Crimson Gridders Host Rutgers

Still reeling from last Saturday's 41-14 loss to Princeton, Rutgers will try to recoup its defensive forces this afternoon and rebound against the Crimson in a 2 p.m. game in Harvard Stadium.

Harvard's success will depend largely on how well sophomore quarter-back Rod Fester is able to read the Rutgers defense and react. In this regard, coach John Yoviesin is unperturbed.

Thinking Football

"Rod has good football instincts and is thinking football constantly," he said earlier this week. "For a sophomore, he has unusual poise and confidence in his ability to do the job."

Foster and the realigned Crimson offense will have to contend with a defense that, despite last weekend's nightmarish performance, is basicallysound. The Knights have eight defensive starters back from a team that went 6-3 last season, including a 29-0 victory over Princeton in football's centennial game.

The Rutgers offense is as yet unproven. Against Lafayette in the season opener, the Knights struck for 31 points in the first half and cruised to a 41-16 win.

In that game, quarterback Mike Yancheff completed 8 of 13 passes for 108 yards, gained 27 yards on six carries and scored twice on power sweeps. He retired late in the second quarter after building up an insurmountable 28-0 lead.

More recently, the Rutgers attack fizzled after providing a 7-6 first quarter lead against Princeton. Yancheff was intercepted twice and the knights ended up with minus 20 net yards rushing.

One Yancheff interception led to a quick Princeton touchdown in the second period that broke the game open for the Tigers.

The Crimson defense can hope to do as well today. Ed Vena is scheduled to play after being out earlier in the week with an ankle injury, and the rest of the defensive unit appears ready.

Yoviesin was pleased with the defense against Northeastern. "Our defensive play kept us in the game last week," he said. "We have to continue to develop, however, if we expect to beat Rutgens."

On offense, the Crimson's main concern is the interior line which broke down on several occasions against Northeastern. Yovicsin blamed inexperience as the source of the trouble.

"The offensive line is still maturing," he said Wednesday. "They lack overall consistency and that's what hurts most."

As for the offensive realignment- which moves Pete Varney back to tight end, Bruce Freeman to split end, Denis Sullivan to flanker and Steve Harrison into the backfield with Tom Miller- Yovicsin said he has been considering the change for several weeks.

"We didn't do it earlier," he explained, "because we weren't sure how well the offensive line would block and we thought Varney would be more helpful as a blocker in the backfield."

Whether that means Yovicsin thinks the offensive line matured sufficiently against Norheastern to handle the Rutgers defensive front four or that he is moving toward quickness and speed in his backfield will become clear today.

Two familiar faces will be making their first starts of the season in the backfield this afternoon. Harrison returns to halfback from flanker and senator Tom Miller has come off an injury to reclaim his fullback spot from sophomore Steve Hall.

Also, sophomore quarterback Eric Crone has moved up as number two signal caller after directing the JV's to a 27-0 rout of Northeastern Monday.

Weather could be a factor today. If it rains, the Crimson passing attack could sag and then the offensive thrust would depend almost solely on the line's ability to forceably remove the Knights. Nothing negates speed and quickness more easily than mud.