Fitzpatrick would not say how long he would be out with last Saturday’s fracture. The injury came on a play action pass in which he was sacked, taking a “helmet to the hand.”
Fitzpatrick did say, however, that he was confident in Schires’ ability to lead.
“The team’s going to rally around him,” Fitzpatrick said Thursday. “He’s had a great week of practice. I think he’ll definitely get the job done.”
Schires may be taking control of an offense that is averaging a nearly-laughable 37.5 points per game, but he will also hope to get help from a defense that has been spectacular of late. Following the shutout of Cornell, the Crimson defense is leading the Ivy League in sacks. Senior cornerback Benny Butler, the team leader in interceptions, is the reigning Ivy League Defensive Player of the Week.
The defense will face a Lafayette team that is coming off a huge offensive performance of its own. Last week, the Leopards defeated Columbia, 41-27, thanks to a career offensive day from quarterback Marko Glavic—the Sports Network’s Division I-AA Offensive Player of the Week.
Glavic passed for a school-record 453 yards and 4 touchdowns, ran for one more touchdown, and even caught a touchdown in the win.
The meeting will be the Crimson’s eighth against Lafayette, and the first since a 38-14 Crimson victory at Harvard Stadium in 2001. In seven previous meetings dating back to 1966, Harvard leads the series 5-2, winning the last two.
Schires said the game plan would be no different to accommodate his style of play. “I’m not going to go out there and try to be Neil Rose or Ryan [Fitzpatrick],” he said. “I’m going to try to be myself, and hopefully get our team a win.”