The defensive backfield could be a real source of weakness. Restic enthusiastically points to a wealth of experience in the defensive secondary, as he has four veterans returning--Barry Malinowski, Mike Murr, Wes Schofner, and Rich Bridich. But those same veterans provided possibly the worst pass coverage in the League's last year, experiencing such humiliations as a 285-yard day by a single opposing receiver, Doug Clune of Pennsylvania. Restic attributes the bad days of the pass defense to over-aggressiveness. He plans to use less blitzing, which left Harvard's slow defensive backs in vulnerable man-to-man situations, and instead lay back in a more cautions zone defense.

Fortunately for Harvard, there weren't many good quarterbacks in the League last year. However, the Crimson will have to tangle with one of the few really good ones in its League opener against Columbia and the Lions' All-Ivy Don Jackson. If Harvard's defense doesn't succeed in penetrating the Columbia pass blocking, as it did last year, Jackson and his best receiver, Jeme Parks, may devour Harvard's slow pass coverage. Restic said the Columbia game "will pretty much tell you which way we'll go."

After years of lurking around the cellar, Columbus looms as a real contender. The Lions lost only two League games last year, and they handed Darmouth its sole loss on a last-second field goal by their outstanding linebacker, Paul Kaliades, who is perhaps the Ivy's best All-American prospect this year.

Unfortunately for the Lions, their title hopes come in a year when Dartmouth has the talent and the depth to resume the sole domination of the League and the Big Green Indians enjoyed under ex-coach Bob Blackman. Last year, Darmouth had to settle for a tie with Cornell, but without almost Hiesman Trophy winner Ed Marinaro, Cornell should fade back into the middle of the pack, despite a good quarterback, Mark Allen, and a great linebacker, Bob Lally.

Yale is the most uncertain commodity in the League. Although the Elis finished last season with a dismal 4-5 record, they have a lot of enormous linemen returning from injuries have come back to plague them in pre-season. Yale has switched to the wishbone, releasing Dick Jauron from his fullback duties and perhaps giving him another opportunity to run amuck through the League, as he did as a sophomore halfback in '70.

A mediocre Princeton team his been decimated by graduation. With the academic departure of Princeton halfback Walt Snickenberger, the Tigers' most experienced back has carried the ball 11 times in varsity action. Penn, with an experienced defense, some good backs, and receiver Clune, could provide an upset or two. Despite the loss of outstanding back Gary Bonner, who went the way of Princeton's Snickenberger, Brown should also improve; in other words, it might win a game this year