Betting man's choice: Dartmouth. Then Harvard, Columbia, Cornell

Dartmouth, which has had at least a share of the Ivy League title for seven of the past ten seasons, must rank as the betting man's choice again this year. But the rest of the league is stronger than it has been in recent seasons, and the end of Dartmouth's hegemony could be in sight. Harvard, Columbia, and Cornell appear to be wielding the longest knives.

Graduation, that great equalizer, stripped Harvard, Cornell, Yale, Princeton, and Brown of most of their first-string offensive linemen. Princeton also lost a clutch of defenders, but elsewhere, defenses look better than last year. The league has an unusual number of fine passers: Jackson of Columbia, Crone and Stoeckel of Harvard, Stetson of Dartmouth, Pinto of Penn. Clune of Penn, Parks of Columbia, and Byrd of Dartmouth are notable receivers. Ed Marinaro is gone, but Jauron (Yale), DeMars (Harvard), Klupchak (Dartmouth), and Dawson (Penn) are runners who generate abundant excitement. Defensively, Radke (Dartmouth), Berger (Harvard), Kaliades (Columbia), Lally (Cornell), Perschel (Yale), and Solow (Penn) are among the pick of a good crop.

Team by team - in order of probable finish - here's a closer look at the league.

Dartmouth: Tough as ever, not so deep

Although Dartmouth lost eleven lettermen from the 1971 team, which shared the Ivy title with Cornell and had an over-all 8-1 record, fifteen starters are back, and solid replacements are available for the vacant positions. The first-line manpower is as good in most spots as the talent that produced an undefeated season in 1970, but there is a big difference in depth - and that could be Dartmouth's most serious question this fall.

The offensive backfield should be potent, headed by quarterback Steve Stetson, who had the Ivy League's highest completion percentage last fall (.583). Offensive halfback is the Big Green's deepest position, with Rick Klupchak, Doug Lind and Chuck Thomas, backed up by Ben Bridges and Steve Whitehead. Senior Steve Webster and junior Ellis Rowe have been vying for the starting fullback job.

Back as offensive ends are Gregg Brown, one of the best tight ends in the East, and Tyrone Byrd, who was the Green's top receiver last fall. The interior offensive line has all its starters back: tackles Dan Bierwagen and Jim Johnston; co-captain Bob Norton (All New England), Herb Hopkins, and Mike Klupchak as guards; and Bob Funk (All-Ivy second team) at center.

Defensively, as many as ten seniors could start. Cocaptain Fred Radke, whose All-Ivy bid was spoiled by a knee injury in 1971, heads the corps of defensive ends. Tom Csatari, who won All-Ivy honors as a sophomore, and Kevin O'Shea team up with Radke. Three senior lettermen are at defensive tackle — Tom Tarazevits, Josh Holloway and Jim Ryan - but junior Kim Wehrenberg will be pushing for a starting berth.

Coach Jake Crouthamel may have a problem in replacing All-Ivy middle linebacker Wayne Young, but the outside positions are well manned by Doug Jaeger, Bob Soltess, and John Liebert.. Bob Bialas returns at the rover spot after a strong 1971 season, and other secondary defensive strength will be provided by Weymoth Crowell, Dale Pope, and WesPugh.

Dartmouth's kicking game appears to be in good shape. Ted Perry, the All-Ivy and All-East place-kicker, who decided the Brown, Harvard and Yale games last year, is back, along with two seasoned punters in Jack Thomas and Bob Stevenson.

Among the sophomores making their varsity bow, attention will be paid to Tom Snickenberger, the 6-5 quarterback and brother of former Princeton halfback Walt Snickenberger, who might push Stetson before the season ends. Three other sophomore standouts are fullback Jeff Barndt, split end Mark McAleenan, and linebacker Jim Conterato.

Jake Crouthamel, in his second season as coach, is claiming a challenger role for the Big Green in the 1972 Ivy League race. In view of the team's three straight titles and the seasoned personnel again on hand, however, he may have to accept the problem of directing the team that everyone else in the league wants to knock off.

Harvard: Restic Revolution, Phase II

The folks who brought you that Canadian multiple offense last season - complete with quarterback-in-motion play - will have more pyrotechnics this season. While compiling a 4-3 Ivy League record in 1971, Harvard played some exciting, complex football, but also gave up key interceptions and had spells of anomie on defense. Everything came together in the last game of the season, though, as Harvard stomped Yale 35-16.

All of 33 lettermen have returned from last year's squad, thirteen having joined the fellowship of educated men. On offense. Harvard is even more back-field-rich than usual, and the defense should be stronger this year. But second-year coach Joe Restic, the magus who devises Harvard's witchcraft, professes anxiety about his offensive line. It was nearly wiped out, tackle to tackle, by graduation.

Eric Crone and Jim Stoeckel were brilliant running and passing quarterbacks last season, but injuries limited them to three games apiece. Rod Foster, who did the job the rest of the time, will have a go at half-back this year. He has speed, agility, and the knack of breaking tackles. Captain Ted DeMars, Harvard's best rusher for the past two years, is an explosive runner, fine blocker, and strong pass receiver. "Ted's the best in the Ivy League," says Restic. "There's no one who can do as many things as well, except maybe Rich Gatto." Gatto, 5-8 and 175, ranked second in rushing and first in pass receiving last season. Nick Leone and transfer Mark Wheeler are other halfbacks with blazing speed. Steve Hall and Chuck Krohn are the fullbacks.

In the line, John Hagerty, Howard Keenan, and Bill Craven are back at end, joined by 6-6 Pat McInally, who caught eleven touchdown passes and kicked nine points-after to set a new freshman record last year. Monte Bowens has a season's experience at tackle. Filling out the line will be Tim Manna, Bill Ferry, Bob Kircher, Mark Bauer, and Steve Snavely, who saw spot duty last season. Transfers Mike Evans and Doug Crim should also help.

Defensively, the front four includes ends Mitch Berger (All-Ivy as a sophomore), Mike McHugh, and tackle Ed Vena. Linebacking is solid, with Mark Ferguson, Jim Westra, Bob Kristoff, and Sandy Tennant back from last year's unit. Steve Golden, Barry Malinowski, and Mike Murr lead the deep backs.

Stoeckel averaged 36.2 yards as a punter last year, and Bruce Tetirick hit on 21 out of 23 points-after.

"We've got the best system in the Ivy League, and the best personnel in the Ivy League," said Captain DeMars before the season started. If the offensive line jells in a hurry, his optimism may be justified.

Columbia: Lions' best team in a decade

Over four seasons, coach Frank Navarro has rescued Columbia from the Ivy League depths and developed a title contender. The Lions finished third last year, with a 5-2 record that included a 31-29 victory over Dartmouth. Only ten lettermen graduated, and 23 are back, including four All-Ivy selections: tri-captains Don Jackson, Jesse Parks, and Paul Kaliades, and junior Mike Evans. All told, this is the most talented and experienced team to come out of Morningside Heights in more than a decade — especially strong at linebacker and defensive end, quite deep in running backs, thin only in the offensive line and defensive tackle.

Jackson, one of the East's top quarterbacks, makes the offense go. A bad knee kept him from running last season, but his passing was the best in the league: 77 completions, for 1,155 yards and 12 touchdowns. His favorite receiver is Parks, a split end who caught 30 passes in 1971, mostly on deep patterns. Mike Telep, a 6-4, 230-pound sophomore, takes over the tight end spot. Steve Howland, George Georges, Rich Manfredi, Tom Hurley, Rick Assaf, and Bill Irish are all returning as running backs, and Glenn Erickson is a remarkably good backup quarterback. Up front. center Gene Charon, guard Terry Smith, and tackle Ed Dunn give the line a solid core.

Kaliades leads what may be the best linebacking unit in the league. First team All-East, Kaliades topped the Ivy League with five interceptions last season, was involved in one out of every three Columbia tackles, and kicked 17 extra points and five field goals (one of them beat Dartmouth). Max McKenzie and Frank Dermody flank Kaliades. In the line, tackles Gary Arbeznik and Herb Baker, and ends Mike Evans, John Leondis, Larry Brion, and John Curtis are all veterans. Deep backs include Pat Sharkey, Ted Gregory, and Tom Luciani, and several promising sophomores.

If his team stays healthy, coach Navarro should be able to keep Columbia near the top of the heap this season.

Cornell: Without Marinaro, still strong

After getting a piece of the Ivy title tor the first time in eighteen years, and enjoying three years of Ail-American Ed Marinaro, Cornell has hopes of staying up top with a squad that lost to graduation mostly offensive linemen and Marinaro.

The main losses were both offensive guards and both tackles, halfback Marinaro, flanker Tom Albright, and defensive back Don Jean.

The Big Red has been accumulating running backs who had to wait for Marinaro's graduation to get a chance: Lettermen Rich Russo and Mark Piscitelli, and sophomores Dan Malone and Rick Wilson are all talented runners. The backfield will be anchored by junior quarterback Mark Allen and senior fullback Bob Joehl, second and third in rushing last year behind big Ed.

On defense, the giant is linebacker Bob Lally, second string All-East as a sophomore last year. He is fast, agile, strong, and a leader on a squad that gave up an average of only two touchdowns a game in '71. The other standouts include tackle Reggie Nichols, middle guard Mike Phillips, end Bruce Bozich, and backs Steve Lahr, Peter Knight, and Lamont Garnett.

Jack Musick, named coach-of-the-year in New England and New York last year, is going into his seventh season at Cornell. His squads have finished in the middle of the Ivy League four times, with four wins each season, on the bottom once and on top last year, with Dartmouth.

Penn: Balanced, experienced, coming up

On paper, at least, Pennsylvania should be one of the two most improved teams in the Ivy League. Second-year coach Harry Gamble has 3 1 lettermen back, with a returning starter at almost every position.

Penn's forte will be passing. Wide receiver Don Clune (6-4, 195), a junior, set league records for yardage in a game and in a season last year, averaging 22.3 yards per catch, high for the nation. Bob Bucola, his former backup man, is just as big and almost as fast. At quarterback will be Tom Pinto, who showed great promise before breaking a wrist in the third game of last season. He was replaced by Gary Shue, who finished second in Ivy passing and is back this year. So are Ron Dawson and Bob Hoffman, both fine running backs, and fullback Glenn Gaetano. Penn's first breakaway threat in years is sophomore Adolph Bellizeare, a 9.6 sprinter. With so much passing and running strength, Penn should have one of the best-balanced attacks in the league. Its blocking rates well, with two-year starters Jim Heffernan at center, Brian Malloy at guard, and co-captain Joe Italiano at tackle.

On defense, all but two starters are back. Best of the linemen are 6-7, 220-pound Bob Thomson and two-year starter Ed Flanagan, both tackles. At linebacker, co-captain Phil Adams tied Thomson for most tackles last year. Two-year starters in the backfield are Tom Welsh and safety Steve Solow (51 unassisted tackles, sixth in the nation in punt returns last year).

Sophomore Tim Martin, an exceptional punter and place-kicker, is expected to add zip to Penn's kicking game.

Rebounding from its 1-6 record of 1971, Pennsylvania will stir up this year's Ivy League race.

Yale: One of the iffiest of Eli teams

Coach Carmen Cozza says the Elis have "a lot of improving to do" after tumbling to their first losing season since 1966. Although Yale had a solid defense last year (third in the Ivy League), it couldn't move the ball consistently, and had to entrust too much of its offense to star running back Dick Jauron. For fast pain relief. Coach Cozza is looking to sophomores from last year's undefeated Bullpup squad.

Don Pfeil and Roly Purrington split the quarter-backing last year, without distinction: Pfeil ran but couldn't pass, Purrington passed moderately well but couldn't run. It's the same with sophomores Tom Doyle, who runs, and Bob Sotta, who passes. Jauron, a natural halfback, played fullback last year and averaged 116.3 yards a game, twelfth in the nation. He's back. Cozza's stable of runners also includes Greg Mierzwinski, Mike Fox, Fred Danforth, Paul Sortal, John Donohue, and a fleet sophomore, Tyrell Hennings. Best of the pass receivers is 6-5 left end Kim Hammerberg; the other end and the wingback position have been up for sophomore grabs.

Right guard Randy Burnworth is the only offensive lineman left from last year. Promising center Doug Johnson and tackle Len Matricciani nave varsity experience. Otherwise, it's up to sophomores Ken Burkus (guard) and A 1 Moras and Rich Webb (tackles).

Defensively, linebacking looks strongest. Right linebacker and captain Bob Perschel had 72 individual tackles last year. Gary Wilhelm takes the other side. The line includes ends Sandy Cutler and Bruce Michel. Bob Leyen at one of the tackles, sophomore Dick Feryok and Brian Ameche at the other tackle or at middle guard. Cornerback Carl Lewis and safety Mike Noetzel bring experience to the backfield.

Punter Jim Nottingham doesn't get consistent distance, but foils runbacks by kicking high. Brian Clarke set a Yale record with seven field goals last year.

This is one of the iffiest Yale teams of recent vintage, If Cozza finds a steady quarterback to balance his offense, if his sophomores don't make too many mistakes, if reserve strength can somehow be developed, Yale should stay in contention for a first-division finish.

Princeton: Major reconstruction ahead

Princeton may be the only Ivy League college fielding a weaker football team this fall than last year. That prospect is particularly galling to Coach Jake McCandless, since last year's team - expected to be the best in years - wound up in an ignominious fifth-place tie with Yale, for Princeton's first losing campaign in the Ivies since 1959.

McCandless's task goes far beyond replacing the formidable Hank Bjorklund, who accumulated more yards in his career than any other Princeton runner. Princeton has also lost eight of eleven defensive starters and every one of its running backs. The rebuilding job reached Sisyphean dimensions when it was learned that two athletes expected to lend considerable aid this fall - Walt Snickenberger, a halfback billed as the next Hobey Baker, and Joe Parsons, an All-Ivy linebacker - both flunked out. Little solace will come from a freshman team that struggled to a 1-5 record last year.

What expectations Princeton has left hover on a young quarterback, Jim Flynn, and an experienced offensive line. Despite a tendency toward wayward passes (11 interceptions in 113 attempts), Flynn performed creditably as a sophomore last fall, plucking victories out of four of the six games he started. Flynn will be shielded from the enemy by two All-Ivy linemen, Steve Curtis and Bill Brown, and will have back all three of his pass receivers.

So look for a vigorous passing attack from a team that, with an inexperienced defense, will probably be fighting from behind more often than not. In the past few years, Princeton football teams have been noted for their ability to look good on paper while losing on Saturday afternoon. This is the year Jake McCandless would like to reverse that trend.

Brown: Defense willing, offense weak

No one begrudges Brown a break or two, after so many seasons in the Ivy League cellar. But Brown will need all the breaks it can get this year. Last year's team, which didn't win a game, graduated eighteen lettermen, including six veteran offensive linemen. Senior Gary Bonner, a two-time All-Ivy selection at halfback, didn't return to college this fall. And coach Len Jardine, in his sixth season at Brown, faces an old problem: no proven quarterback.

He does have some good receivers, led by split end Chip Regine. Dan Swartz, Dominic Starsia, and sophomore Jeff Smith (6-5, 245) can also catch. Senior Nino Moscardi is the only quarterback with varsity playing time, but sophomore Pete Beatrice is described as Brown's best prospect in years - a passer, a runner, and a leader. Without Bonner, the rest of the backfield looks less than awesome. Juniors Len Cherry and Bruce Watson saw limited action last year. Jardine looks to sophomores Pete Cheviot, Vince Sghiatti, Mike Sokolowski, and Stan Pinkos for help.

The interior line on offense, with the exception of tackle John Lomicky and guard Pat Cafferty, is three-deep in inexperience. Defensively, it s another story. Only one real hole had to be filled this fall, at tackle. At the other tackle, All-Ivy Bob Pangia is coming off a superb season. Mike Maricic was an All-Ivy end two years ago, and All-Ivy linebacker ken Cieplik anchors a normally strong Brown position. Corner-backs Tom McCaffrey and Joe Martino, and safeties Bob Watt, Doug Jost, and Don Bogan are all back from a unit that led the league in pass defense last season.

Soccer-style kicker Tyler Chase is as good a booter as there is in the Ivy League. Sophomore Gary Dunn is a punting prospect.

Strong defensive play, led by co-captains Pangia and Cieplik. should keep Brown in a lot of its games this fall. But the offense will have a hard time getting on the scoreboard.

Final Ivy League football standings, 1971: League Over-all W I PI PA W L PF PA Dartmouth 6 1 148 90 8 1 207 106 Cornell 6 1 171 99 8 1 240 136 Columbia 5 2 149 117 6 3 166 36 Harvard 4 3 147 139 5 4 180 67 Yale 3 4 106 128 4 5 150 156 Princeton 3 4 142 115 4 5 195 160 Penn 1 6 77 176 2 7 120 207 Brown 0 7 86 162 0 9 139 238