Crimson Hosts Improved N.U.; Foster Is Starting Quarterback

Harvard has traditionally scheduled "local squads of limited ability," as J. Bennington Peers '04 once said, for at least one of its two non-league football contests each fall. The policy is at the same time wise and a little dangerous, for while neighboring opponents such as Tufts. Boston University and Holy Cross usually present no more than minor problems to the Crimson, they always come to the Stadium in a rather manic emotional state, and occasionally escape with a victory. This sort of thing, as you remember, happened as recently as seven days ago.

Today, when Harvard hosts an improved Northeastern eleven, in a 1:30 p.m. contest at the Stadium, there is an unsettling possibility that it may happen again.

Waiting for the Game

The Huskies are a better squad than the one which lost 28-7 at Cambridge last fall. They have two proven quarterbacks in Phil Raby and Al Mello. Their defense has held their first two opponents to less than 100 yards on the ground. And they have been "waiting for this game since the final second of last year's game," according to coach Joe Zabilski.

Northeastern had the Crimson in a 7-7 deadlock at halftime last fall before Harvard's Rod Foster engineered three touchdown drives that broke the game wide open. Zabilski feels that the squad has matured over the past year and a victory over the Crimson, while not necessarily the Huskies' exclusive goal this season, could point the way to a winning season despite the toughest schedule in Northeastern history.

"People think that the Harvard game is the whole season for us," says Raby, a transfer student from Cincinnati, "but it's not. Sure, it's important, but not solely because it's Harvard. They're in a league a notch above us, and that makes it very important. But what makes it really important is what happened to us against Bridgeport."

What happened to the Huskies against Bridgeport is very definitely going to work to Harvard's advantage. After an easy 36-22 opening victory over the Rhode Island 11 that whipped Brown last Saturday. Northeastern dropped a surprising 10-7 decision to a Bridgeport squad that wasn't supposed to cause any particular trouble. A triumph over the Purple Knights would have given Zabilski his 99th coaching victory at Northeastern, and provided his players with a keen emotional incentive against Harvard. The incentive isn't there now.

Moreover, the Huskies took a heavy physical beating last weekend. Both Raby and Mello were banged up, although Raby says he'll still be able to play today. The entire Northeastern defensive backfield sustained injuries as well, and all four men are questionable starters. Defensive tackle Frank Elliot is also sidelined. If none of them are healthy by this afternoon. Harvard's wide-open passing attack might find the secondary easy pickings.

Harvard Ailments

Harvard is not without certain ailments of its own, but the Crimson's problems are more easily remedied. Quarterback Eric Crone, who hyperextended a knee on a busted play last weekend, will miss this afternoon's contest, as will halfback Steve Harrison and defensive backs Barry Malinowski and Steve Golden. Rod Foster took over the quarterback slot when Crone had difficulty moving the offense last week, however, so Crone's loss isn't all that grievous. Shifty Nick Leone, who ran well last Saturday in Harrison's spot, will replace him at left halfback. The loss of Malinowski and Golden is of more concern. Both are experienced cornermen, and their replacements, Mike Murr and Wes Shofner, may need time to adjust. Raby connected on 17 to 37 passes for 313 yards and two touchdowns in the Huskies' first two games, so he is capable of causing the Crimson secondary a few anxious moments if he is healthy.

Basically, Harvard needs to tighten its defensive alignment and watch for mistakes on offense. Needless penalties hurt Harvard's field position against Holy Cross, and twice Harvard receivers dropped touchdown passes that would have turned the game around. Restic's system, or as much of it as he chose to display last weekend, appears to be basically solid and workable. Foster seems to have a satisfactory grasp of the system's fundamentals, and Restic feels that sophomore Jim Stoeckel, who'll back up Foster today, may understand the system better than any of the Crimson's three other quarterbacks.

Restic was pleased with the Crimson's adjustment to his new configurations--pleased enough to install a few more variations in his offense this afternoon. Given the problems that Northeastern will be forced to overcome in its defensive backfield, Harvard should not have excessive difficulties scoring through the air. Its ground game, when it decides to use it, is effective. If the defense can throttle Raby, Harvard should present Restic with his first victory at Cambridge. The Crimson has history going for it, at least. It hasn't lost its first two games since 1958.