He can be saved from this danger by the shouting of his companions, always provided that they have been taught to do that sort of thing without confusion. He should be able to tell without looking around just which of his men are behind and just which are nearest. In the event that he has been better protected in his "getaway" on one side than the other he can also be told whether to veer to the right or left, that the strongest support may be brought up on that side. It matters not how fleet of foot are his own men who are following him as long as he feels that they are within reach of his pursuers. There remains for him then nothing but to summon up all the speed of which he is capable, remember not to attempt Brobdignagian strides, and hold to his course regardless of the enemy, or veer sharply right or left, according to the shouted instructions. Constant practice of this blocking of kicks and calling to the man who snatches up the ball will sometimes reward the coaches and the team with an unexpected victory.

In the line, of course, there is less open talking, but more quiet signaling from man to man, for in opening holes two men may find it necessary to work in a way different from what had been planned, and some difference in the amount of room taken may mean all the difference in the success or failure of the play. In streaming through to the secondary defense there is also often a chance to help a back who may have come through with his head down, and perhaps stumbling, by indicating which way to swerve, the man who has put out his secondary defensive player shouting "I've got him." As the call comes from right or left so will the runner go. It is perhaps a small matter, and not always helpful, but men who are keen for victory omit no chance.

Signals have accomplished a great deal in the way of indicating the predetermined positions of men, but it must be remembered that some of the most successful plays have gone through, though not exactly as planned, and their success has often been due to mutual helpfulness that comes of talking on the field. Unless an opening is clean the back is apt to come through "blinded" and unable to get his bearings on his own hook. He can be turned in the right direction sometimes by the work of helpful men in front of him.

Healthy rivalries lead to a talking team as much as anything else, and keen competition between the ends, the tackles and the guards, even of the team as finally chosen, is always to be encouraged. Mutual criticism has quite as important a place as mutual encouragement. The backs should be taught to be jealous of their rights, to keep the forwards up to their work; and the line, too, should learn to demand the utmost excellence of the backs.

It is a common experience in the course of the preliminary season to find the backs at top notch and the line working poorly, or vice versa. There are days when the secondary defense will be compelled to do practically all the tackling, and on such occasions the backs should "call" the forwards on every piece of poor work. Should the line be opened up and the runner come through to the secondary in his full stride it will keep the forward up to his work if the defensive back will yell "That's on you, Bill," indicating the offender so that the rest of the team and even the supporters in the stand can see where the trouble lies. On the other hand, should the backs be sluggish and the line up to the mark, it will do no harm for the forward to call the back to task, saying, perhaps, " We had a hole for you. Where were you? When we make a boulevard like that you want to get started and get there." This sort of thing sounds harsh in cold type, perhaps, but it must be remembered that these men are working together, and working earnestly, and should not be blind to each others' faults any more than to their own.

I am no advocate of the actual slugging indulged in by some coaches, or the "booting" common to some teams. As a rule, a good hard slap on the back, with a few sharp words, will prove a real aid to the erring forward. In the case of the Captain praise should be mingled with blame, even when in action, and if he is a real leader his voice will be heard at all times. So long as the talking is confined to the business in hand and is not designed to annoy the opposing eleven, it will always prove, I think, a valuable asset to any eleven. Mere noise is of no value, and the team must always remember that when the opposing eleven is on the attack and the quarter giving the signals sportsmanship dictates silence so far as that is possible. In the case of a shift, requiring a shift in the defense, the talk of the defending players should be in low tones. Much of the defense is run by signals nowadays. Especially was this the case with the splendid Harvard eleven of 1912, but the signals were given in a low voice, by Parmenter, the Harvard centre, and all other talking of defense was confined to such times as the opposing quarter was not calling the series of numbers to his own team.

The Result Of Eternal Vigilance

Sanford B. White's (Princeton) famous run in a Yale game after picking up a loose ball, that gave the Tigers the victory on a slippery field at New Haven. W. 9. Langford, the Referee, is shown at the extreme right of the picture. The next figure is White. Just behind him are shown three interferers of the Princeton team, from left to right as follows; Dunlap, end; Wilson, guard; and Capt. Hatt, tackle. Dunlap is putting Capt. Howe, of Yale, out of the way.

One more feature of talking on defense before passing to a consideration of signal systems. Every man on the defense should be constantly on the watch for the slightest indication on the part of the attacking team as to the direction of the play. Time and again when complaint has been made by a quarterback or team captain that the opposing eleven knew the signals the fact has been that the quarter or captain or others in the play themselves gave away, not the signal, but the direction and probable nature of the attack. To attempt to master an opposing eleven's signals is sheer waste of time, but to master the style of play and to discover peculiarities of individuals that are likely to give the play away is well worth while. When these little peculiarities are discovered by one of the backs he should at once apprise the rest of the team, or if there is not time for that, at least shout out the side of the line on which he expects the play to come. The same is true of the kick and pass.