defeat or victory if taken advantage of or neglected at the psychological moment