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Show ttiG TEN COACHES OF FOOTBALL DROP SHIFT PLAYS OF ATTACK ' y Big Ten coaches of football appear to have thought the East highly excited ex-cited over the shift plays of attack. The Middle West apparently has discarded dis-carded the shift attack, which has highly stirred up the Eastern coaches, officials and rule makers. Coach Yost Is reported to have said at the last meeting of coaches that shift play was not worth a whistle, writes Fred A. Hayner in Chicago News. "We have dropped it," said Coach Stagg. "Illinois and Minnesota have abandoned It and here In the West we have not used It for many seasons. As far back as 189-i I drew the two tackles back and sent them ahead of Henry Gale. When I say the Big Ten has practically abandoned the shift I mean the other teams have found a defense de-fense for it. It can be stopped and stopped to such an extent the time used to coach the play can be used far more advantageously In developing some other attack. Williams at Minnesota Min-nesota has used the shift for years, and we started using it out here before be-fore he did. Rule Is Explicit. "The rule is explicit that both feet of a player must be on the ground at the snap of the ball. If there Is an evasion of the rule then the play should be stopped by the officials. If they are trying to beat the rule that Is another thing. There are many ways oi getting around the rule, and these are often legislated against." Coach Stagg thought the problem was linemen in motion when they were pulled out of the line. The Easterners East-erners appear to be using the rule that one man may be In motion toward his own goal while the ball Is being put in play. This rule was to allow a defensive de-fensive fullback to run or move back Into position for a kick when his side was about to punt. Coach Helsman of Pennsylvania Is working on a shift play again this year and Intends to put some new wrinkles In It known as expansion of an idea. The Idea of the coaches that a play must stop till an official looks It over Is regarded as a joke out here. While the official Is looking It over the other team Is doing the same and shifting men to meet the attack, for the defenders de-fenders may be In motion before and after the ball Is snapped, to plan their attack and take stations which they think will block an impending inimical force. The Maroons have been quizzed in rules and those who are lax are sweating sweat-ing blood as they view the scholastic work and think of poring over a rule book. The best way to learn the rules is to talk about them with other players. play-ers. It will not take a man long to become wise as to the rulings of the Big Ten officials. |