Gridiron Creativity 101 For Coach Murphy

It has been frustrating watching the Harvard football team this season. No, check that. It's been excruciatingly painful.

If the problem was lack of talent or effort, the Crimson's disappointing season would be understandable, even expected. But the truth is that Harvard could have legitimately defeated any of the teams it has played thus far.

The easy argument is that a different malady has ailed the Crimson each week. Against Fordham, overconfidence. Against Cornell, the kicking game. Against Princeton, no offense. Against Columbia, no defense.

Throughout each of these irksome losses, there has been one constant: a lack of creativity on the part of the coaching staff. OK, not a total lack of creativity. The Harvard coaching braintrust did try a reverse against Columbia and an option pitch in the end zone against Dartmouth.

Coach Tim Murphy must bear part of the responsibility for the Crimson's lackluster 1-6, 0-4 Ivy record. Frankly, the offensive play calling has been homogeneous. The same plays are run in the same situations. First and 10? Give the ball to Eion. Second and long? Give the ball to Eion. Third and long? Vin on the out-pattern to Colby.

We are no longer content to sit idly in the press box and watch our team flounder. Here's what we would do if we had the illustrious reins of the Harvard juggernaut today.

*While the rules dictate that Harvard put 11 guys on the field at all times, the Crimson insists on using only 10 of them. Senior Rob Dlugos, junior Nate Storch and junior Rich Thomas have combined for a meager two carries--one for a touchdown--in seven games. The option for most teams consists of a triple threat, but Harvard reduces itself to a double. Think anyone is covering the fullback in the flat? Aside from Thomas's two receptions in the opening game. Crimson fullbacks have seen a ball about as often as the team has seen a win.

*The Crimson has arguably the best 1-2-3 running back punch in the league: Eion Hu, Kweli Thompson and Troy Jones. Harvard just never throws the combination. The team does not have a two-back proset offense, which would allow Hu and Thompson to appear in tandem. While the Harvard coaching staff may be reluctant to utilize Hu as a lead blocker lest he be injured, rumor is that Hu outbenches most of the offensive line.

*Harvard has one completion for more than 30 yards all season. Vin Ferrara has a strong arm and is probably aching to throw a long bomb at least once this season. Even if the Crimson feels that the deep pass is not one that it can routinely complete, Harvard should use it as a bluffing mechanism. Harvard had the ball against Dartmouth with 19 seconds to go in the first half and one timeout left. Murphy had Ferrara kneel down. In the language of Dick Vitale, "Throw the rock, baabbbyyy!"

*In the same vein of keeping teams honest, Harvard should use more play-action on first down. Teams routinely stack eight men on the line against the Crimson on first down, knowing full well that Hu between the tackles is coming next. The inevitable result is third and long. Ferrara says that the offense is best when it is on the attack. Sounds good to us.

*We do not have a lot of criticism for the defense, which has improved each week. Harvard should switch patterns more often, because teams know that the middle is wide open on our cover-two zone defense. The defense's only permutation right now is a corner blitz. The Crimson could at least try stunting: everyone else does it (with success) against us.

Murphy continues to blame an inexperienced and youthful team. We are not convinced. The football team's failure to win more than one game in 1995 stems from the coach's questionable decisions and failure to adjust.