Crimson better after dark
Harvard hosts Princeton tonight in a game that will go a long way toward deciding the eventual Ivy League champion.
The Tigers (4-1, 1-1) enter as the reigning league champs, but they have lost eight of the last 10 times they faced Harvard (3-2, 1-1).
This will be the 15th time Harvard has hosted a night game, and the Crimson are 14-0 under the lights.
“Princeton comes in as the outstanding football team that they are every year. They’re 4-1 and one play away from being undefeated in our league. They are No.1 in the league in passing offense (300.4 yards per game), and rushing defense (54.0 ypg). It’s at night. Our kids like playing at night. It should be a great atmosphere,” said Harvard coach Tim Murphy.
Murphy credited his team’s Texas connections for last week’s 38-10 home win against Lafayette at Harvard Stadium.
“This week our special teams really got us going. They gave us momentum. Justice Shelton-Mosley had a 90-something punt return against Georgetown a couple of weeks ago, had another 80-plus punt return against Lafayette, and then piggybacked on Adam Scott’s 90-plus kickoff return. So great job by our special teams,” Murphy said.
Murphy praised the key roles turned in by junior back Charlie Booker III of Houston, who ran for a career-best 159 yards and one touchdown, junior linebacker Charlie Walker of Keller, Texas, who had a team-best eight tackles and Scott, the junior receiver/ special teams performer from Denton, Texas.
“It was Texas Nation that had a huge impact on our game. Our kids come from everywhere but we usually get our fair share (of recruits) from Texas,” said Murphy. “We’re really just happy with the balanced effort on all parts.”
Scott appears ready to make the next step to star platform. Limited by injury to five games a year ago, Princeton provided his breakout game last season. Scott caught eight passes for 85 yards, including a 24-yard touchdown. He produced a nifty kickoff return for touchdown last week. On the season, he leads the Crimson with 16 catches for 170 yards.
“He’s like the Energizer Bunny with that hyper speed. He’s just one of those guys that from a personality standpoint, a physical standpoint, he’s always in motion. He is a hugely popular kid on this team because he is such a positive guy. He is one of those guys that has explosive speed with the ability to change direction. He is always one big play away,” said Murphy.
“We watched him on high school film ... he was just such an explosive slot receiver and we knew he was a track performer. We knew what he could do at this level.”
Scott, who narrowed his college choices down to Harvard and hometown SMU, explained that his recruiting visit won him over.
“I wanted to go to SMU, but once I came up for my visit I fell in love with the place, the team, the coaches. It was like family. I knew this is the place where I wanted to come,” he said.
Princeton counters with a speed-oriented back of its own in junior Charlie Volker, who rushed 16 times for 163 yards with four touchdowns in last week’s 53-0 pummeling of host Brown.
“They’re a pretty solid team. They’re definitely a pretty good club,” said Scott.
Princeton has a handful of Bay Staters on its roster: tight end Adam Buchnan of Lynnfield, defensive back Will Johnson of Lexington, long snapper Ryan McNeil of Marblehead, running back Hayden Murphy of Centerville, and tight end Nick Peabody of West Yarmouth.