Football Team Faces Underdog Brown; Bruin Passing Game May Test Defense

When Brown football coach Len Jardine finally threw in the towel last week after compiling a 4-35-1 League record in five years, nobody accused him of having ruined Brown football. Jardine was simply maintaining a tradition of incompetence. The Bruins have won 13 games in the last 14 years, and they are presently headed for their tenth last-place finish since 1960.

Brown has managed to win one game this year, shocking Penn 28-14 in the Ivy opener. The Bruins quickly reestablished themselves, however, giving up 52 points to Yale the next week, and they haven't come within two touchdowns of anyone since then.

Brown is in last place in the League in only one statistical category -- points against -- but in that category they hold a commanding lead. The Bruins have given up over 40 points a game, while Yale their nearest competitor, has allowed an average of 23.8.

Statistically, Brown has the second worst rushing defense and the third worst passing defense. The discrepancy between the last place standing in points against, and only the second to last place standing in total defense, may be explained by the Brown offense. This offense says Harvard coach Joe Restic, turns over the ball so frequently deep in its own territory that the opposition doesn't have far to go for a touchdown.

The Bruins climb out of the second division in only one category: passing. With two halfbacks who average less than four yards a carry, Brown understandably prefers to throw the bell more than any other team in the League (an average of 38 times per game). Brown's only decent runner. Gary Bonner, flunbed out for the second time this year.

A sophomore, Peter Bestrice, does most of the passing for Brown, completing about 44 per cent of his passes. However, he has also throws more interceptions than anyone in the League except Eric Crone.

Brown has the League's leading receiver is catches, yards, and touch-downs in Chip Regine. Restic said that he will assign double coverage to Regine.

Harvard's limping passing attack may experience a revival today However, Harvard fans who are planning to come down to the stadium and freeze to see Milt Holt play quarterback better nor count on it. As usual, Rostic isn't announcing his choice of starting quarterback, but yesterday he talked at length about Crone's two year history of beating Brown and Yale.

Harvard's offensive line, which Rostic sees as the key to Harvard's demise, is still hurting. Bill Ferry will be back at tackle, but Monte Bowens and guard Mark Bauer have been sidelined. No offensive lineman is 100 per cent healthy.

Rod Foster, who finally began to put out in the fourth quarter of the Princeton game, will start at fullback, in place of Mark Mayburg, permanently through with a broken leg. Defensively, Harvard will be missing adjuster Steve Golden who now may have pneumonia in addition to his injured neck.