Crimson Power Subdues Yale for 13 to 9 Win

Fundamental single wing football, with the emphasis on blocking and tackling instead of sleight of hand, were down a good Yale team Saturday in the Stadium and brought the Crimson its first Big Three title since 1941.

Of the Harvard fans who helped form the 39,000 capacity crowd there would be no disagreement on one thing --it was a wonderful way to end a season. But Saturday, Cambridge was a city of heroes, and there was great disagreement over just who was the star of the victory. For some it was Bob Cochran, who played a brilliant defensive game at end and caught the winning pass; for others it was the middle of the Crimson line, exemplified by the all-Eastern guard Bill Molgs; still others said it was sophomore backs Jim Jeslin or Tony Glanelly; and for the Yale linebackers it was probably blocking back Jerry Marsh.

But with all due respect to the 1954 football team, the credit must go to Lloyd Jordan. It was his style of play, his confidence in this team, his emphasis on fundamentals, which won this game. This has been a difficult season for Jordan, one of transition from the Clsshy-Culver team to the present. It was a season which opened with an upset by the University of Massachusetts and defeats by Dartmouth and Columbia.

The Dartmouth and Columbia games were close, just close enough, in fact, to convince all too many Harvard fans that the difference between victory and defeat was sitting in an overcoat in front of the Harvard bench. But through all the local pessimism Jordan remained confident of this team, never hedging from his prediction that Harvard would finish the season strongly and never trying to make the team play ahead of its pace.

It was this gradual development that brought Harvard to the Yale game in superior physical and mental condition. And it was this emphasis on conditioning and fundamentals that allowed the Crimson to wear down the more spectacular Yale team with blocking and tackling, and remove a nine point deficit with two fourth quarter touchdowns.

Saturday's victory did more than bring the Big Three title to Cambridge or enable Jordan for the second year in a row to leave the Stadium on top of his players' shoulders. It also entered in the record books and the public mind something apparent on the local if not the metropolitan scene--the restoration of Harvard football respectability. It has taken Jordan five years to get there, and the kind of solid consistent football played Saturday and all season indicates that it will take even longer to be toppled.

Yale, undefeated in its first six games, and highly rated on the basis of both its energetic sports publicity man and its flashy sophomores stands in complete contrast to the Harvard team.

Over-rated publicity-wise, it was built upon the flash-and-feint theory and played better football in September than it did in November. That Harvard was in better condition can be shown by the comparative injury lists, and the way the Yale team tired in the Fourth quarter while the Crimson seemed to get stronger.

Saturday's game seemed to represent a nutshell view of both teams' seasons--Yale's speed and polish accounting for an impressive first half, Harvard's emphasis on condition and fundamentals eventually allowing the Crimson to dominate and then win the game.

Individually, Cochran was the afternoon's star. Besides the sensational catch for the Crimson's second touchdown, the senior end played brilliant defensive football all afternoon, rushing the Yale passers, or limiting the Elis on their favorite play--a pitch or keep quarterback option play around right end.

If Cochran himself couldn't make the slop on this series, he was always able to drive the play wide and set it up for the Crimson secondary. Once only an offensive end Cochran is another example of the advantages of one platoon football.

Melgs Outstanding

There were other stars. Although the fine play of Melgs has often been taken for granted, nevertheless against Yale he was a great guard again, foreing a fumble on the second play from scrimmage to stop one Eli drive, and teaming with Captain Tim Anderson, Art Painter, Dick Koch, John Maher, Ted Metropoules, Bob Morrison, Bill Frate, and Orville Tice to end later ones.

And besides Jordan there were the assistant coaches--Josh Williams the backfield coach, Ted Schmitt the line coach, and Joe Maras the end coach, who with Jordan, must share so much of the credit for the very successful season completed Saturday.

Perhaps it is an irony of small time Ivy football that this Yale team which won its first six games in a row left the Stadium with a 6-3 record and an unsuccessful season, while the Crimson year, only 4-3-1 in the record book, has been no eminently successful in every other respect.

Cowies Injured

As for the much publicized Yale injuries, Olivar was without his usual depth, but lacked only one starter, fullback Steve Ackerman. The Crimson lost its star wingback Bob Cowles on the first play of the game. As a matter of fact, probably the greatest Yale injury Saturday was to Olivar's pride.

The game itself saw Yale outplay the Crimson in the first half, with the varsity finding difficulty penetrating the Eli's shifting defense. The Blue were often able to spring its fast halfbacks past the line of scrimmage.

Nevertheless the Crimson line tightened when necessary and despite the Blue's statistical superiority (Yale had 12 first downs to the varsity's six and out-gained the Crimson 220 to 96 at half-time) the Elis hold only a 2-0 lead at the end of the first half.

The Elis picked up the safety in the first quarter when tallback Matt Botsford, with his back to the line of scrimmage, intercepted a Bob Brink pass on the Harvard two and was carried by his own momentum into the end zone where the intended receiver Byron Campbell tackled him.

That safety looked increasingly imposing when the Elis moved 53 yards for a touchdown at the start of the third period. A 28-yard pass from Bob Brink to Al Ward set up the score, and a short flip from Brink to Campbell accounted for it.

Four minutes were gone in the third quarter at that point. Jim Joslin replaced the injured Matt Botsford, and from that time the Blue was only to make four first downs, as the Crimson controlled the game.

Although the 195-pound Joslin did not score, he sparked the Crimson offense from that point on, running exceptionally well, mixing power with shiftiness. Troubled all year by his own nervousness rather than opposing lines, he gained equal amounts of confidence and yardage Saturday.

A 62-yard Crimson drive faltered near the end of the third quarter when the Yale line stiffened on the five, but it became increasingly obvious that despite Yale's nine point lead it was a wide open game. On this march Joslin gained 42 of the yards, including a sparking 27-yard run when, apparently stopped by two Eli defenders, he spun away for 12 more yards to the 7.

Yale took over and promptly kicked to its own 28. Then the Crimson drove for its first touchdown in five plays. John Simourian made eight yards in two tries, and then Joslin reeled off gains of ten and nine yards, reaching the one-yard line. Gianelly, dependable all afternoon bucking for first downs, then plunged over for the score. Ross converted.

On the subsequent kickoff the Elis made their last drive of the afternoon, reaching the Crimson 33 before punting into the end zone.

With a first down and 30 yards to go, Frank White drove off the week side tackle for 16 yards. Gianelly bucked for five, and Joslin brought it over the mid-field strips for an 11-yard gain. Joslin and White alternated rushes for a first down on the 39. Then, with Yale overshifted to meet a strong side smash off tackle, Marsh called the set-up play, the left-handed wingback pass. White broke to his left, stopped and fired to Cochran who juggled the ball for a split second on the 16, then pulled it in and went over untouched for the winning score. The jubilation on the field almost matched that in the stands.

Although five minutes remained in the game the Elis could not control the ball and the Crimson took over and ran out the clock