On the Monday before the Cornell game, sophomore Steve Golden, a second-string defensive back, learned that he would start his first varsity game on Saturday with the unenviable task of keying on Ed Marinaro.

There are easier ways to break into the lineup. Marinaro was the nation's leading rusher at the time, averaging over 200 yards a game.

"It was do or die for me," Golden said. "If I could do well, I'd make it. If not, I'd look like a cat's ass."

Golden made it. Freed of his pass defense duties, Golden spent the afternoon keeping Marinaro from breaking loose. He maintained his position despite the flow of the play, and when Marinaro cut back, Golden was waiting for him.

A week later, Golden was back in the lineup, playing in injured Rick Frisbee's position. Dartmouth's quarterback Jim Chasey riddled the Crimson secondary, completing 15 of 26 passes.

"Maybe the defense broke down," Golden said. "We played too far off the line, trying to stop the long pass. You've got to give them something. We gave them short passes."

About 18 of them, he was reminded. "Well, we were beaten by a better team," Golden replied.

Blackman's First Trick

Dartmouth started off a long afternoon for the Harvard defensive backs with a 49-yard touchdown off a halfback pass.

"It was a Mickey Mouse play," Golden said. "But not too Mickey Mouse. It was a touchdown."

Despite Dartmouth's passing game, Golden escaped the game with some individual honors. He led both teams in tackles, dropping Dartmouth ball carriers nine times.

According to Harvard coach John Yovicsin, Golden "really wants to play."

Golden emphasizes his desire. "You can take school half-seriously and foot-gall half-seriously," he said. "I take football very seriously."

Golden almost ended up at a school that takes everything seriously. He originally intended to enter the Air Force Academy, but he ended up at Harvard, supposedly on a ROTC scholarship.

When ROTC began its exit from the Harvard campus, Golden lost his sizable scholarship.