elatively speaking, football in the late 1890s was in a fairly stable period for a fledgling sport. It was only a few years before that the sport almost met what could have been its demise as the collegiate game was split into factions over rules. Our last discussion saw how the powers of football came together and forged a compromise, saving the game from certain ruin. These next few years would be ones where the game could once again experience the growth of innovations, now that football minds could focus on strategy rather than the turmoil of football politics.