Fielding Yost

“ The average football player is lacking in accurate knowledge of the football rules. It is very important that every man should know the rules and know them instantly. The opportunity to take advantage of them on the field of play will not last always. The player does not often have time to hesitate.
There is no better way for the men to gain a proper knowledge of the rules than by instituting a quiz on them at least once a week. The players themselves should each be required to present two questions on the rules every Wednesday evening. ”

“ Opportunities lost when particular conditions presented themselves in the game, and the failure of the team to properly benefit by the mistakes of the opponents and their weaknesses can thus be indelibly impressed on the minds of the football pupils. ”

“ Monday evening is time enough to talk over the game which took place, and the men will then have had opportunity to absorb more thoroughly the situations which were presented during the Saturday afternoon.
On the whole, these evening hours cement the team man to man. The associations make them better acquainted. They become chums and jolly fellows who can and will play football of the best sort. ”

“ All or nearly all the schools and colleges which support football teams have a training table where the players assemble at meal time. Every evening after dinner is finished at least 30 minutes should be spent in conversation that has a direct bearing on the preparation of the men for their duties in the field. ”

“ It is well to spend Friday evening in singing and amusements and thus keep up the spirits of the men by varying the monotony of the regular weekly routine. The coach should aim to make the evening as pleasant as he can. It is the night before the game. The minds of the men should be taken off the contest that is due for the morrow. Young players are anxious enough without the continual reminders of which they have been the recipients all the week, and the "Night Before" should be devoted to a good rest. ”

“ Often the apportionment of the work among the individuals has been poorly done and advantage has not been taken in the games of the opportunities given under the rules, such as carrying the ball out of bounds when being downed near the sideline, or touching the ball as it is about to roll out of bounds on a punt and making the opponents take it for scrimmage within a yard of the sideline, instead of being permitted to carry it in for 15 yards. ”

“ Every training quarters should be equipped with a blackboard. It is easy to have regular gridiron lines painted on the board, which can be used to advantage to illustrate plays and to discuss the problems that present themselves for solution in the different parts of the field. ”

“ A yard is a long distance when it stretches between the ball and the opponents' goal on the third down, and it requires generalship to direct the play so that those three feet of space can be negotiated. ”

“ It is well on the evening after the game that the men be given absolute freedom from any thought of the contest just ended. They have probably earned a rest and should be permitted to depart or remain as they choose. ”

“ It is well that the work of each evening be systematized. The great benefit to be derived from what is advised in this chapter is that the players themselves are required to do much of the thinking. In thinking over the game with the idea of criticising it, the men will be much impressed and better prepared for the future. ”

“ This time is usually wasted if the players leave training quarters immediately after the meal is finished. It can be made of much benefit to the men, however, and at the same time will not interfere to any appreciable extent with their study hours. ”