Advertisement

NEW SUBSTITUTE RULE WILL INCREASE INJURIES

Coach Fisher Believes That Change Is Great Mistake--It Will Put Smaller Colleges at Disadvantage--Method of Scoring Extra Point an Experiment

When approached yesterday on the subject of recent action by the Football Rules Committee, Coach Fisher said:

"I think that the big mistake of the Rules Committee was in drafting the new rule in regard to substitutions. Under the new code, if a man is injured there is no opportunity to tell how serious the injury is, and the tendency will be to let a player stay in the game till the doctor and coach are convinced that it is necessary to take the man out". He pointed out that this situation is bound to increase the number of injuries in a season and that furthermore, it is liable to produce permanent injuries which would be avoided under the old system. Before, a man could be taken out, examined and put back. Now he will not be taken out until permanent harm is done. "Another disadvantage in the change", he declared, "is that it will put small colleges at a disadvantage as they have a limited number of substitutes".

In regard to the method of scoring a point after a touchdown, Mr. Fisher said that he thought it had been inaugurated as an experiment. "I believe that everyone will drop-kick and the result will be that coaches will develop drop-kickers instead of place kickers".

Advertisement
Advertisement