Fielding Yost

“ The player should school himself never to forget his duty to this extent, for it not only places the ball in serious jeopardy but increases, rather than diminishes, his liability to injury, as the arm, thrown loose from the body, is very liable to fracture in the mass of men that is piling up on him as he is tackled. ”

“ The tackler, in approaching a runner with the ball, should always bear in mind the possibility of a sudden stiff arm and should be on his guard against it. He should meet it with a parry like that which a boxer would employ against a straight jab from an opponent, brushing the arm aside and out of his way, generally upward, in his effort to get close to the runner and bring him down. The tackler should not wait for a hint that the stiff arm is to be used but should anticipate it on every occasion when it would be possible for the runner to employ it. ”

“ Generally speaking, the blocker should keep as close as possible to the man whom he is to keep out of the play. He is thus all the better enabled to watch his every move and be ready to anticipate it. He should study the position of his opponent in each play and follow him in his every move. While the opponent has the advantage in one sense, being able to use his arms in getting through, the blocker has one marked superiority over him, in that he has secured, through the signals of his quarter back, an accurate knowledge of the play that is to come and the direction in which it is to travel. ”

“ Another reason why the ball should he practically laid out on the foot is the fact that, when kicking on a wet or windy day, there is not much chance for the ball to change its position between the time it leaves the hand and reaches the foot. In kicking, the ball must be watched all the time, for no one can hit the object at which he aims unless he has his eye on it. The ball must not be kicked from a point too near the kicker, for that will yield a result very much in the nature of a throw. ”

“ Two forms for holding ball on plunges through the line. The art of taking a secure hold of the ball when called upon for a gain and retaining its possession from the time it is received from the center or quarter back till the play is ended is an important feature of football, but one often overlooked. How many times, by one disastrous fumble, is a team that has apparently won been forced to see its colors trailed in defeat! ”

“ Trouble without measure can be meted out to an opposing team in this manner, when there is a forward or two capable of breaking through, and every play directed by the opponents should be a signal for instant effort to this end on the part of the defensive team.
The ability to break through an opposing line is not one inherent on mere brute force by any means. It requires mental ability in sizing up the opponent in the way, skill in avoiding his attempt to block and, above all, rapidity in thought and motion. ”

“ The forward whose line is on the defense should aim to keep his opponent at arm's length until the moment the ball is snapped. The team on the defensive has the use of hands and arms and should employ this advantage to the utmost. The standard method of breaking through the line is to charge forward immediately, the moment the ball is snapped, arms out stiff and body how down. The opponent should be pushed to one side and the runner is very likely to be at the mercy of the man who has gotten through. Another method is to catch the opponent by the outside arm. ”

“ The oblong shape of the ball and the fact that it is inflated with air makes its flight uncertain to some extent, yet with practice a player can learn to judge just where the ball will fall and to be there in the proper place to receive it. Until the members of a team become reliable and steady in handling punts and passes the eleven will be uncertain in all its play. Football is a game that is full of passes and punts and each time the ball is passed or punted it must be handled accurately or the play will fail. ”

“ The kicker's position on short kicks should be not over four feet behind the ball. If he stands too far away it is harder for him to approach and kick exactly as he should, and he acquires no advantage by being so far back. After the kicker has assumed his proper position and the ball is ready, he should step forward about six inches with his right foot and then step forward with the left foot until the toe is practically on line with the rear of the ball, but a little to the left. ”

“ The fingers should be well over the end and should assist in pulling the ball back into the pocket formed by the body and elbow. If the ball is held in this way, with plenty of strength exerted all the time to keep it rigidly in position, fumbles or loss of the ball by any attempted theft will be entirely obviated. It is always best, however, for the runner to make doubly sure against a fumble when tackled, by clasping the top of the ball with the free hand, as he is thrown to the ground. ”

“ In kicking goals from touchdowns there is no necessity for hurry. Take plenty of time, observing carefully the condition of wind and weather. There is much difference in kicking a dry, new ball and a wet, heavy one, that has been used perhaps throughout the greater part of the game. More care is necessary when the kick is against the wind, then when with it.
Summed up, the important points in a place kick are to see that the ball is placed correctly on the ground; that the kicker observe the ball closely in making his kick, instead of directing his attention to the goal bar ”

“ The place kick is made by placing the ball in position on the ground and kicking it from this location. The value of a good place kicker to the team cannot be estimated for, by his work, the game may be won or lost. Place kicking has almost entirely taken the place of drop kicking, because it is more accurate. It is used to convert touchdowns into goals, to kick goals from the field, to kick off, and is often used to kick out after a touchback, instead of punting. ”

“ The proximity of their positions to their opponents requires that the men in the line take a position considerably modified from that of the occupants of the backfield. Here, in addition to time necessity for a quick advance straight ahead or to either side, the player must guard against a sudden jerk forward from his immediate opponent. The weight of his body must therefore be less on his hands and more on his feet in order to guard against being over-balanced. ”

“ The player can find out by actual experience the plan which best suits his physical makeup, guarding against placing his feet too far apart laterally, or one foot too far ahead of the other. Generally speaking, the position of a sprinter on his mark is the proper form for the player to assume, except that the feet should be wider apart and the rear foot brought up farther forward. The weight of the body should be principally on the hands, so that the instant the hands are removed from the ground the weight of the body will assist him in getting under rapid motion. ”

“ To become proficient as a drop kicker will require long, faithful practice. Care should be taken in learning the art to acquire height and direction, as practically all the drop kicking must be done from behind a scrimmage line and, unless the ball rises instantly, there is much danger of the kick being blocked or at least interfered with. ”

“ The proper position for starting in the line is thoroughly indicated in the illustrations used to show the different offensive formations and the positions assumed for starting at the charging machine.
Proper form in starting is half the battle when the time comes for actual play, as no player can expect to handle an opponent of equal skill unless he is well up in the art. Further, if the occupants of thie backfield are not taught to get under way rapidly and together a large share of the momentum on offense is sacrificed by the failure. ”

“ Position to hold the ball just before making under-hand pass. For the under-hand pass, place the ball in the hand as above, fingers well over the end; swing the arm forward and, as the ball leaves the hand, cause it to turn end over end rapidly, as it can be controlled much better. As in every pass, learn to make the ball go just where you wish it. ”

“ Regardless of its ground-gaining ability, little is gained by any team unless its members know how to keep a firm grasp of the ball throughout the progress of a play, for one fumble is usually enough to hand over the coveted pigskin to the opponents and with it an opportunity to punt it back again for many yards, necessitating a second fight over ground previously battled for and won. ”

“ The straight arm can be directed toward the opponent's breast, if the latter is coming high, or toward his head or shoulder, if he is making his effort in a crouched position. Continual practice will develop a proficiency that will enable the runner to escape many tackles which, without the stiff arm, would certainly have brought him to earth. ”

“ The object of football is to score points and no team is able to do this unless the backs receive the protection they have a right to expect from the men who are playing in the line.
There are two methods of blocking an opponent, although these two permit of numerous variations. Opponents can be blocked with the shoulder or with the hip. Blocking with the arms is attempted at times, but this comes dangerously close to holding and is, as well, less effective for the purpose desired. ”

“ Constant study of an opponent will assist in determining the methods by which he may most effectively be put out of a play. If he is found to be more vulnerable on one side than on the other, the quarter back who is directing the play of the team of which you are a member will become cognizant of the fact and will send the plays at the point where the hole is easiest to obtain. ”