In the first-team offense's first series, rising senior quarterback Neil Rose found his favorite target-rising junior wideout Carl Morris-repeatedly while also spreading the ball around and showing his mobility and strength on several QB sneaks.

Rose, who set most of the significant passing records last season, heads into the fall as the unquestioned leader of an explosive offense. Behind Rose is a rising star in junior quarterback J.C. Harrington. Harrington quarterbacked the second-team offense and was impressive with his improvisational playmaking ability and his pocket awareness. Both Rose and Harrington will ensure that Harvard is the most talented team in the at the quarterback position.

The receiving corps will be led by returning starters Morris and seniors Dan Farley and Sam Taylor. Morris, who was a Second-Team All-Ivy selection last year and set the school record for receptions in season with 60, is on pace to eclipse the all-time receiving records of Terence Patterson '00. Farley and Taylor will be complemented by the solid tandem of Andy St. Pierre and Ryan Neff and the tight end position should be filled admirably by rising junior Luke Justice.

In other words, the Crimson air attack looks to give opposing secondary's some serious headaches. But, as last season showed, Harvard's suprising ground assault was just as important to the explosive potency of the offensive.

Rising juniors Matt Leiszler and Nick Palazzo will anchor the Crimson backfield and will be joined by classmate Rodney Thomas. Though Leiszler turned in his usual gritty and smashmouth running performance at the Spring Game, it was Thomas who turned several heads.

The rising junior tailback plunged into the endzone for an early score and demolished the second-team defense with his shifty moves and aggressive north-south running style. Though none of the Crimson's tailbacks are larger than 5'9, they all pack a powerful punch and will provided much-needed balance to an already talented offense.

On the other side of the ball, Harvard has improved dramatically. Defensively, the Crimson will be lead by its 128th captain, tackle Ryan Fitzgerald and its most valuable defensive asset from last season, rising sophomore Dante Balestracci. Balestracci, who amassed more tackles as a freshman than former Crimson standout linebacker Isaiah Kacyvenski, will led a linebacking corps that also features Mike Cataldo, Shawn Parker and John "The Doctor" Perry.

The Crimson secondary also looks to have improved dramatically from last season. The secondary, which picked off Rose twice and Harrington once in the Spring Game, will feature returning starters Niall Murphy, Dan Miree and Willie Alford.