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It's No Secret: Tigers Are the Ones to Beat

IVY LEAGUE PREVIEW

Series vs. Harvard: Yale, 58-42-8

Captain: Dave Sheronas

Lettermen Lost/Returning: 28/31

Players to Watch: Steve Mills, MattFahrney, Dave Kelly, Erik Lee, John Patterson,Peter Swartz

Yale's big offensive guns have graduated--firstteam All-Ivy quarterback Nick Crawford, first-teamAll-Ivy tailback Chris Kouri and fullback JimGouveia, second team All-Ivy receiver Ya-SinShabazz, tight end Pete Austin, first team All-Ivyoffensive linemen Kevin Allen and David Russell,second team All-Ivy kicker Ed Perks and secondteam All-Ivy punter Greg Bowman. That's the badnews.

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The good news is the Bulldog defense, which,though ranked sixth in the Ivies last year, isimproving.

The defensive line is the strength of the team,led by first team All-Ivy tackle Erik Lee. Leetopped the Yale defense with 4.5 sacks and 55tackles last year.

Lee is complemented by senior Fred Howard, whohad 28 tackles last year. The nose guard spot willbe shared by seniors Kevin Hill and Lael Kaplan.Senior Craig Vickery returns to outside linebackerfor the Bulldogs after sitting out a year. In1990, Vickery was a second team All-Ivy selectionafter recording 70 tackles and two sacks.

On the inside, Yale lost second team All-Ivylinebacker Kevin Skol to graduation. Heading thereturnees, though, is senior Milt Hubbard (43tackles and an interception).

Senior Chad Colony, who missed the 1991 seasonwith a knee injury, will also try to return toform. If he can't, Yale has sophomores Carl Ricciand Ben Ladomirak waiting.

Three starters graduated from the secondary,Yale's weakest area. Senior John Patterson willreturn at "monsterback." (At 5-ft., 11-in.,190-lbs., he has some growing to do to fill thebill, however.)

While Yale does not have returning starters,they have returning experience. Seniors MikeBrown, Dan Urban and Aaron Figler are the leadingcandidates for the defensive halfback, safety andcorner spots, respectively.

On offense, the problems start at quarterback.While Coach Carm Cozza declined to name who was inthe running to replace Crawford, junior SteveMills is considered the front-runner afterperforming well in preseason scrimmages. Fromthere, they extend through the backfield (despiteCo-Captain fullback Dave Sheronas) and theoffensive line. On the line, seniors Andy Walkerand Bart Newman return to add stability.

Still, it will be a tough year for Yale CoachCarm Cozza. Harvard should finally pick up a winat home in the 119th playing of The Game.

PENN

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