CHANGES IN FOOTBALL RULES

The intercollegiate football rules committee met last Friday and Saturday at the Murray Hill Hotel, New York, and drew up the rules for 1908. With the exception of the modification of the forward pass, none of the changes in the rules were of great importance.

The first meeting on Friday was concerned merely with regard to the officers of the committee. In the afternoon and evening many points were considered and discussed, but nothing was given out. On Saturday the committee again met to complete its action.

The changes of consequence were three: modification of the forward pass, option given the defending side to decline all penalties except for disqualification, lengthening of the intermission to 15 minutes.

The ruling on the forward pass is worded as follows: "A forward pass illegally touched goes to opponents on the spot from which the pass was made, and on the passer's side only the man who first legally touches the ball may thereafter recover it until it has been touched by an opponent." As a penalty to enforce this measure it was ruled that "if a forward pass is legally touched and when free is touched by another player of the passer's side, the ball shall go to the opponents on the spot." The object of this rule is to accomplish the needed change of making the forward pass less a random play, and the penalty attached will tend to prevent scrambling at the far end of the pass.

A rule was enacted stating specifically the rights of the defensive in intercepting a pass. While the pass is in the air, the players of the defensive side may not use their hands and arms on their opponents, except to push them out of the way in order to receive the pass. The players on the side making the pass who are eligible to receive the pass may use their hands or arms just as players going down under a kick. The effect of this ruling will be to eliminate holding and tackling on the part of the defensive.

Action was taken providing that all penalties may be declined by the defensive, except for disqualification. This ruling applies to fouls, but does not include technical penalties for incompleted forward passes.

A rule was adopted that the score of a forfeited game shall be 1 to 0, and a resolution was passed lengthening the intermission between the halves from 10 to 15 minutes, and the referee is to cause both teams to be notified three minutes before the beginning of the second half. If, by the time two minutes more have clapsed, either team fails to appear, the ball shall be given to the side offended against and put in play as first down on the offending side's 30-yard line.

The committee also adopted a rule that in case a forward pass or a kicked ball, other than a try at goal, strikes the uprights or cross-bar, the ball shall be considered as having crossed the goal, and the play shall constitute a touchback. If the ball accidentally strikes an official, the play shall be played over.