YALE FOOTBALL SEASON

This year the football season at Yale has been one of slow but steady development. Again the difficult proposition confronting the coaches has been to build up a strong line. With only Forbes, Biglow and Hockenberger left to fill line positions from last year, the prospects for a strong team were not very bright. In the backfield conditions were more favorable.

At the opening of college, Captain Morse issued a general call for candidates and a large number of men were added to the squad already at work. Steady progress marked the second week of practice. A great deal of attention was given to the forward pass but it could not be relied upon for consistent gains. In the first game of the year on October 3 Wesleyan was defeated, 21 to 0, in a game confined chiefly to old style football.

On October 6 the team scored 51 points against Syracuse. It was a case of the old game against the new, and the latter proved its worth.

A decided slump followed this game, but a week of hard work, given chiefly to developing the open game and perfecting the defense, offered substantial encouragement when Yale defeated Holy Cross by three touchdowns. The first half of the season closed with a splendid contest against Pennsylvania State. Yale's goal was frequently in danger, but the strength of the defense at critical times was the redeeming feature. Yale was victorious, 10 to 0.

From this time on the team developed consistently, although the possibilities or the new rules were still far from realization. The future eleven was beginning to take shape about this time, when Forbes was moved from tackle to end, and Hockenberger was proving his worth as a centre. The two remaining games proved to be hard ones. By a splendid brace, when defeat seemed certain, Yale was victorious over West Point. Brown also was a difficult opponent and held Yale down to one hard fought touchdown.

Yale's offense decidedly lacks consistency; the team does not hang together well and its attack is not concerted. This is due mainly to the fact that the rush line does not carry its charge far or fiercely enough. The kicking game on the offense is very good, with the exception that the ends do not get down the field quickly enough.

On the defense the team is fairly powerful, but slightly ragged. The defensive game is more individual and not characterized by particular team work; the tackling is very poor. Taken as a whole, this department of the game is something like last year's defense. Its raggedness makes it weak. But yet it seems to improve as the team is forced toward its own goal-line. This is one of its redeeming qualities. The fact that Yale's opponents have crossed her goal line but once during the season shows that the defense is really stronger than it appears to be.

Individual Criticism.

Below is given a brief individual criticism of the players from their work thus far in the season:

R. W. Forbes '07, left end, is fast in getting down the field under punts. his general line-blocking is poor, his interference for a runner in the open field is good, but his defense against end runs is not satisfactory.

H. R. Paige '08S., left tackle, is doing very well at that position, considering the late date at which he was first played at this position. He does not curry his charge far or low enough.

A. E. Brides '09 M. S., left guard, is the best tackler on the team and is one of the most active men on the team.

C. W. Hockenberger '07S., centre, is a trifle weak in passing the ball. He is very strong on the offense, but his defensive game is not as good.

A. G. Erwin '08, right guard, is playing a very heady game. His defense and offense alike are good, being particularly effective.

L. H. Biglow, 3d, '08, right tackle, does not seem to be quite up to his last year's form. Although such is the case, he should prove to be one of the best tackles of the year.

C. F. Alcott '08S., right end, lacks very much in speed. He is rather weak on the offense, but has a great faculty of recovering fumbles, on-side kicks and forward passes.

T. A. D. Jones '08S., quarterback, is rapidly recovering the form he showed in the first and middle part of last season. He shows marked improvement in running his team.

W. F. Knox '07, right halfback, is gradually getting back to his old-time form. He possesses great speed and dodging ability, catches punts well, but is a little blind in diagnosing the plays of his opponents.

Captain S. F. B. Morse '07, fullback, is improving very rapidly, although he is still somewhat slow. On the defense he is not as good as he was last year.

P. L. Veeder '07S., left halfback, is playing better football at all points of the game than last year. His kicking this year is very fine and his ability to place his punts is especially marked.

H. L. Roome '07, fullback and halfback, is slow on the offense. His defensive game is in marked contrast with his offense and is very good.

H. H. Jones '08S., left end, diagnoses plays better than any other player on the team. He is very strong in running with the ball and is a good defensive and offensive end.