Page:The secret play (1915).djvu/337

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himself over to the window and faced the room. The noise died away.

"I'm not going to tell you fellows that you've played good football, because you haven't," began Dick earnestly. "You've let Springdale get the jump on you all through the half. You haven't watched the ball as you should and you've been fooled time after time for that reason alone. You're every bit as good as Springdale, but you don't let them know it. You linemen have let play after play go through you just because you've been watching your opponents instead of the ball. You'll never win that way, fellows. You're putting too much work on the backs. They can't do it all. You've got to keep your eyes on the ball and charge quick and hard. Some of you have been playing much too high. Get down low, and when you charge lift them up. Remember that you're facing men several pounds heavier than you are. The only way to even that up is to play faster than they do. Don't meet them on your side of the line; meet them on theirs!"

"The same thing is true of you backs. You've started slow almost every time. And you've let up when you hit the line. Don't do it! Get your speed before you strike the line and then keep on going!