Joe Restic and his multi-flex offense are not supposed to be here this year.

After last fall's Crimson heroics that culminated in a wobbly duck of a Mike Lynch field goal for Harvard's first undisputed Ivy title, rumors of Restic's departure were rivaled only by tales that Henry Kissinger was returning to international relations.

Restic was believed to be taking his multiflex offense to one of a number of greener pastures, including Colgate and the Philadelphia Eagles.

But when all was said and done, the multiflex got no further than Milford, Ma., which happens to be where Restic and his six assistant coaches all reside.

So for the sixth year, Restic will be pacing the Crimson sidelines, where he has compiled a 30-14-1 overall record so far, including two Ivy championships (one by his lonesome, one shared with Yale). He has twice been named New England Coach of the Year, and once Eastern Coach of the Year.

In those seasons, though, Restic's teams were not favored to finish on top. This time around, however, Harvard is not only favored, but will have the additional pressure of attempting to defend the title it won a year ago.

"Sure, everybody will be after us game for game," Restic said before last Saturday's opener, "so we can't afford to have a bad afternoon."

And as for those rumors, "the important thing is getting the job done," Restic said. "I don't look beyond that. I'm not interested in what happened last year. My whole philosophy is: do it where you find yourself. I can't worry about what's going on anywhere else. This is my sixth year at Harvard, and I've been happy here. If not, I'm gone."

If Restic's presence this fall was far from a certainty, though, that of many of last season's starters, 11 to be precise, wasn't.

The most prominent is quarterback Jim Kubacki, whose 1975 rise from second-string junior varsity signal-caller to varsity and nationally acclaimed (4th in the nation in total offense) honcho is by now well known to anyone who watches the Prudential College Scoreboard.

Last year Kubacki was All-Everything, and he established a new Harvard total offense record in the process. That a quarterback who knows the ins and down-and-outs of Restic's complicated offensive system is returning for another year gives the Crimson an immediate advantage.

Complementing Kubacki, should the need arise, is junior Tim Davenport, who Restic said "had an excellent preseason. He throws as well as anybody." And just ask Princeton if you don't believe Restic.

When Kubacki isn't running the ball himself, either Tommy Winn or Mark Taylor probably will be. Winn was last year's leading scorer and rusher, a back who Restic says "can do it all." If he can do it all all season, he could emerge as the best halfback in the league.

Taylor also returns from a starting position in 1975, when he rushed for 327 yards. Tom Lincoln, who lettered a year ago, is now starting fullback. In the event that Restic casts his eye towards the bench, sophomore Ralph Polillio, the leading rusher on last fall's freshman team, is one of several more than capable substitutes who provide Harvard with quality backfield depth.

When Kubacki sends the pigskin airborne, it will more than likely be caught by either split end Jim Curry or tight end Bob McDermott. Curry is the best athelete on the team; he led the team in receiving last year, he can kick off, punt, and occasionally boot a field goal or two.