Then, as a sophomore, the coaches moved Garcia over to the other side of ball, having him spend the majority of his time at tight end.

But a broken foot cut his season short and added to a somewhat strained relationship with the coaching staff.

“There have been times where it’s been a little bumpy road [with the coaches],” Garcia says, “especially in terms of the injuries and switching positions.”

Through all of this he remained positive, and in his junior year Garcia finally broke through. With a settled position at defensive end, Garcia preformed well with increased playing time, recording 31 tackles and one sack.

But even his improved play as a junior couldn’t have prepared him for his rousing success this year, especially after he broke his arm last spring while riding a four-wheeler.

Once again overcoming adversity, Garcia has made his mark this season.

On a team full of talented defensive linemen, he has stood out, recording six-and-a-half sacks—a figure second only to captain Dante Balestracci’s eight.

“He just took it upon himself as a senior to take the next step physically,” Harvard coach Tim Murphy says. “And even that was compromised a little bit by [his] breaking his arm…He’s been a huge asset to us defensively.”

Besides his ability to pressure the quarterback, Garcia possesses athletic ability uncommon amongst defensive linemen.

This athleticism allows Harvard to expand its blitz packages—bringing linebackers and safeties up to rush the quarterback—and relying on Garcia to take their place in pass coverage.

One play in particular exemplifies Garcia’s athletic prowess.

In the fourth quarter against Dartmouth on Nov. 1—an eventual 30-16 loss for the Crimson—Garcia covered Big Green tight end Casey Cramer, who had been scorching the Harvard secondary all day. But Garcia stayed with Cramer and broke up a pass thirty yards downfield.

“[Garcia] is one of those guys we call a ‘big skilled athlete,’” Murphy says. “He’s big and fast and athletic.”

Garcia would like nothing more than to use that athleticism this weekend against Yale, and help Harvard pound the Elis.

Garcia, once again, will be up to the challenge.

“Beating Yale would mean more than anything,” he says. “Just going out a winner, especially with this senior class, would mean the world.”

Even though this will be Brian Garcia’s last game with the Crimson, don’t be surprised if his rendition of the Fraggle Rock theme song remains a constant at practice—Brian’s younger brother Gary is just a sophomore.