Today's Whats, Whys and Wherefores

"Why?" you ask. "Why William and Mary?" and "Why play them now?"

Well, all the Ivy League schools agreed to add a tenth game to their schedules, and "there aren't too many choices." Harvard coach Joe Restic says. Army, Navy, Air Force, maybe Tulane or Vanderbilt, but not many others. Except William and Mary, for one, and today and next year in Williamsburg, Va., the Crimson will face the Indians.

The contest comes at a particularly unfortunate time for a Harvard team more preoccupied with an Ivy League title chase than a Civil War reenactment. "I'd much rather finish up with the Ivies," Restic says, though he told his players this week, "We want the ballgame. We're going to play it to win."

But Restic also says the non-League encounter will give him a chance to take a look at several players who might play key roles in the Crimson's remaining pair of Ivy games, next week at Penn, and the week after against Yale. One player who should benefit from the extra week is quarterback Brian Buckley.

The senior played a sturdy game in last week's 17-16 victory over Brown, but, as Restic says, "He's not back there yet." And despite a 12 for 21, 112-yd., two-touchdown performance, Buckley says "I didn't feel totally comfortable out there."

Sophomore signal-caller Don Allard, who almost saved the game against Princeton, will also probably get some work, Restic says, "if we can put some points on the board."

Sticking With It

And if Harvard had a fancy scoreboard, that's what many people would be watching today. Instead, they will listen to the reliable squawk of public address announcer Charlie Dale pass judgment on the fate of the Harvard season. The Crimson's chances for a share of the Ivy championship rest with Cornell this week (and Princeton next) in their encounter with Yale at the Bowl. If the Elis win both of those, they win the League outright--whether they beat Harvard or not.

William and Mary should prove a tough test to begin the home stretch. Though only 2-7, the Indians (no protests about the name in Virginia) have played a rugged schedule, which includes a 17-14 win over Dartmouth (a 30-12 victor over Harvard) and a 21-18 triumph over Rutgers. Comparison by mutual opponent is notoriously unreliable, especially in the Ivy League (Harvard beats Cornell; Cornell beats Dartmouth; Dartmouth beats Harvard), but the Indians should rate the favorite by that score. Rutgers not only thrashed Cornell and Princeton, but only lost by 17-13 to Alabama.

But William and Mary has a big but not-very-talented defense and Buckley should be able to pass against it. Its offense, on the other hand, has been impressive. Quarterback Chris Garrity has completed 116 of 236 passes for 1228 yds., 37 of them to wide receiver Ed Schiefelbein, who also has four touchdowns. He should prove a test for Ivy interception leader Rocky Delgadillo and last week's ECAC defensive player of the week, Mike Jacobs. Mostly because of an inexperienced and injury-plagued offensive line, the W and M running attack has been poor. Look for a big Harvard pass rush.

Staying in Power

On the Harvard side, Restic will probably substitute freely. Fullback Jim Callinan, recovered from the bruise on his leg, will start along with Paul Connors and Tom Beatrice, but Jim Acheson, Scott McCabe and Jim Garvey should also see action in the backfield. Flanker Ron Cuccia will not play again this week. The fleet Californian suffered a pulled hamstring at Dartmouth, and because the injury is so high in his leg, it can't be taped. He is possible at Penn, where halfback Paul Scheper should also return. To the predictions:

HARVARD 27, WILLIAM & MARY 24:

Not real sure of this one, even though Harvard is a two-point favorite. The Indians play a big-time schedule and give out scholarships, but they have been playing poorly this season. The Harvard defense, best in the Ivies, should hold them. But you've got to pick Harvard. How can you pick a team whose coach's first name is Jimmye?

YALE 20, CORNELL 17:

Alas, it looks this way. Yale is so tough, even though it lost its leading tackler, linebacker Rick Roher.

DARTMOUTH 34, COLUMBIA 7:

The Big Green takes out its aggressions from last week on the poor New Yorkers.

VILLANOVA 10, PENN 3:

I do not care passionately about this game.

MAINE 23, PRINCETON 10:

Nor this one.