Joe Restic began 1979 certain of one thing about his young and inexperienced football team: with a lack of depth, it could not afford injury to key players.

"The drop-off is too great," Restic said early in the preseason.

Now, five days before Harvard travels to New York to face the pesky Columbia Lions in the season opener, injury has made a fragile balance even more delicate.

In search of much-needed experience and confidence, Harvard disposed of Northeastern, 29-19, in a Sept. 8 scrimmage. But the win was costly as star split end Rich Horner, perhaps the Crimson's most talented offensive player and certainly one of the Ivy League's best receivers, injured his ribs.

Horner was hurt on a 12-yd. touchdown toss from quarterback Burke St. John, thus joining teammate Paul Connors on the experienced-but-out-of-action list.

Connors, a talented halfback and Harvard's most-experienced backfield man, has been hampered by a groin pull throughout the preseason.

"We can't afford to lose good people," Restic said last week. "We need Horner and Connors to take some of the load off the quarterback."

St. John, making his first start as Harvard's varsity quarterback against N.U., managed the offense well, completing 50 per cent of his passes for 101 yards including the Horner touchdown.

Overall, the offense, less-experienced and more of a preseason uncertainty than the defense, moved the ball well. Harvard kept the lead throughout the game, topping the Huskies in total offense by 129 yards.

"I was really concerned about our ability to move the football, but we did it and got points," Restic said.

Opener

Harvard scored the first of two opening-quarter touchdowns when senior halfback John Hollingsworth took home a St. John handoff from one yard out.

A returning varsity letterman, Hollingswroth averaged 8.4 yards a carry and led both squads in rushing with a total of 59 yards.

"Hollingsworth made great plays and caught the ball well," Restic said.

But as expected, Harvard's defense proved the biggest plus of the day, keeping the Huskies scoreless until a second-quarter, 52-yd. aerial gave N.U. its first points.