Gridders Take Aim on Minutemen Today

Two-hundred and ten years ago on a pair of rural greens, a small group of strong people--the Minutemen--took it upon themselves to alter the course of history.

Today, at the Stadium, the Minutemen of the University of Massachusetts football team face the same task, breaking a cycle that has ruled the UMass--Harvard series since 1976.

The two teams have been alternating victories in the series since 1976, and since the Minutemen took a 21-7 decision two years ago in the last meeting, the Crimson should emerge triumphant today.

That's all if the established order holds. But like their namesakes, the 1985 Minutemen have demonstrated that they have the determination and guile to embarass their scarlet, er, Crimson foe.

UMass may be the toughest test Harvard (1-0) will face this year. The Minutemen are 2-1, with victories over Morgan State (38-9) and Holy Cross (27-3). Their only loss came by a bare five points to Richmond, a Division I-AA powerhouse.

The Minutemen have allowed just 72.7 yards rushing per game with a ferocious defense, led by freshman linebacker John McKeown--who has been named ECAC Player of the Week two weeks in a row. UMass with its huge defensive front three, was also the first team to keep a Rick Carter Crusader squad from scoring a touchdown.

Offensively, they've managed to score 41 points in the last two weeks against Richmond and The Cross. Today, however, senior quarterback Jim Simeone will replace freshman Dave Palazzi, who suffered a separated shoulder last Saturday.

Coach Bob Stull has relied on fullback Al Neri for his ground game. And in the muddy wake of Gloria, the huge (250-lb. average) UMass offensive line will be an even more imposing presence.

But Stull sees the contest as a battle between Harvard Coach Joe Restic's Multiflex offense--"Restic is a great offensive mind...he gives everybody fits"--and his own defense, in which he shows more a great deal of pride.

"Defensively," Stull says, with brevity and precision, "we're very strong."

For Harvard, the test is to adjust from playing a highly motivated mediocre team in the first half of its season opener against Columbia Saturday and a hapless mediocre team in the second half.

The Crimson offense, particularly quarterback Brian White, who struggled against the Lions, will have to be at its sharpest against the fearsome Minutemen defense. Look for Restic to try to use his quickness (fullback Robert Santiago and halfback Rufus Jones) and his guile (complicated Multiflex plays and formations), rather than the strength of his fledgling offensive line to try to get by UMass.

Defensively, the battle appears to be more even. In the second half of the Columbia game, Harvard stopped the Lions cold. But its difficult to know whether the Crimson defense is ready for UMass, whose fullback is as big as some Columbia linemen.

The crucial difference may be in experience, the Minutemen are playing their fourth game and the Harvard squad hasn't been practicing together for a full month yet.

And experience tell us to look for the Minutemen to change history.