Another Look at Football

Three weeks ago, or just before the squad reported back to Coach John Yovicsion, the Crimson, as is documented inside, seemed ready to field this fall a generally sound team, with notable strength at halfback, and a strong, all-senior defense. Nevertheless, the team could not be considered a formidable contender because there were no experienced or impressive prospects at quarterback and end. Further, with only 14 lettermen back, the problem of depth, especially in the offensive line, loomed significant. In addition, Yale and Princeton, which both beat Harvard last year, were returning exceptional quality and quantity from their excellent 1967 teams, with the rest of the league rating as strong or stonger than last season.

September, the month of pre-season drills, should have improved Harvard's situation. It is now more than half over and the results have been numbing, to say the least. Three of the fourteen lettermen (John Tyson, Dan Wilson, and Will Stargel), all seniors, all vital to a successful season, are suddenly out of the picture. Four other key players--Richie Szaro, John Ignacio, Fritz Reed, and Tony Smith--will miss the entire practice campaign, and conceivably much of the regular season. Many minor injuries to inconspicuous players, routinely bother-some in previous years, take on great significance when compounded with the loss of so many expected starters. At several positions (most dangerously at offensive tackle and defensive end) the critically needed depth has not materialized as second-line players have so far failed to justify Yovicsin's hopes.

The picture, obviously, is not completely black. Yovicsin immediately took to scrambling players and positions, and has achieved four successful switches. Last year's top freshman ground gainer, Pete Varney, who has speed and good hands to go with his redoubtable frame (6'2", 245 lbs.) moves to end, where he will start. However, Varney's departure and Szaro's injury--a sprained ankle suffered only three days into the practice season--leave Harvard with only two outstanding halfbacks, Captain Vic Gatto and Ray Hornblower, where they once had four. The injury to Szaro, a football player considered to have as great a potential as anyone who ever entered Harvard, is especially grievous. The Polish immigrant and erstwhile soccer player, according to Yovicsin, has a great deal still to learn about the game, and will be badly handicapped by missing the September drills. Harvard fans will not forget, however, that Bobby Leo '66, as a highly touted sophomore, also missed the whole pre-season and then most of the regular campaign because of an injury, finally getting into the lineup in the seventh game, and eventually scoring the winning touchdown in an 18-14 victory over Yale.

A second shift that should pay belated dividends has Fritz Reed, one of two junior lettermen, moving from end to tackle. Reed's adjustment to tackle, which should have been easy since he is 6'2", 225 lbs., and was rated as a better blocker than pass receiver, is set back due to a nerve injury which is affecting his left arm and will keep him out of action for an unknown period. The odds are that his recovery will be in time for Holy Cross, the openning game.

A third switch became necessary when John Tyson, Harvard's great safety decided finally not to play football this fall. Tyson could not be reached, but reliable sources indicate that it is not just the knee injury which sidelined him last year after an All-Ivy sophomore season, that is troubling him. Bill Kelly, a sophomore, recently a quarterback candidate, who also played safety as a freshman, will take Tyson's spot.

Groin Injury

The defensive secondary was further devastated when cornerback John Ignacio, a probable starter, suffered a shoulder dislocation, one of three players so injured in early practice. Tom Wynne, who was an excellent replacement for Tyson last year, will move to cornerback to team with Mike Ananis, Pat Conway, who lettered at halfback before entering the Marine Corps, had expected to learn the safety position under Tyson and Wynne as the season progressed. Suddently, he is expected to start there. A groin injury has temporarily slowed him up.

Aside from the helpful position changes, there have been few other pluses for Yovicsin. Quarterback is still a serious question mark, but top man George Lalich has at least stayed healthy, and Dave Smith has earned the number two spot among the four original candidates. The defensive front five--ends Pete Hall and Steve Ranere, tackles Steve Zebal and Lonny Kaplan,and middle guard Alex Maclean--and the linebacking with lettermen John Emery and Gerry Marino remain strong and may well be the key to any Harvard victories.

Dale Neal and Gary Farneti, capable substitute linebackers, give Yovicsin the suitable depth that he so conspicuously lacks at most positions. Back-ups for Hall and Ranere, for example, are "nonexistent."

At offensive tackle the picture is desperate. Apart from the injured Reed, shifted from end, the only adequate prospect is junior Bob Dowd, Who when not sidelined with injuries, played well for the JVs last year. Dan Wilson's loss, due to a summer injury, proves disastrous. He had started last season. Fulvio Gentili, expected back after a case of mononucleosis last fall, is still not up to par and will not play. None of last year's other JV tackles have elevated to varsity stature.

Center OK

The center of the line, with Tommy Jones and Bob Jannino at guard, backed by John Cassis and Drew Czulewicz, and Ted Skowronski at center, spelled by Bob Teske, is experienced and well-manned.

On the flanks, Varney's move seems so successful that he may end up being a better end than halfback. His counterpart, now that Stargel is out, will probably be Earl Strayhorn, a quick, 6'2",190 lb. junior. Because of a summer knee injury, the plan to move Stargel from halfback to end this season has been shelved. He is trying to strengthen his knee now in the hope that he can get by without an operation, and eventually help out at halfback. Tony Smith, currently out with a bad hamstring pull, John Kiernan, also injured, and Bruce Freeman are sufficiently ensconced in the end picture to have allowed Yovicsin to switch Reed to tackle.

Finally, sophomores John Ballantyne and Vince Vaccarello are getting a close look to fill the Varney-Szaro gap as halfback subs, and Ken O'Connell and Gus Crim continue to duel for the fullback spot.

Gatto Gatto

Gatto is still Gatto, and, at least, the schedule hasn't changed any in the last month (only two road games), so Harvard continues to make plans to field a team this year. Sports Information Director Baaron Pittenger can still see things in perspective. He remembers worse days, when he used to tell writers that Harvard had more players injured than Yovicsin could ever get just to come out for the team at Gettysburg. Yovicsin himself remains stoically undisillusioned. Asked to evaluate the Crimson's chances now, he answered, "If everything works out, we "ll have a football team."

"A good football team?" a reporter asked.

"A football team," Yovicsin said.