Show LINE SHIFT WILL PROVE TO BE FORCEFUL WEAPON T I I E ET It t b bo o conceded e t. t that h. h I the tho first IE t. t ef- ef efIn lII I In v view cw of f. f the h f fact ct that the thc secondary ec dar U Ii I VI LUL i. i VL VI y I VL LULS J i un Will Willbe V ill LL be to devise plays plas b by which he ex expects expects expects ex- ex to gain ground around tho the ends through the tackles or between guard and tackle It Jt is improbable to expect an any other plan llan in the early coaching No matter what may be entertained in mind regarding the tho use of or tho the forward pass it is safe BaCe to say that first attention attention attention atten atten- tion will be dc to the running game There is nothing In the changes chang s which have been made In the rules for 1913 that prevents an any team from putting putting putting put put- ting into play the shift which was adopted toward the latter part of ot last year ar Beginning In the west at MinneSOta Minnesota Minne Minne- sota sOla the new formation was taken advantage advantage ad ad- vantage of or b by Yale and from Yale went to West est Point and Harvard Princeton was not coached In it It nor were some sonic of tho other elevens of ot the east but those who made uso use of the play found that it was good and a powerful powerful pow pow- erful assistance to the tho team In pos possesSion possession posses posses- es- es sion slon o of the ball The object of this formation is to put men into the Interference in advance of ot the runner without violating the rules The Tho shift primarily uses seven men Tho The formation takes place behind the tho theline theline line lInc but the ball Is 18 not put into play until the men aro are in their theil positions and there are arc seven Heven men on tho the line not In motion as demanded by tho the rules when the ball is snapped back Power Iov In It It It is a a. tremendously powerful method of attack The signal Is given and th the themen men mei upon whom the pla play devolves es If Ir the they happen to be tackles guards or ends drop back The ball bulJ is not passed then I If it were vero th the play would be bo Illegal The quarter back times the snipping of or the ball with the arrival of 01 the men at the positions which they are to till fill Ill The moment that he sees seven e n men In the forward rd line the play halting nailing for the traction fraction of a second but long enough to l keep cep within the rule he lie can give an un added signal or i ask for tor tho the ball Being thoroughly Understood understood understood un un- by his fellow tellow players the man mansho who sho la is to receive the ball bihl is there ready to take it and anti make malce the try tn with his Interference in front of him and to one side Bide of oC him The momentary pause on the line and the thc putting of or the ball Into pia play were so well timed timet by the quarter backs acks of or orthe the teams a cli tried the shift shiH last season that t attempt to gain ground much resembled some of oC the tho flying plays of other othor days There Thore seemed to tobe he be no particular danger hanger attached to lo It but bUl tho attack was wai so well f concentrated with powerful men to assist the man maniti with iti tho the ball riot not by pushing pushing- or pulling him but b by turning tho the d defense aside that not infrequently big gains were vere the result It Is trUe truo that when the pia play was dla diagnosed nosed carefully and tho the defense had men nin who were keen enough h to note the dIrection which the ball bail was taking taking tak talt- ing and careful I to ascertain the tho man who had It tho they wore able to elude tho the Interference or dart between the pla players ers who composed it and bring bring- the ball to a top stop with only a few tow feet reel gain sometimes none Nor was it wholly in infrequent infrequent In- In frequent that some ome players got goot through the attack and tumbled tho the man nari with the ball to the ground for lor a loss This year ear the defense Is weal weakened without doubt because the forward orwald pass pas can go to an any distance and can be used to make a touchdown The goal line Is It nearer and the touchdown and tho the possible goal oal which ilia may result rosult from It ar are worth t seven points as op 01 opposed opposed op- op posed to six last year car These facts existing the power which can b be gained by tho the full Cull team shift will bo be e of more value than It was Hi in 1911 and for or that lc reason on the tho shift will almost surely become a stock pIa play with mun many elevens It Is possible that It will bo used fot tho the first two attempts to advance ance the ball by all of or the larger er teams in the east and the tho players of the tho smaller colleges col cal leges leges- are lIkel likely to be coached In it l Force of the he Attack Under this 1 arrangement the attack can send from Crom seven to nine nino men against a single end or tackle With the backs s scattered widely to defend two wings of or which they thoy are fearful and with the secondary defense limited to two to backs most of or tho the time th tho shift is likely to prevail where where- thoro thoroIs Is 19 a a. disparity between tho the weights and the tho strength of two elevens Under the rule which permits an of offensive offensive or- or back bacle to alt assume ume an any position which ho he wishes so that ho Is at least leaB ono one foot fool behind the tho rush line It will willbe bu he probable that two or three backs on the attack will form Corm against a single Hingle and cut him out of tho the defense leaving heaving a gap through which the tho man carrying the time ball IH is likely to gain more liberally than he hc was last cation on e win Will oe De less Jess powerful than man it has been in the past if It the danger or ot orthe the forward pass is as much a menace as it Is 18 felt that It is likely to be If Ir the season to coma come do does s not de develop develop develop de- de the line shift shirt more strongly than the tho play ever has been beon utilized In the past st it will be a surprise to those thos who are making problematical guesses on what the football of oC 1912 is likely to be The Tho temptation to use the pia play on I tho the first down will Bl be great and If it H happens to bring five fIse or six yards yards' gain with It the next down will probably find it employed again With only a yard or so to gain after this down the attacking eleven cleven has two more tries to lo get the ball the required distance and If tho the shift shirt appears to be too risky to tobe tobe tobe be used again two t straight ht old fashioned fash fash- honed line lino plunges are arc likely to take the tIme ball that two yards ards or so more which are necessary iary In resorting to the play pia It is imperatively lIsper imper l necessary that seven men arcon are arc on the line Une an and that they aro arc not in motion motion motion mo mo- mo- mo tion when the ball II Is passed although the fact tact that they are aio not set on their J feet teet but arc are on eu their toes gives them tho the Jump on their opponents unless th tho latter are quick to concentrate and turn the advance Ono One of tho most important of ot football maxims if It not the most Important of ot all is that the defense deCenso must follow oUo the ball an as- closely as tho the attack and this I year year moro more than last or more than the year ear before before lt It becomes even more necessary essar essary that the defending players are keen enough of perception to gather whore tho the blow is to strike their line Une If It they miss It It under the tho present ad advantage advantage ad ad- vantage which is given to the attack b by an additional down the they will find th that t the tho first pia play against them has put tho the bull within three or four yards of or orthe the coveted ten a n. point from Crom which the attacking side tilde will be willing to tr try to break the tho line for the needed distance without circling It or thrustIng thrustIng thrust thrust- Ing lag It apart with a shirt shift wedge |