The Scouting Report

Quarterback

Junior signalcaller Tom Yohe was impressive in the Crimson's season opener against Columbia a week ago. Yohe completed 10 of 21 passes for 145 yards and two TDs in less than three quarters of action. Given time, he could have a 200-yd. afternoon; without it, the Crown Point, Ind., native can scramble as well as any other QB in the lvies.

Running Backs

Crimson fullback Dave Bunning had an outstanding afternoon against the Lions, chalking up 80 yards on 11 carries (the third best effort by an Ivy back last weekend). Bunning was especially effective up the middle. Tony Hinz is a capable second man, but the NU defensive line will be much beefier than Columbia's.

Receivers

Harvard can not drop a half-dozen balls as it did last weekend if it hopes to sneak past the Huskies. Sure-handed tight end Kent Lucas was especially effective against the Lions, pulling in four Yohe aerials for 77 yards. Look for the multidimensional Crimson backfield to sprint into recieving position if NU shuts down the run early. A glaring weakness is the lack of a bona fide deep threat.

Offensive Line

The Harvard line simply pushed Columbia aside on the Crimson's opening drive last weekend, and then the holes got smaller as the game progressed. The gridders will look to 6-ft., 260-lb. junior guard Maurice Frilot to lead the way. Huskies' bodies will be bigger than Lions', however.

Defensive Line

Harvard's interior defensive line--probably the strongest cog in the Crimson machine last weekend--will have its hands full. End Mike Hirshland also had a magnificent outing against the Lions, making eight tackles and recovering a blocked punt in the Columbia endzone for a TD Peter Allen was a capable replacement at end for injured Captain Kevin Dulsky, but the Crimson would like Dulsky's experience and on-field leadership against NU.

Linebackers

The Crimson misses last year's Captain Scott Collins, but Richard Mau, Kris Thabit and Greg Ubert were all impressive against Columbia.

Secondary

One of the Crimson's biggest question marks entering the 1987 campaign, the defensive backfield held its own against the Lions, surrendering only 84 passing yards on opening day. Safety Bryan Gescuk had a team-leading eight tackles in the Columbia game.

Kicking Game

Harvard seems to have found a placekicker in Bruce Jacob, who converted all five PATs last weekend. The punting game belongs to Alan Hall for now, although he averaged only 32.6 yards per kick against the Lions, including a couple of shanks. The Crimson hopes he won't have to punt 12 times like last weekend. NORTHEASTERN

Even

Huskie QB Jim O'Leary is the key to Northeastern's Wishbone offense. He rarely throws--he completed a total of only 13 passes (for 89 yards) in NU's first two games--but he is the squad's leading rusher with 192 yards. He is more valuable to the Wishbone than Yohe is to the Multiflex.

Advantage: Northeastern

You never know what to expect from the Wishbone--aside from a big day from Huskie QB Jim O'Leary. In last week's 20-12 win over UConn, the 5-ft., 10-in. O'Leary picked up 123 yards on the ground and continually kept the UConn defense off balance with his option ability. Fullback Mike White (39 rushes for 149 yards) and halfback Ray Gee (17--131) are also dangerous.

Advantage: Harvard

The Huskies' leading receiver has only three catches in NU's two games, and the longest reception has gone for only 16 yards. But when the Wishbone is set in proper motion, the passing game becomes obsolete.

Advantage: Northeastern

The Wishbone always relies on a strong performance from the line, which must pull right, pull left, and push straight ahead. NU's linemen average about 260 lbs.--considerably larger than what the Crimson's defensive front faced a week ago.

Advantage: Harvard

Size is once again the strength here, as the starting front six average about 240 lbs. Tackle Darin Jordan has 16 tackles off the line in NU's two wins, while teammate Sal Lupoli, the Huskies' third-leading tackler a year ago, has eight. Jordan, an All-America candidate, also has registered three sacks.

Even

Bill Guidetti leads the linebacking corps with 15 tackles while Chris Petrus has added 13. NU lost its top linebacker of a year ago to graduation.

Advantage: Harvard

The NU secondary has been quite porous in games one and two, yielding 589 yards through the air to opponents (an average of 294.5 per game). Look for Yohe to test the waters early and often. Defensive backs Malcolm Haith and Derrick Luby are the squads two leading tacklers in '87.

Advantage: Northeastern

The Huskies have a hot place-kicker in Lance Gordon, who connected on two field goal attempts last weekend and is now three-for-three on the year. Punter Bill Sansone is averaging 35.4 yards per kick for the season.