FOOTBALL NOTEBOOK

Now that the ugliness of Saturday's football game against Princeton is just a vague memory, let's look back on the bright spots. Well, one bright spot.

Harvard senior Chris Taylor, substituting for injured senior Colby Maher (knee), collected his first collegiate touchdown at 1:40 of the second quarter. The play, infamous for its tendency to result in big yardage losses, worked primarily because of a key block by senior guard Jeff Landry delivered at the seven yard line.

Taylor danced the 11 yards into the endzone and gave the Crimson its first TD off the play since the Yale game in 1990, when Maher scored on the reverse for the third straight game.

Those Dreaded Plays: Back to the bad news, now.

Harvard Coach Joe Restic is notorious for summing up losses in one play. Restic's pick for the Princeton loss? Michael Lerch's 82-yard punt return for a touchdown that put the Tigers up 14-0 25 seconds into the second quarter. "We were concerned about the big plays. To get something like that really changes the momentum quickly. It's a real game breaker," Restic said.

Game breaker, schmame breaker. Harvard had virtually three full quarters of football to play at that point. Harvard senior safety Rob Santos, for one, didn't count the Crimson out at that point.

"It definitely gave them momentum, but it wasn't a game breaker," Santos said.

Cartoon Character: Princeton's junior phenom, running back Keith Elias, has probably been called a lot of names in his life time, but boring certainly isn't one of them.

After racking up 155 yards Saturday despite an ankle injury, Elias sauntered into the post-game press conference clad in his heavy-metal regalia: black jeans, boots, "Slayer" t-shirt and, of course, the blue bandana wrapped around the head. From the moment the stocky back stepped into the conference, he ran the show. "Before I say a word, let me introduce you to the guys that make it happen," said Elias, introducing the members of his offensive line. "This is my posse. These are my killer B's."

As for Elias: "I'm the back in black."

Oh, the stuff they teach you at Old Nassau.

Random Notes: Harvard junior quarterback Mike Giardi, victim of 11 sacks, had a net minus-40 yards rushing against Princeton...With Lerch playing defense, offense and special teams Saturday, Princeton Coach Steve Tosches might entertain the idea of putting the versatile senior at his one big hole: quarterback. "That's not that far-fetched," Tosches said...Harvard senior Read Hubbard ran the one play he's been successful on all season Saturday, a crossing pattern across the middle, and, as usual, made it a big one. Hubbard picked up 25 yards...Junior Mark Hall is now the Crimson's second bald-headed player. Anyone else for the razor?