One would expect the All-Ivy holes in the line to change all that. But Westerfield has been pleasantly surprised by the number of battle-ready linemen in camp.

“We’ve identified four defensive ends with the talent to play,” Westerfield said. “We should be able to maintain a rotation and stay fresh. And at tackle, we’ve got as many as five guys who have been able to get the job done. All of our guys should go in thinking that there shouldn’t be a dropoff when they go in because they’re all number ones.”

According to Armstrong, many of the reserve linemen could easily be just that elsewhere.

“At this point in camp I think we have more players who can play in games than we had last year,” he said. “Last year, we only had three, four guys at each position. This year we probably have four, maybe five guys at each position who, honestly, at another Ivy League school, would be starting this year.”

Senior Greg Parker, junior Brian Garcia and junior transfer Brad Payne are among those reserves. Parker, a converted linebacker, will spell Brush at left tackle. Garcia had strong spring workouts as a sophomore, and could be one of the few non-seniors to contribute immediately. Payne is a transfer from Mesa Community College in Arizona who will figure into the jumble at defensive end.

“Brian Garcia could have a huge year,” Westerfield said. “And Brad Payne has shown a lot of promise.”

If they pan out as well as Armstrong thinks they can, chalk it up in large part due to Murphy’s recruiting. Murphy has said that unlike in 1998—the season after the last Harvard championship—this year’s team has deep enough personnel to maintain a championship pace while still technically “rebuilding.”

Of course, you can’t recruit experience. But Armstrong doesn’t mind.