Football Looks to Tame Lions in NYC

When the Harvard football team faces off against Columbia at 1:30 p.m. tomorrow at Wein Stadium, the Crimson expect a better game from the perennial Ivy patsy than in years past.

Though the Lions (2-4, 2-2 Ivy) could have been easily overlooked just three weeks ago as they struggled to their eighth consecutive loss, they enter tomorrow’s game having posted back-to-back victories and in a tie for third place in the Ivy League, leaving Harvard (6-0, 4-0) confident but cautious.

“You are always cautious when you play a team like that, when they have won two games in a row and one against a really good team like Yale,” said senior quarterback Neil Rose. “They are going to be more mentally prepared than some of the teams we have faced. But, I think we’ll do very well on both sides of the ball.”

What the Crimson could have approached as an extra week to prepare for its Nov. 10 clash with undefeated, co-Ivy League leader Penn (6-0, 4-0), quickly developed into one of the season’s most important games for Harvard. Columbia followed up a 27-20 victory over Dartmouth by cruising to a 28-14 defeat of Yale last Saturday, leaving the Crimson focused on the Lions—and only the Lions.

“After last week’s game, I don’t think that our kids could possibly look ahead to anything but the Columbia game,” said Harvard Coach Tim Murphy. “If we don’t beat Columbia, I guarantee you that we have no excuses. They are a very good football team, as made evident by their consecutive wins over Dartmouth and a very good Yale team.”

Harvard’s offensive attack could be at full force for the first time since its season-opener against Brown.

Rose, who didn’t dress in Harvard’s 31-21, come-from-behind victory over Dartmouth last Saturday, is fully recovered from his shoulder injury and practiced at full speed without pain on Wednesday. Rose is currently sixth in Division I-AA with a 152.9 pass efficiency rating.

“I feel great,” Rose said. “I am ready to go.”

Rose’s backup, freshman Ryan Ftizpatrick, also practiced this week, and is fully recovered from a third-quarter ankle injury against Dartmouth. Playing in Rose’s absence, Fitzpatrick threw for 262 yards, a touchdown and an interception in his first career start.

The Crimson’s top two rushers—senior tailback Josh Staph and junior tailback Nick Palazzo—will join Rose in the backfield. Staph, who leads Harvard with 5.1 yards per carry, has seen action in only three games this season and sat out last game with an ankle injury. Palazzo, the Crimson’s leading rusher with 336 yards, was hampered by a hamstring injury in the Dartmouth game and saw only limited action.

According to Murphy, Staph is at 100 percent, and Palazzo is nearly 100 percent for tomorrow.

While the return of its backfield is Harvard’s biggest pre-game story, by the conclusion of Saturday’s match-up the spotlight will probably have shifted to another offensive star. Junior wide receiver Carl Morris is within striking distance of three Harvard career records.

Morris needs only one touchdown reception to tie the career mark of 15 set by Pat Mcnally ’75, and just 37 yards to reach the 1,942 compiled by Colby Skelton ’98. Morris, who has 132 career receptions, probably won’t reach the record of 146 held by Terrence Patterson ’00 until at least the Penn game. Morris is fourth in Division I-AA in receptions per game this season with eight.

“We’re not really worried about the records,” Morris said. “We’re just going into the game the same as always. The game plan is going to be the same as always.”

The game plan will most likely be centered on avoiding turnovers. After turning the ball over just twice in the season’s first four games, Harvard has surrendered the ball five times in its last two contests, but still has posted the fewest turnovers in the nation. The Crimson is also atop the league in turnover ratio due to a defense that has forced a league-high 17 turnovers.

“I think special teams and turnover ratio will be the most important factors in the Columbia game,” Murphy said.

In last season’s game, special teams were inconsequential as Harvard steamrolled the Lions 34-0 at Harvard Stadium.

The Crimson defense will again look to blank the Lions, who are scoring a league-low 17.8 points per game, to pick up its first shutout of the season. The unit is coming off of its most dominating performance of the year, holding Dartmouth to just 187 yards of offense last week. The Big Green had averaged 380.2 yards per game prior to playing Harvard.