THE END
The position of end calls for notable physical and mental qualities on the part of the player and for a knowledge of the fine points of the game that can result only from long experience. Of all the men on the rush line, his area of play is the widest and his duties the most varied.
There is no rule of weight to which the end must conform, but he must be speedy. An active, resourceful man, with a quick eye, steady nerve and fine judgment, will often surpass a much heavier man in this position, yet for many of the end's duties weight and strength are an advantage, provided that these qualities are coupled with quickness and intelligence.
An end must possess great speed and endurance to enable him to make long dashes up and down the field in pursuit of punts, and occasionally to relieve the back in carrying the ball. He needs strength and weight to enable him to sustain singly, as he frequently must, the charge of several men in a body, and to break up rapidly moving interference. He needs a quick eye, long practice and good judgment to solve the tricks and fake plays of his opponents, for many of these tricks are especially designed for his deception. He must ever be on the alert for plays down the sidelines, that no one may be outside of him to receive a long pass or secure a short kick.
On the offense, when the team lines up, the end takes his place close to his tackle and just opposite the outside hip of the opposing tackle. He must place himself in a good position to aid in boxing up or in blocking out the opposing tackle, and to secure this result there is no better way than to charge hard and low with the shoulder at some point between the hip and knee of the opponent. The end must go into his man hard, else he will be warded off by the hands of the opposing player, who will then slip between him and his tackle.
If the attack is toward his side of the line, the end must aid his tackle in boxing the opposite tackle, in case the point of attack is outside the end position, and in blocking out the opposing tackle when the point of attack is inside the end position. He should pay no attention to the opposing end, leaving that player to be taken care of by the interference coming ahead of the runner. As soon as the runner has safely passed the opponents' line, the end should follow the man with the ball and make himself useful as the occasion permits.
When the attack is made on the opposite side, the end should follow back of his own line, becoming general "safety man". It is his duty to get in promptly to save the ball in case of a fumble, to protect the runner from a rear attack and to pull or shove the runner along or interfere for him, as the opportunity presents itself.
When his team is on the defensive, the work of the end is very different. He takes up a very different position on the line, moving away from his tackle from three to four yards, the distance depending on the formation of the opponents. He should play as closely as possible, just far enough out to make certain he cannot be boxed in. He should not leave much space between himself and the tackle, as this will make a weak point in the defense. Some men play so widely that, figuratively speaking, they need a field glass or a telephone connection to find out what is going on.