That's because Abbott had seen only minimal playing time his sophomore year and because a year ago he was only a second stringer on a team that rarely used a first string tight end.

"People might have been saying 'Steve Who', 'Steve Who'," Wilkinson says, "but that's only because he wasn't big star.

"People who knew him knew that it was a great choice."

And most realize that this Harvard squad has taken on an Abbott profile.

"He' has a very strong will and a very strong drive," Wilkinson says. "I think those are the two most representative qualities of this year's team."

Certainly, there have been few team meetings ("Harvard kids aren't the kind you can preach to," the curly-haired Abbott says), and there have been few loud rampages from the Crimson captain.

Instead, Abbott has spent his time working towards keeping the Crimson team on the road to the 1984 Ivy title.

"After every game, he's always the first one to come up and tell you that you did a great job or that everything will work out." Harvard junior quarterback Brian White says.

"He's just the classiest kid on the team," White adds.

So to see the hurt on Abbott's face after last weekend's 38-7 loss in the Ivy title game at Penn was to see the hurt of almost a lifetime in football.

"I don't know what to say," he said after the game. "This hurts more than anything else in my career."

And the fact that the Crimson would need a slight miracle if it is to win this year's Ancient Eight title is also a bit disconcerting to a football player who, throughout high school and through his years on the Harvard varsity squad, has never failed to win a league crown.

"But I told him not to worry about that," the elder Abbott says these days. "Because he's going to have a big enough job to do just to win this weekend."