Joe Restic, for three years head coach of Canada's professional Hamilton Tiger Cats, was named yesterday as head football coach at Harvard and indicated that his team would use wide-open offense common to Canadian football.

The announcement yesterday afternoon of Restic's three-year appointment came seven months after the start of an exhaustive search for a replacement for retiring John Yovicsin. Over 80 individuals were considered, but only 15 were intensely examined by the committee set up to find the coach.

"We want to make it [the offense] wide open," Restic told newsmen at a press conference in Dillon Field House. "We expect to pass a lot, and we want to make it as appealing as we can to the fans." Restic asserted. He said that he is particularly eager to use lots of motion in the backfield and a variety of sets.

Restic has been head coach at two high schools, an assistant at Brown and Colgate, and an assistant for the Tigers Cats before becoming the head.

Friend of Pittenger

While he was at Brown he became friends with Baaron Pittenger, who was then the director of sports information at Brown and is now associate director of athletics here. Pittenger is a member of the committee which selected Restic and was responsible for suggesting his name.

His connection with the Ivy League was one factor in the selection of Restic. The committee sought a man with an understanding of the Ivy football philosophy and a desire to stick to Ivy ideals particularly when recruiting.

"I feel that this is a big day in my life." Restic said yesterday. "I want to get back to the Ivy League."

He has not yet picked his five-man varsity staff, but he will interview Yovicsin's six assistants today and make his decisions within a week so that anyone without a job can look for one at the big coaches' conference next week in New Orleans. It seems unlikely that he will retain any of the six.

Black Assistant

Restic is very eager to acquire a black assistant and said yesterday that he has a few candidates in mind.

Before becoming a coach. Restic played offensive end and defensive halfback for Villanova and the Philadelphia Eagles. He has also taught remedial reading and other subjects in New York schools.

The selection of Restic came as a surprise. Rumors had circulated that pro quarterbacks Frank Ryan and Babe Parilli were top candidates, while Yovicsin's assistant defensive coordinator. Ralph Jelic, was also mentioned frequently. Yesterday morning's Boston Globe suggested Mark Levy, a special teams coach for the Los Angeles Rams, would be picked.