DEFENSE FOR THE FORWARD PASS.
There is no defense for the forward pass. In reality the pass cannot be
prevented, particularly in the center of the field. Yet from the
unwillingness of some of the great football leaders to adopt this style
of game one would infer that it is a worthless game, difficult to
succeed with and easy of defense. This is the point of view of a number
of teams. Yet it is interesting to note that these are the very teams
that have had no adequate forward pass defense.
Thus far most teams have trusted to luck against the forward passing
game. The inefficiency and mechanical errors of its offense, aided by
the restrictive legal measures adopted, have conspired to make this
possible. Signs are not lacking, however, to indicate a greatly
increased use of the passing game, an improved understanding and
appreciation of its fundamental principles and a much greater degree of
success for it. The defense for the forward pass will need to be studied
with great care in the immediate future.
The writer does not pretend to have solved this problem. His interest
has been rather on the other side. The following suggestions are offered
simply as a beginning:
First, "hurry the pass." Some man or men, not the entire line, should go
through and force the pass at the earliest possible moment, downing the
passer, blocking the pass or forcing it to be made before the eligible
men are ready or the passer has been able to locate them. This greatly
increases the chance of mechanical failure. Generally this should be
done by the ends. Some teams send the tackles in also. Some send tackles
in and have the ends wait. This frequently helps against the pass but
makes end running very easy.
Second, block eligible men. This of course can only be done before the
pass is made. But there is often an appreciable time before the pass is
made when eligible men could be blocked on the line of scrimmage. This
is the best work of the center trio rather than charging through.
Third, play a zone defense having each defensive back cover an area and
play the ball coming into that area rather than attempt to follow
individually eligible men.
Fourth, use the open defense (Fig. 5); that is, play the center out of
the line and with the full back about three yards behind tackle. This
defense is supposed to make center bucking easy, but it does not if the
defensive line is properly coached. This first line of secondary defense
is in position to intercept short passes or to help stop eligible men on
the scrimmage line. They are also in the best possible position to
assist on outside tackle and end runs while still in position to block
center bucks. In the judgment of the writer this is the best all-round
defense yet devised for the modern open game of football.
[Illustration: FIG. 5.--Open Defense.]
The open defense should be played as follows: Guards play to the center,
low, hard and stalling, not knifing through. Tackles fight their way
into the play through opposing end. Ends play as close as possible,
often not over two yards outside their own tackle and tear into every
play smashing the interference and hurrying passes. Center and full play
about three yards behind tackle, usually a trifle inside and wait until
they diagnose the play, then meet it. These men must be the best
tacklers on the team and fast, for if the tackles and ends accomplish
their work these men have their opportunity. Backs play from seven to
ten yards back and nearly straight behind end. Quarter or safety man
should play as close as he dares to, considering the possibility of
quick punts. This may be generally closer than most quarters play.
The defense with spread formations and for special plays is still too
much a matter of individual opinion to be discussed here.
BASEBALL NOTES FOR
COACHES and PLAYERS
BY ELMER BERRY
FOOTBALL AND BASEBALL COACH
INTERNATIONAL Y. M. C. A. COLLEGE
SPRINGFIELD, MASS.
_REVISED EDITION_
A practical handbook on the game of baseball, arranged
in outline note form so that the book may become truly
a useful repository of baseball knowledge and practice.
CONTENTS
BATTING
BUNTING
BASE RUNNING AND STEALING
POSITION PLAY
OFFENSIVE TEAM PLAY
DEFENSIVE TEAM PLAY
BATTERY STRATEGY
TRAINING A COLLEGE TEAM
ORGANIZED BASEBALL
8vo cloth, illustrated with cuts and diagrams of actual play.
Interleaved with blank pages for notes, etc. Price $2.00
A. S. BARNES & CO., _Publishers_
NEW YORK
Transcriber's Notes:
Passages in italics are indicated by _italics_.
The following misprints have been corrected:
"STANDAND" corrected to "STANDARD" (dedication)
"it" corrected to "is" (page 9)
"Springfifield" corrected to "Springfield" (page 12)
"diconcerting" corrected to "disconcerting" (page 14)
"addidtion" corrected to "addition" (page 14)
End of Project Gutenberg's The Forward Pass in Football, by Elmer Berry