Football Rumbles to Perfect Ivy Mark, Best Season Since 1919

Four years isn't a long time. It's one Olympics, one World Cup, one Presidential election, one undergraduate career. But for Harvard's football program, four years is exactly how long it took to transform a joke of a team into an awesome juggernaut.

When Harvard Coach Tim Murphy arrived four years ago, Harvard had only known Joe Restic football for the 23 previous years. But Murphy turned the program around with rigorous offseason workouts and vigorous recruitment.

The effort paid off this year with an Ivy title and the best football season (9-1, 7-0 Ivy) Harvard has had since it won the Rose Bowl to finish 9-1...in 1919.

It was a remarkable transition considering that Murphy's first three seasons were 4-6, 2-8 and 4-6. In fact, Murphy was named the New England Division I Coach of the Year in recognition of the turnaround.

The individual awards also flooded in for the players. Harvard has the possibility of having three graduating seniors play professional football this fall. The last time any Crimson gridder played football for money was in 1985.

Senior tackle Matt Birk was a unanimous First-Team Ivy selection and was selected by his hometown team, the Minnesota Vikings, in the sixth round of the NFL draft. Birk cleared a swath for the other unanimous Harvard selection, sophomore running back Chris Menick. Menick set school records for season rushing yardage (1267) and touchdowns (14).

The defense dominated Ivy opponents, allowing just four touchdowns in the seven league games, none of which were rushing. The all-senior defensive line shut down the opposition's running game, and the much-improved secondary defended well against the pass.

End Chris Smith finished his career as the career sacks leader, and Jason Hughes and Tim Fleiszer were First-Team All-Ivy players. Fleiszer's season and incredible pre-draft workout resulted in a first-overall pick from the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in the CFL draft.

Senior safety Jeff Compas, a Second-Team All-Ivy pick, signed a free agent contract with the New England Patriots. He entered the Crimson record books with the second-most career interceptions, but the record of his that cannot be broken is being the first-ever freshman starter and first 40-game player.

Making the outlook even rosier is the fact that this year's sophomores showed that Murphy's incredible first recruiting class would be followed by others. Last year's Ivy Rookie of the Year, linebacker Isaiah Kacyvenski, made the Ivy First-Team for his great run-stopping ability.

Record: 9-1, 7-0 Ivy

Coach: Tim Murphy

Highlights: Wins first Ivy title since 1987; posts first unblemished Ivy record in school history; tallies most wins since 1919.

Seniors: Matt Birk, Jared Chupaila, Jeff Compas, Mark Drakos, Dave Elliot, Tim Fleiszer, Tom Giardi, Jason Hughes, Michael Layden, Bob Psaradellis, Chris Schaefer, Colby Skelton, Chris Smith, Jay Snowden, Mike Williamson

The rushing of Menick was set up all season long by the passing of sophomore quarterback Rich Linden, who ended with the most single-season completions and touchdown passes in school history and set a Harvard record for total yardage.

The individual performances this season were great, but do not begin to approximate how well the team played together on the field. Harvard was a legitimate juggernaut this year, setting school records in a slew of offensive categories. Team marks fell as Harvard set new single-season total offensive yardage and first downs marks and scored the most points of any Harvard team this century. It also set single-game yardage, first down and offensive plays records against Holy Cross.

And in the most important statistic of all, Harvard also won nine games for the first time since its national-championship season of 1919, and had the first perfect Ivy season of any team in school history.

Harvard's defense, which ranked 99th in Murphy's first year, was arguably the best in Division I-AA. The Crimson finished second in scoring defense (12.3 points per game), fifth in rushing (81.9 yards per game) and pass efficiency (86.3 rating per game) defense, and 13th in total defense (264.8 yards per game).

The season started off with a bang, giving an indication that this year's offense would be explosive and the defense dominating. Harvard destroyed Columbia 45-7 in the home opener, running away at the beginning of the game and never looking back.

The Lions' sole score came on a bomb after a coverage breakdown, but that was merely an aberration. Junior running back Troy Jones had his first-ever 100-yard game and appeared to be the successor to Harvard's all-time career rusher, Eion Hu '97.

One week later, Harvard again seemed to be on its way to a laugher, as it entered the fourth quarter leading Lehigh 35-6. Menick rushed 15 times for a career-high 121 yards, and Jones added 97 before injuring his ankle. However, the Crimson gave up four consecutive passing touchdowns to Lehigh's second-string quarterback; fortunately, all four ensuing two-point conversion attempts failed and Harvard escaped, 35-30.

Up next was Bucknell, winner of eight of its last nine games dating to 1996. The Crimson jumped out to a 20-7 first-quarter lead, and it appeared that it was time for Murphy to begin looking over his shoulder for a Gatorade shower. But instead, Bucknell scored 17 unanswered points to shock Harvard, 24-20.

It would be a good lesson for the Crimson, who outgained Bucknell 338 to 272 but could not stop the Bison once the second-string quarterback entered the game. Harvard did not lose another game, showing much more late-game intensity and concentration, especially defensively.

The sole bright spot in the loss was the performance of senior receiver Colby Skelton, who appeared to have recovered completely from torn knee ligaments, as he caught five passes for 106 yards and set the career receptions mark. Skelton's four years ended with him atop the all-time Crimson lists in receptions, receiving yards, punt returns and punt return yardage.

An Ivy game followed, as the Crimson traveled to Cornell and chewed the Big Red up, 34-9. Harvard did not allow a touchdown and beat Cornell for the first time in 11 years.

"It was a thorough dismantling," said Cornell Coach Jim Hofher after the game. "I don't have to look at the videotape to know that they played well in every phase of the game."

Offensively, Harvard rolled over the Big Red defense for 464 yards and four touchdowns. Cornell, meanwhile, floundered with only 247 total yards and three field goals.

Linden completed 20 of 27 attempts for a career high 266 yards, and Menick rushed for 144 yards and three touchdowns, both career-highs. Menick's rushing total would have been even higher if he had not been credited with a 20-yard loss on a fumbled reverse attempt.

It was just the kind of victory Harvard needed after the heartbreaking loss to Bucknell. The Crimson took a 10-6 lead into halftime and never looked back, outscoring Cornell 17-0 in the third quarter.

The good vibrations carried over to the next game, a 52-24 whipping of Holy Cross. It became "set-a-record" day at the Stadium. Not only did the school yardage, first-down and offensive-plays marks all change, but Menick had an incredible day, carrying the rock 34 times for 261 yards, an average of 7.7 yards per carry. He and Linden each scored three rushing touchdowns on the day.

The victory was not as easy as the final score might indicate. When Harvard allowed a 21-0 lead to shrink to seven, there was plenty of reason to be worried, because something similar had happened against Lehigh and Bucknell.

But the offense would not be denied, as theCrimson embarrassed the Crusaders with 623 yardsof total offense, a school record by 51 yards.Harvard's 33 first downs and 97 plays were alsonew records.

"It was certainly the best job of executionoffensively we've had since we've been here,"Murphy said after the game.

For the second week in a row, sophomorequarterback Rich Linden and Menick set personalyardage marks. Linden completed 21 of 37 for 272yards, bettering the previous week's effortagainst Cornell by six.

Menick's rushing yardage total placed himsecond all-time for a Harvard single-gameperformance. Matt Johnson '92 still holds therecord with an amazing 323 yards against Brown.

"Our offensive line has just been doing anoutstanding job this year," Linden said after thegame. "Chris [Menick] is a hell of a tailback, butI think he'll admit he had some nice holes to runbehind, and I felt like I had a lot of time tothrow the ball. They're just getting it done upfront."

Harvard showed its ability to win close games aweek later with a harrowing 14-12 win overPrinceton. The Crimson fell behind 5-0 but cameback with a field goal and safety of its own totie the game at five. Harvard gave up a bomb tofall behind 12-8, but then sophomore kicker MikeGiampaolo became a hero.

He kicked a 21-yarder that was tipped and stillwent through, and he followed it with acareer-long 43-yard field goal to win the game andkeep the hope of a perfect Ivy season alive.

"You could say we're a team of destiny,"Giampaolo said after the game.

That team of destiny rolled into Dartmouth aweek later and destroyed the reigning undefeatedIvy champions, 24-0. Harvard scored thanks to bigplays by Second-Team All-Ivy sophomore receiverTerence Patterson, who scored three touchdowns. Hecaught a short pass and a bomb and scored on areverse and finished the day with 11 catches for121 yards.

The final result meant Harvard's first 4-0start in the Ivy League since 1984 and alsoguaranteed the first winning season in 10 fullyears.

The defense suffocated Dartmouth, allowingminus three yards rushing, a statistic even moreimpressive considering that the Crimson defenserelaxed and allowed a 21-yard run on the last playof the game.

Harvard put Dartmouth quarterback Pete Sellersinto his school's record books. The senior threwfive interceptions, each to a different Harvarddefender. Three of the interceptions were tipped,then caught, which indicates how much pressure theCrimson defensive line was able to put on thequarterback.

"Defensively, we played about as well as we canplay," Murphy said. "It really wouldn't havemattered today how many points we scored, weplayed so well."

The next game, a trip to Brown, was just asimportant. Not only had Harvard been blown out thepast two years by the Bears, but the Crimson hadto prove it possessed a week-to-week standard ofperformance.

Not to worry--Harvard physically dominatedBrown to keep its Ivy record perfect and beat theBears for the first time in four years.

The Crimson overcame a 10-0 first-quarterdeficit to score 27 unanswered points, 20 of whichcame in the second half. Harvard came back not bythrowing, as one might expect, but by jamming theball down Brown's throat with 54 rushes for 328yards.

The Crimson defense stiffened after allowingscores on two of Brown's first three possessions.The Bears' offensive star, wide receiver SeanMorey, had six catches for 92 yards in the firsthalf but only three for 37 in the second. Harvarddid not let its run defense slip in the process,allowing only 32 rushing yards on 13 attempts inthe second half.

Down 10-0, Harvard's defense turned the gamearound on a forced fumble at its own 26. TheCrimson then marched down the field on anine-play, 74-yard touchdown drive that included apair of clutch conversions, on a third-and-nine atthe Harvard 27 and a fourth-and-two at the Brown15.

The championship game came a week later, asHarvard hosted the second-place Penn Quakers. TheCrimson emphatically stamped its name on the 1997season with a 33-0 shutout.

Harvard converted 11 of its 21 third-andfourth-downs and outgained Penn 362 to 144 yards.Menick went over 1,101 yards, seemingly settingthe yardage mark, and also scored his record-tying13th touchdown. However, he lost two yards on hislast carry, leaving him still one yard short ofHu's season record.

The Crimson defense keyed thechampionship-clinching game and continued itsbullying of the Ivy League. Penn wentthree-and-out on its first six possessions andended up with only nine first downs the entiregame. The Quakers were only successful on four oftheir 21 third and fourth-down conversions.

Harvard intercepted three passes; junior cornerGlenn Jackson had two, including one for atouchdown, which extended his team-leading totalto six.

"It was as thorough a domination as I've everbeen involved in," said Penn Coach Al Bagnolifollowing the game.

Only one game--The Game--remained on thedocket.

Despite Harvard's 8-1 record and Yale's 1-8mark, the 114th Game was as close as one wouldexpect from an age-old rivalry. However, Harvardwas simply much better than the Elis, and the 17-7victory assured an undisputed championship and aperfect 7-0 Ivy record.

Menick made sure he broke the single-gamerushing record for good, running 22 times for 167yards, and Harvard scored just 1:40 into the game.However, Yale hung tough despite a 16-yardtouchdown catch by senior Jared Chupaila on thirddown and a 41-yard Giampaolo field goal.

The Bulldogs managed a touchdown with 10minutes left in the contest as Joe Walland foundKen Marschner in the corner of the end zone, butHarvard's defense stiffened on the Bulldogs' lastdrive to preserve the championship.

Harvard did all the little things right aswell, as junior Joe Weidle blocked a field goal,Jackson batted a pass down at the goal line andHarvard stuffed Yale twice on second-and-one atthe Crimson five.

"There are no style points in football," Murphysaid. "In the Yale game, you can throw thestatistics out the door."

So although it wasn't Harvard's most impressivewin of the season, it was a win. And that's whatthe year was about--Harvard winning, whether itwas pretty or ugly, home or away, early or late.

"This is what we seniors came here for,"Skelton said.

It took a special group of players and a coachwho pushed all the right buttons during the year.In one clutch situation after another, Lindendropped back into the shotgun, Harvard spread thefield with four wide receivers and eitherChupaila, Skelton or Patterson would make theconversion catch. In one defining moment afteranother, the defense stopped a runner cold orbatted a pass down.

"This is a very close football team," Murphysaid. "You have to dream things, and we had 100percent commitment."

The result was, quite literally, perfect.CrimsonJoshua J. SchankerNot even the refs could stand in Harvard'spath this season.

But the offense would not be denied, as theCrimson embarrassed the Crusaders with 623 yardsof total offense, a school record by 51 yards.Harvard's 33 first downs and 97 plays were alsonew records.

"It was certainly the best job of executionoffensively we've had since we've been here,"Murphy said after the game.

For the second week in a row, sophomorequarterback Rich Linden and Menick set personalyardage marks. Linden completed 21 of 37 for 272yards, bettering the previous week's effortagainst Cornell by six.

Menick's rushing yardage total placed himsecond all-time for a Harvard single-gameperformance. Matt Johnson '92 still holds therecord with an amazing 323 yards against Brown.

"Our offensive line has just been doing anoutstanding job this year," Linden said after thegame. "Chris [Menick] is a hell of a tailback, butI think he'll admit he had some nice holes to runbehind, and I felt like I had a lot of time tothrow the ball. They're just getting it done upfront."

Harvard showed its ability to win close games aweek later with a harrowing 14-12 win overPrinceton. The Crimson fell behind 5-0 but cameback with a field goal and safety of its own totie the game at five. Harvard gave up a bomb tofall behind 12-8, but then sophomore kicker MikeGiampaolo became a hero.

He kicked a 21-yarder that was tipped and stillwent through, and he followed it with acareer-long 43-yard field goal to win the game andkeep the hope of a perfect Ivy season alive.

"You could say we're a team of destiny,"Giampaolo said after the game.

That team of destiny rolled into Dartmouth aweek later and destroyed the reigning undefeatedIvy champions, 24-0. Harvard scored thanks to bigplays by Second-Team All-Ivy sophomore receiverTerence Patterson, who scored three touchdowns. Hecaught a short pass and a bomb and scored on areverse and finished the day with 11 catches for121 yards.

The final result meant Harvard's first 4-0start in the Ivy League since 1984 and alsoguaranteed the first winning season in 10 fullyears.

The defense suffocated Dartmouth, allowingminus three yards rushing, a statistic even moreimpressive considering that the Crimson defenserelaxed and allowed a 21-yard run on the last playof the game.

Harvard put Dartmouth quarterback Pete Sellersinto his school's record books. The senior threwfive interceptions, each to a different Harvarddefender. Three of the interceptions were tipped,then caught, which indicates how much pressure theCrimson defensive line was able to put on thequarterback.

"Defensively, we played about as well as we canplay," Murphy said. "It really wouldn't havemattered today how many points we scored, weplayed so well."

The next game, a trip to Brown, was just asimportant. Not only had Harvard been blown out thepast two years by the Bears, but the Crimson hadto prove it possessed a week-to-week standard ofperformance.

Not to worry--Harvard physically dominatedBrown to keep its Ivy record perfect and beat theBears for the first time in four years.

The Crimson overcame a 10-0 first-quarterdeficit to score 27 unanswered points, 20 of whichcame in the second half. Harvard came back not bythrowing, as one might expect, but by jamming theball down Brown's throat with 54 rushes for 328yards.

The Crimson defense stiffened after allowingscores on two of Brown's first three possessions.The Bears' offensive star, wide receiver SeanMorey, had six catches for 92 yards in the firsthalf but only three for 37 in the second. Harvarddid not let its run defense slip in the process,allowing only 32 rushing yards on 13 attempts inthe second half.

Down 10-0, Harvard's defense turned the gamearound on a forced fumble at its own 26. TheCrimson then marched down the field on anine-play, 74-yard touchdown drive that included apair of clutch conversions, on a third-and-nine atthe Harvard 27 and a fourth-and-two at the Brown15.

The championship game came a week later, asHarvard hosted the second-place Penn Quakers. TheCrimson emphatically stamped its name on the 1997season with a 33-0 shutout.

Harvard converted 11 of its 21 third-andfourth-downs and outgained Penn 362 to 144 yards.Menick went over 1,101 yards, seemingly settingthe yardage mark, and also scored his record-tying13th touchdown. However, he lost two yards on hislast carry, leaving him still one yard short ofHu's season record.

The Crimson defense keyed thechampionship-clinching game and continued itsbullying of the Ivy League. Penn wentthree-and-out on its first six possessions andended up with only nine first downs the entiregame. The Quakers were only successful on four oftheir 21 third and fourth-down conversions.

Harvard intercepted three passes; junior cornerGlenn Jackson had two, including one for atouchdown, which extended his team-leading totalto six.

"It was as thorough a domination as I've everbeen involved in," said Penn Coach Al Bagnolifollowing the game.

Only one game--The Game--remained on thedocket.

Despite Harvard's 8-1 record and Yale's 1-8mark, the 114th Game was as close as one wouldexpect from an age-old rivalry. However, Harvardwas simply much better than the Elis, and the 17-7victory assured an undisputed championship and aperfect 7-0 Ivy record.

Menick made sure he broke the single-gamerushing record for good, running 22 times for 167yards, and Harvard scored just 1:40 into the game.However, Yale hung tough despite a 16-yardtouchdown catch by senior Jared Chupaila on thirddown and a 41-yard Giampaolo field goal.

The Bulldogs managed a touchdown with 10minutes left in the contest as Joe Walland foundKen Marschner in the corner of the end zone, butHarvard's defense stiffened on the Bulldogs' lastdrive to preserve the championship.

Harvard did all the little things right aswell, as junior Joe Weidle blocked a field goal,Jackson batted a pass down at the goal line andHarvard stuffed Yale twice on second-and-one atthe Crimson five.

"There are no style points in football," Murphysaid. "In the Yale game, you can throw thestatistics out the door."

So although it wasn't Harvard's most impressivewin of the season, it was a win. And that's whatthe year was about--Harvard winning, whether itwas pretty or ugly, home or away, early or late.

"This is what we seniors came here for,"Skelton said.

It took a special group of players and a coachwho pushed all the right buttons during the year.In one clutch situation after another, Lindendropped back into the shotgun, Harvard spread thefield with four wide receivers and eitherChupaila, Skelton or Patterson would make theconversion catch. In one defining moment afteranother, the defense stopped a runner cold orbatted a pass down.

"This is a very close football team," Murphysaid. "You have to dream things, and we had 100percent commitment."

The result was, quite literally, perfect.CrimsonJoshua J. SchankerNot even the refs could stand in Harvard'spath this season.