Whether Tyler or senior Nick Palazzo sees the bulk of the carries, the Crimson will need similarly effective results on the ground to stay in the game.
“Our rushing game is going to have to stack up competently at least,” Coach Murphy said. “If you drop back and throw the ball each snap, they’ll eat you alive.”
Palazzo will play this week after leaving last week’s game with an injured shoulder. Sidelined for significant amounts of the season but effective when he’s on the field, Palazzo is eager to make his presence felt.
“My shoulder is doing well,” Palazzo said. “I will be in the game, and don’t anticipate it being much of a problem because of all the adrenaline and excitement that goes along with playing for a championship.”
Despite the question marks surrounding the rushing game, the Crimson does not plan to abandon a strategy that worked a year ago.
“We will run our typical offense which means we will attack on the ground and through the air,” Rose said. “Last year, Penn was the top rushing defense in the nation and we ran the ball against them well. I expect more of the same.”
Throughout Harvard’s Ivy unbeaten streak, “more of the same” has meant a lot of passes to senior wide receiver Carl Morris. The passing game has been Harvard’s biggest strength this season. Rose comes into the game as the nation’s sixth most efficient passer, and Morris’ 150 receiving yards per game lead Division I-AA.
Harvard’s offense has chewed up yardage this year, averaging nearly 450 yards a game—sixth best in the nation. Facing a crowd swelled by the championship implications and the presence of ESPN, establishing that pace in the game’s opening minutes will be that much more important.
“I think it’s very important to get ahead early since no offense has challenged Penn this year,” Rose said. “We need to start strong and not let up.”
As in any tightly contested battle, turnovers will play a significant role in the outcome.
“Last year, we played a perfect game,” Murphy said. “We didn’t turn the ball over against a defense that rattled the heck out of everyone. We will have to play another perfect game to win this year.”
The goal of this season for the Crimson has been to win the Ivy League Championship. For the Harvard players and coaches the objective of this weekend is very clear—take care of business and make that season-long goal a reality.
“This game is by far the biggest of the season for one reason—it is a championship game,” Palazzo said. “You make sacrifices and work hard all year for the opportunity to play in such a game. This is why we play football—to play for a championship.”