Senior safety Ricky Williamson perks up and leans forward as he outlines the research he gathers for an honors thesis in biology.

“Zebrafish’s inner ear and visual systems develop very similarly to the way humans’ do, and it only takes four to five days,” he says. “I’m trying to find out what the alcohol’s doing in the inner ear that’s causing the auditory problems in the fish. I’m using that to extrapolate what might be happening in fetal alcohol syndrome in humans…The first round of results showed basically no cell growth in the hair cells of fish treated with alcohol compared to control. Indeed, alcohol is stopping cell growth.”He’s excited by the subject, and it shows.

“If you take the ethanol away, does the cell start growing again? Is it permanent?” he muses. “Then we have to find out what the mechanism is, what the alcohol’s doing in the cells to keep them from dividing.”

He offers a layman’s explanation: “I was joking with my friends-—they ask ‘What’s your research about?’ and I say I get fish drunk,” Williamson says. “It’s half true.”Meet Williamson—the scholar-athlete of the NCAA’s dreams and Harvard football’s starting strong safety for the 2004 season.

This is the Williamson who snagged two interceptions in the Crimson’s season-opening win over Holy Cross, the Williamson who has notched 17 solo tackles and 20 assists on the season.This is the Williamson with an A- GPA and top MCAT scores, recently named by the College Sports Information Directors of America to the University Division Football Academic All-District team.

“He’s a kid that I think will be up for a postseason scholastic award,” Harvard coach Tim Murphy says.Williamson tackles academics and his assignments on defense with equally passionate intensity.

“He’s a hard worker. You can tell in meetings—he always comes up with a lot of questions for the coaches,” junior linebacker Matt Thomas says. “You can tell he’s paying attention, looking at videotape. On the field, you can tell he’s picking up on things, and he’s always communicating. He does his best to get everyone on the same page.”

Williamson’s role in the secondary speaks to his ambition. Originally a running back, Williamson sought another channel to obtain playing time when now-junior wide receiver Ryan Tyler proved to be the primary ball carrier. “I really thought out of high school [he] would be our next great tailback, and for a variety of reasons that just didn’t work out,” Murphy says.

“I saw a lot of obstacles in my path, and I wanted to get on the field as early as possible,” Williamson explains. “The defensive coaches saw some potential in me to get on the defensive side of the ball.”

Although Williamson played outside linebacker in high school, the transition “took time.”

“Running back can be more of a finesse position,” Williamson says. “When you’re on the defensive side of the ball, it’s a much more physical game.”

A penchant for aggressively physical playing characterizes Williamson on the field, as spectators can attest.

“I enjoy when an offense runs the ball in my direction and I’m able to, either by block destruction or athleticism, make a play, make a tackle,” Williamson says. “I just love hitting offensive guys and taking ‘em to the ground.”

“He’s only 200 lbs., but he plays like he’s about 230, 6’3,” says senior wide receiver Brian Edwards. “The hit he put on Columbia’s tight end, Wade Fletcher, is unbelievable. When I see a play like that on defense, it gets me so fired up on offense to make a play like they just did.”

Consistently physical play has been one of his goals for his final season.