ITHACA, N.Y.--Two quarterbacks and four Joe Restic ulcers later, Harvard returns to Ivy League play this weekend against the Big Red of Cornell, here at Schoellkopf Field.

The sad saga of signalcallers in '79 is a familiar story to Harvard football fans: a tale that has turned the tide in the last two Harvard games, handing the Crimson two straight non-League losses.

But today, with a 1-0 Ivy record-thanks to Columbia-Harvard will open with sophomore Mike Smerczynski at the helm, Joe Lahti and Jim Keyte in the wings, and coach Joe Restic at the altar-praying very hard.

At 2-1, Cornell enters the game after a 10-0 loss to Bucknell, the first time Bucknell has won that matchup since 1891.

Prior to the shutout, the Big Red had racked up a 52-13 embarrassment of Penn and a 36-21 drubbing of Colgate-wins that gave some strength to preseason rumors of a football Renaissance at Cornell this season.

Harvard takes the field in the wake of disruption. During the past week, Restic has worked with three quarterbacks, trying to get each in some state of preparedness. Previously, Restic had taken heat for devoting almost all between-game time to one quarterback. Now he has Smerczynski, Lahti, and Keyte all mildly ready-though none as thoroughly as if he had devoted full time to one man.

Because of the rushed preparation, Harvard will have to rely on its stalwart defense and very basic offense. "We know our defense will keep it close," Restic said. "The offense is as simple as you can possibly make it, but it'll be effective if (the quarterbacks) can give us enough of a runfi pass combination."

Smerczynski, an agile scrambler, will run the attack, though Restic says he may use the strong-armed Lahti if Harvard needs more of a passing game. Keyte, having worked three weeks at the halfback spot, returned this week to his preseason position behind the center--at Restic's request.

The offense will get a boost from the return of lineman Mike Durgin, who has been in and out with neck and shoulder problems during the last two weeks.

A down note for the otherwise depression-free Harvard defense comes with Thursday's knee surgery on middle guard Steve Holman. Gone for the year, Holman will be replaced by George Jackson and Bob Lohmiller.

Powerful Stuff

Cornell relies on a powerful running game to cover for a somewhat suspect passing attack, and the Big Red strength--including Dick Clasby Jr., son of the outstanding Harvard Hall of Fame athlete-will run up against a Crimson defense that is in the Top Ten nationally against the run.

But Blackman warned, "We always try something different," though he would not hint about what was in store for this week.

Notebook

THE NOTEBOOK: Senior Burke St. John, recovering from stretched knee ligments suffered three weeks ago, is off crutches and could be in light workouts sometime next week. "It's a question of if he can start to run," Restic said this week, adding he was optimistic about St. John's chances of seeing action again.