Harrison to Continue Long Line Of Topflight Harvard Halfbacks

For the past few seasons, it seems as if the Crimson football team has had a natural propensity for turning out a steady number of superb halfbacks. When Bobby Leo was a senior in 1966, a sophomore named Vie Gatto was beginning to break into the varsity lineup. Ray Hornblower was to follow him, and this year the Crimson has unveiled a possible successor to these standouts-Steve Harrison.

After an excellent freshman year at halfback. Harrison was considered a bright prospect for the varsity this fall but these hopes were dampened when he suffered a knee infection during the first week of practice. The knee healed, however, and since breaking into the line up in the Columbia game. Harrison has rushed for 248 yards in 50 carries. in addition to handling punt and kickoff returns.

Harrison is not surprised to be playing so much although the knee infection had put some doubts in his mind at the first of the season. "I thought I would be playing some before the season started," he said. "but when I hurt my knee. I had no idea of whether I'd play or not. I'm fortunate that it healed quickly." he added.

Sophomore Booboos

Despite his early success. Harrison is quick to acknowledge a certain difficulty in fighting in with the more experienced members of the team. "I'm still bothered by sophomore mistakes." he said "most of which can be cured by experience. Right now, my major problem is carrying out blocking assignments on the end sweeps which we run a lot. I'm overcoming these sophomore problems, though."

Size (5'10, 175 ?) is certainly not one of Harrison's major football assets, and neither is speed so he claims. "I'd have to say that my biggest asset is my lateral movement in running with the ball. My speed is not that great. so I have to rely more on quickness out of the start and in cutting."

When Harrison got his chance as a halfback in the slaughter of Columbia, he scored two touchdowns. After the loss to Cornell, he was starting against Dartmouth. In his latest game. Harrison carried 2? times for 90 yards against Penn.

Pistol Pete's Big Chance

Last Saturday, he ran the halfback option twice. And one of Pete Varney's few chances to touch the ball this season came in the third quarter when, on a second down. Harrison threw to him for a 16-yard gain. "He rates with the best running back prospects we've had," coach John Yovicsin said early in the fall.