Out on the practice field beside the Stadium, behind a board fence, a battery of security-minded managers, and the silver shields of the University's Finest, varsity football coach Lloyd Jordan manipulates a group of returning letterman and H.A.A. farm system products toward what he hopes will be a return to Crimson ascendany over UMass.

But in a less prominent corner of the farm, with only part of a board fence, two manager candidates, and no police, Bob Margarita manipulates another group towards what he hopes will be a team by Oct. 15, when his Yardlings meet Tufts.

So far the Yardlings are little more than 85 names on a sheet. They have been practicing for less than a week and will probably not be divided into A and B squads for still another week. No one is less talkative about them than coach Margarita. "I don't know where anyone will be in a week," he said. "They haven't finished basic training yet."

And it is on basic training that the staff spends its time: trips through the rope maze to teach clumsy feet how to stop fighting each other, lessons in how to wrap ankles, and running, running, running until the 85 hopefuls are too tired for anything but skull talks. Then back for more lessons: how to cut at right angles, how to pass without knocking down the receiver, and how to center between the legs.

"We have boys here from everywhere," explains Margarita, "and they have played all kinds of football. Our biggest job is teaching them the funamentals of the game and of Harvard's system."

Margarita will not comment on individuals: "We try to watch for individual speed and reactions," he protests, "but it is too early." For the group as a whole, the coach does admit that '59 is larger in the line than '58, but adds that the backfield may be smaller.

If the backfield candidates are smaller than last year--and there were some people trying to learn the gentle art of pass throwing who were far from small or gentle--the line will certainly be larger. More than one amateur coach has drifted over from varsity practice to note that "these are very big people to be called Yardlings." And if it is not now very graceful, and if these very big freshmen are at present fighting themselves hardest, it is likely that Margarita, who demonstrates and practices without benefit of pads, will be able to cure that ill.

Very unofficial word from the admissions office called the turn on last year's weak freshman team, and this year the word again gets out, as is its way, but this time it is a different word.

Margarita is silent on this, too. He just keeps drilling and teaching and hoping that he will have a team for his own schedule this year and something of value for Lloyd Jordan next year.