Last year, the Harvard football team, fresh off one of its best seasons ever, marched into Columbia on top of the world.

Although the defending Ivy League champions missed New York's famed Canyon of Heroes, the Lion fans threw them a ticker tape parade anyway--of beer bottles.

The Lions continued the salute by dishing out the first of six losses to the Crimson, a stunning 24-0 drubbing.

In tomorrow's season opener, the Crimson has a chance to exact some revenge on Columbia in the projectile-free confines of Harvard Stadium. The dawning of the 126th year of Harvard football gives the team a chance to atone for last year's disappointment.

"We're pumped to start the year," said senior wideout Terence Patterson. "We're hungrier this year--last year we were very flat. It's a different attitude."

The Crimson can surpass expectations tomorrow by proving it has addressed two of its main deficiencies from last year--passing offense and run defense. Columbia was able to hold Harvard to 91 yards through the air while churning out 196 on the ground.

Murphy hopes to have revitalized his team's anemic air attack by starting senior Brad Wilford at quarterback. Wilford takes over the reins from senior three-year starter Rich Linden.

In his limited action, Wilford has demonstrated a much stronger arm than Linden and has impressed both coaching staff and teammates in spring practice and the preseason.

"[Wilford] had an excellent spring and showed no drop-off in preseason," Harvard Coach Tim Murphy said. "Kids develop at different rates and last year the passing game took a fall while Brad kept coming and coming."

The Lions will test him with a swarming, if familiar, defensive scheme. Columbia modeled its defense on Harvard's after the Crimson's dominant 1997 season. The "Attack Eight" set is predicated upon quickness and applying suffocating pressure all over the field.

Led by outstanding middle linebacker Kevin Wright, the Lions have enough speed and talent to keep Wilford running around in the pocket all day.

"[Columbia] has a lot of speed on their defense and tremendous athleticism," Murphy said. "Their middle linebacker Kevin Wright is touted as the best linebacker after [Harvard senior] Isaiah Kacyvenski."

Because of freshman activities week, the Crimson offense has had to practice against the first string defense. Harvard's defense, with eight senior starters, should have been excellent preparation.

No amount of practice may keep Wilford from frequently meeting the ground. The Crimson will unveil a brand new offensive line, with junior left tackle Mike Clare the only returning lineman and three players who spent last year on the junior varsity roster. Clare will be especially counted upon to keep the Lions off his new quarterback.

"Practicing against our defense helps us a lot," sophomore tackle Justin Stark said. "With that scheme there are not too many different looks they can throw at us. We are pretty well prepared."

Understanding that all offensive lines need time to gel, the Harvard offense will probably feature plenty of quick routes with Wilford using a three-step drop mixed in with plenty of handoffs to senior running backs Chris Menick and Troy Jones.

With the exception of junior tailback Chuck Nwokocha (hamstring), the Crimson enjoy a healthy backfield, a luxury it didn't have last year.

"We've simplified the package," Patterson said. "We probably will have more short routes early to develop a rhythm, but by the fourth quarter we should be working a five-step and seven-step drop and throwing all over the field, working in [tight end and captain] Chris Eitzmann."

The offensive line is not the only unit with green players. The wide receiving corps will rotate in three freshmen. Patterson, the fleet senior flanker and third on the Crimson's all-time receiving list, will command the bulk of the attention of Columbia secondary.

The Lions though may have difficulty staying with Patterson, as it graduated three defensive backs, including the versatile safety Chris Tillotson.

"I guess I will be double-teamed during the game, as I was for most of last year," Patterson said. "But I expect the young guys to perform and be able to take the pressure off."

If inexperience should hamper the Harvard offense, the experience of the defense ought to stifle Columbia's attack. While Harvard returns many of the players that had difficulty stopping the run last year, it now boasts eight seniors in the starting lineup. Moreover, the Crimson has changed its scheme to have the defensive linemen stay with the offensive line a little longer to free up room for the linbackers to plug any holes. The Lions' runners should have difficulty finding daylight.

"This team wasn't as big and strong on defense, and we didn't play as hard," Murphy said. "Now the kids are veterans. I'm confident we will have a much better defense this year."

Columbia does have talented backs. If Harvard's run defense has not improved, sophomore halfback Johnathan Reese and First Team All-Ivy fullback Kirby Mack could again help the Lions gain near 200 yards on the ground.

Reese made a statement in his first collegiate game last year by rushing for 72 yards against Harvard in limited minutes.

The Lions need to establish the running game in order to open up the air attack. Although it has a fast and skilled wide receiver in Amand Dawkins, questions abound as to who will get him the ball.

Heading into practice this week, Columbia had no clear starter with three players competing for the job. Senior Mike Glynn is the favorite to receive the nod, but anyone coach Ray Tellier chooses will be making his first college start.

"As a defensive lineman all I need to hear is that this is his first start," said senior defensive tackle Chris Nowinski said. "I just want to do my part to welcome him to the league and rattle him a bit."

Kacyvenski always looms for Harvard ready to terrorize whoever has the ball. With 14 more tackles, he will become Harvard's all-time leader.

"[Kacyvenski] is the heart of the defense," Nowinski said. "Without a question he's the leader in the huddle and we rally around him."

The one wild card for this game lurking in the background is the weather. All questions about observing the line and three-step drops become moot if Hurricane Floyd turns Harvard Stadium into a mud bowl and the game into pure grinding, smash-mouth football.

Still, Harvard needs to get back on the winning track after a disappointing 1998. Tomorrow's game may expose its flaws, but overall Columbia is among the weaker opponents on the schedule and the team probably does not have to be perfect to win.

And a win tomorrow, by any means, will go a long way to recapturing some of that respect lost under a deluge of bottles last September.