Harvard football coach John Yoviesin today was named New England Coach of the Year for the fourth time. thus becoming the first man to win that award more than three times.

In the voting by the New England. Football Writers Association. Yovicsin was the unanimous choice to succeed Boston University coach Larry Navio, who was chosen by the Association last year.

Yovicsin, who retired this fall after 14 seasons as the Crimson coach, also was named Coach of the Year in 1961, 1966 and 1968. The award was first given in 1953.

Contacted at his home in Framingham last night, Yovicsin said it is "a great honor for me, but most of the credit goes to my assistant coaches and to the boys themselves."

"I am quite thrilled perhaps more this time around than the others. When I reflect back on the season and the Yale game in particular, I feel it was an outstanding effort by a group of players who turned in a performance that wasn't really expected of them," he mused.

Turnabout is Fair Play

The Crimson's 7-2 record and second place Ivy League finish in Yovicsin's final season marked the greatest one-season turnabout in Harvard football history.

Last year, in what was perhaps Yovicsin's most disappointing season. the Crimson was favored to win the Ivy League championship for the second consecutive year, but instead faltered to a 3-6 fifth-place finish.

Prospects for this fall were not good, and most onlookers predicted another second-division finish for Harvard and a generally dismal overall record.

Out From Nowhere

Jerry Nason, Executive Sports Editor of the Boston Globe and chairman of the Football Writers Association selection committee, said yesterday, "John brought Harvard football out from nowhere this year; he had enormous problems at the outset of the season. I feel it was John's best coaching performance at Harvard."

Yovicsin coached Harvard to three Ivy Championships during his career, and each time he did so he was named Coach of the Year. His first title came in 1961 when, after four years of rebuilding. he managed a 6-3 record and a tie for first with Columbia. It was the second time he won the mythical Big Three championship.

In 1966, Yovicsin's team rebounded from a 5-2-2 record for a 9-1 mark and another tie for the Ivy title, this time with Princeton. And finally, his only undefeated season in 1968- which was climaxed by the 29-29 tie with Yale- through another title and Coach of the Year honors.