Resticball: Wondering What's It All Mean, Joe?

"What's it all mean, Mr. Natural?" "Don't mean shit, boy."--Zap Comix

FOR ALL the Harvard Mr. Naturals who have sat through two unfruitful years of Resticball, the dialogue above is becoming increasingly significant. After all, when Joe Restic succeeded John Yovicsin as head football coach, the event was heralded as an innovative rain after the 14-year drought of Yovvy's straight-laced and conservative football style.

Restic, fresh from a sojourn in the wide-open Canadian Football League and blessed (as one writer reported at the time) with "the most brilliant football mind in North America," was billed as the gridiron messiah to lead Harvard out of the intercollegiate wilderness.

After 14 years of Yoovy's "sweep-left-sweep-right-dive" philosophy, Restic, lover of the multiple set and the man in motion, was going to provide just the right transfusion to cure Harvard's anemic football tradition. Why, Restic even promised that his teams would throw the football, a radical departure from the conservative Yovicsin regime in which the only passes at Harvard games were the ones gallantly offered by the band's drumbearers to visiting cheerleaders. No doubt about it, Harvard fans enthused, Joe Restic was going to bring something innovative and wonderful to Harvard Stadium.

Well, two years have come and gone, and the Mr. Naturals who will endure anything, from September rainstorms to November snow flurries to cement seats, in order to watch the Crimson's football pugilists, are becoming impatient. More and more of them are wondering "just what does Resticball mean?"

Certainly the Crimson coach has introduced theories which Harvard football fans have never seen. The gridiron Puritanism that characterized Yovicsin's football philosophy has been transformed into a wild athletic gadabout. Shifts, multiple sets, motion, passes, reverses, along with a host of other different--and sometimes unorthodox--techniques, have become part of the Harvard football vocabulary.

But while this transformation has taken place and subconsciously pricked the fancy of the entire Boston football audience, promises of a gridiron renaissance under Restic's tutelage have remained largely unfulfilled in his first two years. While Resticball at Harvard has opened the eyes of the entire New England and Ivy League football audience with its dashing ingenuity, one significant element has been missing--Restic teams have not won as most people believed they should.

The sophomore-laden squad that sent Yovicsin into a happy "retirement" with an impressive 7-2 record in 1970 languished around the .500 mark during Restic's first two seasons, finishing 5-4 the first year, and following with a 4-4-1 mark (4-3 and 3-3-1, respectively, in the Ivy League).

Causes for the Crimson's so-so performance in 1971-1972 have been traced to a wide variety of elements, ranging from injuries to charges of racism. But these reasons notwithstanding, the most persistent argument regarding the Crimson's meager showing is that Restic's technique tries to do too much in too little time.

With the formidable restrictions imposed by Ivy League rules--no spring practice, late pre-season, limited recruiting--an Ivy coach works at a distinct disadvantage before he even begins. With these limitations, so the argument goes, a system as complex as Restic's cannot hope to reach full fruition.

The lackluster records of the last two years seem to support this line of reasoning, at least to a degree. Only once, in the 1971 Yale game, has Resticball achieved optimum performance over four quarters of football. And while other important factors have contributed to two consecutive break-even seasons for Harvard, notably injuries and a paralyzing lack of depth, evidence is accumulating against Resticball as a viable Ivy League approach.

What does all this mean? It's unfair perhaps to judge a coach's performance on the basis of his first two years. Most people agree that a college coach cannot be evaluated completely until his entire program is manned with athletes who have come up through the system--until four years have elapsed. Under this line of reasoning, Restic, who has been top dog in the Harvard football kennel for just under three years, would face his first "deadline" in 1974, his fourth season as head coach.

But what about Year Three? How does this Fall's Crimson football squad fit into the four year picture? Will it be an improvement over the .536 winning percentage compiled over the last two years? Mr. Natural, what does it all mean for Harvard football in 1973?

The success of the Crimson this Fall can be summed up in one word--sophomores. Harvard lost 32 lettermen from last year's squad, including the entire starting offensive backfield, and Restic must find bodies to fill the vacancies left by graduation. Last Fall's freshman team, a team which compiled a 4-2 record, is the only place the Crimson coach has to look.

On offense, besides the loss of all four backfield starters, Harvard must find a center, a tight end and a tackle. On defense the most glaring hole is at adjuster, where the Crimson has no one returning with any experience at all. Furthermore, Restic must find a tackle, an end, a linebacker and two defensive backs to fill out his lineup card.

"Any success that we will have this year is dependent on the help we get immediately from that group from the freshman team," Restic says. "We have just got to have it."

Defense

Restic figures defense will be the Crimson's strong suit this season. The veteran talents of Mike O'Hare (tackle), Sandy Tennant and Bob Kristoff (inside linebacker), Mitch Berger (end), and Crimson captain Dave St. Pierre (safety), should make Harvard solid, though not impregnable, on defense.

Tennant and Kristoff will make up the hub of the Crimson defense. Tennant, a tenacious and aggressive fireplug, threw his 5 ft. 10 in., 210-pound frame into 73 tackles in 1972, (49 unassisted, 24 assists) to lead the Crimson.

Kristoff, bowlegs and all, logged 243 minutes of playing time last Fall and tied for the team lead for unassisted tackles with 52. He also recovered four fumbles and intercepted a pass. Kristoff and Tennant team up to provide Harvard with as strong a pair of inside linebackers as anyone in the Ivy League can offer.

Restic must of course find a replacement for Mark Ferguson at the outside linebacker spot. At present no one has the inside track on the position, either from eye-opening talent or experience. Jon Hall, John Keough and Eric Kurzweil all have a shot, and a dark horse could be Brian Baslik. Baslik, a rough and tumble performer his freshman year, is returning to Harvard this Fall after a year off. Despite the question mark at Ferguson's old spot the LINEBACKING looks VERY STRONG.

Next in line on the Crimson D, as far as strengths go, is the end position. Restic is touting his defensive end pairing as one of the most efficient in the Ivies. "We will probably have the best pair of ends in the league," he says. Which may be true, but this prognostication depends on the success of one man coming back from knee surgery and the ability of a freshman to adapt to varsity ball.

Mitch Berger, who started as a sophomore and won All-Ivy honors, hurt his knee in the second game of the season last year and missed the entire campaign. Since surgery last fall, Berger has undergone rigorous therapy and conditioning exercises. If he's back to par, he will give the Crimson a tough and hardnosed performer at one end.

The other end is up for grabs. Since Mike McHugh and Fred Smith have both graduated, Restic must come up with another starter. Peter Mee, a 6 ft. 4 in., 215-pound sophomore, seems to have the inside track on the starting position. But if Mee fails to make the adjustment from freshman to varsity competition, JV veterans Joe Mackey and Hardy Wiedemann will get the call. Outlook for ENDS: GOOD TO EXCELLENT.

At tackle Mike O'Hare will be the bulwark. The second leading tackler among the defensive linemen last year, O'Hare had 38 unassisted tackles and eight assists to his credit. O'Hare is a good pass rusher, and should lead the Crimson effort in that department. O'Hare played more than 230 minutes last year.

The other tackle is a large question mark. The best bets are Justin Harrington and Bob Shaw who played JV most of last year and have a combined total of 20 minutes varsity playing time between them. Harrington improved last season and Shaw saw regular action on the varsity specialty teams, but neither has the experience to match and complement O'Hare. TACKLE looks FAIR TO GOOD.

The rest of the defense, i.e. the secondary, looks very hazy and gray The loss of Steve Golden, Bert Broyer and Rich Bridich left a vacuum at adjuster which still exists. Sophomores Ted Jadick and George Newhouse might fill the gap, but neither has proved he can handle the job. Restic has even talked of scrapping the adjuster altogether and throwing in another defensive back.

From the state of the rest of the defensive secondary that might not be a bad idea. Dave St. Pierre is solid at safety and is coming off a strong season. St. Pierre moved into the lineup last Fall during the B.U. game and went on to lead the team with four interceptions and 45 unassisted tackles. Although he is a sure tackler, St. Pierre has only average speed at best. Nevertheless, he has the safety slot sewn up.

Joe Sciolla is the only returning letterman at defensive halfback. A spot player last year, Sciolla looked good in third-down passing situations when he came in to shore up the aerial defense and should end up as one of the starters for the Crimson this Fall. Still, Restic has to find two other people to work at halfback (only one if he finds an adjuster). Mike Page, who was injured last year, and Alex Costello are two possibilities, with freshmen Jon Judge and Barry Cronin also in the picture.

Restic thinks that Page "could be a real addition to the secondary," despite missing all of last year with injuries. Cronin is probably the fastest of the backs and could have an edge on that basis. In any event, Cronin will see plenty of action as a kick returner. As a whole, the secondary has limited experience and little speed. It's a very gray area at best. Prospects for the SECONDARY: SHAKY.

Offense

The big story for the Crimson attackers must be "what do you do when your entire backfield graduates?" The problem is a serious one for Restic, particularly at fullback. Mark Mayberg and Rod Foster, who split the job last year, have departed, leaving only often-injured Phil Allen.

Allen has demonstrated that he is a tough, slashing runner and a punishing blocker--when he is healthy. But last year, after working himself into the fullback picture, he got injured in pre-season and saw little action. If he can stay well he can go a long way toward solving Restic's fullback problems.

The other top candidate is Roger Hoefer, a 6 ft. 3 in., 190 pound back. Last year Hoefer was shuffled around by the coaching staff more than a deck of cards at a poker game. He started on defense and in midseason was shuttled over to offense. This year, if he is allowed to stay at one position long enough to get a feel for things, he could excell. After Allen and Hoefer there isn't much to choose from Prospects for FULLBACK look FAIR.

At halfback Harvard lost anchorman Teddy DeMars and speedster Mark Wheeler. To replace these two, Restic has five reliable, if not spectacular, performers to choose from. Juniors Alky Tsitsos, Ed Cronin, and Steve Dart, and sophomores Burrelle Duvauchelle and Al Yates are all cut from approximately the same mold. All the halfback candidates are good blockers, but since Nick Leone's decision to drop out of football to devote his time to track, none of the Crimson backs has better than average speed.

Restic admits that the lack of a breakaway threat may hinder the Crimson ground game, but he is quick to point out that the uniform talents of his backfield candidates will give him more flexibility than last year when Wheeler's limited size and pass catching ability severely restricted what the Harvard offense could do out of the backfield. Restic describes his backs as the "tough, ripping, slashing" type, capable of going both ways. But it remains to be seen if their talents will be extensive enough to fulfill Restic's prediction. HALF-BACKS look AVERAGE.

At quarterback the talent situation shapes up similarly to last year. In Jimmy Stoeckel and Milt Holt, Harvard has the same dichotomy between technician and passer, respectively, as the Crimson had with Stoeckel and Eric Crone. Only this time Stoeckel seems to have the inside track on the starting job.

A superb field general and play caller, Stoeckel has the ability to string together varied and time-consuming drives. He is a good short passer and a cheerleader on the field. Stoeckel has showed that he responds to pressure situations. As a sophomore he started against an undefeated Dartmouth team and led Harvard to within an eyelash of a tie. It took a 46-yard field goal to bring Dartmouth victory and keep the Big Green in the undefeated ranks. Stoeckel set a passing record that afternoon, completing 20 of 37 passes for 230 yards.

Holt is a talented passer whose only deficiency has been inconsistency. Holt's strong arm makes him a better long passer than Stoeckel, and he is not afraid to put the football in the air. Last year Holt completed 13 of 26 passes for 172 yards and one touchdown in late game appearances. The Hawaiian native is a good runner with power and speed, but will probably play second fiddle to Stoeckel this year.

If Stoeckel wins the quarterback derby, Harvard's offense may undergo a transformation in character. Restic is already talking about going more to ball control and less to the kind of harum-scarum attack that he used with Crone at quarterback. Without a breakaway runner or a long passer, the entire offensive picture could become several degrees more conservative. With Stoeckel at the helm, Harvard fans are likely to see more controlled drives and low-scoring games. The QUARTERBACKING looks VERY GOOD TO EXCELLENT.

THE OFFENSIVE line, last year's perennial headache, ironically could be one of the strongest components of the Crimson offense this year. In the injuury-riddled campaign last Fall, a lot of people saw some action, which should help this year. Starters Tim Manna, Bill Ferry and John Friar are all back, along with Bob Kircher, Mark Bauer and Brian Hehir.

Monte Bownes, counted to be a stalwart in the offensive front and rated one of the top linemen in the east in the preseason of this sophomore year, has decided to give up football, causing another tough-to-fill vacancy. Add to Ferry, Friar, Manna, et. al., tackle Dan Jiggetts (6 5 in., 265 pounds), sophomore guards Phil Dombrowski and Ernie Pisanelli, and sophomore center Carl Culig and the interior line could be pretty well set.

Could be. But there are problems, notably at center. Brian Hehir, who played 51 minutes at tackle last year has moved into the middle, and he and Culig are vying for the top spot. Culig has the know-how but may be hindered by size. He's only 5 ft. 10 in. and 200 pounds. If neither of these two picks up the slack at center, Restic will be forced to move Manna from tackle, which would throw the tackle slot into confusion. Prospects for CENTER: QUESTIONABLE.

At guard the Crimson looks well stocked. Returnees Ferry and Friar (if they stay healthy) could be a productive duo. Ferry, 6 ft. 1 in. 210 pounds, was a second-team All-Ivy last year, and Restic expects him to have an outstanding year. And what is even more important, Ferry is durable--his 210 minutes playing time topped all offensive linemen last year. Kircher, Bauer, Dombrowski and Pisanelli could provide much needed depth, a rarity for the Crimson this year. The only drawback at present is that Friar and Bauer are both nursing pre-season injuries. GUARD LOOKS VERY SOLID.

At tackle the premature departure of Bowens clouds the picture a little. Jiggetts must now step in and assume control of one tackle slot immediately. And if Manna moves to center, things really look bleak. Another possibility is Richard Lowry, a sophomore who goes 6 ft. 7 in. and weights in at 270 pounds. According to Restic, Lowry is not as far along at this point as Jiggetts, but he may be thrown into the picture earlier than planned if either Jiggetts or Manna depart. TACKLES appear GOOD BUT NO DEPTH.

At end the big problem is finding someone to hold down the tight spot. Last year, John Hagerty took care of everything necessary at tight end, but this season the position is a hide-and-seek proposition. Junior Pete Curtin and sophomore Walt Herbert both have the size, but have limited experience. Restic is thinking of trying lanky wide receiver Pat McInally at the spot. "If McInally is able to block, we may move him over to the other side (tight end)," Restic says. Whether the highly-touted McInally can handle the tough inside work at tight end is questionable. Or rather, the issue is whether his 6 ft. 6 in., 190-pound frame can handle the assignment.

At split end last year's starter Jeff Bone is a solid all-around player with good speed, good hands, good blocking abilities. If McInally goes inside, Harvard will have one of the most explosive pairs of ends in the league. If McInally stays wide, Bone should have the edge, but it could be a spirited contest. All in all ENDS look GOOD TO EXCELLENT.

Kicking

LAST YEAR the greatest inconsistencies in Harvard's performance came in the kicking game. This Fall, since Restic has no new people to handle the job, he is devoting more practice time to improving this facet of the game. Bruce Tetirick handles the short field goals and conversions competently. But Tetirick has limited range, and last year missed some crucial extra points. McInally, who handles kickoffs and long field goals, has a strong leg but is inconsistent. He often booms kickoffs over the end zone only to squib on the next attempt. He needs consistency. PLACEKICKING looks FAIR.

Stoeckel has handled the Crimson punting assignment since his sophomore year. Last year, he averaged 38.2 yards per kick and made the Coaches' All-Ivy team as a punter. Stoeckel doesn't often unleash the 65-yarder, but he gets good height on the ball, has excellent control of where it is going, and is reliable.

Pat McInally was pressed into action last year when Stoeckel was injured and is potentially a powerful punter, but his punting suffers from the same problem as his placekicking--he lacks consistency. He is good backup, though, and can, on occasion, provide excellent kicking. Prospects for PUNTING: GOOD TO EXCELLENT.

In the area of kick returns Harvard is likely to see some new people this Fall. Last year's leading punt returner, Mike Murr, is gone and Dart will inherit some of that responsibility. The person to watch will be Barry Cronin, a speedster who impressed as a freshman.

Kickoff return leader Dart is back this year, but sidekick Rod Foster is gone. Dart averaged 18.4 yards per return but is not fast enough to break the long return consistently. Restic will have to find someone to pair with Dart. Generally speaking, KICK RETURNING seems GOOD, BUT BASIC.

One of the major fiascos of the Crimson kicking game last Fall was coverage. This year, Restic has set aside a daily portion of practice to beef up this important area of the game. Since there are no "regular" kick coverage men, what this season will bring is a mystery. But on the basis of the extra work Restic is devoting to it, it would seem that KICK COVERAGE looks FAIR TO GOOD.

Harvard will have a young team this Fall. It will be strong defensively as Harvard teams have traditionally been strong. Restic's offense may be toned down to a more conservative ball-control style, partly due to lack of a breakaway runner or a long passer, and partly to get maximum mileage out of the defensive strengths. Harvard fans can expect a lot of low-scoring ball games.

The most compelling problem is an overall lack of depth. Restic is going to have to rely heavily on untested sophomores and juniors just to fill his lineup card. This thinness in personnel will hinder Harvard's chances to push up into the top layer of teams in the League: Cornell, Yale, Penn. The Crimson should be somewhere in with Columbia, Dartmouth, Princeton, and (yes!) Brown. But if people start getting hurt the way they did last year, Harvard can forget it--1973 will be a long and bleak season