not re Dame Scbolastie • DIoCli• QVyA5l • SEMPER-VICTWRV/S- -VIVE- QV/ASI • CRAS • lvlORITV/R\/5 • •F-X-A- VOL. XLI. NOTRE DAME, INDIANA, DECEMBER 7, 1807. No. 13. opposing team where it fell. Now, however, The Gridiron Squad. if the ball touches the ground, on the first or second down,.instead of losing it, the /^UR squad of victors, tried aud true, offensive team loses fifteen yards, .but the . - We hail with cheers and songs. ball still remains in its possession. On the They're worthj' of the Gold and Blue, third down, however, in case of failure,-.the. They've fought the fight, and wpn it too, To them all praise belongs. ball goes to the opposing team- where it went-into play. •.••.. .Well have they played the great old game; This change seems to be an improvement. Extol them far and near, Thej are the men that bring us fame, On account of it, more opportunity w:as These loyal sons of Notre 'Dame, given to the forward pass, and as a result- So cheer them, fellows, cheer. it was much in evidence. A .well-4rilled We praise the scrubs, hurrah again, team could work this plav- most successfully,, They take the scoff and jeer, and-the ground gained on a clever -inanip-- • And patient stay behind; but when ulation of it was considerable. It also gave. They're needed, then they are the men xQ.Siia.j chances for trick plays, and. these, • Who know not auA' fear. in innumerable forms, were frequently used. Then here's to Barry's .sturd\' .team, Thatthe.ten-yard rule is a necessaiy adjunct,, - No better state eleven; to the new style, has been exemplified time May bright successes on them beam. and again. If-the distancewerenot.so great, Then cheer them, fans; thcA' are a dream, a team would not resort to forward passes, • The Varsity, '07. GEORGE J. FIXJCIGAN, '10. quarter-back, • on-side kicks and long end runs, which, to say the least, are dangerous. Weight has ceased to be the predominating Football under 1907 Rules. essential, speed has taken its place. In -the . words-of a well-known coach :."We want EDWARD M. KENNEDY, 'OS.. heavy, fast men, but we will sacrifice weight for speed." The game has so progressed As predicted, by many coaches, football, that weight and strength, are=. no match. as played during the past season, was for science, speed and agility. However, most successful. The death knell of the this does not eliminate weight entirely, for old style has been sounded, and it will if-a team sees that its opponents'-line.is. soon be a matter of history. Few colleges weak, old-style football-will be plajed, and played that style this year, and those w^ho efifectively played, despite the ten^-yard rule. did have realized their folly, and no doubt So weight and speed are necessary. ••: they will rectify the evil in the future. The bulk of the work rests on the half­ The forward pass, the most radical change, backs and ends. The latter must break was considerably altered this year. Last through the opposing line to receive the season if the ball would touch the ground forward pass. .In case of trick plays, they on " any down, it was awarded to the must act quickly, and must watch the ball 194 NOTRE DAME SCHOLASTIC continually for on-side kicks; in case of a the team. These kicks help to increase the punt they must, as formerlj'^, be down the total score, and some victories and defeats field with the ball. This requires speed and are traced directly to these plays. endurance. The addition of an official, the second The half-back, as double-line defense is umpire, has done much to eliminate rough now used, must be prepared either to break play. The referee as usual watches the the interference or to do the tackling. If the ball. The first umpire watches the line and man who is to receive- the forward pass all unnecessary roughness, and reports the breaks through the ends, the backs must same. The penalties which are inflicted are prevent him from touching the ball, and very^ severe, especially for slugging. The they must not touch it themselves unless second umpire watches the plays in the they can surely secure it, otherwise they open, especially hurdling and holding. On lose the distance the ball has advanced from punts, he decides the possession of the ball. where it w^as put into play. They must Everything, as far as possible, has been also be able to carry the ball in the open done to eliminate rough work and to base field, to receive and make the forward pass. the game on head and team work. Although The full-back, as previously, must be a the evolution has been rapid, there are line plunger. When a team ha*s third down still some points which require attention. and two or three yards to gain, it is not The many and serious injuries forecasted going to risk a pass or an end run, as;it for open play failed to materialize. In fact, ma3'^ be thrown back for a loss of five or there have been fewer injuries this year than ten yards.- The full-back is then called upon previously. The number of injuries to col­ to make the required distance. He also lege men and trained athletes w^ere indeed forms interference for his backs, and backs few. This may be accounted for by the up the ends rather than the line. fact that men have been more thoroughly The quarter-back has a position of large coached in falling so as to break the fall responsibility. He must be skilful at throw­ as much as possible. ing the ball for the forward pass, quarter­ For the public, the game is brilliant and back kicks arid runs, running back puts, spectacular, even to those who know very and above all, w^hen the signal for the little of the inside workings of the game. forward pass is called, to watch his. end What the public wants to see is the centre and decide whether or not he should make of attraction, and that is the ball. As most the pass. of the plays are open the public was satis­ As regards the line-men, the tackles should fied, especially as regards kicks and passes. be almost as fast as the end, so as to On the whole, the season of 1907 was assist in breaking the interference, and to most successful. It has shown that debrutal- tackle in the open field. He is also often ized football has come up to expectations; called upon to carry the ball. The duties it is a great advancement over the old-style of the three centre-men have changed very game. It has fully convinced players and little. Football with respect to these has public that clean football can be played remained about the same. without losing any of the merits and Punting forms an important part of the enthusiasm of the old game. game. This fact may be due to failures in end runs or forward passes; some teams ^ • » have developed excellent punters whose The Varsity "Subs." kicks are difficult to handle. The quarter­ back and on-side kick do not require more A WORD of praise to the Varsity "subs," risk than most of the other plays, and as To whom we owe esteem, they are good ground-gainers, they are Who get their knocks and awful rubs, But yet support the team. extensively .used. Drop and place kicks are also much in They've pep galore in every play, vogue. A team within forty yards of its They push and plunge with might, And never do we hear them say] opponents' goal generally tries a place or They're -wearied of-the fight.- drop kick, if it has a man of ability on A. A., HEBERT, '11 NOTRE- DAME SCHOLASTIC 195 a position he had never played in his life; The Season's Schedule. in fact he had never played any place but in the backfield. On Thanksgiving Day the football season By nearly every critic in the State Miller of 1907 passed into Notre Dame football was picked as an all-Indiana centre, which history as one of the many successful years must prove but one thing: that in Coach on the gridiron. Early in the fall things Barry lay the brains that made Notre looked bad for the Varsity, and the pros­ Dame's winning team a possibility. Then, pects for a good team were anj^thing but too, the many chances that the team bright. But Coach Barry and Captain Callicrate set to work with what, they had, and gradually a team was developed that Notre Dame may be proud of. Little bj- little the team improved; game after game they played stronger, until the first game of the Indiana championship was -plaj^ed in Indianapolis against Indiana. The most lo3^al Notre Dame rooter dared not do more than hope for victory; and when the Varsit^^ played last year's champions to a standstill, holding Indiana to a nothing to nothing score, the hard work of Conch Barry and Captain Callicrate, received its reward. The next big game came with Purdue, and for the first time in several years Notre Dame gave the . Boilermakers a good clean trouncing, winning the game by the score of 17 to 0. The season ended with St.