Meanwhile, Dartmouth quarterback Frank Polsinello returned, despite a lingering injury, and picked apart the Eli defense. On the drive that created the decisive TD with 47 left, he toyed with the Bulldog secondary, diverting if to the sidelines to cover dangerous split end Jack Duly. While Duly attracted crowds of defenders. Palsinello destroyed Yale with passes to lessfenowned receivers in the middle.
In that game the Eli defensive line, led by Giella and junior middle guard John Zanieski (who leads the team in sack's), stopped the run, at least. But the linemen have been embarrassed too at Cornell, tailback Derrick Harmon averaged more than eight yards a carry and nearly outgained the entire Yale offense.
Only once this season has Yale allowed fewer than 20 points in a game. On the average, its opponents have viewed 28.4 points per outing. That throws the burden on the offense, where injuries have played keep away with Eli stars. Of the five players with the potential to create a powerful offense--Curtin. Andrie fullback and leading scorer Jeff Bassette, receivers Roger Javens and Kevin Moriarty--only three have consistently been healthy enough to play. Andrie, last year's Ivy rushing champ, broke an arm in pre-season missed a few games and has never quite gotten on track. Curtin got hurt the week before the Boston College fiasco.
Harvard fans who thought their team had trouble settling on a signal caller can take heart from the Elis plight Junior Mike Luzzi was the original starter: he lasted two quarters. Curtin entered at halftime of the season-opener and couldn't quite manage a game winning rally against Brown.
Curtin lasted until his injury Junior Mike Cyr and senior Israel Rosales saw action in following weeks. The low point came at Cornell, where three different quarterbacks saw interceptions.
Yale boosters insist that when Curtin and Andrie are both healthy the Elis are another team at least another offense. That's only happened three times before this Saturday in a 26-14 loss at William and Mary the Dartmouth game, and the win at Princeton.
The final game should also see those key Elis in action. On paper, at least, Yale has little to challenge Harvard with, but it will all be on display Saturday.
Twice this fall before now the Yale team has collectively stepped back, put its miserable record aside and envisioned a new start. The first time came after the loss to B.C., not a great disappointment any way Yale was 0-4, but 0-1 in the Ivies, with plenty of hope for a successful league season.
Four weeks later, 0-8 overall and 0-5 in the league the Elis took the same attitude putting the Cornell game behind them and preparing lot the Big Three season. And now, having beaten Princeton, they have only. The Game left to play--a season in itself.
It's question of whether pride alone can help upset the clearly more talented team. "We've had more than our share of problems," said Cozza On the other hand, he said before beating Princeton. "The seniors know these games will live with them all their lives."