“We don’t anticipate them throwing to the fullback as much [as Princeton did Veach],” Berrier said. “We weren’t playing in our correct positions.”

Murphy and his defense will characteristically attempt to take away the rush and short dump off pass out of the backfield first, looking to force the Big Green into obvious long passing situations. Though the passing attack is the stronger half of Dartmouth’s offense, this will remove doubt as to what play is about to be called.

“We really have to do that because if you make them one-dimensional, then at least you know what’s coming,” Murphy said.

If this should fail, sophomore quarterback Charlie Rittgers has not demonstrated the skills to win the game by himself, but, if provided the weapons and opportunities, could be capable of distributing the ball to Wedum and others, allowing teammates to do the rest.

“He’s a solid quarterback,” Berrier said. “We’ve seen more explosive players this year, but just like any game you have to go in respecting any quarterback you’re going to play. He’s got some pretty big targets.”

Senior wideout Jay Barnard and tight end Casey Cramer present one of the stronger pairs of options that the Crimson will have to contend with this season.

“If I had to tell you who the top five receivers in the [Ivy] League are, Jay Barnard and Casey Cramer would be right up there,” Murphy said.

Barnard leads the country in receptions per game—8.67 headed into tomorrow’s contest—and averages more than 100 yards through the air each time out, driving his tally slowly upwards on short receptions before erupting for big gainers like his 44-yard score last weekend against the Lions.

“The biggest strength of both of them is that they are tremendous competitors,” Murphy said. “They go out and they get the ball.”

Despite being removed from last weekend’s game at the half with a rib contusion, senior cornerback Benny Butler will return to the starting lineup and look to contain the duo opposite freshman Danny Tanner, who continues to fill in for injured junior Gary Sonkur.

Sonkur will likely be held out one more week, due to his high ankle sprain, Murphy said.

With Butler’s return, senior Chris Raftery will return to free safety from the cornerback slot he slid over to fill last weekend.

“Our secondary is going to have to step up big this weekend,” Berrier said. “Barnard’s a great player. He’s put up some pretty impressive stats. Casey Cramer’s one of the best players in the league.”

Cramer presents a unique challenge to the Crimson defense, which has faced few legitimate pass-catching threats at tight end this season. To minimize the threat, Harvard will divide coverage between a defensive lineman dropping back to interrupt passing lanes and a linebacker guarding passes across the middle of the field.

“It’s going to be situational,” Berrier said. “We may be dropping a defensive end to pick up on him. Otherwise it’ll be the linebackers coming across the middle for the slant.”

Notes: Junior quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick remains sidelined by his broken right hand. The Crimson signal caller’s hand was removed from its cast this week, but as of right now no time table has been set for his return to action. Junior Garrett Schires makes his third consecutive start in his place tomorrow against Dartmouth....Sophomore running back Ryan Tyler’s status for tomorrow’s game is in doubt due to a stomach ailment the rusher sustained last Friday evening. After practicing through his sprained ribs in the week leading up to last Saturday’s game against Princeton, Tyler came down with a case of pancreatitis and was sidelined as a result....Junior defensive end Doug Bennett returns to action this weekend, restoring some of the depth absent from the defensive line in recent weeks.

—Staff writer Timothy J. McGinn can be reached at mcginn@fas.harvard.edu.