Football Opens Home Season vs. Lafayette Today

When the Harvard football team clashes with Lafayette this afternoon in its home opener, fans in attendance should be treated to an exhibition of football in its purest form.

Forget the high-scoring aerial assaults that comprise most major college football games these days. Today's contest promises to be won in the trenches.

Just last season, the Crimson (1-1, 0-1 Ivy) ranked 99th in Division 1-AA in total defense (396.5 yards allowed per game) en route to a disappointing 2-8 campaign.

What a difference a year makes. In its first two games, the Crimson has allowed just 287 total yards and no rushing touchdowns. Overall, Harvard is ranked first in the nation in total defense (143.5 yards per game) and rushing defense (23.5 yards per game).

In last week's 30-7 trouncing of Bucknell, the Crimson defense put forth one of its most inspired efforts in recent memory, yielding just 101 yards of total offense, 89 of which occurred during garbage time.

"We were bummed out after the Columbia game [a 20-13 overtime loss]," said freshman linebacker Isaiah Kacyvenski, who recorded his first career interception in the Bucknell game. "We know we should have won, but we picked ourselves up afterwards."

Perhaps most striking about this unit, however, is its youth. With senior left cornerback Matt Bradley sidelined with a separated right shoulder, the Crimson will feature no seniors on its two-deep lineup for the second straight week.

The heroes of Harvard's youthful defense have been many. Freshman strong safety Aron Natale and sophomore linebacker Scott Larkee lead the team with 15 tackles apiece, while junior Chris Smith recorded two sacks in the Bucknell victory.

The secondary has also been strong, led by junior Jeff Compas, who has recorded an interception in each of Harvard's games this year. He now has 10 interceptions in his Harvard career, just five behind the school record of Ken O'Donnell '49.

"The defense is just trying to do its job," Kacyvenski said. "We try to do the best we can and take it one week at a time. We want to prove to other people that we're not a fluke."

While the offensive unit has undoubtedly been overshadowed by the gargantuan efforts of the defense, it has been quietly productive.

Senior tailback Eion Hu, the leading rusher in Harvard history, has rushed for 231 yards and three touchdowns in the first two games, despite being hampered by hamstring and leg injuries that have severely restricted his practice time.

Supplementing Hu has been the steady play of freshman Chris Menick, who has garnered 153 yards and a touchdown on 38 carries.

Junior Colby Skelton has been the primary target for junior quarterback Jay Snowden thus far, catching six passes for a total of 93 yards. Skelton has also seen double duty as a punt returner and is averaging 11.1 yards on seven returns, ranking 32nd in the nation.

Like Harvard, Lafayette's offense largely circulates around its ground game. Leading the charge for the Leopards (2-1, 0-0 Patriot League) is sophomore Leonard Moore, last year's Patriot League Rookie of the Year, who leads the league in rushing (110.0 yards per game).

In an impressive 30-19 homecoming win over Cornell, Moore rushed for a career-high 187 yards on 23 carries, including a run of 50 yards that set up the game-winning touchdown. For his efforts, he was named Offensive Player of the Week.

Senior co-captain Quincy Miller also had a strong game against the Big Red, hauling in five passes for 103 yards, including a 29-yard touchdown on a fourth-and-10 play. Miller leads the team with 217 receiving yards and five touchdowns.

Defensively, the Leopards are led by senior strong safety B.J. Gallis, also a co-captain, who recorded 13 tackles, a fumble recovery and an interception in helping to limit Cornell All-American Chad Levitt to 76 yards on 27 carries.

Through its first three games, Lafayette has not allowed an opposing back to surpass 100 rushing yards, and has also recorded seven sacks.

"They're a really physical team and very big up front," said Kacyvenski. "We just have to be physical right back. This game is going to be won at the line."

This is the fifth meeting between the two schools, with Harvard having won three of four games, including a 21-16 triumph on Oct. 2, 1993, in Cambridge.

After today's contest the Crimson will embark on the crucial portion of its schedule, with six of its seven remaining games against league foes, including next Saturday's clash with Cornell at Harvard Stadium.