Butler Aviation Takes Flight Today

Last week, Harvard defensive backs knocked down 10 and intercepted one of the 23 balloons that Dartmouth quarterback Dave Gabianelli floated at them.

Today, the air above the Stadium turf should be full of bullets--not balloons--as the Ivy League's premier passer, Doug Butler, tries to pierce the Crimson secondary.

Last week, as Gabianelli was trying to beat the Crimson with lighterthan-air tactics, Butler was leading the Tigers to a hard-fought 49-44 loss against a powerful Colgate squad. Although the Red Raiders nabbed four Butler passes, the Tiger signalcaller still managed to rewrite the Princeton record book with 34 completions in 59 attempts for 438 yards and four touchdowns.

On the year, Butler is 80-for-143 for 911 yards, five touchdowns and six interceptions.

While the Tigers' senior quarterback is head and shoulders above the rest of the quarterbacks in the Ancient Eight, the Harvard secondary is, too, at the top of its class--which sets up an intriguing matchup.

Overall, Harvard (4-1, 3-0 Ivy) shares first place in the Ancient Eight with Yale (2-0) and Penn (3-0). The Elis and Quakers clash this weekend in New Haven, Conn., in what figures to be a crucial matchup. Princeton (2-3, 2-1 Ivy) and Brown (2-2 Ivy) are in the middle of the pack, and still in contention. Cornell, Columbia and Dartmouth are all winless and out of the race already.

Today's contest should showcase Butler and the Harvard secondary, but Princeton Coach Ron Rogerson has praise for more than just the Crimson defensive backs.

"Their secondary is very good, but let me say that their whole defense is very, very good," the first-year coach says.

Last week, the Crimson held the Green ground attack to just 52 yards rushing. All year, strong line play and the outstanding work of linebackers Brent Wilkinson and Scott Collins has forced the opposition to go to the air and challenge the all-senior Crimson backfield quartet of Lee Oldenburg, Ken Tarczy, Frank Ciota and Cecil Cox.

The defense has allowed just 122 rushing yards a game and came through with seven sacks last week, led by the tremendous performance of end K.C. Smith (nine tackles, three sacks).

The Tigers will be using a Wing-T offense that Rogerson brought to Princeton straight from the playbook of the formation's father, Delaware Coach Tubby Raymond. The Wing-T is traditionally a run-first, pass-at-last-resort offense, but with Butler the visitors should loosen up the traditionally conservative game.

"We still have a very comprehensive attack," Rogerson says. "We still have the capability to run that ball a number of different ways."

Against Colgate, the Tigers took to the air in a desperate comeback bid and fell just short of notching a major upset.

Don't look for a radical new Princeton set to come out the Colgate game, however. "I really haven't changed," Rogerson says.

The Crimson offense will be looking to establish the same ball-control attack it used to take apart Dartmouth. Although halfback Rufus Jones (who missed the Dartmouth game) is again questionable with a knee injury, fullback Robert Santiago (66 carries, 320 yards), and wingback George Sorbara (24 for 96 yards last week) will pick up the slack for the Crimson running game.

Quarterback Brian White only went to the air 15 times last week and has been throwing the ball at less than a 50 percent clip this year (38-for-89, 613 yards, three touchdowns, two interceptions). White is still a tremendous threat to run the ball and has been finding his receivers better as the year has progressed.

The Princeton defense has forced 19 turnovers this year. It relies primarily on middle linebacker Anthony DiTommaso and its defensive backs, who have picked 11 passes.