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THE OFFENCE
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runner may get through clean; but if his
own side is following him up closely, all
the better.
In the dive plays, some teams send a
man ahead of the runner to clean out the
hole. The result is that he generally stops
it up. The play, however, is very often ef¬
fective, because the forward man, although
stopped, prevents the runner from being
immediately or cleanly tackled, and other
players closing up the rear and putting
the pressure on; a great deal of ground
is gained in that way. The play is rather
more of a tandem than a dive, and de¬
pends for success rather upon pounds than
skill.
Circling the End (Diagram 7). —This
may be done either as in No. 2 or No. 3.
In both cases the backs should uncon¬
sciously stand back a foot or two farther
than for dive plays. The interference
should be headed far enough out to draw
out the opposing rush line. The end