No Long Runs, Only Disappointment for Dawson

He’s broken every rushing record that exists at Harvard, challenged many of Division I-AA’s oldest marks, and he’s the most accomplished running back the Ivy League has ever seen.

But on Saturday, Clifton Dawson might not have even been the best tailback on the field.

Although Yale tailback Mike McLeod’s 2.6 yards per carry average only slightly bettered Dawson’s 2.5 yards per carry, there were stark contrasts in the players’ performances.

McLeod found the endzone three times in the Bulldogs’ decisive 34-13 rout of the Crimson at Harvard Stadium, compared to a single touchdown jaunt for Dawson. Despite the fact that the run was good enough to move Dawson up to No. 5 all-time on the Division I-AA points list, it provided little consolation in a cheerless ending to what was a remarkable career.

“It’s difficult to go out this way,” Dawson said.

A Yale offense that played with a lead for virtually the entire game didn’t need to do much other than hand the ball off to McLeod, as evidenced by the fact that the Bulldogs ran the ball more than twice as many times as they passed it. Dawson, on the other hand, struggled all afternoon to pull Harvard out of a multi-score hole, fumbling twice—the second of which was returned for the decisive go-ahead touchdown.

“We knew they were an outstanding team, especially on defense,” Dawson said. “They definitely came to play today, that’s what we expect. They were definitely hungry for a victory.”

SWAP IN THE SADDLE

Before Saturday, junior Chris Pizzotti’s last significant playing time had taken place during Week 6 against Princeton. Junior Liam O’Hagan took over for Pizzotti in that game, a 31-28 loss to the Tigers, but experienced a reversal of fortunes this weekend.

With the Crimson offense struggling and in desperate need of a spark, Pizzotti replaced O’Hagan behind center for Harvard’s second drive of the second half.

“Quite honestly, we were just trying to generate some offense, some consistency,” Crimson coach Tim Murphy said. “Both guys did a solid job at times, but it’s eleven men out there, not just the quarterback.”

It didn’t matter much who the quarterback was—Harvard’s running game remained stagnant, the pressure up front rarely relented, and tipped balls, overthrown passes, and good Yale coverage downfield continued to keep the Crimson from ever mustering a realistic chance at a comeback.

“It was tough for our offense to get a rhythm going today,” Pizzotti said. “Yale’s defense really came to play.”

“Offensively, we just struggled to get any continuity all day,” Murphy agreed. “They did a great job.”

NOT SO SPECIAL

McLeod’s pathway to his three touchdowns was made much easier by some highly favorable field position. Two of his touchdowns came on drives in or near Crimson territory, including an eight-yard score on a drive lasting all of one play.

That came thanks to a botched, seven-yard punt by junior kicker Matt Schindel from the Harvard one-yard line, a gaff that gave the Bulldogs by far their shortest field of the afternoon. Schindel also pooched the opening kick of the second half out of bounds in a short-lived stint as kickoff specialist, a spot that was quickly retaken by freshman Patrick Long.

“The field position was great,” Yale coach Jack Siedlecki said. “When you get a one-play drive and a turnover for a touchdown, that makes life a lot easier.”

Harvard’s two touchdowns, on the other hand, came on drives totaling nearly 70 yards, and the times the Crimson did get the ball deep in Bulldog territory—like when junior safety Doug Hewlitt intercepted Yale quarterback Matt Polhemus on the second play after halftime—Harvard ended up turning the ball over.

“There were certainly a lot of opportunities to step up, and most times their defense took them away,” Murphy said. “The bottom line is that we had opportunities for plays, and either we did not connect for one reason or another or they made a great play.”

THE STREAK ENDS

Though Yale’s win over Harvard gave the Bulldogs a share of the Ivy League title, Princeton laid a legitimate claim to the league’s superior season. The Tigers beat the Bulldogs last week to give Yale its only conference loss, and Princeton’s 9-1 overall record was better than the 8-2 Bulldogs....Corey Mazza caught a 26-yard touchdown in garbage time, giving him his eighth of the year. The senior wideout caught exactly one scoring pass in each of eight games this year, amassing an overwhelming team lead....Dawson finished his collegiate career with 4,841 total yards, 126 more than Cornell’s Ed Marinaro. McLeod, with two seasons under his belt, now has 2,053 career yards....Two streakers ran onto the field with 29 second remaining in the game. The painted letters “MIT” were visible on the back of one of them. Senior Neil Sherlock began approaching the man before restraining himself, and security guards eventually wrestled him to the ground before forcibly escorting him off the field.

—Staff writer Malcom A. Glenn can be reached at mglenn@fas.harvard.edu.