Eli football hopes were dealt a sharp blow yesterday by the Ivy League Eligibility Committee when standout defensive halfback Earl Rusnak was ruled ineligible. Under the old Ivy group rule a player was allowed three years of participating in varsity games.

The new ruling, however, allows a player three years of membership on the varsity squad. Rusnak was on the team his sophomore year but did not play in any games. He repeated his junior year playing both years. Thus having been a member of the squad for three years he is ineligible under the new edict.