Development of the Harvard Team.

At the beginning of the season, the outlook for a successful football team was not bright. Many of last year's squad did not report for the preliminary practice and this, together with the unusually small number of candidates at first, made it almost impossible for the early work to be effective. Of last year's team and substitutes, Campbell, Bowditch, Ristine, Sargent, Eaton, Graydon, Devens and Barnard returned in the early part of the season and formed the nucleus of the squad. Later in the season Kernan, Roberts, Lee, Clark and Putnam reported.

The problem at first seemed to be one of developing a team out of mediocre material, for with the exception of Campbell and Bowditch none of the squad seemed to show more than average ability. The situation was made the more discouraging because of the lack of spirit and enthusiasm on the part of a majority of the players. The men fortunately got over this indifference and the work progressed more favorably. The problem of picking out a team remained a difficult one, as many of the men showed about equal ability. For this reason the work of the first half of the season was rather elementary, the purpose of the coaches being to develop the men individually before commencing the formation of team work. The result was that the early games were won by small scores, but the players showed a gradual improvement in their individual work.

The game with Columbia showed the effectiveness of this policy and marked the beginning of the development of team play. This development has since been retarded considerably by the injuries to the players. Furthermore the policy of the coaches has been to avoid the unfortunate experience of last year, and bring the team to its highest state of development at the time of the Yale game and not before the game with Pennsylvania.

The team as it now stands, shows the result of a steady, though slow, development in team play, and of careful coaching in the more minute details. As is natural under these circumstances it is stronger on the defense than on the offense. The men play with spirit and dash, and are well together in stopping plays through the line. In the breaking up of end plays two such players as Campbell and Bowditch make the team exceptionally strong. The line is slow in starting, however, and the men do not always watch the play closely enough. On the offense the line is capable of making good holes and getting opposing players out of the way; but it does not always work together, although the effectiveness of the men in helping the runner along in a measure counter-acts this fault. Although the backfield is somewhat slow in starting, it follows close behind its interference. The formations have not been highly developed as yet, but the work so far gives promise of the final development of a fast and compact interference.

Campbell is playing better than last year, and his responsibilities as captain have not interfered with his development. He is the first man to get down the field on kicks, but still has the fault of overrunning his man. In interfering for a runner and in breaking up plays his work is excellent. Bowditch has been behind the other players in his development, owing to his injury early in the season, but is now getting into form. Cutts is playing a hard and spirited game and has shown considerable improvement in his playing. He is still a little slow in charging and in running with the ball, but his strength is of great advantage to the team. Blagden has shown decided improvement. From a rather unlikely candidate he has become one of the most promising candidates for tackle. He is slow in getting down the field, but manages to carry the ball well.

Lee is playing a reliable game and although he did not come out until late, is rapidly getting into form. He is extremely valuable in helping the runner along, but has a tendency to play high. Barnard has shown very great improvement. He plays with more spirit and fight than formerly and uses his head. He, as well as Lee, is effective in helping the runner along. At the beginning of the season Sargent was most unpromising, but lately he has shown the result of persistent coaching. He plays with unexpected dash, and is active in getting into the plays. His passing has improved, but this is still not as accurate as it might be. Marshall is a brilliant player and with careful coaching should improve greatly. He is particularly effective in running back punts, but is not always as sure in catching them as is necessary. He goes into the interference in good style, and inspires a great deal of confidence in the backs. Kernan has been playing a strong game throughout the season, but has not yet recovered from his injury received in the Brown game. He follows his interference well, and his speed is a great help on end runs. Putnam is an effective ground gainer and his persistency puts a great deal of life into the other players. Ristine is a hard and fast runner, but does not follow his interference closely enough. Graydon has improved greatly, especially in hitting the line and keeping his feet. He is valuable in breaking up the line. McGrew has improved considerably in recent games. He is particularly capable in line plays. Lawrence plays with spirit, but is not very effective on the defense. Clark plays a reliable game at end, but is slow in getting down the field on kicks. Cooper shows good judgment in playing his position and is effective in stopping play around his end. Devens runs well, but does not follow his interference closely enough. Mifflin hits the line hard, but does not keep his feet well.

On the whole the team is not as far along in its development as it was last year at this time of the season. The players are, individually, capable of putting up a hard, aggressive game