FIG. 1.
The great bulk of the end's work comes in the defensive game. He is to prevent the long runs or open plays. He should never run behind his own line, because of the danger of leaving his side of the line open to criss-cross or some trick play. The end's primary duty is to turn the runner in. He therefore should go in as quickly and on as sharp an angle as possible, so that he can meet the interference before it gets well formed and started. He should take the direction of A D (shown in Fig. 1), A B C if he must, but never A E. If the opposing end plays up in the line opposite him, the only direction possible will be A B C.
He should meet the interference with body well forward, the arms extended straight and stiff, so as not to be hit by the interference, being careful to keep a little to the outside of it. In plays through the middle of the line, or pile up, the ends should keep out of the scrimmage, so as to be sure that the runner does not come out of the pile.
Tackle.—If there is any one position in the line harder to play than another, that position is tackle. The tackle must look out for territory on both sides of him, and be ready to help either guard or end, as the emergency requires. The great majority of the plays are aimed at him. His constant study must be how to meet each particular play in every style of offence. He should stand about four feet from his guard, and should not allow himself to be drawn out further than six feet; the wider his line is drawn out, the weaker it will be and the more territory he will have to cover. The offensive work of the tackle depends largely upon the play and his assignment in it. In blocking he should always take the man nearest the centre, as he is the nearest to the starting-point of the play, and therefore the most dangerous. In that case he should call in his guard to take his man. On plays through and around the other side of the line, the tackle should momentarily block his man, and then get into the push or interference.
When the tackle himself takes the ball, he should be careful not to give his intention away. He should, without notice, shift his position and bring his feet pretty close together, to enable him to start quickly. He should take off by giving his tackle a push in his chest with the open hand. The end should go into the opposing tackle the moment his tackle takes off, so as to prevent his opponent from following. When his own side is going to kick, the tackle should block his man long enough to prevent his stopping the kick, and then get down the field so as to help the ends prevent a return. The tackle should go nearly straight, so as to protect the centre of the field, the ends taking care of the sides.
The great bulk of the tackle's work is on the defensive. His duty is to tackle everything in sight. Clean, sharp breaking through is imperative in a tackle. The first thing a tackle should do when he steps into the line on the defence, is to notice his opponent's style of blocking, and adapt his method of breaking through accordingly.
Plays directed on the tackle call for great judgment and great strength. The tackle should, if possible, shove his man back and into the play. His next best plan to meet it is to go down in front of it good and stiff and pile it up. He should go into the mass head and shoulders or sideways, but never upon any pretext turn his back to it. In defending his territory against trick plays, the best and only advice that can be given to a tackle is to keep the eyes open, notice the alignments of the opposing back's, the way they stand, their facial expression, and movement, and try to divine which way the ball is going. When the opposing side is going to kick, the tackle should spread a little so as to give himself a better chance of getting through.
FIG. 2.
Guard.—The two guards and the centre make up the proverbial stone wall into which the opposing backs are supposed to ram their heads to no effect.