Five Freshmen Have Chance to Make Difference Right Away

They haven't been to their first class and have barely sampled the fine cuisine of Annenberg Hall, but a group of freshmen football players already has a good chance of seeing some playing time in tomorrow's season opener against Columbia.

Although sophomore defensive back Willie Alford was the only freshman to letter for Harvard last year, a strong recruiting class looks to make a significant impact this year. And while none of them will begin the season as starters, here are five young men that hope to be Harvard's stars of the future--today.

Local Boy Makes Good

When you're one of the state's top high school quarterbacks, fall Saturday afternoons aren't any time for thinking about college football.

So although freshman Niall Murphy lives nearby in Lowell, Mass. and says that Harvard was his top college choice, he's only been to one Harvard football game in his life.

He was too busy leading his team to two consecutive victories in the Massachusetts Super Bowl and securing a spot on the All-State team and a USA Today honorable mention in the process.

Niall Murphy made his name well-known throughout recruiting circles as a quarterback for Central Catholic High School in Lawrence, where he started for three years. Tomorrow, however, he moves to the other side of the ball and will begin his Harvard career as the second-string free safety, backing up senior Ben Green.

With a good chance of seeing some playing time in tomorrow's opener, Murphy said he is looking forward to making his college debut in front of his friends and family from the area.

"That'd be pretty cool," he says.

"It's Wiggin' Me Out"

When Sean Meeker reported to training camp on Aug. 27, he was surprised to find a white practice jersey with a number in the 30's--a number usually reserved for the defensive secondary. Meeker, who played cornerback and wide receiver at Chattahoochee High School in Atlanta, was hoping to try his hand at the offensive side of the ball.

So he took some work as a receiver in practice, ran a 4.5 in the 40-yard dash, and convinced the coaches to give him a shot as a wide out.

Coming into this weekend, Meeker figures to be part of a six-man wide receiver rotation that already includes two other freshmen.

"It's been a challenge--everything's at a different level," he says. "You get the feeling everything's more serious [than high school]."

So far, he says he's felt like a "small fish in a big pond" at Harvard--especially because he's spent the first week of his undergraduate life adjusting to life in Hurlbut Hall.

"It's kind of far. I feel like I'm off on an island."

And since freshman players were given off-days on Monday and Tuesday to get acclimated to college life, Meeker admits he is anxious about seeing some playing time this weekend.

"I'm not even going to have a full week of practice before my first college game," he says. "It's wiggin' me out."

Lunch Lady Land

While most other freshmen spent their summers on the beach or saying long farewells to their high school girlfriends, aspiring wide receiver Kyle Cremarosa spent his last summer before college in Cambridge, working out with starting quarterback Brad Wilford.

Cremarosa lived in Grays Middle this summer and took summer school courses in psychology and expository writing while getting himself into shape for the football season. Besides the tosses with Wilford, Cremarosa worked out with fellow wide out Carl Backes.

The Sun Valley, Calif., native played wide receiver and safety in high school, was league MVP and was named to the All-Los Angeles Times Team. And although he says he originally hoped to play for a PAC-10 team, Harvard quickly became his first choice when the Ivy League teams came calling.

"The people are real cool around here, and everyone seems real nice," he says.

He says the weather, though, will take a little getting used to.

"That's what I'm fearing. It's cold."

And because he spent the summer in the Yard, he has a head start on most of the freshman traditions.

"Domna," he sighs, "I just love that lady."

Life in the Fast Lane

With Harvard's offensive line returning only one starter from last year's squad, offensive tackle Lane Arnold has quickly been thrust into the limelight. Arnold enters tomorrow's season opener as the top back-up at the left tackle spot, where sophomore Steve Collins will start.

Arnold, who hails from Decatur, Texas, and speaks with a drawl, says he's most surprised by the speed of the game at the college level.

"All the guys are a lot bigger and stronger and faster than everybody you face in high school," he says. "It makes you concentrate on your technique a lot more."

And Arnold has been enjoying his much-deserved days off to settle into his school routine and explore the strange world of Boston.

"It's a bit of a culture shock, but I like it just fine," he says.

He also looks to improve on the performance of his high school football team, which he describes as "terrible." In his three years on the varsity team, Decatur High School won nine games.

Not Tall Enough for Basketball

Rounding out the freshman trifecta at the wide receiver spot is Virginia native Carl Morris, who says it is difficult to adjust to college-level football.

"The game is so different at high school and college, and it takes a little while to get adjusted," he says.

Besides the increased speed and intensity of the college game, Morris will also have to adjust to playing a full season.

At Arlington High School, his undefeated team was not allowed to enter the state playoffs because of basketball season--and all five starters on the basketball team played football.

But despite his lack of postseason experience, Morris still made first team All-State, honorable mention All-Metropolitan D.C., and was named All-Region by CNN/SI.

And although Harvard was his second choice behind the University of Virginia, he begins the season behind senior Terence Patterson at wide receiver and says he loves Harvard.

"I think it's a really great place. The diversity and stuff--you meet people from everywhere and every day you meet someone new."

When they take the field tomorrow for their first attempt at Crimson glory, these five freshmen will be battling their nerves as well as the Columbia Lions. But with this group's experience, it shouldn't be too hard to put their game faces on.

"Everyone wants to come in and play," says Morris. "It's everything all freshmen want to do. Hopefully it'll all be worth it on Saturday."