ECHOES FROM GRIDIRON

Last winter the football playing rules were so changed that, after a touchdown had been registered, the attacking team could bring the ball out onto the playing field and try for its goal from touchdown from any point desired.

Prior to this change in the rules an effort was made to have the goal from touchdown either thrown out of the game entirely, or at least to have the play made under conditions which would bring 22 men into action instead of only two offensive players, and a few half-hearted defenders clustered under the goal posts who knew they hadn't a chance in a thousand to block the kick.

However, the Rules Committee in session last winter maintained that inasmuch as scoring a touchdown, earning six points, required far more football ability than two field-goals, also equivalent to six points, that the goal from touchdown should serve as the extra reward for the touchdown makers over the team that could score only by the aerial route. And following this train of

thought, they made the goal from touchdown as easy a reward to gain as possible.

Under this rule, based on the above reasoning, the goal from touchdown has proved rather unsatisfactory. Games have been lost through a miscue by a nervous kicker or holder of the ball, and the rest of the team has had to see their efforts at team work successful at reaching the correct goal in view--the touchdown--nullified by one individual's failure to kick a tying or winning goal. That the kicking of the goal is quite inconsistent with the team play that is the essence of football, is in no way better shown than by the action of the Williams team, who proved to be entirely justified in placing only one man under the posts to make a futile dash at the kicker; this made only 3 men out of 22 in actual play.

Kick From Scrimmage After Score?

On the contrary, when a field goal is made from scrimmage, every man has his assignment to carry out, each essential to the success of the kick. And there is a movement on foot at present to make the suggestion to the Rules Committee that in the future goals from touchdowns be kicked from drop-kick formation. The proposition is that the two teams line up not nearer the goal than 20 yards and there made a real play of the try for goal, either from placement or drop-kick, but by all means with the elevens lined up as in a scrimmage.

Such a method of earning goals from touchdown would then mean something from the standpoint of team play. This goal kicking not only would be a real bit of active football but the one point, or even two points earned in this manner would still give the earners of a touchdown their extra credit over those who can score only by the field goals. The defensive team would have a real chance as an organization to combat its opponents' efforts. Consider how few times a free kick that has any chance at clearing the bar is ever blocked by the defenders under present rules!

Melville E. Webb Jr., foremost Boston Sporting Editor, has the following to say in commendation of the scheme.

"The play would demand attention from the spectators and would be real football. There never has been a real argument made against such a provision in the rules, which have already been worked out with too much regard for sentiment and not enough for red-blooded football."

How about Blocked Forwards?

Another suggestion, made by P. D. Haughton '99, after this year's Harvard Yale game--that the football rules be so changed that hereafter forward passes blocked behind the line of scrimmage shall be treated as blocked kicks, the ball being declared free,--has, likewise, been meeting with no little commendation.

For some years there has been a feeling that the forward pass, its development nursed along as it has been by so many rules regarding incompletion and interference of the receiver by opponents, has certainly been the most favored phase of the game of football.

"Not only this," comments Webb, "but the game has not improved as a sport wherein fundamentals have held their own against 'breaks' and outright luck, and it is quite natural that the forward pass should stand the blame."

There appears to be no question of Mr. Haughton's suggestion being taken before the Rules Committee this winter. The opinion expressed by the former University coach in public print has evoked a very generally favorable attitude amongst other college coaches and football officials, who know whereof they speak.

Rewards Aggressive Line

The idea to have blocked forward passes, when these occur back of the point where the ball is put in play stand simply as blocked kicks, is a move towards giving a greater reward to the keen defensive play of the line. As the forward passes, blocked behind the line of scrimmage, stand now, the defensive team simply causes the attacking team to lose another down without gain; and this is very small compensation for aggressive work in hurrying the passer or actually knocking down the pass, as did Kane in one notable instance in the Bowl