The New Football Rules

For the convenience of the occasional spectator of football, a statement of the main features of the much talked of "new rules" is here given. In so far as they go, they are accurate. To extend them with more detail, explanation, or comment would defeat their purpose as a short cut out of confusion:

I. Change in Time of Play: Instead of two halves of 30 minutes each, the game is now divided into 15 minute quarters. A rest of three minutes occurs after the first and the third quarter; a rest of ten minutes after the second quarter. This amounts to the former two halves, but provides a breathing space in the middle of each.

II. Withdrawal of Players: A player withdrawn from the game on account of fatigue or slight injury may be re-substituted. Formerly a player once removed remained out during the rest of the game.

III. Provision against "Piling Up": If a runner, once downed, crawls with the ball, his side is penalized. This should prevent piling up on a squirming halfback.

IV. Provision against Mass Plays: The team on the offensive may not pull or push the man with the ball. Furthermore, seven men of the offensive team must be on the scrimmage line. With only four men behind the line the weight of attack is necessarily reduced.

V. Change of Goals: Change of goals occurs only at the beginning of each quarter, instead of after each touchdown or goal. At the beginning of the second and fourth quarters, however, the ball remains in possession of the same side and in the same relative position on the field as before the three minute intermission.

VI. The Forward Pass: The forward pass may cross any point of the line of scrimmage. It is, however, illegal to pass the ball more than twenty yards. The player receiving a forward pass may not be jostled or interfered with while catching the ball.

VII. The Onside Kick: An onside kick must go at least twenty yards to be considered legal. The office of the red flag is to mark a distance twenty yards from the line of scrimmage and enable accurate judgment of the legality of kicks and forward passes.