Penn, Yale Offensive Units Preparing For Clash With Top-Ranked Crimson

Harvard's defense will be hard-pressed by Penn's passing attack when the two teams clash here Saturday. The Quakers lead the league in passing offense, gaining about 203 yards per game, and could play all three of their quarterbacks including third-stringer Gary Shue, this week's Ivy League Back of the Week.

Shue, the second leading passer in the league last fall, came off the bench late in the third quarter to rally Penn from a 10-0 deficit to a 15-10 win over Princeton last weekend. He completed five out of eight passes for 55 yards, a touchdown and a two-point conversion.

Another Quaker quarterback, Tom Pinto, ranks fourth in total offense, averaging 137 yards per game. Harvard's Eric Crone ranks sixth with a 130-yard game average.

At the end of last weekend's bruising match with Dartmouth, the Harvard defensive unit emerged number one in the Ivy League, edging the second-ranked Big Green in total defense by a slim 18 yards.

The Crimson defense has held opponents to about 265 yards each game, paced by the efforts of Sandy Tennant (42 tackles this season), Bob Kristoff (39), Dave St. Pierre (31) and Barry Malinowski (27).

The 21-21 deadlock with the Big Green kept Harvard in the race for the Ivy title, but the Crimson have yet to overcome the strong offensive threats of Pennsylvania and Yale, who have both amassed impressive statistical records this season.

The Elis currently lead the league in total offense, rushing 1018 yards in three games and averaging about 405 yards per game. Harvard ranks fourth with a 326-yard game average.

Yale's biggest ground-gainer, Dick Jauron, retained his lead in league rushing this week with 401 yards in 52 carries. Cornell's Dan Malone trails in second place (316 yards, 82 carries) followed by Harvard's captain Ted DeMars (270 yards, 62 carries).

Crone and the rest of the Crimson offense trail Yale, Cornell and Dartmouth in team offense and most other categories.