GRIMM OUTLOOK

Junior defensive end Erik Grimm will likely miss his second consecutive game due to an injured knee, Murphy said Wednesday.

Grimm, officially listed as “doubtful” by the coaching staff, sprained his medial collateral ligament (MCL) in Harvard’s 35-34 win over Brown on Sept. 25. Again lining up on the outside in his stead will be sophomore Michael Berg, who began the year as a second-string defensive end before briefly moving to defensive tackle.

Berg showed no ill effects from the time spent away from his usual position, recording seven tackles and one sack last week.

“[Berg] has probably been—no, he has been—our most consistent lineman,” Murphy said. “And even though we’re a pretty veteran unit, he being the youngest in the group has probably been our most productive player.”

QUICK HITS

Sophomore running back Clifton Dawson, who has nine touchdowns in just three games, was added to the Payton Award watch list earlier this week. Fitzpatrick was removed, though the 16-person slate will be updated twice more before official voting begins....Junior center Will Johnson, senior defensive tackle Coesen Ngwun, senior guard Andy Smith and senior cornerback Gary Sonkur are all questionable for tomorrow’s contest. Murphy expressed optimism that each would see time, however....Cornell wide receiver Carlos Hill and fullback Eduardo Garcia unexpectedly left the team earlier this week and are no longer listed on the Big Red’s official roster. Hill, a starter a season ago who caught seven passes for 69 yards against the Crimson in the teams' last meeting, had seen his playing time dwindle under new coach Jim Knowles....Entering tomorrow’s game, Harvard has just one turnover in three games, a fourth-quarter Fitzpatrick fumble against Brown. Its opponents have nine, including six interceptions.

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