Crimson Eleven Favored Over Boston University

In 1969, B.U. came to Harvard stadium as a heavy underdog against Frank "42 seconds" Champi, the last second hero of the '68 Harvard-Yale game, and a Crimson eleven that had not lost since November of '67.

So how could the Harvard band know, as they played "Mickey Mouse" to the B.U. stands, that Harvard's first victim of the season. Holy Cross, had been sandhagged by an undiagnosed epidemic of hepatitis, that one of B.U.'s halfbacks. Bruce Laylor, was a future NFL Rookie of the Year, and that Champi would spend the rest of the season writing poetry in his room? B.U. won, 14-10, and roared off to a 9-1 season. Harvard finished, 3-6.

Today, the band can safely afford to be as obnoxious as ever. Harvard may not be overwhelming, but B.U. is hopelessly had. The Terriers might get up for the game, but after last week's fiasco against UMass. Harvard won't slouch on to the field. One Boston reporter commented, "After seeing Harvard lose to UMass, B.U.'s terrified that Harvard's gonna kick ass."

A comparative score will show the odds. UMass beat UMaine, 37-0, and UMaine beat B.U., 25-7. The UMaine debacle was the first of three straight defeats for the Terriers. A mediocre U.N.H. team nipped B.U., 16-14, and Delaware, the best small college team in the country, bombed the Terriers, 49-12. Delaware scored the first three times it touched the ball, and on its third kick-off to B.U., nailed the Terriers return specialist for a safety.

B.U.'s offense has not exactly jeiled. After completing four passes in their first two games, the Terriers decided to go with their original third string quarterback, Ray Roach. Roach broke into the line-up with a touchdown pass last week against Delaware. He will have a decent receiver in Darryl Smith, but judging from B.U.'s pass blocking in the early season, he won't have much time to throw to him.

B.U. generally sticks to the ground, although Restic expects that after the B.U. coaches watch the Harvard UMass game film, they'll plan on passing a lot more.

B.U.'s offense is bad, but its defense in worse--the Terriers have given up an average of 30 points a game. The biggest obstacle facing Harvard's offense today will be the rainy weather.

If Harvard's quarterbacks continue their opening game habit of overthrowing wide-open receivers, the Crimson can always rely on the ground game. Marc Wheeler picked up more yardage against UMass than any B.U. back has in the Terriers first three games combined, while Harvard captain Teddy DeMars should continue his climb into the ranks of all-time Harvard rushing leaders, was happy about the blocking Harvard's ground attack received last week, particularly praising tackles Tim Manna and Bill Ferry.

But Not the Defense

He wasn't very happy about the defense, however. The defensive line performed capably enough against the run, but the pass defense was a sieve. On Thursday, Restic denied that tactical errors burned the Crimson against in other words, and team that can throw the ball as well as UMass will have a field day this season. He admits that he loses some sleep over the future of his defensive backs. "We go with the best we have," he said. "There's nothing else we can do."

In an attempt to make something out of his meager talent, B.U. coach Larry Naviaux has fiddled around with a variety of offensive systems. This year, he's come up with a half-breed offense known as the wing-bone. So far, it has produced more fumbles than touchdowns.

Harvard won't need an adjuster back against B.U.'s offensive system, so the loss of adjuster Steve Golden, sidelined with a leg injury, will not cause any immediate problems. Dave St. Pierre will move into the secondary, and Restic hopes that sophomore Mike Costello will come back from his injury to give the Crimson some depth. At 5'9", 170 pounds, Costello won't give the Crimson's small defensive backfield much size.

If nothing else, B.U. should give Harvard the chance to use a lot of players. Restic will dress over 80 men.