Boyd Named 140th Harvard Football Captain

Senior linebacker Joshua Boyd has been named the 140th captain of Harvard football, the team announced at its annual awards banquet Monday night.

Boyd, who will return to the team next year as a fifth-year senior, becomes the third consecutive linebacker to hold the Crimson captainship. Alex Gedeon ’12 served as captain in 2011, while senior Bobby Schneider led the team this season.

“Following Bobby Schneider is no easy task, but it’s one I’m up for, and I can’t wait to get started,” Boyd said at the banquet.

Boyd, a Hyde Park, Mass. native, captained his high school football team as a senior and will now have the chance to undertake the same role in college.

“I am truly honored and humbled right now,” Boyd said. “I really want to thank each and every one of my teammates and coaches in the room right now. I love you all, and I thoroughly appreciate your belief in me. I promise I’m going to work my tail off, and I won’t let you down.”

Boyd led Harvard and was eighth in the Ivy League with 67 tackles this year, and he also forced two fumbles. The Crimson finished 8-2 and honored its seniors at its banquet two days after defeating Yale, 34-24, in the 129th edition of The Game.

“Like Bobby, [Josh] has a tremendous work ethic, he’s selfless, and he’s respected by everybody in the Harvard football program,” Crimson coach Tim Murphy said at the banquet.

As a junior, Boyd only started five games after replacing injured linebacker Blaise Deal '12, but he nonetheless finished second on the team with 64 tackles and was named All-Ivy honorable mention.

Football captains are elected by members of the roster. An offensive player has not been chosen to hold the honor since Ryan Fitzpatrick '05 during the 2004 season.