Last year as a freshman, Jauron was the Bulldogs' leading rusher, but the team's 2-4 record was a disappointment for him and the squad. Coming into preseason practice this year, he was not sure how much he would get to play, and he doubted seriously that he would start.

"I didn't really know what to expect this year," he said, "but it has turned out very well. Every player takes a certain amount of pride in the records he holds, but only a fool covets records when his team is losing every game.

"When you're winning, I guess everybody is happy."

The Elis were uncannily lucky withinjuries during the first part of the season, but since the Dartmouth game, their luck has changed. Several starters are hurting, and quarterback Massey; who already holds Yale?s career completion record and is just two yards away from the total yardage mark, may not play Saturday.

"We all know that Joe will give everything he has," Jauron said. "If he can possibly play, he will-that's just the way Joe is."

The week before the Harvard game is always a "work week" in New Haven, and Jauron had just come out of a film session here today. "On film, the Harvard defense is the quickest we have played all season, including Dartmouth," he projected. "I just respect the Harvard defense overall-they have great basic physical ability."

Jauron gets the jitters before every game, and he is expecting a pre-game trauma this weekend like no other he has experienced. "We have been able to eliminate mistakes as we've gone along this year," he said, "but we have to put a full game together this Saturday to win."

"Heck, I just feel fortunate to be able to play in this game. After all, isn't it the biggest rivalry anywhere in football?"