But like every Crimson quarterback, Winters will be most remembered for his performance in The Game.

After three quarters of dismal offensive play, the field general came up big when it mattered most, throwing two perfectly-placed touchdown passes over the top of the Yale secondary to senior Matt Luft and junior Chris Lorditch. His clutch play in the dwindling minutes of the fourth quarter gave the Crimson its third straight victory over the Bulldogs.

“To be in that type of situation where we had to come back like that made my first experience at the Yale Bowl even more special,” Winters said.

While many expect Winters to be penciled in as the starter for next season, he is facing heated competition from junior Andrew Hatch, the transfer who started several games for LSU before returning to Cambridge last spring.

Like a veteran quarterback, Winters remains unfazed by the challenges facing him in the offseason.

“Andrew’s a great quarterback,” Winters said. “I’m looking at it as a chance to push myself to get better. Without him, there wouldn’t be much pressure or competition...I’m just looking forward to this summer and getting ready for the next season.”

—Staff writer Kevin T. Chen can be reached at ktchen@fas.harvard.edu.