Those teams upon which the work of end and tackle has been best
developed have, for the last few years, been markedly superior in the
opposition offered to plays of their opponents. This fact in itself is
an excellent guide to the style of play one ought to expect from these
two positions. The four men occupying them are the ones to meet nine
tenths of the aggressive work of the opponents. The position of end has
already been dwelt upon at length. That of tackle, a position much later
to reach the full stage of development than the end, has nevertheless
now attained almost an equal prominence. The tackle is an assistant to
both end and guard, while he has also duties of his own demanding
constant attention.
When the opponents have the ball and are about to kick, the tackle is
one of the most active components of the line. He may not be moving
until the ball is snapped, but upon the instant that it is played he is
at work. He may himself go through to prevent the pass or kick, or still
oftener he may make a chance for a line half-back to do this. By a line
half-back is meant that one who, upon his opponents' plays, comes up
into the line and performs the duties of a rusher. This method has
become so common of late that it is well understood. The play of this
line half-back must dovetail into the work of the tackle so well as to
make their system one of thoroughly mutual understanding. For this
reason they should do plenty of talking and planning together off the
field, and carry their plans into execution in daily practice until they
become in company a veritable terror to opponents, particularly to
kicking halves.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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