The Harvard football team will play the Carlisle Indians on Soldiers Field at 3 o'clock this afternoon. Carlisle has always played a strong game against the large colleges, and last year was the only team to score on Harvard, making 10 points to Harvard's 22. As this year's team has met no strong opponent, it is impossible to estimate its ability. Of last year's team only four men, the left side of the line and the centre, are left. Most of the stars, including Hudson, Pierce, Metoxen, Senees, and Miller, have graduated from the school. Though the new men are said to have developed rapidly, their lack of experience in hard games will count against them considerably, so that it is safe to say that the team is not as strong as it was last year. Harvard is also below the standard of last year, as the method of gradual development is now employed and the eleven has not yet reached the stage where team play can be relied upon. Therefore, in spite of the uncertainty as to Carlisle's strength, the indications point to a close, hard game.
Carlisle's record for the season is as follows: Lebanon College, 34 to 0; Dickinson, 21 to 0; Susquehanna, 46 to 0; Gettysburg, 45 to 0; University of Virginia, 16 to 2; University of Maryland, 27 to 0.
In general it cannot be said that the Harvard team has improved enough to warrant any confident estimate of its possibilities. This unusual backwardness in development is due to the many changes which have been necessitated by slight injuries and to the unusually strong competition among the candidates for positions in the line. On the offense the team has improved but there is still a marked slowness in getting the ball into play and there has been a good deal of fumbling behind the line.
The interference on end plays, however, has been working much more smoothly of late and with the addition of more aggressiveness will be formidable. Stillman's line plunging is greatly marred by his inability to keep his feet.
On the defense the line plays too wide and lacks concerted action; it is not as strong as it was a year ago. Hallowell and Campbell are still below their form and it is some question whether they are not being surpassed by Ristine and Bowditch. Eaton's game at left tackle shows more energy and spirit. Lawrence still has the fault of playing his opponent too hard and not keeping an eye on the ball. In breaking through he fails to throw himself in front of the runner. Lee lacks fight and tends to play too far from centre. Burnett is working well into right guard though he plays high on charging his man. Of the backs, Kendall still tackles too high; in fact, this is a weakness of the whole team. Putnam is active on the defense but he is apt to be drawn into the play too quickly. Stillman has the same fault of burying himself in the play and losing sight of the man with the ball.
Ellis's absence is seriously felt in line-bucking, although the recently developed guards back formation will to some extent offset this temporary loss to the offensive strength of the team.
The line-up will be follows:
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