Caprio, who recorded a teamleading eighttackles from his backfield position, agreed thatthe defense has gained confidence in recent weeks.He added that the loss to Cornell had a definitebright side.

"Things happened for the best," Caprio said."It was something to build on. When we look back,we consider it as something that made us work evenharder."

The Crimson was introduced to tight finishes inits 27-24 win over Northeastern in the season'ssecond week. But the squad's real initiation cameon Schoellkopf Field in Ithaca October 10.

With 41 seconds remaining and Harvard ahead17-15, Cornell quarterback Mike Dase hooked upwith split end Shaun Hawkins on a 46-yd. TDcompletion to give the Big Red the victory.

"We never considered that anything like thatwould happen to us," said Gescuk, who had threetackles of his own Saturday. "It really shook usup and made us say that would never happen again."

Harvard Defensive Coordinator George Clemensmaintains that his defense did exactly what it wassupposed to do that afternoon in Ithaca.

"We couldn't have been in any better positionthan we were in [at Cornell]," Clemens said. "Theywere looking for the tight end on that play--hejust threw a Hail Mary up. That's not the playthey wanted to go to."

"We chased their quarterback out of the pocketand had the short men covered," Clemens continued"They were just looking to kick a field goal in thatsituation."

Zeroing In

The Harvard defense has done more than gainexperience over the past month. It has matured asa unit.

The front seven has been devastating againstthe run all season long, and the backfield hasshown signs of snapping out of its early-seasonslump. As a result, the Crimson is now zeroing inon its first Ivy title since 1983.

"As the season goes along, you hope there is acertain maturity," Clemens said. "We play in theIvy League. There is no spring practice, so wehave to mature from week to week. If we don't dothat we're in trouble."

Last year, when Harvard went 3-7 and finishedin fifth place in the Ivies, the Crimson playedonly one game decided by less than atouchdown--and lost to Cornell, 3-0.

This year, when Harvard has rocketed to a 6-1mark (the squad's best start since 1974), theCrimson has already played three such games--andwon all three.

There is no substitute for having been therebefore