The Season Begins And Ends Today

In the end. The Game should be decided by one of the following players: Harvard's Ron Cuccia. Don Allard, Jim Callinan, Jim Villanueva, Joe Azelby or Rocky Delgadillo; or Yale's Rich Diana, John Rogan, Curtis Grieve, or Fred Leone. They are The Players of The Hour, and one of them should make The Play that decides The Game.

On offense, the Crimson's chances for an upset of the 8-1 Elis depend especially on the all-around play of quarterback Cuccia, and the passing of back-up Don Allard. The Elis only loss, last week against Princeton, came when Tiger QB Bob Holly completed 36 of 55 passes for 501 vards, an Ivy record. Cuccia will have to go to the air out of the option play early, to test a suspect Eli secondary, and on those occasions when the first stringer goes in motion. Allard is going to have to throw with authority. He did so last week against Penn, completing eight-of-ten, helping Harvard to its 45-7 romp. Harvard may be forced to throw, since the Elis are great at defending the run.

Which is not good news for fullback Callinan, who broke the Harvard record for most yards in a season last week against Penn--he now has 994--and is looking to break the thousand-yard barrier on his first carry from serimmage. Callinan has had rushing games of 190 yards (against Princeton) and 188 yards (in two and a half quarters against Penn), but he will have a much tougher time with the stingy Eli defense, if he doesn't establish himself early, then Harvard will have to go to the air, something they haven't had success with all season, except when Callinan's been on the receiving end. The full back leads the team with 16 receptions, most of them on screens.

If Harvard gets the ball close, but can't get it in for six, then Joe Restic can turn to one of the most reliable kickers in the Ivies for a possible field goal. Sophomore Villanueva has made good on 11 of 16 tries this season, including four of four inside the thirty and 11 of 14 inside the forty. The Game could be that close.

On defense, Harvard's hopes rest with the ability of linebacker Azelby to keep tabs on Diana--the Crimson sophomore has tackled, blitzed, covered on passes with authority all season. He's one of two big play men on the defense.

The other, of course, is Delgadillo. The Crimson cornerback will be responsible much of the afternoon for covering Grieve, who, if you remember, beat Delgadillo for the first Eli touchdown on a fourth-and-nineteen play, during last year's 14-0 Yale win. Delgadillo, who needs two interceptions to break the Harvard career record, will be the man to snare an Eli pass in a crucial situation.

As for the guys in blue, on offense they start with Diana, the superlative tailback, but they by no means end with him. Following right behind to round out the most balanced offense in the Ivies--and perhaps in the East, excluding Pitt and Penn State, of course--are quarterback Rogan and split end Grieve, the most potent passing duo-in the league.

Diana is a power runner with a lot of speed, a man very hard to stop. He's rushed for 1355 yards on 265 carries this season (both Yale records) and scored 13 touchdowns on the year, including a 222-yard, three-TD performance last week against Princeton. "He's a strong runner." Yale coach Carm Cozza says. "He does an awful lot of things for us, since he also returns punts and kick-offs. He's been the workhorse."

There is life after Diana, however, Rogan has completed 51 per cent of his passes for 1141 yards and ten touchdowns. The 6-ft., 4-in. Grieve, one of the highest leapers ever to catch an Ivy football, leads the league in receiving, with 47 catches for 709 yards (a 15.1 average) and ten TD's (all but one thrown by Rogan). Quarterback and receiver have also had the benefit of teaming up for two seasons, which makes them all that much better.

"We know each other really well," Rogan says. "I know how he runs his patterns. He knows how I like to throw." Delgadillo and the rest of the Crimson's well-regarded secondary should have their hands full.

And on defense, team captain Leone, although not among the tackling leaders, is a terror. He's the guy who makes the big plays time and time again for the Elis, as evidenced by the stats. He's had one interception, he's recovered five fumbles and caused three others, he's sacked opposing quarterbacks five times, and on five other occasions he scared the quarterback into throwing an incomplete pass. It's not hard to see why Cozza says. "He leads by example."

One way or another, one of these guys will decide this afternoon's outcome. They are truly The Names of The Game.

10,000 Men of Harvard

Want victory today

For up Against poor Eli

Fair Harvard holds sway

Da dum da dumdum dum

Da dum dum dum

Da dum da dumdum dum

You know the rest.