After the game, Murphy admitted that about half of Fitzpatrick’s carries came on calls that were pass plays. But Fitzpatrick had been given free reign.

“I said, ‘Fitz, go out and do whatever you need to do,’” Murphy said. “He’s got a little bit of colt in him, and I mean that in a good way. [We let him play] without a bridle, I’ll guarantee you that.”

As Murphy spoke of his young quarterback in the post-game press conference, Fitzpatrick sat two seats over, trying not to squirm too much or smile too big. His blond hair, wet with sweat, stood in every direction, and the 19-year old looked far less comfortable than he had on the field.

Whether Fitzpatrick will return to that chair in the pressroom this season is still unknown. Rose, who left the game after reaggravating a back injury, will be evaluated this week.

Make no mistake about it—if Rose is healthy he will play. Rose is ruthlessly efficient, smart and experienced, and he has been the steadying force behind Harvard’s stretch of perfection.

Rose avoids mistakes, big and small. He has thrown as many touchdowns (three) as incomplete passes. Fitzpatrick, for all his strengths, has not shown that same efficiency through the air.

Rose is the captain and the owner of this team. Rose, as Murphy said before the season started, is the present.

The future, though, was on display Saturday.

The future was tossing two touchdown passes, one off of his back foot with a lineman barreling towards him.

The future was grinding out yardage on the ground, lowering his shoulder and banging into linebackers. The future was Ryan Fitzpatrick.

And the future was bright.

—Staff writer Lande A. Spottswood can be reached at spottsw@fas.harvard.edu.