The 30's: passing from the line of scrimmage; The new rule of the National Federation had its baptism of fire in the professional game

Coach and Athletic Director, Oct, 2006 by George Halas

The National Federation of State High School Athletic Associations, at the meeting of its football rules committee last spring, agreed to adapt the rule permitting forward passes to be thrown from any point behind the line of scrimmage, instead of from any point two or more yards behind the line, as required by the National Collegiate AA rules. The National Federation does not require the high schools in its 33-member states to use its rules, but leaves the choice solely up to the state associations. Eight state associations have adopted the Federation rules. Alabama, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota, and Wisconsin. The new pass rule is borrowed from the National Football League, where it was used last year for the first time, and generally liked. The author of the following article is president and coach of the Chicago Bears Football Club, league champions.

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That adoption of the rule, permitting the throwing of forward passes from any point behind the line of scrimmage by the high school Federation, opens up real opportunities for tactical invention by the modern-minded coach.

In the National Football League, we've had the rule in effect for one season. Admittedly, we have only sounded its offensive possibilities but we've learned enough about it to know that it wipes out the advantage, which the defense, in the modern game, was rapidly acquiring over the attack.

You may find it interesting to look over some maneuvers, made possible by this forward pass rule, which the Bears have found workable against the high-powered opponents. In examining the plays you may be a bit surprised by their simplicity. Like nearly all sound football tactics, however, they depend for success on swiftness, some deception and correct execution of carefully timed assignments.

First let's have a look at the type of play, which, with variations, scored touchdown after touchdown for the Bears in 1933--including the winning marker in our 23-21 victory over the New York Giants for the title. This play is shown in Diag. 1.

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On this play the Bear fullback, Bronko Nagurski, (or his alternate, Jack Manders), received the pass directly from center, half spun, faking to Red Grange, then drove forward. Just as he reached the line of scrimmage, however, he leaped high, throwing a short pass, as the diagram indicates, to his left end. As the defense closed in on the receiver, the latter tossed a lateral to his companion end. While Bill Hewitt of Michigan and Bill Karr of West Virginia are probably the finest ends in the country, that does not mean that a good pair of high school wingmen can't work the play relatively as well.

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Should you decide to try out this maneuver you will discover early that it requires a good deal of work with the fullback making the pass. For one thing, he must learn to fake his plunge with realism if he is to suck in the middleman in the second line of the 6-3-2 defense indicated in the chart.

His technique in delivering the ball is another matter requiring careful work and coaching. As the fullback drives toward the line of scrimmage, he must gather himself, get his body under complete control, and take off on his left foot. As he leaps up he brings his right arm upward at the same time with the wrist cocked to get the snap for the throw. He must develop the knack of suspending himself in mid-air for a split second just before he lets go of the ball. (See opposite page.) This will come with practice.

You'll probably find, also, that the fullback at first has a tendency to throw the ball at a downward slant. That, obviously, is wrong. It increases the danger of the pass being batted down, or intercepted by intervening defensive men and makes it difficult, if not impossible, for the receiver to snare the ball. The pass should travel on the same plant at which it is thrown so that the receiver takes its high.

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Diag. 1 indicates a 6-3-2 defense. Against the Bears, the Green Bay Packers placed Cal Hubbard, giant lineman, in the middle of the second line. He is one of the greatest linemen football has produced and proceeded to stop our running attack cold. But his eagerness to back up the line, an early commitment, enabled us to work this type of short forward-and-lateral against him. Against a seven-man line the formation has an even better chance of success.

This type of play also helps the running attack. The up men in the secondary dare not commit themselves as quickly as they did in past days when, unless someone was five yards back of the line or going back, the danger of a forward was nil and the play could be quickly diagnosed. This momentary inaction on the part of the secondary is an added advantage for running play, as you may discover this fall to your joy--or possibly, grief.

Now let's go over a short-pass play which depends upon catching the defense flat-footed for successful execution. (Diag. 2) This formation with a quick pass from the quarterback to a speeding end out in the flat is self-explanatory. Obviously, it requires a speed-charged receiver who gets the jump on his man and out-runs and out-leaps him. It is, of course, a dangerous play, with the defensive half in a position to go to market, if he intercepts the pass. But we operate on the theory that you've got to take some changes to win these days. I know that high school coaches as a rule, do not have the players capable of performing these feats of fast and fancy football, and must be more conservative. But they can get liberal at times, and I am suggesting some of the times, as allowed by this new rule.