Crimson Meets Inquiry-Ridden Quakers; Restic will Make QB Choice at Kickoff

The Crimson gridders, now out of the Ivy League chase after two straight losses, will try to get back on the winning track this afternoon against Penn. Kickoff for the gala Quaker homecoming at Franklin Field in Philadelphia is scheduled for 1:30 p.m.

Although the Crimson has improved with every game, it now finds itself 2-3 on the year and needs a win today to start salvaging a respectable season.

Penn should present a welcome change for Harvard after the last two games against Cornell and Dartmouth. The Quakers are also 2-3, but they've lost their last three outings largely due to the continuing injuries to signal caller Tom Pinto. Pinto, whose excellent roll-out running provides the Quakers with their main offensive threat, will probably miss today's game with a sprained wrist and two dislocated fingers.

Replacing Pinto will be Gary Shue, a good passer, but not the runner Pinto is.

"We're expecting a lot of passing from Penn, especially if Pinto sits out the game," Restic said yesterday.

Harvard's problem at quarterback is of a different nature. Jim Stoekel's 230-yard passing performance against Dartmouth was impressive, but it may have only confused the quarterback situation. Rod Foster and Eric Crone will both be back at full strength and junior Frank Guerra will, as usual, be waiting on the sidelines for his chance.

Crimson coach Joe Restic doesn't want to name his starter until shortly before game time. "If you wait until the end of the week, everybody tries harder in practice and the opponent doesn't know who to prepare for," Restic explained.

Stoekel, who broke the Harvard completion record with 20 catches last weekend, would seem the logical starting signal-caller. But Stoekel was only third in line--behind Foster and Crone (or Crone and Foster)--going into the Dartmouth game. Restic may start any of the four quarterbacks.

Whoever Restic comes up with, the Crimson will probably have no easy time with the Quaker defense, which has been playing well all season, particularly in the Dartmouth game three weeks ago. In that game, the Quakers were tied, 3-3, with the Indians at halftime, only to have the Green's Bill Pollock scramble out of the grasp of defenders for two fourth-quarter bombs and a 19-3 victory.

If the Penn, defense has a weakness, it is against the running game. The Crimson's Ted DeMars and Richie Gatto, who were bottled up against Dartmouth, will have to crack the Quaker line this afternoon if Harvard is to have a good day offensively.

The absence of fullback Steve Hall, out with an ankle sprain, will not hurt the Crimson rushing attack as much as it did during the first two games of the season, since Chuck Krohn, instead of DeMars, has moved in to fill Hall's vacated position.

Besides Hall, two other Crimson players did not make the trip this weekend due to injuries. Mike Murr, kick returner and defensive halfback, is out with a hip pointer, and tight end Howie Keenan has a sprained ankle.

Offensive tackle Monte Bowens is a doubtful starter with a bruised shoulder.

Today's Schedule

Harvard at Penn

Columbia at Cornell

Brown at Princeton

Yale at Dartmouth