Gridders Confront Columbia Today in New York

Columbia's Frank Navarro wants to win the Ivy League title. He wants to win badly. And this is the year that he thinks he can go all the way. Harvard is in New York City today to kick off the Crimson's Ivy League season.

Joe Restic wants to win the Ivy League title. He too wants to win badly.

Harvard has yet to face a good football team this year and, in the Crimson'' first two games, the team has looked (a) awful (against Umass). Columbia, picked by many as a good bet for the Ivy League title, will give the Crimson its first real test against quality competition.

How well Restic's troops do will do much to determine the legitimacy of Harvard's own claim to title contender.

Columbia is 1-0-1 this year, 44-0, and tying what had been considered to be a weak Princeton team, 0-0. The Columbia team should be a powerhouse. It has Don Jackson, a talented passer who is entering his third year as varsity signal caller-Jackson has thrown for over 1100 yards and accounted for 21 touchdowns in the last two years. Last year he was an All-Ivy quarterback selection and completed 49 per cent of his passes.

Why Passer

Jackson is the best quarterback that the crimson will face this year, and his adeptness, at picking apart defenses will be a challenge to the Crimson defenders, especially in the secondary. Compared to Phil Pennington, the UMass passer who gave Harvard fits in the season's opener, Jackson's passing ability probably poses more of a threat.

Their styles are different though: Pennington is a dropback passer who sets up and gets the ball away quickly. while Jackson doesn't set up as fast, but is better at reading receiving patterns and throwing deep. Jackson is decidedly the more explosive performer of the two.

Jackson teams with Jesse Parks, a senior receiver with whom he has been working his aerial show for two varsity, seasons. Parks has been an All-Ivy selection at wide receiver for two years and has hauled in 59 passes in his varsity career, good for eight touchdowns.

He is very last and is one of the most dangerous deep threats in the East--all of which puts. Parks at the top of Restic's "prevent" list.

"We've got to stop him," the coach said Thursday. If Parks and Jackson go unchecked on Saturday, the crimson defensive secondary will be in for a long afternoon.

Undermted Runners

Columbia's running game is greatly underrated, according to Restic. "They are very tough inside," he said. "They run a lot of power plays, leading a back into the hole to block for the ball-carrier. They're really going to test our linebackers." Columbia picked up 239 yards on the ground against Princeton last week.

Defensively, the Lions still have a perfect record with its two shutouts. The defense is led by 230-pounder who is touted as a All-America candidate this year. Kaliades shores up the middle of the Lion's 5-2 Oklahoma defense.

Columbia's secondary will rotate to the strong side, using a monster back who will rove and free-lance at will.

"Everyone talks about Columbia's offense." Restic said Thursday, "but their defense is really underrated. They haven't allowed a point this year, to maybe it's their defense that makes them go."

Harvard's offense will be severely tested thin week, according to Restic, and it must control the ball to win. "We're got to keep that football away from them," he said. "They're very strong against the run, but we've got to go out and establish our ground game."

Restic hopes that the variety of sets and motion that his offense throws at an opponent will confuse the Lions enough to give Harvard an edge. "They had trouble with our motion last year," Restic said, "and their linebackers haven't really been tested against the pass. Our backs are going to take our passing game right to them."

Same Offensive Lineup

Restic will go with the same offensive lineup that he used against BU last week. Steve Sanvely will start at center, flanked by Bob Kircher and Doug Criss at the guards. The tackles will be manned by Tim Manna and Bil Ferry, Jeff Bone, coming off a solid performance last week, will be the wide receiver, and John Hagerty will hold down the tight end spot.

In the backfield, captain Ted DeMars will again pair with Mark Wheeler, and Marc Mayberg will be the fullback. Restic still refuses to name his starting quarterback until the day of the game, but on the basis of performance in the first two games, it would seem that Eric Crone has the inside track on the starling berth.

Harvard in hurting of defensive end. Mitch Berger, who re-aggravated an old knee injury last week, did not make the trip to New York, and his replacement, Fred Smith, is nursing an ankle injury of his own. But Smith hasn't seen much action this year, and it's not known how long and how hard he can go. If his ankle doesn't hold up, Harvard will be in a bad way.

Mike McHugh will be at the other end, Ed Vena and Mike O'Hare continue at the tackles, with Sandy Tennant it. Middle guard. Mark Fergusun and Bob Kristoff will make up the linebacking corps.

In the secondary, adjuster Steve Golden will be back, but Restic says he's still "not 100 per cent." He will go as long in his knee holds up.

Barry Malinoswski, Mike Murr, and Wes Shofner will round out the starting backfield, with Dave St. Pierre win led the Crimson in tackles against BU, and Joe Sciolla to see action.