HARVARD
Quarterback: Wind and rain are the biggest foes Tom Yohe has faced this year. In the muck of The Stadium last week, Yohe completed 13 of 30 passes for 194 yards. He needs 16 yards passing to go over 1000 this season. Yohe has completed 65 of 130 passes this year (exactly 50 percent for you non-math majors) and has thrown six touchdowns and four interceptions.
Running Backs: Tony Hinz got back on track last week against Cornell, ploughing the mud for 95 yards on 21 carries. He leads the Crimson with 346 yards rushing (4.7 yards per carry). Yohe is still the Crimson's second-leading ground gainer with 78 yards (3.3 yards per carry). Fullback Alex Konovalchik is third (59 yards and a 3.3 yard per carry average).
Receivers: The Crimson receiving corps is getting better every week. Neil Phillips averages 18.4 yards per catch. He is second on team in pass catching yardage (Hinz holds a 321 yard to 294 yard advantage). The third-leading receiver, tight end Don Gajewski, has 12 catches for 163 yards. Mark Bianchi, Phillips' back-up, has 89 yards receiving.
Offensive Line: Left guard Maurice Frilot suffered a rib injury last week against Cornell. But the All-Ivy guard, whom opposing coaches frequently cite as the key to Harvard's running game, should be back in the trenches today. Center Tony Consigli and Yohe work well together.
Defensive Line: The Harvard defense held Cornell to seven points with seven minutes left in the game. Then disaster struck. Don't blame this crew for the loss. It held the fort. Defensive end Don Peterson, the Crimson captain, had one of his best outings last week, recording 10 tackles and two sacks.
Linebackers: Again, this duo led the Crimson in tackling. Brian Burns came up big against the Big Red last week, making 16 tackles. Greg Ubert recorded 13. Ubert leads the team with 39 tackles. Burns has 32 tackles on the year.
Secondary: Cornell QBs did not hold a passing fair last Saturday. But it is unclear what--the weather or the Crimson secondary--did more to shut down the Red attack. Safety Jim Smith pulled down his second interception of the year last week. But injuries (adjuster Bobby Frame, out last week, is likely to see action this week) have hurt this bunch.
Kicking Game: Alan Hall has improved in both the kicking and punting departments. He is five for seven on kicks and has made all 11 of his extra point attempts. He is averaging 34 yards a punt, including a 51-yarder. He doesn't always get to punt, even when he's supposed to, however. Last week, a pair of snaps sailed over his head. Jump, Alan, jump.
Intangibles: Harvard has not lost four games in a row since 1986. Crimson Coach Joe Restic thinks Harvard needs to win all its remaining games to repeat as Ivy champion. A big win over Dartmouth would set the stage. Yohe got his first varsity start against Dartmouth two years ago. Harvard has not lost to Dartmouth since 1983.
Coach: Joe Restic, offensive genius, watched as his special teams botched last week's game. What do you think the gray-haired gridiron guru made his team work on in practice this week? Snap, snap, snap. Restic is seeking his 100th career victory this season. He has 96 so far. He is 9-7-1 against Dartmouth.
DARTMOUTH
Quarterback: Last year Chris Rorke flung his way to futility. This year Rorke is on the bench and Mark Johnson leads the air attack. Considering the Big Green's lack of offensive production--22 points in its last three games--Johnson is doing admirably. In four games he has thrown for 808 yards, four touchdowns and--secondary, keeps your eyes open--10 interceptions.
Running Backs: Fullback David Clark is the Green Monster in the backfield. He has rushed for 213 yards on 39 carries--a 5.5 per carry average. He and receiver Craig Morton lead the team in touchdowns with a pair each. Tailback Chris Pollard is a loss of yardage waiting to happen. He has carried the ball 30 times for only 70 yards.
Receivers: Craig Morton is one of the best receivers in the Ivy League. Too bad he has been surrounded by mediocrity during his three years. One only wonders what a Yohe-Morton air show would do to opposing defenses. Morton has 22 catches for 379 yards and two touchdowns. He has more than 2000 career receiving yards.
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