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When the Harvard authorities scheduled last Saturday's doubleheader they did so for the purpose of providing opposition in great plenty for the Crimson. That this and even more was needed was shown before many of the 72 consecutive minutes of football had passed.
Early season games always reveal the rough spots of a team that stand out ion spite of a large score. The 35 to 0 and 33 to 0 victories over Vermont and the Coast Guard teams respectively were not as overwhelming as some expected but they were indicative of the fact that the Crimson has some potentialities. But the majority of these were not revealed in the Saturday games.
Wood Shines
Probably the only real sign of encouragement was the exhibition by ball-carrying Wood. Last year Harvard's heady quarterback never essayed to take the ball but was content with running the team and doing the major share of the passing and kicking. Saturday's games found him taking the ball on several occasions and for quite successful gains. With Wood a triple threat back Harvard's backfield will have a punch that will make it more dangerous than ever.
The other potentialities are, however, latent. Were it not for the fact that Harvard can lateral and forward pass, as demonstrated last season with practically the same backfield, there would be cause for alarm. But this the Crimson can do and although it was not shown Saturday should come forth as soon as a few more polishing up drills have been held and all of the missing members of the backfield return.
Defense Chronic Fault
But the chronic fault in the opening tilts was the defense, which, except for one occasion in the first game when Vermont was held for four downs on the one yard line, was spotty to say the least. The pass defense, too, was ragged despite the fact that the majority of the opponents' completed tosses were flat ones for short gains only. The majority of the practice sessions this week will be devoted to defensive scrimmage's with the Freshmen furnishing the offensive opposition in most of them.
Practically all of Harvard's gaining Saturday was done by means of straight running plays. The power plays clicked with surprising precision, but against questionable opposition. Against stronger teams these plays lose their name of power plays and become merely line bucks. In the straight running formations on Saturday it was Batchelder who carried the ball to the greatest advantage. Playing in both games he scored three of the touchdowns and was the most consistent and the greatest ground gainer.
Substitutes Show Well
Schereschewsky and Kales, both making their debuts in Harvard football, filled in their places nicely. In fact practically all of the newcomers did better than expected. Coach Horween certainly has a wealth of good backfield material as demonstrated by the play of Forbes, Leonard, Brinkley and Record, all of whom are supplementary to the first two backfield quarters. Huguley, also in a debut, as understudy to Wood, hauled his backs in creditable fashion besides showing that his passing eye might also be of service.
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