1987 was a definite change from thetroubles of the previous year. Expectations werelow, and that seems to be the time when theCrimson does its best.
Using a high-powered offense that generated 243points on the season, Harvard compiled a 6-1 Ivy,8-2 overall record, and captured its firstundisputed Ivy League title since 1975. TheCrimson also defeated Yale for the second straighttime.
After the success of 1987, one wonders how ateam goes 2-8--like it did in 1988. Theseason began well enough, with the Crimsondefeating Columbia 41-7. (Of course, some Pee-Weeteams could defeat Columbia 41-7.) Harvard didn'twin another game until Brown came up to TheStadium for the annual Thank God for Bad Teams orElse Our Record Would Really Be Bad Game, whichHarvard won easily.
Needless to say, Harvard lost to Yale.
Restic would again never find the glory of theearly to middle '80s. The years from 1989 to 1992are all a blur, devoid of winning seasons andlacking any hopes of any Ivy League titles.
1989 started poorly with a 1-4 record,but the Crimson finished the year off strong,winning its last three games, including a defeatof Yale. Harvard's record for the season stood at5-2 Ivy, 5-5 overall.
1990 was rather uneventful. The Crimsonwas very streaky, winning its first two games,losing its next two, winning two, and then closingout the year with two losses, including a defeatat the hands of Yale. The biggest excitement inthe 3-4 Ivy, 5-5 overall season was Restic servingas an assistant coach in the Japan Bowl, whereAmerica's gridders show off their talents tobewildered Japanese.
The next season started off very slowly, butRestic's Crimson improved as the seasonprogressed. As usual, 1991 began with athumping of Columbia, but then Harvard lost itsnext four games.
However, defeats of Princeton, Brown, and Pennput the Crimson on a roll as the team travelled toNew Haven. Alas, Harvard loses, and the Crimson'srecord stands at 4-2-1 Ivy, 4-5-1 overall.
1992 was not nearly as good. A victoryagainst Columbia got things started off well, butthe Crimson lost its next seven games.Nevertheless, Harvard rebounded to win two out ofits last three games, including a 14-0 shutout ofYale.
Then, in May of 1993, Coach Resticannounced that 1993 would be his last campaign.When he steps off of the Yale Bowl field for thelast time, Restic might reminisce over the last 23years of Crimson football. Such things asHarvard's first Ivy League title in 1975, or thefun of always starting the season againstColumbia, or the way that Restic came to Cambridgeas a coach with a quirky offense and is leaving asa genius.
Some seasons have been hard, and some seasonshave been fantastic. But more importantly, Harvardfootball has been exciting, interesting, and mostimportantly, fun.