“There’s just one thing left to do,” continued Dick. “We’ve got to change the campaign. We’ve planned around Morris’s drop-kicking and place-kicking; we’ve got to plan now on a rushing game. But Springdale knows that we’ve got Morris Brent to put the ball over for us from anywhere inside the twenty yards, and Springdale doesn’t look for us to try to rush it over if the going’s tough. Once inside her twenty she will expect a try-at-goal. Our one hope lies in allowing her to continue thinking that. That’s why this has got to be kept quiet, fellows. If she gets news of it she’ll know too much. Just as soon as Morris is able to get out he will put togs on and report every afternoon. Since practice is secret no one will know that he isn’t playing. I shall tell every member of both teams to-morrow that anyone giving out a particle of news will be dropped at once. In the Weston game I’ll have Morris show himself on the field. The same any time we hold open practice. No one need know of this except ourselves.”
“But if we don’t use him in the Springdale game won’t they guess?” asked Gordon.
“They’ll worry,” replied Dick calmly. “I wouldn’t be surprised if Morris sitting in plain sight on the bench was as much use to us as though he played. For that matter, if the right conditions arrive I mean to put him in.”
“In spite of the doctor?” gasped Chester.
“No, I’ll get the doctor’s permission for Morris to go in if he doesn’t play!”
“If he doesn’t play? Then what—” Lanny, pausing, viewed Dick with dawning comprehension. Then he grunted. “I see. There might be something in that at a pinch.”
“And I’m afraid the pinch is going to come,” said Dick grimly.
“I don’t see,” began Cotner.
“I’m not ready to explain just yet,” Dick interrupted. “I’ll have to work it out. Later I’ll have something to suggest. Morris is still an asset, even if he can’t play, and we’ve got to find a way to use him. Now, then, let’s see if we can plan out a game that will win without any field-goals. My conviction is that near Springdale’s goal we won’t be able to smash that line of theirs much. So we’ve got to find a way of getting around it or a way of opening it up. [Here are some plays I’ve been working on.] I want to see what you think of them.” Dick took up a half-dozen sheets of paper. “These are all from B formation. I think we will stick to that formation on attack right through, fellows. I don’t believe that anything is to be gained by using the other at times. Formation A won’t allow any play that B won’t, and the fewer things we have to remember, the better. Now, here’s a forward pass from kick formation. Beaton falls back to punting distance, you hold your place, Lanny, Chester jumps to the right out of the way of the pass and Tupper holds his place too. You and Tupper and Chester are in position to protect the kicker and so far there’s nothing to give it away. The ends go down as if under the punt, right end wheeling toward the center after getting by and left keeping out toward the side line. The ball is passed to Beaton and he fakes a kick and then runs, not too fast, to the right about ten paces and throws to right end, if he is uncovered. If not, then to Tupper, who, after blocking and letting his man by on the inside, runs straight out to the right. You, Chester, protect the throw from here, just in front of Beaton. We’ve got to get the time right in this play. About ten counts should see everyone set for the throw; perhaps eight; we’ll have to work that out in practice. The same play can be used on the weak side. In that case Beaton would run to the left, you following him, Chester, and Lanny running out to the side to take the throw in case left end isn’t uncovered. I’m going to number this 8 on the right and 9 on the left. What do you think of it?”
