Gridders to Face Columbia

The Columbia football team muddled through a fairly forgettable season in 1981, but Ivy League coaches and defensive secondaries remember one player from that 1-9 squad very distinctly.

Quarterback John Witkowski, then only a sophormore, finished the year with the third best passing statistics in the league and an honorable mention on the All-Ivy team while breaking countless Columbia records.

Witkowski made Harvard particularly aware of his potential in last season's opener at Baker Field, putting the ball up 33 times for 19 completions and 196 yards.

Unfortunately for the Lions, the only Witkowski pass to reach the endzone was one that Crimson cornerback Rocky Delgadillo picked off and carried 58 yards for a fourth-quarter touchdown.

A more experienced Witkowski will face an untested Harvard secondary tomorrow at Soldiers Field, hoping to reverse last year's 23-6 setback to the Crimson.

Although Lions Coach Bob Naso realizes that the departure of Delgadillo and much of Harvard's 1981 backfield should make Witkowski's job easier, he insists that Columbia will try to establish a solid running game.

"People assume that we will be throwing the ball, but that's not true anymore. We should go about 50-50 passing and running," Naso said.

When Witkowski goes to the air, he'll be looking for classmates Bill Reggio and Don Lewis. Another junior, tailback Jim McHale, is expected to do the bulk of the Lions' rushing.

The Columbia defense is also a young group, but many of the starters saw action as sophomores.

"We've spent most of the week working on minimizing the effects of the Multiflex. [Harvard quarterback Ron] Cuccia should be difficult to contain, but at least, they don't have any Callinans," Naso said, adding, "At least, I hope they don't have another Callinan."

Jim Callinan, Harvard's All-Ivy running back in 1981, rushed for 103 yards against Naso's troops last year, but Cuccia did nearly as much damage. Although passing for only 65 yards, the Crimson quarterback ran for 89 yards on the day. And tomorrow Cuccia could serve the Harvard offense in another capacity. As a sophomore, Cuccia led the team in receptions at split end, a position he might resume should Coach Joe Restic opt to start Don Allard at quarterback.

Allard and Cuccia shared the duty in a 17-3 scrimmage win over Northeastern last Saturday. However, Cuccia is still expected to call the signals tomorrow, and senior Wally Rutecki is slated to open at split end.

Whoever Restic chooses at quarterback will probably throw more than Cuccia did last September in New York. The Crimson's only returning running back, senior Scott McCabe, underwent knee surgery last spring and knee trouble sidelined him during the scrimmage with Northeastern. McCabe is expected to play this weekend, as is offensive tackle and team captain Greg Brown, who hyperextended his knee in the scrimmage.

The most interesting confrontation in tomorrow's game could be the indirect show down between placekichers Miro Lovile and Jim Villaunava. Harvard's Villanueva burned Columbia last year with three field goals, and the pair tied for the league lead in three-polnters with eight spiece.

Game time is 1:30 tomorrow, and WHRB (95.3 FM) will broadcast live. The Stadium is still only half renovated, with 20,000 of the 37,289 seats ready.