The second proved to be the case, as Jim Davenport, the projected starter for the year, fractured a vertebrae in the first game of the year and was lost for the season. The Ivy League race was very close, but for the Crimson was defeated by the Elis to finish the season at 4-3 Ivy, 4-5 overall.

1978 was a boring season. The Crimson finished fifth in the Ivy League with a record of 2-4-1 Ivy, 4-4-1 overall, lost to Columbia for the only time in Restic's career, and was defeated by Yale for the third straight time. At least Restic showed the fashion sense not to grow big puffy sideburns.

Those fans that thought 1978 was an exciting year loved 1979. It was a season of firsts. Harvard lost six games in a row for the first time under Restic, but with its victory over Yale it also marked the first time the Crimson had ever defeated the Elis with a Georgian in the White House. Harvard finished 3-4 Ivy, 3-6 overall, and it seemed like the Multi-Flex was going the way of the dodo.

Ah, but just when you are ready to write off the Multi-Flex, it comes back with a vengeance. And in 1980, the Crimson started off the season with four wins and looked like an Ivy League power again.

Harvard, however, lost its next two games, and its hopes for a title fizzled with them. The Crimson did win its next three games, but a loss to Yale put a damper on an otherwise strong 4-3 Ivy, 7-3 overall season.

After its strong showing to begin the new decade, Harvard had high hopes for the 1981 season. But early season losses to Holy Cross and Army got things off to a slow start, and the Crimson finished the year at 4-2-1 Ivy, 5-4-1 overall. Against Yale, the Crimson lost for the fourth time in five years, and the merits ofResticball was questioned again.

That is, of course, a cardinal sin. For in1982, Harvard finished knotted with Pennfor first place with a 5-2 Ivy, 7-3 overallrecord. The entire season was extremelystrong--the only Ivy losses were both by twopoints.

What really made the year great, however, wasthe Crimson's dismantling of the Elis, 45-7, whichhanded Yale its first losing season since 1971.Probably the most exciting part of the contest waswhen MIT pranksters inflated a hidden balloon fromthe 45-yard line during the second quarter.

After the success in 1982, Harvard fans hopedthat Restic could get another title in1983. That he did, as Harvard ended upsharing it with Penn again. The Crimson startedthe Ivy League play off slowly with a 1-1-1record, but then finished the season 4-0-1 to earna 5-1-1 Ivy, 6-2-2 overall record.

For the 100th edition of The Game, Harvarddefeated Yale, 16-7 in New Haven. The victory wasHarvard's second in a row over the Elis.

The 1984 team was very young.Nevertheless, there was a mood around campus thatRestic could make the impossible happen--Harvardmight just win its third straight title.

Harvard did begin the season with a 1-2 record,but the losses were non-conference games. TheCrimson then settled down and won its next fourgames, and all of a sudden Harvard was atop theIvy League standings. Harvard lost to Penn andYale, however, to close out the season with arecord of 5-2 Ivy, 5-4 overall.

1985 marked Restic's 15th season ofHarvard football. His hair was getting grayer bythe day, and some wrinkles began to add hints ofexpression to his stoic face. The team had a verystrong season and went into New Haven tied forfirst in the Ivy League.

However, the favored Crimson lost to the Elis,16-7, and finished tied for second in the Ivies.Harvard's record for the season was 4-2 Ivy, 7-3overall.

1986 was a terrible year. Harvard, whohad been in the hunt for an Ivy League title forevery year since 1979, its last losing season. Butin 1986, the Crimson lost. And kept losing. Totheir credit, they did beat Columbia, Dartmouth,and Yale. However, 3-4 Ivy, 3-7 overall is not avery impressive record.