A coach's greatest luxury is the knowledge that a player will almost always get the job done.

Los Angeles Lakers' Coach Pat Riley knows that Michael Cooper can hold any player to a minimal offensive output.

St. Louis Cardinals' Manager Whitey Herzog knows that Ozzie Smith will play almost flawless defense at shortstop.

And Harvard football Coach Joe Restic knows that Captain and defensive end Kevin Dulsky will control the line of scrimmage.

"He will hold up the off-tackle position against any lineman in the league," Harvard defensive coordinator George Clemens says. "He's the best in the Ivy League at that, plus he's an outstanding pass rusher."

It's not just words.

Dulsky anchors the right side of a defensive line that has held opponents to an average of 88 rushing yards per game and 2.1 yards per rush.

On a team that has already set a school record for sacks with 38, Dulsky leads with 10, including three overpowering takedowns of University of Pennsylvania quarterbacks John Keller and Dave McNally last Saturday.

Dulsky's rise to such acclaimed status has paralleled his team's success. Over the past two years, it hasn't been easy for either Dulsky or the Crimson.

Dulsky is a two-year letter winnner, despite suffering through injury-plagued sophomore and junior campaigns.

"Last year was very disappointing and I never got a chance to play up to my level," Dulsky says. "It taught me a lot, though."

House-Quake

In the Crimson's first scrimmage in 1987, he strained knee ligaments, sidelining him until the team's third game. Dulsky responded with a strong, patient rehabilitation program.

"He handled the injury well," Clemens says. "He wasn't able to be a leader by his play on the field, like most captains can. By overcoming this, he is much stronger because of it."

Dulsky was surprised last year when he was selected by his teammates to be Harvard's 114th captain.