Today's Tidbit… The 1933 Rules Committee And The Future of Football

Regular readers of this site and other intelligent people know that American football has often faced conflicts over the game's direction. Today, the primary disputes in college football are player safety and money. Some see targeting and other rules intended to eliminate dangerous hits as at odds with the aggressive play they consider central to football. Likewise, college football’s transfer portal and NIL move the game into territory many do not like. Regardless of where you stand on either topic, both revolve around fundamental beliefs about how the game should be played and the rewards for doing so.

Like others before and after, the 1933 rules committee and coaches generally faced battles over core beliefs about the game, with theirs concerning the balance between offense and defense. Many wanted to tilt the rules in favor of offensive play and increase scoring, and the conflict was exemplified by the fight over penalties for incomplete passes. Starting in 1926, teams could legally throw only one incomplete pass in a series of downs. A second incompletion resulted in a five-yard penalty. Although the rule seems silly now, its intention was to keep trailing teams from flinging the ball around the field and earning a “cheap” touchdown. They believed real teams earned touchdowns the old-fashioned way - by running it and playing the punting-field position game.

The football rules committee members. (1933 Spalding's Official Intercollegiate Foot Ball Guide)