The others gathered around the board. There was silence for a moment. Then suggestions came from one and another and Payson, with chalk, in hand, drew lines on the blackboard and moved the blue disks about. But no suggestion seemed practicable when worked out. At the end of half an hour Payson leaned back and frowned.
“That idea of Hill’s is the best I’ve heard,” he said, “but it isn’t safe, do you think so?”
“I don’t believe it is myself, sir,” said Hill ruefully.
“No. I was monkeying with an idea the other night,” said Payson. “Let me see; how did that go?” He went to work with his chalk. “There, that was it, but you can see that it won’t really do. It’s a sort of [delayed forward pass]. There is the usual fake to the right as for a ‘bunch’ pass. The ball goes to left half, who starts to run to the right, too, but doesn’t turn in. As the ball leaves center, left end leaves his place and runs back as though to get into the ‘bunch.’ Instead of that, though, he gets a position farther out and receives the pass from left half after the ‘bunch’ is formed. It might work, but it probably wouldn’t.” He looked up and his eyes met Dan’s. “Here, Vinton, what do you think? You’ve got a head for strategy.”
[PAYSON’S DELAYED FORWARD PASS]
“It would be mighty risky, sir, I should think. You’d fool some of the other chaps all right, but by the time left end was in place to get the pass the other fellows might see their mistake. And wouldn’t it be better to let left end take the ball on a short pass as he goes by, sir? Then, even if he didn’t make any gain, you’d be sure of keeping the ball?”
Payson studied a moment.