Wouldn't It Be Nice If...

With the clock winding down to three seconds, split and Rich Horner glides into the endzone, his outstretched arms reaching for the 70-yd. toss. As the referee goes to fire his gun, Horner gathers in the pass, just barely keeping both feet inside the endline. More than 70,000 at the Yale Bowl explode as Horner hits the turf, boosting Harvard to a 35-34 win over the Elis, a perfect season record and the team's first Ivy title since 1975.

So much for the fantasy minute. Back in the real world, Harvard's chance for such glorious football is remote. When a head coach tells you, "Our greatest strength is our enthusiasm," you know there are problems. And Joe Restic must be suffering from insomnia while trying to keep straight all the troubles his young, inexperienced charges are facing in preparation for the 1979 campaign.

What's all the worry about? Consider a depth chart that looks like a piece of Swiss cheese. How about a team that doesn't have a single placekicker? Then, of course, there's the lack of a returning letterman at quarterback. There's the paper-thin receiving and running corps.

Perhaps you'd prefer discussing the squad's small overall size. Or you could debate the problems any team filled with young players would face trying to learn Restic's mind-boggling Multiflex.

In short, the Crimson faces a very long, hard uphill climb as it tries for its first winning season since 1975. By Restic's own estimation, Harvard sits somewhere in the middle of the Ivy League, well behind the "top grouping" of Yale, Brown, Dartmouth and Cornell. It's not exactly an encouraging post position.

Believe it or not, though, there are some positive aspects in the Harvard picture. "I think our linebackers as a group--if we don't lose anybody--should be the strength of the ball club," Restic said last week.

Junior Bob Woolway, a steady starter last year, leads the linebacking corps, joined by lettermen Matt Sabetti and Tony Cimmarusti (also a varsity wrestler). The trio, each one weighing in at about 200 pounds, aims more for agility than size; but Woolway has proven himself a talented tackler. He racked up 49 sacks last season.

The linebackers are just one part of what has to be considered a capable defense. On the line, guards Tim Palmer (6-5, 205) and Chuck Durst (6-0, 220), anchor a healthy center wall, along with the probable middle guard, letterman Steve Hollman.

The ends could pose some concern for Harvard though. Dave Otto, a 6-4, 220-lb. starter from last year, is a seasoned veteran who should do the job. On the other end, senior Jim DeBello will have to fill the gap left by the graduation of talented Marko Coric. After shifting from the middle guard to end last season, DeBello got some playing time; and he will be tested this year.

In the backfield, 1978's team-leading tackler, Scott MacLeod, will head up the pass coverage and deep resistance. With Terry Trusty and Mike Jacobs joining MacLeod and adjuster John Casto, the backfield looks like it might have some depth. There also are capable J.V. candidates waiting in the wings.

But Harvard's defensive backfield is probably the only area in which the team could enjoy a reasonable amount of depth. Joe Restic shudders a bit as he says, "We can't afford to get anybody hurt. Our drop-off is so great (from the first to second string)."

Consequently, Restic has used the preseason to try to determine where his team is thinnest. "We don't know yet where the problems will be, but we'll have to make the positional adjustments to fill in," he said.

That means Restic and his assistants will be looking to switch players into new positions, to train them in new skills so they can provide a second or third line of depth. "We're going to have to work people in. It's going to be a long, hard process," he said.

At the very least, Restic needs a dependable backup defensive tackle and end, some extra linebackers and a more stable lineup in the corners, depleted by the graduation of defensive halfbacks Steve Potysman and Fred Cordova.

Defensive depth worries, though, are mild compared to the team's most dramatic problem--the kicking game, where Harvard doesn't even have a full first team. Senior Duke Millard and sophomore Steve Flach should be able to handle the punting: both have had some experience. But the Crimson has no placekicker. That's right, no extra points, field goals or kickoffs.

"We don't have anybody that I can say is going to do the placekicking for us right now. I don't know if we'll find anybody," Restic said. (At last report, he had applied to a Kelly Girl agency for a parttime placekicker.)

The coaches have spent much of the last two weeks screening volunteers who have come from outside the team ranks to try kicking. But Restic said last week he had not found anyone who was consistent enough for the job.

The lack of a kicking game would put severe pressure on Harvard's defense by both reducing the team's point output and allowing opponents good field position on exchanges. And Restic doesn't want to burden the one part of his squad that can boast some success. "We have to find somebody...ANYBODY," he says.

On the offensive side of the field, uncertainties are even more numerous. With sophomore Ron Cuccia and senior Brian Buckley both not returning to school, Harvard's supply of experienced and talented quarterbacks has been sliced in half.

The dropoff has thrust senior signal caller Burke St. John into the starting role, backed up by junior Jim Keyte. Both starters for the baseball team--St. John at shortstop and Keyte on the mound--the pair have talent but lack varsity playing time.

St. John is a heady player, in-touch with Restic's Multiflex and adept at option and sprint-out plays. He's a quick, compact quarterback with a questionable arm--one that fits a running game more suitably than a passing attack.

But Restic insists that Harvard will not ignore the pass, though running should be the team's stronger suit. With split-end Rich Horner around, the Crimson would be crazy not to pass. "Richie will be as fine a receiver as you'll see in the league," Restic said. "Anytime we get the chance to throw the ball we'll get it out to him. I think Burke can do that for us."

Joining Horner should be tight end Chuck Marshall, a small but skilled returning letterman and another varsity baseball player. Linus O'Donnell, a powerful 6-5, 240-lb, tight end candidate, has been sidelined with leg problems; and Restic said he doesn't know when O'Donnell might be able to get back on the field--if at all.

In the backfield, Paul Connors, a talented starter from last year, will be trying to fill the hole left by the graduation of superback Ralph Pollillio. (Last week, Connors was nursing a groin pull and was sitting out practice.) Having lost Matt Granger and Larry Brown as well as Pollilio, Harvard faces the task of constructing almost a brand new offensive backfield. And when that backfield has to execute the complex Multiflex, the task is not easy.

Restic says a key to Harvard's success will depend on how much the team can use the shifting Multiflex.

"The more we can do with sets and motion, the more pressure we put on opponents," he said. "The more we cut back, the more pressure we put on ourselves."

But Restic doesn't know how much his young team can absorb in the short preseason camp since most players have had little or no prior exposure to the flex. He's unsure how many different sets the team will be able to use. "We've got to do more things because we're small," he said. Then Restic added, "But can we do more things?"

"If we sit in the I or split-back set and try to make it go against bigger teams, we're not going to do it," he says.

His front offensive line, with Dave Schoper at center and big Mike Durgin at one tackle, has some size. But the remaining linemen--captain Mike Brown, Eric Speigel and probably Orazio Lattanzi--all are moderate-sized trenchmen. They will be outsized at least by big Brown, Yale and UMass; and Restic says the team will have to use motion, rather 1979 Crimson Football at a Glance Area  Strengths  Weaknesses Quarterback  With senior Burke St. John, Harvard will lean towards a running offense, using options and sprint-outs. St. John knows the Multiflex and has experience; backup junior Jim Keyte also has J.V. experience.  Passing game is a problem, St. John is not a strong-armed quarterback; and Keyte, a powerful baseball pitcher, remains untested as a passer. No real long threat. Offensive line  Five returning lettermen led by '78 starters Dave Scheper (center) and Mike Durgin (tackle), both powerful and experience. Captain Mike Brown should do well at a guard spot.  Besides Durgin, line is not very big. Eric Spiegel should figure in at a tackle spot; but injuries could cause depth problems. Running backs  Paul Connors looks like the leader, but a pre-season groin pull could hamper him.  Loss of Ralph Pollilio and Matt Granger leaves Harvard with the job of reconstructing the backfield. Jon Hollingsworth, Chuck Sandor and Tom Beatrice all are contenders; but all are fairly inexperienced. Receivers  Rich Horner looks like one of the Ivy League's top receivers.  Letterman Chuck Marshall looks good at tight end, but he is small. Linus O'Donnell, at 6-5, 240, could be a powerhouse; but he is injured. Experience is scarce. Defensive line  Five returning lettermen form a fairly solid, good-sized line, especially with Chuck Durst and Tim Palmer in the middle. Also, Steve Hollman at middle guard.  Loss of end Marko Coric leaves one side open. Dave Otto, a 1978 starting end, should nail down one side. Again, depth is lacking. Linebackers  Perhaps the juciest part of a fairly solid defense, the trio of Bob Woolway, Matt Sabetti and Tony Cimmarusti is quick and powerful.  Little experience behind the top men. Defensive backfield  Last year's leading tackler, Scott MacLeod, leads a stable unit bolstered by lettermen Mike Jacobs, Terry Trusty and adjuster John Casto.  Loss of Steve Potysman and Fred Cordova at the corneres leaves a vacancy outside. Kicking game  Senior Duke Millard and sophomore Steve Flach should handle the punting chores.  No returning varsity kickers and NO placekickers at all presents Harvard with its gravest problem. Coach Joe Restic needs ANYBODY who can handle field goals, extra points and kickoffs. Overall  A close-knit, high-spirited team with a fairly solid defense.  Small size, severe depth problems, a lack of experience, no kicking game and many holes to fill. The coaches are unsure if the team will be able to learn and use enough Multiflex strategy to throw larger opponents off balance.

than straight-up set blocking, to hold off the opposition.

Overall, Harvard's season resembles one grand "IF." If the team avoids injury, if St. John can deliver some passing, if the lines fill out the holes, if the players absorb the Multiflex--then there may be some success.

Even Restic is plagued with "its." "If our defense can get the job done, and if we can develop a kicking game it will take the pressure off our offense," he said. That will help.

In the wings, Joe Restic harbors one intangible, his "13th man." No. 12, Restic says, is the substitute who is sure to come off the bench sometime during the year and give the team a certain spark that leads to victory. But No. 13, Restic says, is spirit, the one asset this Harvard team has in abundance.

Again with an "if," Restic says, "We can't get down, because if we lose our spirity it's going to be a long, hard year."

Amen, Joe

than straight-up set blocking, to hold off the opposition.

Overall, Harvard's season resembles one grand "IF." If the team avoids injury, if St. John can deliver some passing, if the lines fill out the holes, if the players absorb the Multiflex--then there may be some success.

Even Restic is plagued with "its." "If our defense can get the job done, and if we can develop a kicking game it will take the pressure off our offense," he said. That will help.

In the wings, Joe Restic harbors one intangible, his "13th man." No. 12, Restic says, is the substitute who is sure to come off the bench sometime during the year and give the team a certain spark that leads to victory. But No. 13, Restic says, is spirit, the one asset this Harvard team has in abundance.

Again with an "if," Restic says, "We can't get down, because if we lose our spirity it's going to be a long, hard year."

Amen, Joe