109 Years Ago Today in Rutgers Football History - Forward Rutgers!

[Source]

One of the rules the newly formed Intercollegiate Athletic Association of the United States (changed to the NCAA four years later) put in was that a team would have four, instead of three, downs to make 10 yards. And they approved the final piece that was missing from college football. The forward pass was legalized. Newspapers reported them as "forwards" eventually switching over to "passes."

According to its website, St. Louis University completed college football’s first pass when halfback Bradbury Robinson connected on a 20 yard pass to Jack Schneider who then ran for a touchdown against a stunned Carroll College in Waukesha, WI on September 5, 1906.

Locally, Fordham came to Rutgers on September 29 to open the 1906 season. Rutgers tried three passes and completed two. However, as a game changer, it wasn’t until a 17-0 defeat that the October 17, 1906 Targum stated, “Villanova is to be congratulated upon the perfect system of forward passes which practically was the cause of Rutgers defeat.” Coach Frank Gorton told the New Brunswick Daily Press in their October 20, 1906 edition, “The men have solved the problem of executing the forward pass much better than I expected. However, the play will not become altogether popular except to the spectator on account of the severe penalty inflicted when the ball touches the ground before being touched by a player, which is the loss of the ball to the opponent on the spot it was passed.”

 

[brodo]

That is a very severe penalty - an incomplete pass was treated as an interception.

 

[beaced]

One of the rules the newly formed Intercollegiate Athletic Association of the United States (changed to the NCAA four years later) put in was that a team would have four, instead of three, downs to make 10 yards. And they approved the final piece that was missing from college football. The forward pass was legalized. Newspapers reported them as "forwards" eventually switching over to "passes."

According to its website, St. Louis University completed college football’s first pass when halfback Bradbury Robinson connected on a 20 yard pass to Jack Schneider who then ran for a touchdown against a stunned Carroll College in Waukesha, WI on September 5, 1906.

Locally, Fordham came to Rutgers on September 29 to open the 1906 season. Rutgers tried three passes and completed two. However, as a game changer, it wasn’t until a 17-0 defeat that the October 17, 1906 Targum stated, “Villanova is to be congratulated upon the perfect system of forward passes which practically was the cause of Rutgers defeat.” Coach Frank Gorton told the New Brunswick Daily Press in their October 20, 1906 edition, “The men have solved the problem of executing the forward pass much better than I expected. However, the play will not become altogether popular except to the spectator on account of the severe penalty inflicted when the ball touches the ground before being touched by a player, which is the loss of the ball to the opponent on the spot it was passed.”

Not a bad deal.On fourth and long you throw a very deep pass.If caught ,a long gainer. If not caught it was the equivalent of a punt.If intercepted and immediately tackled,again like a punt.If intercepted and returned for a long run back,then teach your team how to tackle.

 

[Source]

One rule on throwing a "forward" in 1906. You had to be 5 yards behind the line AND your pass couldn't go beyond 20 yards. The IAAUS was looking to make the game safer by creating a fourth direction you could lateral the ball (except it was a little different going forward).

Up to 1906, teams formed a grinding machine against each other (11 vs. 11) on the line of scrimmage. So if you had to take some of those guys off the line to protect yourself, it was theorized that would make the game safer. The IAAUS was formed because dozen of players were dying each year in the sport. This was designed to cut those numbers down. Believe it or not, the fatalities went UP for the next season or two, but then actually started down.

 

[198hamilton]

One rule on throwing a "forward" in 1906. You had to be 5 yards behind the line AND your pass couldn't go beyond 20 yards.

Thanks to Source, I finally figured out why Laviano won't throw downfield. He's been studying the 1906 rule book. McDaniels can you hook him up with the current version please?

 

[StyleKnight]

Not a bad deal.On fourth and long you throw a very deep pass.If caught ,a long gainer. If not caught it was the equivalent of a punt.If intercepted and immediately tackled,again like a punt.If intercepted and returned for a long run back,then teach your team how to tackle.

They would get the ball from the spot of the throw. So more like a sack and loss of ball.

 

[RUforester72]

Great thread. Thanks.

 

[Source]

Head coach Frank Gorton was right about fans loving the "forward." Major rule modifications occurred over the next half dozen seasons (and beyond) to lessen the penalties involved with failure of the forward. Within a few years fans identified the game as "new football" if your offense included throwing and "old football" if your game was plunging into the line most of the time.

 

[Scarlet_Scourge]

Up to 1906, teams formed a grinding machine against each other (11 vs. 11) on the line of scrimmage. So if you had to take some of those guys off the line to protect yourself, it was theorized that would make the game safer. The IAAUS was formed because dozen of players were dying each year in the sport. This was designed to cut those numbers down. Believe it or not, the fatalities went UP for the next season or two, but then actually started down.

That is right. The closest thing we still have to today to the old school style in the goal line runs. Now just think the whole game was nothing but that style of play for the entire game but the plays were even more dangerous than anything today.