As hoards of Brown fans rushed the field last Saturday after the Bears’ 31-28 victory, the Harvard faithful seemed to be in a collective state of shellshock. It seemed fair to wonder whether the team’s dream of a back-to-back Ivy League title was just that: a dream.
But as painful as it was for the Crimson to let their 18-point lead over Brown slip away, the loss likely did more damage to the spirits of Harvard fans than it did to the team’s chances of defending their share of the title.
Harvard was not the only Ivy powerhouse to struggle in the first week of conference play, and the team will have an opportunity to bounce back Friday evening against a non-conference opponent, the No. 16 New Hampshire Wildcats.
Though Head Coach Andrew Aurich said the team can’t dwell on the past, there is also no denying that there is now little margin for error.
“We got to move on because it’s 10 straight weeks, so you don’t have time to reflect too long on that game,” he said. “You got to move on because your goal is to be 1-0 next week.”
After one week of conference play both Yale (1–1, 0–1 Ivy) and Harvard, who came into the season ranked first and second, respectively, in the preseason polls, have suffered losses against other Ancient Eight programs.
The Bulldogs fell handily 23-47 to Cornell (1–1, 1–0 Ivy) last week, marking the second-straight week that Yale’s defense has failed to stop big plays. On the offensive end for the New Haven team, quarterback Brogan McCaughey put in a lackluster performance against an Ivy League team that came second to last in the preseason poll.
This week, a key matchup to watch will be the contest between UPenn (1-1, 0-0 Ivy) and Dartmouth (2-0, 0-0 Ivy) on Saturday. The game, which pits the third-ranked team in the preseason poll against the defending Ivy League Champions, could help with differentiating the programs after an equally lackluster first week of play.
Princeton (1-1, 0-0 Ivy), the fourth-ranked team in the preseason poll, played its last game without its starting quarterback Blaine Hipa — who was out with an injury — and relied heavily on the legs of its back-up signal caller, Blaine McAllister, to secure a victory over Howard.
On Saturday, Princeton will face Columbia (1-1, 0-0 Ivy) f0r the other Ivy League matchup of the weekend. Columbia, who had an exciting first win against Lafayette, stumbled last week against Georgetown, falling to the Hoyas after its quarterback — junior Cole Freeman — threw three interceptions.
Currently atop the Ivy standings are Cornell and Brown — teams that entered the season ranked seventh and sixth respectively in the preseason poll.
The upsets have opened up the League for any number of teams to compete for the title — and could suggest that no team will end the season undefeated.
Aurich said that the Crimson must work to improve both its offensive and defensive game if it wants to get back into the win column.
“We gotta make sure we’re protecting the ball on offense. We got to make sure we are creating takeaways on defense,” he said. “It’s the single biggest indicator of win/loss doesn’t matter what level of football.”
Though the relative parity across the Ivy League this season could keep Harvard’s hopes for a title alive, if last year’s campaign is indicative, the Crimson can only afford one more defeat to have a shot at being Ivy champions.
In a thrilling end to the 2023 season, Harvard shared the Ivy League title in a three way tie with Yale and Dartmouth — who each finished with a 5-2 record in conference play.
To replicate that result and chase the elusive title of sole Ivy League champion, Aurich — entering his first ranked matchup of his career against New Hampshire — has to make several critical personnel decisions.
On the offensive side of the ball, Aurich has an envious dilemma: too many talented players. In the backfield, senior captain Shane McLaughlin and sophomore Xaviah Bascon have shared touches, with varying degrees of success.
“We definitely have had discussions and have plans to get them both on the field at the same time,” Aurich said, referring to McLaughlin and Bascon.
“Ultimately, it’s one of those positions where it’s really like a field thing in a game,” he added. “Do you have the hot hand at running back? And if you do, you want to continue to get him the ball.”
Against Brown, Bascon recorded 12 carries for 63 yards, while McLaughlin added 22 carries for 48. While McLaughlin took the majority of snaps, Aurich now has to consider a balancing act between the veteran and the rising star.
The team will also look to strengthen its offensive line after several unsuccessful attempts to run the ball hindered the Crimson in the second half against Brown.
In addition to the star power in the backfield, Aurich continues to grapple with the usage of the Crimson’s most explosive player: senior quarterback Charles DePrima. Through the first two games, DePrima has lined up as a wide receiver, quarterback, and running back — often utilizing pre-snap motions to confuse the opposing defense.
After recording a 52-yard catch in the third quarter — on a drive that put Harvard up 28-10 — DePrima saw no action in the fourth quarter when the Crimson’s offense desperately needed a spark.
Aurich has remained vague about how he wants to use DePrima with the offense, or even if he intends to continue going to DePrima.
“Definitely a work in progress,” Aurich said. “It’s one of those packages that can continue to be built upon, as they show their ability to do different things.”
Despite the headaches that the likes of McLaughlin, Bascon, and DePrima can continue to create for opposing defenses, the Crimson will need more production from its wide receiver corps. Outside of Barkate, who recorded six receptions for 90 yards, the wide receivers only caught three passes against the Bears. After breaking out in the season opener against Stetson, junior tight end Ryan Osborne saw zero passes thrown his way despite being on the field for the majority of the game.
Aurich suggested that the team has already given thought to getting more players involved during games.
“We gotta make sure we’re getting touches to some other people who deserve them.” Aurich said. “We know my job as a head coach is to make sure that the right people are getting the touches, and they’re getting enough of them because those are the guys who can make game changing plays.”
Across the line of scrimmage, facing a hurry-up offense proved to be a major hurdle for the Crimson’s defense. As Harvard’s secondary slowly wore down from the pace, the Bears capitalized by continuing to take deep shots, resulting in two strikes for over 50 yards, including a 75-yard touchdown in the third quarter.
While the team had frequent substitutions on the defensive line, often rotating entire lines in and out, the linebackers and secondary stayed put the entire game. Aurich — who let defensive coordinator Scott Larkee ‘99 keep the keys to the defense — will attempt to figure out a sustainable way to lean on his defensive depth moving forward.
As Aurich waits for another shot at his first Ivy League conference victory, he said that he will be looking for his team to maintain their same level intensity.
“I expect them to come out there and show that they are obsessed over the ball on both sides with how they play,” Aurich said. “A group that’s going to show you that they can execute at a high level because of the preparation they put in this week.”
The first step in the march to an Ivy title starts with Harvard’s toughest game on the schedule: a Friday night under-the-lights contest against the No. 21 nationally-ranked University of New Hampshire. Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. and the game will also be streamed on NESN and ESPN+.
—Staff writer Jo Lemann can be reached at jo.lemann@thecrimson.com.
—Staff writer Praveen Kumar can be reached at praveen.kumar@thecrimson.com.
