Defensive Standout Farneti Is Named Football Captain

When the crimson jersey was unfolded at Harvard's election for football captain yesterday afternoon and the number 64 tumbled out, nobody was surprised. All Ivy linebacker Gary Farneti was the only logical choice to succeed end John Cramer, and he will be a major factor in Harvard's attempt to rebound next fall.

The Crimson needed a holler guy as captain this year, and although Cramer provided leadership by example on the field, he just wasn't the vocal type. Farneti was, and he supplied the inspiration that made the defense go this season.

Best Man

Harvard coach John Yovicsin knew it back in early October "He's the best man on our team," he said, and watched as Cornell humiliated the Crimson defense when Farnti was sidelined Clearly, there was no one else as suitable for next fall's captaincy.

But Farneti's task next season will not be an easy one. It has been over a decade since a football team at Cambridge has lost more games than it has won, and the effect of an unsuccessful season was felt even at the freshman level.

In addition, an incident on the way to New Haven last Friday soured quite a few freshman football players on one aspect of the varsity coaching staff, and Yovicsin can ill afford to drive away upcoming players at this stage. Farneti, hopefully, can re-establish the type of cohesive attitude that was the major factor in the success of the 1968 squad.

The road back to Ivy prominence should not take long, however, unless the system that hurt Harvard this fall is retained without change.

A 3-6 season should be enough to sober any man, if not cause him to think seriously about the effectiveness of his system. Harvard had a losing year, but it is not a losing team. Farneti will not let it happen again. Will Yoviesin?