Salt Lake Telegram | 1916-02-26 | Page 7 | Stagg in Favor of Numbering All Grid Men

STAGG IN FAVOR Of j NUMBERING ALL GRID MEN NEW YORK Feb 29 Suggestion for changes in the rules governing football considered in the legislative session of ot the football rules committee commit- commit tee here today included The numbering of players The elimination of at the kicking of a a. a goal after a touchdown That when a forward pass is caught by an opposing player who breaks through the line Une of a scrimmage the ball should go to the opponents At present when this happens the attacking attacking attack- attack ing ng side merely loses a a. down Speaking of the proposal to number players Alonzo A. A Stagg Stags coach of ot the thai University of Chicago said that although al- al j al-j l though Chicago had numbered Us its players for three years there was a a. avery al alvery very broad difference of opinion among the colleges of the middle West This was shown he be said by bythe bythe the fact that Minnesota and Illinois universities Chicago's chief athletic rivals have steadfastly refused to number number number num- num ber their men From a a. standpoint said Mr Stagg tho the numbering of players I works an undoubted hardship The hardship Is doubled when one coach adopts the plan and another rejects it It is the well developed system of scouting which makes maltes the plan deleterious deleterious deleterious delete- delete rious to the coach who numbers his players His best plays usually pivoting ply ply- j oUng upon a a. deceptive attack are made plain as day to the scouts because because because be- be cause the man carrying the ball is numbered Merely by referring to his program the scout can verify verity the name nama of ot the player and warn his eleven what man to forestall In the particular pl play layThe lay The unfairness of ot the present system system tem tern is obvious for if a rival scout can cars analyze my plays greatly assisted by bythe by bythe the fact that my players are numbered j we are taken at a great disadvantage j if we have not the same privilege