Tom Bilodeau will start at quarterback for Harvard against Cornell Saturday, coach John Yovicsin announced yesterday.

Yovicsin said Bilodeau got the nod over John McCluskey, who started for Harvard in the first three games, because "he's been moving the team, and the other boy isn't quite healthy yet." McCluskey is still suffering from a leg-muscle pull he suffered against Massachusetts three weeks ago.

McCluskey's isn't the only injury bothering the football team right now. Halfback Dave Poe and end Ken Boyda, both starters who were injured two weeks ago, have not responded to treatment as well as doctors had hoped.

Poe, who suffered a concussion making a tackle against Bucknell, and Boyda, who aggravated a chronic shoulder injury, were expected to start Saturday, but both have been slow in recovering.

If Poe can't start against Cornell, John Dockerey will' open at right half, and Walt Grant at left half. But if Dockery plays on offense, the Crimson is going to be pinched badly for pass defenders. Bilodeau and Dockery started at safety last week and they are considered the top deep men.

Yovicsin may let either man play two ways and he may use Grant or Bobby Leo at defensive halfback. Or he may bring Jerry Mechling back from corner linebacker to safety, where he played last year. That move would involve staring Pat Conway, sophomore fullback, in Mechling's linebacking spot.

The situation at end is somewhat happier. When Boyda missed the Columbia game Saturday, Frank Ulcickas and Paul Barringer turned in good performances on defense, and Ulcickas made a brilliant catch on the two-yard line to set up the game-winning field goal.

X-rays of Neil Curtin's knee Monday failed to reveal whether the 240-pound starting tackle injured a cartilage (which would sideline him for the season) or a ligament (which wouldn't) against Massachusetts.