It will be seen readily enough, I think, that in attack the value of weight and strength is hardly to be overestimated, and that the big men who are not too slow, or who can be speeded up by hard coaching, must have the call in the backfield as well as in the line.

The needs of the defense, save when facing the forward pass, where speed and agility count, and in running back kicks, would seem to be about the same. The tackle is obliged to bear the brunt of the attack, as has been the case for many a year and under all sets of rules, but against a more consistent running game, with its added down, there is more work cut out for him than has been the case since the days of the massplays and the heavy tandem. In almost every play there is the threat of the forward pass, short or long, of the quick kick under the line, the kick from the regular formation, with the kicker five yards behind the line of scrimmage, or the long, sweeping run from the standard kick formation. In order to cover all this, the defensive back will have to take plenty of room behind his line, and get out pretty far laterally, so that the burden of breaking up the play and nailing the runner falls heavily upon the shoulders of the tackle and end, but more especially upon the tackle.

This hard working player experiences a sense of loneliness greater than in many a year, for the attack has three cracks at him instead of two before being forced to kick, and the wear and tear is great, despite the fact that the player is relieved of the duty of standing up against the massed attack of some years ago. Whether the end plays the smashing game, going in fast to break up plays in their inception, or runs in a short distance and waits for the play to develop, his work is increased almost to the same extent as the tackle's. He too should be big and rugged if he is to stand up under the hammering.

The same arguments apply to the defensive backs, who because of the necessity of covering a great deal of ground against the forward pass, and quick kicking, must come up fast to the assistance of the tackles, must stop a heavy back if the tackles are smothered in the interference, and because of the smaller average gain required, must stop him in such a way that he will not be able to add his own length to the run. This means heavier work than under the rules in the years immediately preceding the season of 1912.

One of the most important positions to settle as early as possible is that of quarterback, which will be occupied by the man who is to run the team under fire. Happy the coach who knows that he will have a quick and logical thinker or two to depend upon from the outset. Many a quarter, promising so far as speed, running back kicks, and handling the ball were concerned, has lost his place to a man who has had little more at command than sheer head-work and the ability to inspire his men. Thus a plan of campaign built around a physically strong quarter will have to give way to a scheme that depends upon a man who can use superior headwork. The diagnostician, who is also something of a pest to the bigger men of the squad, is usually the right man for quarter - the man full of brains and fight, a none too common combination on the gridiron.

There will be times when because of some injury to a star or pair of stars, the plan of campaign will have to be remodelled early in the season, or perhaps even late in October; but as a rule the good coach completes his plans in September and sticks to them thereafter as closely as possible. Better to be defeated by a small college team than make a hasty change in the campaign that leads up to the big games. The following of this system is what sometimes makes the big elevens appear rather ordinary in their early games, only to find them making a remarkable showing in the final clash. All other things being nearly equal, the better material will win in the long run, and it is the glory of the game that it is swinging so close to a standard as to permit of this result.

Roughly speaking, heavy material lends itself especially to the running game, while light is especially adapted to the "loose ball" style, which means plenty of kicking and forward passing, mixed up with wide end runs. The advantage of the heavy material is, however, that it can be trained in both styles, if it is well equipped with brains, and variations in the standard play need be made only in providing a special "punch" for points in line and backfield that show especial initial strength. With big men the coach must resign himself to slow development, while in the case of fast, light material, the problem is to keep the eleven from getting on edge too soon, or to hold it there sometimes a week or more after it arrives at the top of its powers.

In most cases I believe it a good plan for the head coach to take his squad to the training table as soon as possible, in order that the men may become thoroughly acquainted, and in the interests of that "football family" of which I spoke some pages back. A great many football players are keenly susceptible to a system of rewards and punishments, and the training table provides very neatly for both. It is not so important that the diet be especially looked after early in the season as that the "aristocracy of the' varsity" as some clever coach has called it, be maintained at all costs. Football, 'varsity caliber, is for the fit and the strong, and whatever those of us who believe that gridiron stars are rewarded above their deserts may say, the atmosphere of the training table makes for efficiency in team play, and in football generally.