It was rumoured around that afternoon that “S.O.S.” calls had been sent
out in all directions and that the middle of the week would find an army
of assistant coaches on hand. The army failed to materialise, but by
Tuesday four specialists had joined the array of coaching talent and
there was an instructor for every position on the team. The practice
that afternoon was more grim and businesslike than ever before. No one
was admitted to that part of the field who was not either a member of
the team or a coach. There was thirty minutes of individual instruction,
twenty minutes of signal work, and finally two fifteen-minute scrimmage
periods with the second team. And what the ‘varsity did to the second
that day was a pity! With seven coaches urging them on, the ‘varsity
players performed desperately. The new plays to be used against Claflin
were tried out and worked well. The ‘varsity scored two touchdowns in
the first period and one in the second, and kicked a field-goal when,
with only a minute left, it had reached the second team’s eighteen
yards. On the other hand, the second failed to gain consistently inside
the ‘varsity’s danger zone and both of Martin’s drop-kicks went wide.
The ‘varsity’s defence was better than it had been at any time that
Fall, and even the tackles showed up well.