Football Sets for Lehigh

The Harvard football team (1-0) is about to embark on one of its longest road trips of the season. But if you listen to the players, it sounds like tomorrow's away game against Lehigh (1-1) is the team's only one.

"We are not focusing on anyone else but Lehigh," said senior flanker Jared Chupaila. "It is a one-game schedule. Lehigh is all we're worried about."

The Crimson players are packing their bags-as well as the Ivy League's most potent running game after Week One-and heading out to the holy city of Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. There they will face one of the Patriot League's better teams, the Lehigh Engineers, in a contest that may feature some fireworks.

One of the game's determining factors may be whether or not Lehigh's Division I-AA Preseason All-American tailback, Rabih Abdullah, suits up for the game. Abdullah averaged over 150 yards on the ground in his junior year and torched Fordham for 170 yards and four scores before coming down with a mysterious injury. He did not play last week against Towson, and Lehigh scored only one touchdown.

"The defense is planning on him playing," said sophomore linebacker Isaiah Kacyvenski. "Their offense is very different depending on whether he is in the game. But we are looking forward to challenging Abdullah."

"As far as we understand Rabih Abdullah is completely healthy and will be available for the game," said Harvard Coach Tim Murphy. "Lehigh wants to get the ball into Abdullah's hands as much as possible. We must shut him down."

In addition, the Engineers return wideout Deron Braswell, who finished eighth last year in Division I-AA's yards-per-catch category.

While the defense has been glued to the television watching a heavy dose of film starring Abdullah and a supporting cast of nifty bootlegs and playaction schemes intended for the speedy Braswell, the offense has found little need to tailor a specific strategy for the game.

"We are going to continue doing the things we did last week," Chupaila said. "We'll attack them both in the air and on the run."

Indeed, last week's 45-7 thrashing of Columbia has set high expectations for Harvard. When the opposing team's coach sighs after the defeat that "the best thing is that nobody died," who can blame the Harvard faithful for licking their chops in anticipation of the rest of the season?

While an heir apparent to Harvard's all-time rushing leader, Eion Hu '97, may have been born last week in junior running back Troy Jones, the Crimson may prefer to deal the Engineers an aerial blow. Lehigh has contained its previous two opponents to under 3.0 yards per carry.

Its defense returns several of last year's top starters, including linebacker Ian Eason, who pinned Towson for 14 tackles last week. The young secondary may be suspect, however, allowing over a 55 percent completion rate for opposing quarterbacks.

Moreover, after two games Lehigh's defense has recorded just one sack. Harvard's veteran offensive line should have no problem providing time for sophomore quarterback Rich Linden to find his receivers.

"We would have liked to throw the ball more last week, but we had to take what they gave us," Murphy said.

The Crimson is not going to shy away from running at the Engineers' defensive front. Murphy is eager to establish an offensive balance and provide Harvard's quick, young running backs with a chance to step out Hu's shadow and showcase their own abilities.

If Harvard finds itself down by a large deficit, it may not be reason for discouragement. In its season opener Lehigh blew a 35-14 lead on its way to a 42-35 loss to Fordham. Still, the Crimson cannot become complacent with the talented Engineers.

"We are not expecting a cakewalk," said junior guard Mike Shreve. "But we have high expectations. We don't just want to beat Ivy [teams], we want to win all of them."

"We can't wait to hit the field," Kacyvenski said. The Sports Cube Predicts Jamal K. Greene Associate Sports Editor Harvard  24 Lehigh  3

The Sports Cube Predicts Joshua J. Schanker President Harvard  24 Lehigh  13

The Sports Cube Predicts Richard M. Burnes Reporter Harvard  7 Lehigh  17

The Sports Cube Predicts Matthew W. Granade Reporter Harvard  11 Lehigh  15

FOOTBALL GAME PREVIEW

HARVARD

(1-0-0) Ivy,

(1-0-0) Overall

Head Coach:

Tim Murphy

Captain:

Brendan Bibro

Site: Goodman Stadium

Kickoff: 1 p.m.

On Radio: WHRB 95.3 FM

Tickets: General Admission, $6

Last Meeting: Lehigh won 50-28 at Cambridge in 1989

Series History: Harvard leads series 4-2

LEHIGH

(1-1), (1-1) Patriot

Head Coach:

Kevin Higgins

Captains:

Caleb Moyer

Nick Martucci

The Sports Cube Predicts Joshua J. Schanker President Harvard  24 Lehigh  13

The Sports Cube Predicts Richard M. Burnes Reporter Harvard  7 Lehigh  17

The Sports Cube Predicts Matthew W. Granade Reporter Harvard  11 Lehigh  15

FOOTBALL GAME PREVIEW

HARVARD

(1-0-0) Ivy,

(1-0-0) Overall

Head Coach:

Tim Murphy

Captain:

Brendan Bibro

Site: Goodman Stadium

Kickoff: 1 p.m.

On Radio: WHRB 95.3 FM

Tickets: General Admission, $6

Last Meeting: Lehigh won 50-28 at Cambridge in 1989

Series History: Harvard leads series 4-2

LEHIGH

(1-1), (1-1) Patriot

Head Coach:

Kevin Higgins

Captains:

Caleb Moyer

Nick Martucci

The Sports Cube Predicts Richard M. Burnes Reporter Harvard  7 Lehigh  17

The Sports Cube Predicts Matthew W. Granade Reporter Harvard  11 Lehigh  15

FOOTBALL GAME PREVIEW

HARVARD

(1-0-0) Ivy,

(1-0-0) Overall

Head Coach:

Tim Murphy

Captain:

Brendan Bibro

Site: Goodman Stadium

Kickoff: 1 p.m.

On Radio: WHRB 95.3 FM

Tickets: General Admission, $6

Last Meeting: Lehigh won 50-28 at Cambridge in 1989

Series History: Harvard leads series 4-2

LEHIGH

(1-1), (1-1) Patriot

Head Coach:

Kevin Higgins

Captains:

Caleb Moyer

Nick Martucci

The Sports Cube Predicts Matthew W. Granade Reporter Harvard  11 Lehigh  15

FOOTBALL GAME PREVIEW

HARVARD

(1-0-0) Ivy,

(1-0-0) Overall

Head Coach:

Tim Murphy

Captain:

Brendan Bibro

Site: Goodman Stadium

Kickoff: 1 p.m.

On Radio: WHRB 95.3 FM

Tickets: General Admission, $6

Last Meeting: Lehigh won 50-28 at Cambridge in 1989

Series History: Harvard leads series 4-2

LEHIGH

(1-1), (1-1) Patriot

Head Coach:

Kevin Higgins

Captains:

Caleb Moyer

Nick Martucci

FOOTBALL GAME PREVIEW

HARVARD

(1-0-0) Ivy,

(1-0-0) Overall

Head Coach:

Tim Murphy

Captain:

Brendan Bibro

Site: Goodman Stadium

Kickoff: 1 p.m.

On Radio: WHRB 95.3 FM

Tickets: General Admission, $6

Last Meeting: Lehigh won 50-28 at Cambridge in 1989

Series History: Harvard leads series 4-2

LEHIGH

(1-1), (1-1) Patriot

Head Coach:

Kevin Higgins

Captains:

Caleb Moyer

Nick Martucci