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Show FEM OTOBISS SEEM DM ESOP CmJILES . . 1 -i ii in ... . Warner Wants to Prevent Five-Man Defensive Line : EronLGettingUppeLHand , By BILL. BONl ' NEW YORK, Dec. 3 (AP) Despite agitation for three specific ruts changes designed to help the offense in football, a nationwide nation-wide poll of college coaches by the Associated Press today revealed I t strong general desire to "leave well enough alone." Thia may help aimplify the task' of the National Collegiate A. A. rules committee, which goea Into its . annual huddle on New Year' day at Edgewater Park. Miaa. Thia aea-ion. aea-ion. which la being held two months earlier than usual, will follow fol-low the annual N. C. A. A. convention conven-tion in New Orleans. Subject to various reservations, such as those proposed by Notre Dame's Elmer Layden and Nebras ka's Biff Jones, a "no tinkering" policy with regard to tha rules is advocated by a majority of head coaches. The Ust favoring conservative conserva-tive approach to any consideration of rules changes includes Jock Sutherland Suth-erland of Pittsburgh, Dick Harlow of Harvard. Bill Kern of Carnegie, Hank Hardwick of Navy. Ray Morrison Mor-rison of Vanderbilt, Wallace Wade of Duke. Stub Allison of California and Harry Kipka of Michigan, Coach Thomas Would Limit Defensive Formations toSimpTify'Procedure The veteran Genn (Pop) Warrior War-rior of Temple heads the coaching wing which feels something drastic should be done to keep the defense, with its five-man line as a prime example, from getting the upper hand on the gridiron. The three changes most discussed, as likely to aid the offense, comprise com-prise (1 return of the goal posts to the goal line. (2) legalizing forward for-ward passing from any spot behind the scrimmage line 'and (31 forcing the defense to keep a definite number num-ber of players on the scrimmage line, preferably six. Frank Thomas, coach of Ala bama's Rose bowl-bound team. Is particularly strong in support of limiting defense formations. "It is Impossible to teach college boys blocking assignments for all the various defense setups now being be-ing played, with the limited time we have for practice." says Thomas. Columbia's Lou Little, who haa headed the coaches' own rules committee com-mittee for aeveral years, agrees with Thomas and Warner on a proposal pro-posal to compel the defense to keep a definite number of men on the line of scrimmage. The only alternative, al-ternative, in Little's opinion, is to do away with th huddle aystem of calling signals. Two Mentors Favor Making Clipping Penalty 25 Yards Instead of 15 Layden chimes Into the offense-defense offense-defense controversy with the suggestion sug-gestion that, "if sentiment exists that the offense is overshadowed by the defense," restrictions on the shift (the full second stop after the ahift is made) be eliminated. Beyond these proposals, the suggested sug-gested changes are aimed at particular par-ticular portions of the game. Layden would establish a cone similar to that now applying to clipping, beyond which a ball carrier, car-rier, may get up and run after his knee touches the ground, and would lift the restrictions on running with a fumbled ball. William P. (Hiker) Joy of Ca-nisius Ca-nisius would Increase the clipping penalty from 13 to 23 yards and expel ex-pel the player committing the fouL Paul (Dizzy) McLeod of Furman aupports the latter half of that sug gestion, made on the grounds that a player who has been clipped usually usual-ly is unable to continue In the game. Marchie Schwarts of Creighton. as a safety measure, would abolish the spectacular crowd-pleasing kick-off kick-off and, together with William (Doc) Newton of North Carolina State, would seek better protection for the passer. Newton likes the pro rule of moving the ball in from the sidelines 13 yards, rather than 10. Jim Crowley of Fordham would like legislation against the "forward "for-ward fumble." putting the ball in play at the spot where the offense fumbles, rather than where it recovers. re-covers. Jones would penalise the offense at the spot of the foul rather rath-er than of the previous down when an attempted downfield lateral is thrown forward. |