Harvard will crowd the line of scrimmage with up to eight defenders by walking senior strong safety Mike Brooks up to stop the run and leave the corners in isolation coverage on opposing wide receivers. This scheme contributed to some of the problems last year defending the pass.

"There were some times last year that teams were able to take advantage of our coverage using four- and five-wide-receiver sets." Alford said. "We plan to combat that this year by bringing in extra defensive backs in place of linebackers [when opposing teams use three- or four-receiver sets] to give us faster, more athletic personnel to cover the wide receivers."

On offense, the strength of the team appears to be the offensive line. A unit that was inexperienced at the start of last season, the offensive line has looked impressive in preseason, opening wide holes for Crimson running backs and protecting the quarterbacks as well.

Though the offensive line will be starting two sophomores, it is a veteran group headed by captain Mike Clare at left tackle.

Harvard was able to pound the ball on the ground last year, gaining over 167 yards per game rushing.

Part of the credit for that success has to go to Menick, but in order to continue with that success without him, the Crimson hired offensive line coach and running game coordinator Jim Turner.

Turner spent 1999 coaching the offensive line at Louisiana Tech, which had the top passing attack in the nation last year, averaging over 402 yards per game.

"The running game should be strong this year," senior tailback Chuck Nwokocha said. "Harvard has always been able to run the ball well since I've been here and I don't see that changing."

Behind the offensive line, though, are some question marks, most notably at quarterback. Junior Neil Rose won the starting quarterback spot during preseason, according to the depth chart, but other quarterbacks have gotten substantial playing time, with the first offense including second-string sophomore Barry Wahlberg, third-string J.C. Harrington and freshman Conor Black.

"Neil's a guy who is in as complete command as it gets for a guy who doesn't have experience." Murphy said. "Barry Wahlberg is probably the best athlete of the three, with the strongest arm. Conor Black had a very distinguished high school career in a passing offense."

Though the injuries make the quarterback situation somewhat murky, the current expectation is that Wahlberg, having recovered from his knee injury, will start the Holy Cross game and that Rose will replace him when his hamstring heals.

"Wahlberg's recovered from his knee injury and should be the starter against Holy Cross," Rose said.

All of the quarterbacks looked good scrimmaging against a Division II Southern Connecticut team that really wasn't in the same class as the Crimson.

Without them having faced serious competition yet, it is hard to tell how the quarterbacks will do this season.

In the backfield, Nwokocha will assume the top position as the Crimson's only experienced runner. The diminutive Nwokocha, 5'6 on his tip-toes, offers a different style of running than the north-south Menick. Whereas Menick ran almost exclusively between the tackles, look for Nwokocha to try and bounce outside as often as possible. Last year, Nwokocha ran for 239 yards on 55 carries--a respectable 4.3 yard-per-carry average--with one touchdown.