A Year Removed from a Third Consecutive Ancient Eight Crown, Harvard Football Returns with an Eye on Obtaining the First Ever Four-Peat in Crimson History

Home , Bob Surace, Harvard Crimson

The Harvard Crimson FOOTBALL PREVIEW 2016 FIRST TO FOUR A year removed from a third consecutive Ancient Eight crown, Harvard football returns with an eye on obtaining the first ever four-peat in Crimson history.

INSIDE AROUND THE IVIES - Page 3 | UNDER CENTER AT LAST - Page 5 | MAKING THE OFFSEASON COUNT - Page 9 2 The Harvard Crimson Football Preview / September 23, 2016

ON THE COVERS PREVIEW

front cover Designed by Stella Tu 2016 Photo by FOOTBALL Y. Kit Wu

back cover Photo by Mark Kelsey

spread Designed by Caleb Y. Lee

STAFF FOR THIS ISSUE

FOOTBALL EDITORS SAM DANELLO ’18 GANT PLAYER ’19 JACK STOCKLESS ’19

DESIGNERS CALEB Y. LEE ’17 NATHAN Y. LEE ’19 STELLA TU ’17

PHOTOGRAPHY EDITORS SPREAD Y. KIT WU ’17 WHAT TO WATCH FOR MEGAN ROSS ’18 As Harvard football looks to claim its fourth consecutive Ancient Eight crown, SPORTS CHAIRS the team deals with integrating a new JULIO FIERRO ’17 quarterback, as well as the loss of 14 All- ARIEL SMOLIK-VALLES ’17 TABLE OF CONTENTS Ivy selections. . EDITORS 3 A LEAGUE OF ITS OWN 8 O’ CAPTAIN OUR CAPTAIN TROY BOCCELLI ’18 Wade “Gant” Player takes a One of 23 seniors on the squad, KURT T. BULLARD ’17 look at the first weekend of Ivy captain Sean Ahern will adorn FROM THE EDITORS STEPHEN J. GLEASON ’18 League play in the first ATI of the ‘C’ on his uniform in hopes Football season is always an exciting time THERESA C. HEBERT ’17 the season while contemplating of becoming Harvard’s first at The Crimson. School is finally starting to JAKE T. MEAGHER ’17 the Ancient Eight’s football class to be Ivy Champs four fall back into its usual pace, the leaves are KATHERINE H. SCOTT ‘18 pedigree and movie dates. years in a row. starting to change, and Harvard-Yale marks the one time the entire board feels like we PRESIDENT go to an actual sports school. For the seniors MARIEL A. KLEIN ’17 4 NO CONTACT ZONE 9 FOCUS ON FITNESS on the board especially, we have come to Though injuries are a common Off the field training has expect nothing less than excellence from our MANAGING EDITOR occurance in football, become as important as on the three-time Ivy League Champs during our time MEG P. BERNHARD ’17 increased research into CTE field preparation for the team, here in Cambridge and would like to finish our has led the Ivy League to alter as athletes have hit the weight tenure without giving up the title. BUSINESS MANAGER its approach towards football room with hopes that stength The Ivy League may have taken measures LEIA N. WEDLUND ’17 and player safety. will give them the winning edge. this season to change the game such as make modifications in practice style and moving the kickoff of the 40 yard line, but The Crimson 5 VIVA VIVIANO 10 QUEST FOR THE CUP sports board will look past those changes to In his first season as the starter Check in and see what’s in have the same expectations of dominance for Harvard football, a healthy store from the other seven from the boys from Cambridge as there have Joe Vivano will be counted on teams in the Ancient Eight been in the past. to live up to the hype and lead along with predictions for their a dangerous Crimson offense seasons. to new heights. — SD, GP, JS, JF, ASV September 23, 2016 / Football Preview The Harvard Crimson 3 A LEAGUE OF ITS OWN

dle of the pack in the Ivy League after a [in- sert adjective here] 2015 campaign. But it is 1-0 after eking out a victory against a Lafay- ette team it demolished last year. So while Tiger fans should be able to rest easy know- ing their team beat Lehigh 52-26 last season, think again! Also, Lehigh beat Penn last week, and those Quakers are supposed to be the Crimson’s biggest challenge this season. Prediction: Lehigh 35 - Princeton 24

PENN AT FORDHAM So this game is actually interesting for Harvard fans. Not that it matters. Non-conference games are pretty dumb. But Penn lost last week to Lehigh, so the Crimson’s biggest opponent this season might end up BACK AT After its (perhaps) long awaited absence, Ivy League being themselves. We’ll see if Penn can beat football is back. Y. KIT WU—CRIMSON PHOTOGRAPHER IT AGAIN Fordham. The Quakers are supposed to be pretty good, but what does that mean any- By W. GANT PLAYER Yeah, it feels a little weird at first. But once article. It’s a pretty fun read. I make some way? CRIMSON STAFF WRITER you get in the theater and turn of your really interesting comparisons, and frank- Prediction: Penn 31 - Fordham 16 phone, it’s like you’re in another world. ly it’s just really well composed. God, I’m a There’s something special about fall. Mil- When you go with people, you’re always gifted writer.) DARTMOUTH AT HOLY CROSS lions of kids across the country begin wondering what they’re thinking. God for- There’s more, too. For the past two sea- Picture this: a team is down two touch- school, young adults leave their families for bid you’re on a date. Then you spend the sons, the Crimson has had a defense that downs in the fourth quarter. After a mirac- the first time to go of to college, the leaves first hour trying to figure out some move has shut out more people than male sin- ulous series of drives, the team pulls out a start to turn, and—perhaps most impor- you can use to put your arm around your gle-sex social organizations. It’s almost like one-point victory. One of those teams is tantly—it’s football season. date. And the last hour you end up fidgeting watching the Steelers in the 70s. Except, Dartmouth. Tell me, what’s better than a little Ivy while your arms fall asleep. Another meta- again, it’s not. But close enough. Sounds kind of like the 2015 Har- League action this Saturday? I mean, ex- phor for Ivy League football, I guess. Brown is decent this year. Quarterback vard-Dartmouth contest, right? But that cluding the big SEC matchup of Ole Miss Man, I haven’t been on a date in a while. Kyle Moreno put up some big numbers in was actually the Big Green’s game last week and Georgia. Or Wisconsin-Michigan Something about college and work and all 2015 when Harvard beat up the Bears. The in which they barely beat New Hampshire. State. Or Alabama-Kent State. Or staring at that. Or maybe it’s the fact that all my Sat- ofensive line is full of large men, meaning Pretty interesting circle there, I guess. I’m a blank wall. urdays are spent traveling the Northeast to large enough to outweigh two Gant Players. not really sure what I’m supposed to write Seriously, Ivy League football is boring. watch football (shoutout to my editors). Re- Anyway, the Crimson has beaten Brown about anymore. I really hate thinking about Take it from the guy who has to watch all ally, who knows? for the last five seasons. None of those con- the Ivy League. 10 Harvard football games, most of which But I digress. Ivy League football is back! tests was decided by a single possession. Prediction: Dartmouth 30 - Holy Cross 14 take place during actually good college Let’s get excited! After a shocking opening That’ll happen again this year. football games—like the kind that people weekend in which Harvard won and Co- Prediction: Harvard 42 - Brown 17 COLUMBIA AT GEORGETOWN pay money to watch on TV. Not that I’m bit- lumbia lost, we finally get some league ac- Columbia is bad. Like, my grand- ter. tion. So sit back, crack a beer, and get ready YALE AT CORNELL mother’s desserts bad. For reference, my Here’s a thought experiment: Remem- for some sub-par college football. This game. What a matchup! As per usu- grandma likes to throw together basically ber what it was like to take the SAT? You al, Yale finished behind the Crimson last anything she finds in her house and call it spend hours staring at this blank sheet of HARVARD AT BROWN season. I wonder what that’s like, always a dessert (lemon drywall was a family fa- paper, realizing you forgot to learn trig. So maybe I was a little harsh. Harvard coming in second. At some point I should vorite). So you decide to sit back and stare at the football is exciting. Yeah, all my friends will talk to my older sister about that. Yikes. Luckily for the Lions, Georgetown is clock ticking. The only respite are the snack be in the stands at Bryant-Denny Stadium And Cornell! What a season last year! also bad. Last season, the Hoyas took down breaks. That’s what watching Ivy League watching the top-ranked team in the nation After losing their first eight games, they mighty Columbia in a thrilling 24-16 win, football is like. battle Kent State (bold prediction: Alabama didn’t let it get to them! They came out but don’t sleep on the Lions this year. Ac- Ivy League football is kind of like the wins), but like, this is cool too. strong against Ivy League powerhouse Co- cording to a preseason media pool, the previews at movies. Actually, check that— The Crimson is coming of its third lumbia and put on a show! That 3-0 win was team ranks at a whopping seventh among Ivy League football is like the part before straight Ivy League title, and now the team riveting. the Ancient Eight! I guess the only place the previews where everyone is talking in- finally returns to conference action against Prediction: Yale 24 - Cornell 7 you can go is up when you’re at the bottom. stead of watching the ads. the Bears. Harvard has a shiny, brand-new Prediction: Columbia 16 - Georgetown 14 Speaking of movies, have you ever been quarterback named Joe Viviano. He’s 6’5”, PRINCETON AT LEHIGH to one by yourself? I’d never tried it until fast, and reminds people of Johnny Foot- Mediocrity. That’s what defines this Staff writer W. Gant Player can be reached at this summer, but WOW. Really good stuf. ball. (If you want to learn more, see my last year’s Princeton squad. Ranked in the mid- [email protected] 4 The Harvard Crimson Football Preview / September 23, 2016

“I know the rule has just been imple- believably more safe,” Murphy said. “The mented this season,” senior defensive culture [back then] was such that if some- tackle Doug Webb said. “But honestly, we one complained of a headache, it wasn’t No Contact Zone haven’t [tackled] since I’ve been here.” the coach who got after him. It was his This year another policy takes efect. teammates, his peers.” In an effort to cut down on the number of head-related injuries and The same Ivy League study discovered So the decision by the Ivy League to their long-term effects, the Ivy League implements new measures. that while kickofs account for 5.8 percent eliminate tackling is a relatively unheard of all plays, they account for 23 percent of of and important move in football. The all concussions in games. As a result, con- lack of tackling means that players only knee, which efectively ended his playing ference ofcials petitioned the NCAA to have one day a week of full hitting, and days. Because of the severity of the inju- allow kickofs from the 40-yard-line. The that’s during games. W. GANT ry, he no longer has cartilage in his knee, rule will apply only to in-league matchups. Harvard had been one of the schools at PLAYER making a lot of everyday activities dif- “We understand there needs to be a bal- the forefront of this movement. Well be- cult for him. Even walking up the stairs ance between preparing our student ath- fore the Ivy League decided to limit hit- is a struggle. letes for the competition that’s going to oc- ting in practices, Murphy and his staf DON’T HATE THE PLAYER While physical injuries can be serious cur but also protecting their safety during were running “NFL-style” practices with and have a profound impact on one’s life, the course of the year,” Harris said. “While limited hitting and no full contact. the ability to heal these injuries or dimin- we don’t have all the answers when it These measures reflect the consen- Anyone who has ever played football has ish obstacles associated with them has pro- comes to concussions, we are proud that sus concerning the dangers of head trau- gotten hurt. Be it a broken bone, concus- gressed. The brain, and our understanding these policies take proactive steps to en- ma. Concussions and other brain related sion, or just a bruise that stings a little the of how contact afects it, is diferent. So, hance our student-athletes’ safety.” injuries sustained by football players are next day, football players repeatedly come understandably, concussions are the topic The increasing concern over concus- long-lasting. Pervasiveness of an injury home with aches and pains. That’s the na- of discussion throughout football. sions and other head injuries is a recent throughout life doesn’t mean much. My ture of such an inherently violent game. For the past few years, there has been phenomenon. Not until the early 2000s ankle still cracks every time I take a step, Personally, I can’t count the number an intensifying movement to promote safe- did scientific studies begin to train atten- but I’m still able to live my life fully. It’s the of injuries I sustained playing football. In ty in the game. As low as high school, some tion on concussions in the NFL in a sys- degeneration, the debilitating symptoms fifth grade, I started playing as a running teams now require players to take a stan- tematic way. caused by CTE that make changing the back and defensive end. Eventually I set- dardized baseline concussion test before “The culture was such that there was game important. tled as a safety and receiver in high school, every season. If they sustain what might be no such thing as a concussion,” Harvard “I’m one of those guys who’ve seen both playing three years on varsity and starting a concussion, they aren’t allowed to prac- coach Tim Murphy said. “It was not even sides of it,” Murphy said. “The culture is so for two. So for eight years, every fall morn- tice until they can replicate their baseline. in the equation.” extraordinarily diferent in a positive way. ing was tinged with a little bit of pain as I In March the Ivy League made head- There is no question that Murphy, Why? Because everybody talks about it…. tried to recover from the previous night’s lines by announcing a policy of its own: a who played football at Springfield College [But] you keep having to improve it.” practice. I broke my finger, sprained my ban on to-the-ground tackling in practices from 1974 to 1977, grew up during a difer- ankle, separated my shoulder, and had during the season. ent time with regard to concussions. The Staff writer W. Gant Player can be reached at more bruises than I could count. According to Ivy League Executive nine-time Ivy-League-winning coach wade.player@college. Most of these injuries wound up being Director Robin Harris, internal studies knows that he sufered at least two concus- harvard. relatively minor, though. Bones healed; found that 49.6 percent of Ivy League con- sions during his career—one during pick- scrapes went away. cussions occurred during practice. 58 per- up hockey and one after a blindside hit on But some injuries last much longer. My cent of those were helmet-to-helmet hits, a kickof return. In neither case did he skip dad, for instance, played col- and only four concussions oc- his next practice. lege football. A linebacker, curred during non-con- “Compared to the game I he gained a reputation tact practices. played... it’s for physical play despite un- an under-six-foot stat- ure. Late in his career, he blew out his

The offensive linemen are charged with one job—stop- LINE OF ping the defense. Y. KIT WU—CRIMSON PHOTOGRAPHER DUTY September 23, 2016 / Football Preview The Harvard Crimson 5 VIVA VIVIANO

After suffering a string of injuries earlier in his career, dual-threat senior quarterback Joe Vivano is look- AIRING ing to lead Harvard to its fourth straight Ivy League crown. MEGAN M. ROSS—CRIMSON PHOTOGRAPHER IT OUT

By JACK STOCKLESS But, Viviano has been a special talent in Mur- impressed with the program Murphy had created CRIMSON STAFF WRITER phy’s eyes for a long time now, and his impressive and the legacy he had produced for himself in Cam- performance throughout the preseason led the bridge. Sometimes, things are just meant to be. coach to suspend the competition and choose Vi- “He was a huge influence in where I went to Despite breaking bones in both his left and right viano to suit up against Rhode Island in the open- school,” Viviano said. “He was very open in the re- feet in separate incidents within the past year, se- er last Friday. cruiting process. There were a lot of good things nior quarterback Joe Viviano finds himself at the “He’s had multiple setbacks–very challenging about the program.” helm of Harvard’s offense for the 2016 season. ones that have been frustrating for us and even From the end of his high school career to the Yet, needless to say, the Berwyn, Pa. resident’s more frustrating for him–but there’s never been start of his first season in the driver’s seat of the path to the starting job certainly has not been a lin- any ‘woe is me,’” Murphy said. “He’s bounced right Crimson offense, Viviano had not taken many ear one. back. He’s got a short memory, and he’s fought snaps in game action or in practice. Despite being heavily recruited out of high through it. That’s what you want from the leader of Despite throwing for 290 yards and three touch- school, Viviano—like many freshmen—did not see your offense.” downs in last Friday’s matchup against Rhode Is- game action during his inaugural year in Cam- Along with his raw talent, Viviano’s ability to land, projecting his performance over the rest of bridge. put his struggles in the rearview mirror and forge the Crimson’s more challenging slate is nearly im- One year later, the young quarterback did make ahead made the decision a no-brainer for Murphy. possible. it to the field but threw only one pass and record Furthermore, to Murphy and his staff, character He is as much of an unknown commodity as is three carries in relief. That said, it was last season and resiliency are two of the most important com- possible for a senior. Viviano, however, seems un- that was perhaps the most trying for the 6’5” sig- ponents of success on and off the field. In inter- fazed by the pressures inherent in his role. nal caller. views they express the feeling that Viviano epito- “It feels great to finally just be out there play- Heading into camp, Viviano was expected to mizes both of those virtues. ing,” Viviano said. “I’ve waited a long time for it. provide a strong challenge to fellow quarterback During the recruitment process, Murphy would Obviously there’s been a bunch of setbacks, a bunch Scott Hosch ’16. But suddenly, Viviano’s career call Viviano each and every Sunday morning. Those of adversity in between, but it was good to finally stagnated. phone calls only served to confirm Murphy’s favor- be out there playing with the guys.” Before coach Tim Murphy had to choose his 2015 able opinion of the Conestoga High School quarter- Only time will tell whether Joe Viviano will be week one starter, Viviano suffered another setback back’s game. able to lead Harvard to a fourth straight Ivy League in the preseason, falling victim to a foot injury in “He was....that rare, really big quarterback that title, but Murphy has already given a ringing en- the waning weeks of preseason. was an exceptional dual-threat athlete,” Mur- dorsement of his newest field general. Given the fact that injured feet could spell trou- phy said. “He had not only the ability to do all the “He’s going to be a good player in our league,” ble for a quarterback like Viviano, who relies al- things you ask of your quarterback, but he also had Murphy said. “I’m absolutely certain of that.” most as much on his legs as he does on his arm, it that improvisational ability.” would not have been a surprise to see an intense Just as much as Murphy was enamored with Vi- Staff writer Jack Stockless can be reached at battle for the starting job this fall. viano’s physical ability and skill set, Viviano was [email protected]. 6 The Harvard Crimson Football Preview / September 23, 2016 September 23, 2016 / Football Preview The Harvard Crimson 7 A STAKE IN HISTORY THE CRIMSON LOOKS TO CEMENT ITS PLACE AMONG SPORTS DYNASTY STREAKS ON THE ARM OF A BRAND NEW QUARTERBACK AND AN EXPERIENCED LINE.

By SAM DANELLO but for three years, his stat line could fit Murphy said. “He’s one of the best cor- leading a defense that allowed a nation- center of Harvard’s success. Murphy told CRIMSON STAFF WRITER into a fortune cookie. One pass thrown. ners we’ve ever had.” low 84.4 rushing yards per contest; this the story of the 2003 Crimson, a potent No completions. No starts. Viviano and Ahern comprise two year a number of fresh faces—especially ofense that averaged 462 yards a game Heavy rests the crown for the 2016 Har- Last Friday rejiggered those numbers, small parts of a larger team, one in which juniors Luke Hutton and Chase Guillo- but finished 7-3 thanks to 19 turnovers. vard football team. as Viviano got the nod against Rhode Is- all players shoulder the duty of defending ry—man the position. And the unit only The next season, the coach abandoned After two decades of steady success land and went 24-for-32 and 290 yards. the Crimson’s dominion. got younger a week-and-a-half ago when all other metrics besides turnovers—and and three especially acute years of domi- Most noticeably, he scrambled for 51 As a program, Harvard preaches a senior Eric Ryan tore his meniscus, forc- ended up finishing undefeated. nance, the Crimson confronts a question yards—an upgrade over his solid but next-man-up philosophy—that no per- ing the stalwart out of the lineup for the “Really the only benchmark we talk common to all victors: What next? physically unexceptional predecessor, sonnel loss is absolute because replace- foreseeable future. about as an ofensive staf is ball securi- Having won its last 15 road games, Scott Hosch. ments always wait in the wings. Follow- “We had a ton of huge parts of our ty,” Murphy said. “If we have zero turn- what land remains to be conquered? Still, one battle doesn’t win a war. As ing the graduation of 15 starters and four- defense graduate,” Ryan said. “A lot of overs in every game, we will win every Having hoisted three straight league ti- a freshman, Viviano entered campus as teen All-Ivy players, 2016 marks a test of young guys [are] filling the voids…. It’s single game.” tles, what opponents remain to be van- the 51st quarterback in the nation accord- this philosophy. The next man in line tru- been a huge preseason. We’ve been all in These days, at the start of every sea- quished? ing to ESPN. He carried heavy expecta- ly is up. as a team.” son, all players receive a laminated sheet No longer do Harvard players need tions, and four years later, those expecta- “Whatever our talent level is, that’s Amidst this roster transformation, it’s with personalized instructions for ball to grab top-dog status; that happened in tions linger. something we have no control over,” easy to overlook what remains the same. security. And since 2000, the team is 32-0 2013, with the first of three consecutive A season ago, Viviano nearly won the Murphy said. “But we can control what Two names stand out in particular: se- when not committing a turnover. Ivy League title. first-string job in training camp before our character is. That’s what we hang our nior tight end Anthony Firkser and soph- In 2016, the irony of this turnover em- Nor do they need to thwart criticisms breaking his foot. Now the undisputed hat on.” omore wideout Justice Shelton-Mosley. phasis is striking: A program that has of being a fluke success; that happened in starter, he will try to exhibit the play- Last year, running back Paul Stan- Three of the Crimson’s last four tight nightmares about bad snaps and inter- 2014, with the second Ivy League title. making ability and cannon arm that at- ton Jr. capped of a historic career with ends have caught on as professional play- ceptions must face the greatest turnover Nor do they need to buck odds and es- tracted Murphy and other scouts. an 809-yard season; this year rushers ers, and Firkser has the potential to con- of all—the loss of arguably the most domi- tablish a dynasty; that happened in 2015, It is a case of ability without experi- Semar Smith (junior), Charlie Book- tinue this trend. He’s a 230-pound race nant senior class of all time. with the third Ivy League title. ence, power without comfort. And there er (sophomore), and possibly others will car with leather-soft hands. In the game of football, turnovers hurt Under the guidance of coach Tim Mur- are no dry runs. share snaps. The by-committee approach Meanwhile, Shelton-Mosley is fast, pe- because the ball changes possession; in phy, the Crimson has skipped from vic- “I believe 100 percent in him,” captain worked against the Rams, as Harvard riod. Harvard freshmen rarely see signif- the game of life, turnovers hurt because tory to victory, scoring at least 10 points Sean Ahern said. “He’s definitely ready.” churned out 244 yards on the ground. icant game action, but last year the Sacra- change challenges consistency. in the last 62 games. Again in 2016 media Similarly crucial is Ahern, a defensive But the deceptively physical Stanton will mento, Ca. native totaled 1,140 yards and The central question for the 2016 pundits picked Harvard to top the An- back. He’s a fifth-year senior who plays be missed when competing against Ivy returned punts, including one for a score. Crimson is whether the program can cient Eight. But in its wake, the Crimson like a fifth-year senior—calmly, quickly, League defensive lines. Against Rhode Island, the game plan tar- weather such a sea-shift. And there is has left a trail of embittered opponents, and with physical dominance. Last year, the Crimson handled such geted Shelton-Mosley early and often, re- only way to find out: by accompanying all of them salivating at a chance for re- In the last two seasons, he has matched defensive lines by trotting out senior of- sulting in nine catches. Harvard down the eight-game journey venge. up against some of toughest opposing fensive linemen Anthony Fabiano, Adam Both receiving threats eclipsed 100 that starts at Brown on Friday, in the Ivy Heavy rests the crown. receivers and emerged both times as a Redmond, and Cole Toner, all of whom yards that Friday night, perhaps prefig- League season opener. “We’re everybody’s rival,” Murphy member of the All-Ivy first team. Also a signed NFL contracts at the end of the uring a season of a two-pronged aerial at- “We get everybody’s best shot,” Mur- said. “Everybody hates our guts. Because key special-teamer (he co-led the Ancient season; this year Harvard features less tack. phy said. “We’re going to be the team that of that, you can never, ever, ever take any- Eight with two blocked kicks last year), muscle and more youth upfront. While More than players, what remains the plays the hardest every week. We’re go- one for granted.” Ahern sets the temperament of the de- senior Max Rich and junior Larry Allen, same are the fundamentals of the pro- ing to be the team that is the grittiest…. The crown weighs especially on se- fense. He is the anchor, connecting Har- Jr. provide some consistency, growing gram. Wake up early and work hard. Ex- It’s all about our identity as a program.” nior Joe Viviano, anointed quarterback vard to past seasons of defensive excel- pains are inevitable. hibit character. And never, under any cir- of Harvard’s ofense. lence. A trio of seniors also stafed the line- cumstances, let go of the ball. Staff writer Sam Danello can be reached at He’s a large guy—6’5”, 220 pounds— “Sean’s a potential All-American,” backer unit during last year’s campaign, That final commandment lays at the [email protected]. BY THE 9 19 5 290 1ST THE AGE OF HARVARD’S TEAM’S CURRENT TOTAL PASSING YARDS TIME HARVARD COULD A LEAGUE OF On the tails of a one-loss season, the Crimson looks to rebound HONORARY RECRUIT, RANKING IN THE FCS RETURNING ALL-IVY BY JOE VIVIANO IN TURN IN A FOUR-PEAT IN THEIR OWN this year. Y. KIT WU—CRIMSON PHOTOGRAPHER NUMBERS DANIEL GRAPSKI COACHES’ POLL PLAYERS TO THE ROSTER SEASON OPENER VS URI IVY LEAGUE TITLES 8 The Harvard Crimson Football Preview / September 23, 2016 Crimson, leading the team with six pass break-ups as Harvard battled to an undefeated campaign. In the 2014 Game—yes, that epic 31-24 slugfest with the champi- HIS onship at stake—he had the best contest of his year, preventing two catches and recording seven tackles. “Corners make their money, so to speak, by being great cover corners,” FATHER’S Murphy said. “He is that, but he’s a tough, physical guy. He plays physically like a safety with a corner’s ability.” The next year, he returned as the top cover guy for a Crimson defense that al- SON lowed 13 points a game, the second-stin- giest mark in the nation. On special teams, Ahern added another accolade: kick blocker par excellence. He reject- ed two boots to rank first in the Ancient Eight. In both 2014 and 2015, postseason vot- ers recognized this dominance, tapping Ahern for consecutive All-Ivy first teams. These days, as a fifth-year senior, Ahern remains one of the few holdovers from last season’s overpowering unit. He mans a secondary short on experience, though not enthusiasm. As of last fall, Ahern is also Harvard’s captain, the 11th straight defensive player to earn this post. (New York Jets quar- After moving on from St. Xavier High School and its dominant football program, Sean Ahern SAINT X GON’ terback Ryan Fitzpatrick ’05 was the last has landed himself the captaincy at Harvard. MEGAN M. ROSS—CRIMSON PHOTOGRAPHER GIVE IT TO YA exception.) “He’s naturally taken to being the captain,” Murphy said. “He’s one of those By SAM DANELLO he is today, meaning a shutdown corner- son. guys that everyone respects…. He doesn’t CRIMSON STAFF WRITER back, a first-team All-Ivy selection for “We bonded through [the sport] for mind holding his teammates accountable two straight years, and the bedrock of the many years,” Ahern said. “Still do. He’s to the same high standards that he holds St. Xavier High School in Cincinnati may Crimson’s defense. definitely my number one fan.” himself.” be a Jesuit school, but on Friday nights, “[I want to be] a high-energy guy,” Despite his athletic lineage, howev- As one might expect for a fifth-year football reigns supreme. Ahern said. “Someone who brings it ever, Ahern didn’t think seriously about player, these high standards reflect years Depending on the opponent, depend- ery day. Someone who, once game day college football until recruiters start- of watching and playing alongside tal- ing on the weather, up to 6,000 specta- rolls around, is super-focused and locked ed to call. The Crimson entered the fray ented players. Ahern cited a number of tors pack into Ballaban Field—so named in.” during his junior year. defensive mates as role models, includ- after a long-time coach—to watch their Many of those ambitions took root at At that point, Ahern’s father adopted a ing linebacker Matt Koran ’16, defensive Bombers play. Blue-and-white battalions St. Xavier, a 184-year-old private school new role. Previously a third-grade coach, back Norman Hayes ’15, and defensive flash prepaid tickets, browse the in-sta- whose football program has enjoyed na- constantly an enthusiastic supporter, he back D.J. Monroe ’13, who died last Oc- dium souvenir shop, juggle hot conces- tional prominence since the mid-2000s. then evolved into a chief consultant. tober. sions, and finally settle in to root for a In 2005, when the program claimed its “He’s been there throughout the Still, perhaps the most intense idol program that has captured two state ti- first state championship, the city of Cin- whole process,” Ahern said. “He made is the one who has accompanied Ahern tles in the last 11 years. cinnati established “St. Xavier High me realize that there was a door out there during his entire journey, from Friday On the field, illuminated by enormous School Day.” to play football and get a good education.” night epics at Ballaban Field to Satur- stadium lights, nearly 400 kids from St. Part of St. Xavier’s success on the grid- This, in short, was how Ahern end- day afternoon nail-biters at Harvard Sta- Xavier shiver and sweat. They shoulder iron relates to pure size. Roughly a quar- ed up in a Harvard uniform. In 2012, dium. Certainly Ahern’s father has seen an enormous legacy, one that has pro- ter of the 1,600-person, all-male student he opened preseason at 175 pounds—20 a lot, including most Crimson contests duced at least 13 NFL players, including body joins the football team. About 120 pounds lighter than he is now. over the past two seasons, and barring three-time Pro Bowler Luke Kuechly of players stick around as upperclassmen, College competition soon jolted to the intervention of injuries or fate, he the Carolina Panthers. making the high school squad one of the a stop, however. After appearing in the stands to see nine more. Here in southwest Ohio, football isn’t largest in the country. season opener, Ahern tore his pectoral Much has passed between father and life-or-death. But it can be your life. Even before Ahern reached ninth muscle. Season over. son in all these years, but at least one Sean Ahern, the 143rd captain of Har- grade, odds were that he’d join this “It was definitely a challenging time question remains unanswerable: Who’s vard football, understands this fact. Put army. His father played defensive back at being a freshman,” Ahern said. “The lev- the better player? more simply: “Football is a big deal where Brown, coincidentally joining the Bears el of the game was just so much diferent, “Oh definitely me,” Ahern said. Then I come from.” around the same time as Tim Murphy. something I did not anticipate. And be- he paused, making sure that he got his Over the last two years, however, the Back then Murphy worked as a part-time ing hurt, I kind of felt separated from the words right. “He might’ve been a harder converse has proven equally true—that assistant; now he’s the Harvard head team.” hitter.” where Sean Ahern comes from is a big coach. Rehab relieved that sentiment. So did deal for football. After all, it was Balla- College football left a real impact on on-field success. Staff writer Sam Danello can be reached at sam. ban Field that shaped Ahern into who- Ahern’s father and, in turn, shaped his As a junior, Ahern started for the [email protected]. September 23, 2016 / Football Preview The Harvard Crimson 9 FOOTBALL FOCUSES ON FITNESS

By JACK STOCKLESS cur and taking care of the extreme strains on the play- of the top performers with “hard worker” awards. This CRIMSON STAFF WRITER ers’ bodies throughout the season goes a long way toward ofseason, senior defensive tackle Miles McCollum was keeping everyone as healthy and in-shape as possible. the summer MVP, while sophomore wide receiver Jus- A simple Google search of “Harvard’s first football team” The main philosophy Frazier, Murphy, and the rest of tice Shelton-Mosley, junior safety Tobe Ezeokoli, soph- returns images of a collection of 13 rather ordinary look- the staf have on ofseason workouts is using a diverse ar- omore cornerback Wesley Ogsbury, and senior ofensive ing college-aged men. If the inaugural 1873 team man- ray of workouts to get the players accustomed to the gru- lineman Max Rich also made significant strides. aged to transport itself to the 21st century and walked eling 10-week fall schedule. Speed training, lifting, and Even during the spring semester and during the eight through the Yard, it would be a surprise if anyone man- conditioning are all components of the weekly programs. weeks of training leading up to camp, the team holds ear- aged to identify the members as football players from Although there is a great variation between the body ly-morning lifts. The main motivation behind scheduling among the throngs of students and tourists. type of an ofensive lineman and a cornerback, for ex- the sessions practically at the crack of dawn is building Today, members of any collegiate football team are ample, Frazier and his staf generally view all the play- camaraderie and character. highly-trained athletic specimens. They are fine-tuned ers on the roster as football players. Training maturity “When you’re walking across that bridge at zero dark to do their specific job on the field, whether that be plug- is the biggest factor in the diference between each play- thirty and the wind chill is minus seven degrees, you’re ging up the gaps in the line or sprinting downfield to beat ers’ workouts, as each member of the team will naturally going to have to be really committed,” Murphy said. “It the secondary and make leaping catches. progress through a series of four programs, one for each strengthens the resolve of the kids who are really into Of course, hours upon hours of work in the gym are of their four years in Cambridge. reaching their potential.” necessary to become physically dominant enough to com- While the Crimson may not boast the same extrava- Personal fortitude and team bonding are two import- pete in Division I football. To assure that the the Crimson gant facilities as many top FBS schools, the Palmer Dix- ant by-products of early lifts; these intangibles translate football team is in the best possible shape it can be, coach on Strength and Conditioning Center gets the job done to the field in tangible ways. Tim Murphy enlists James Frazier, Harvard’s Director of for Harvard. With the Crimson likely facing pressure from Ivy foes Strength and Conditioning. “Palmer Dixon, I absolutely love it,” Webb said. “I love Penn and Dartmouth for the Ancient Eight champion- Frazier’s work with the team over the ofseason is de- how there’s a lot of room in there. I can get in there, get a ship, any slight edge will be instrumental to the outcome signed to enhance the Crimson’s competitive advantage good workout in, and call it a day.” of Harvard’s season. However, the Crimson’s ofseason over its opponents. The strength and conditioning center across the riv- training under the direction of Frazier should prove to be “I respect the man a lot,” said senior defensive tackle er in Allston has a 24,000 square foot weight room and much more impactful than just a slight edge. Doug Webb. “He’s got a great staf alongside him. When training facility, which the football team utilizes for team “When our kids walk out of the locker room at 7:45 in you have little running backs and wide receivers squat- lifts both in-season and over the ofseason. the morning to go get breakfast or go to class, they really ting X-amount of weight, you know it’s pretty impres- “We have some of the best strength and condition- feel like they’ve accomplished something,” Murphy said. sive.” ing facilities in the entire Ivy League,” Frazier claimed. “You do that enough as a team, and it’s tough to quantify, At Harvard, the vast majority of drills and lifts have a “Harvard has done a great job in terms of supporting us, but it makes you mentally tougher.” clear football-related focus. There is also a definite em- giving us the personnel and the people that we need.” phasis on injury prevention, which Webb calls “prehab.” To incentivize going above and beyond during of- Staff writer Jack Stockless can be reached at jack.stockless@thecrim- Beginning the rehab process before injuries even oc- season workouts, Frazier and his staf recognize some son.com.

Harvard hopes its offseason work will give it a competitive WEIGHT advantage. MEGAN M. ROSS—CRIMSON PHOTOGRAPHER FOR IT 10 The Harvard Crimson Football Preview / September 23, 2016 EIGHT TEAMS, ONE CUP In 2016 a constellation of stars sparkles across the Ivy League. In this eight-game gauntlet, no team is an easy out.

DATE SCHOOL LOCATION TIME / RESULT

16 Sept. RHODE ISLAND CAMBRIDGE, Mass. W, 51-21 24 Sept. BROWN PROVIDENCE, R.I. 2 p.m. 30 Sept. GEORGETOWN CAMBRIDGE, Mass. 7 p.m. 8 Oct. CORNELL CAMBRIDGE, Mass. 1 p.m. 15 Oct. HOLY CROSS WORCESTER, Mass. 1 p.m. 22 Oct. PRINCETON PRINCETON, N.J. 1 p.m. 29 Oct. DARTMOUTH HANNOVER, N.H. 1:30 p.m. 5 Nov. COLUMBIA CAMBRIDGE, Mass. 1 p.m. 11 Nov. PENN PHILADELPHIA, Pa. 8 p.m. Senior quarterback Joe Viviano, shown here against Rhode Island, has JV ON 19 Nov. YALE CAMBRIDGE, Mass. 12:30 p.m. yet to start a league game. Y. KIT WU—CRIMSON PHOTOGRAPHER VARSITY

HARVARD

The 2016 edition of the Crimson has big PLAYER TO WATCH shoes to fill. After graduating 15 starters, JUSTICE SHELTON- nine of whom were first-team All-Ivy play- MOSLEY ers, Coach Murphy and co. have to answer a Sophomore wide receiver slew of questions: Will Joe Viviano replicate GP REC YDS TD ORNELL OCT. 8 Scott Hosch’s production at the quarterback C | position? Will the linebacker corps be able to 10 40 589 6 slow down high-powered offenses like their The fact that the most promising player on PLAYER TO WATCH Last season the then- predecessors did? Will Harvard four-peat as Cornell’s roster is a punter may hint at anoth- CHRIS FRASER freshman averaged 114 total Ivy League champions? er disappointing campaign for the Big Red. Senior punter yards a game. The team’s sole victory in 2015 came against Columbia, and these two teams seem primed GP AVG 50+ Long to contend for the number eight spot in the 10 44.8 16 67 Ivy League in 2016. However, senior lineback- Fraser has made the All-Ivy I’m excited to see what the offense is going to do. er duo Jackson Weber and Miles Norris could first team three years in a be a diamond in the rough for Cornell. Being a defensive guy, this might’ve been the best row and earned unanimous offensive preseason we’ve had in a while. selection last season. SEAN AHERN Captain and defensive back

PRINCETON | OCT.

The Tigers’ up-tempo offense under PLAYER TO WATCH coach Bob Surace will have quite a bit of JOE RHATTIGAN BROWN | SEPT. 24 firepower this fall. Junior John Lovett can Senior running back line up at quarterback or running back, GP RUSH YDS TD The Bears garnered one first-place vote PLAYER TO WATCH and fellow running back Charlie Volker 9 122 612 7 in the preseason poll, despite cumulatively KYLE MORENO is a school record holder— for the track A second-team All-Ivy player last being projected to finish sixth overall. With Senior quarterback team. As opposed to Yale, Princeton will year, Rhattigan averaged over five all five starters returning on the offensive GP YDS TD INT likely win games in spite of its defense, yards per go as the Tigers’ primary line, junior quarterback Kyle Moreno will 9 360 2 2 not because of it. running option. likely have good protection as he targets senior wideout Alexander Jette. Jette was Moreno served as a backup last Brown’s sole representative on last year’s year, only seeing major time at All-Ivy squad. Harvard. In that game, he threw for 307 yards and two scores. September 23, 2016 / Football Preview The Harvard Crimson 11

With its first conference game against Brown this weekend, the Crimson will ROAD start the long road towards the Ivy crown. Y. KIT WU—CRIMSON PHOTOGRAPHER AHEAD

PENN | NOV. 11

Penn received nine first-place votes to PLAYER TO WATCH Harvard’s seven in the annual preseason JUSTIN WATSON pundit poll, and accordingly many are pro- Junior wide receiver jecting the Quakers to unseat Harvard in GP REC YDS TD the Ancient Eight. The lethal duo of senior 10 74 1,082 9 quarterback Alex Torgersen and junior re- DARTMOUTH | OCT. 29 ceiver Justin Watson should prove to be a The third-team All-American nightmare for any opposing defense. totaled 249 yards last year PLAYER TO WATCH The Crimson’s most closely contested at Harvard Stadium in the FOLARIN matchup last year was against the Big Crimson’s lone loss. Green, a 14-13 victory capped off with a ORIMOLADE blocked field goal. Like Harvard, Dartmouth Senior linebacker has experienced a significant amount of GP TK SK FF roster turnover, and a quarterback battle 10 36 8.0 4 will provide an interesting storyline in New We’re everybody’s rival. We get everybody’s best Hampshire early on in the 2016 campaign. A captain for 2016, Orimolade shot. Everyone hates our guts. Because of that, you is the lone starter remaining from last year’s defense. can never, ever, ever take anyone for granted. TIM MURPHY Harvard coach

COLUMBIA | NOV. 5

Legendary coach Al Bagnoli returned to the PLAYER TO WATCH sideline in 2015, but not even the all-time FCS SCOOTER HOLLIS wins leader could spark a turnaround for the Senior wide receiver YALE | NOV. 19 Lions. Columbia looks to improve on last year’s GP REC YDS TD two-win season, relying heavily on quarter- 10 51 515 1 The Bulldogs have an even foggier out- PLAYER TO WATCH back duo Skyler Mornhinweg and Anders Hill. look at the quarterback spot than Dart- DESHAWN SALTER The Lions only lost to Harvard and Dartmouth Despite playing for the two- mouth, as there are four challengers for Junior running back by a combined 12 points, so football might just win Lions last year, Hollis Morgan Roberts’ vacated position. On the GP RUSH YDS TD be on the upswing at Columbia. tallied over 10 yards a catch. other side of the ball, Yale has more to work 9 129 561 7 with. Twelve of the team’s top 14 tacklers are returning to New Haven, so the onus In his third game as starter last will be on the Bulldog defense to overcome year, the 212-pound Salter ran the reigning top three in the Ivy League. for 233 yards against Lehigh.