As such, he is a vital part of the whole football picture, scouting for the Varsity with the rest of Harlow's assistants and working out the Varsity line in spring practice. But Lamar is still happiest sorting the varied grid talents which confront him each September and melting them down into a Harvard team.

In his eyes, the most important phase of Freshman coaching is "getting the boys into the system of football that the Varsity will play," and making sure that none of his charges fall by the academic wayside.

More interested in his Freshmen as individuals than as holders of high school records, the coach "goes to them first," rather than waiting until some dejected Yardling comes to him with a note from University Hall in his hand. Last year, not one player was put on probation, a phenomenal record considering the number of hours per week a football player spends on Soldiers Field.

Fundamentals...

In the football teaching department, Lamar believes proper blocking and tackling to be of the essence, and holds that position is the vital factor. "If you can teach a man position, the man can do the rest of it if he wants to play. Knowing how to play a man, knowing angles of pursuit and angles of power are very important."

Timing, or leading for a tackle, is difficult to teach, Lamar maintains. "Like shooting at a moving target," it has to come more or less naturally. "Some men have it, and some don't."

Quarterbacking, Lamar believes, is the most difficult job on a team. He lets his quarterbacks call most of the plays from the field, sending in instructions occasionally. "A quarterback has to know every assigment on the team and must decide how to capitalize on defensive weaknesses."

Offensive power depends on "how hard and fat the team runs," Lamar continues, pointing out that this includes interference as well as ball carriers. Constant running is the only way to acquire this power, he claims and so his teams seldom move from one field to another at a walk.

Each Freshman practice session concludes with the backfield racing up and down the length of the practice field three or four times and the linemen pushing Lamar and an assistant around on the dummy blocking frame to avoid the natural practice "slump off."

A Family Man...

Back in 1931 Lamar married a Radcliffe alumna and now has two daughters, rapid Harvard fans, at home in Belmont. In '37 he found time to go to B. U. Law school at night but did not complete the course.

The six-foot boxer, footballer, and swimmer who likes basketball and goes skiing on winter weekends, regrets that he has no time now to finish his law. "I don't think I'd ever use it, but I'd sure like to do some more studying there."