SIDELINE RULE HELP TO OFFENSE, CASEY THINKS

E. L. Casey '19, Varsity football coach, told CRIMSON reports last night that he concurred with the almost unanimous opinion of the country's football writers and coaches on the new sideline ruling of the Football Rules Committee.

The rule provides automatically for the ball to be brought in ten yards wherever it goes outside or is downed within the sideline zones.

The offense will be helped by the new ruling," Casey said, "because they will no longer have to waste a play at the sidelines. This will make the quarterback's job somewhat easier by reliving him of the worry of keeping the ball in the center of the field."

Casey explained that an accurate punter would be handicapped by this change because kicks along the sidelines will be of no value if the ball is to be moved ten yards in from the sidelines. When questioned as to what effect the new rule would have on Harvard's style of play Casey said, "It would make no difference whatsoever and will probably not aid or hinder any team's playing."

Casey said that he was glad to hear of the clarification and change in the clipping rule. "The referee will have less difficulty in detecting clipping offenses," he said, "and with the penalty reduced to 15 yards he will call them more readily." The new rule will define clipping as blocking a player anywhere from the rear instead of below the player's knees as it has been in the past.

The main purpose of the new clipping rule is to increase the safety of the players.