Freshman Will Whitman’s humble aspirations didn’t quite match up to his stature.

“I was just hoping to make the travel team. That was my goal,” confesses the soft-spoken, 6’6”, 260 lb. freshman right tackle from Kentucky.

And so far, he’s accomplished a lot more than that. As Harvard’s starting right tackle for its opener against Holy Cross, Whitman traveled to Worcester and likely cemented his role as starter for the season.

While other freshman football players settle into their roles on the J.V. team, Whitman, who was recruited as a left tackle, has already been asked to change positions on the line, moving from right guard and then again to right tackle. He’s also had to learn the bulky offensive playbook and step into the void left by Brent Osborne ’11, who recently signed with the Seattle Seahawks.

As daunting as his task may seem, it is one he accepts with realistic expectations.

“I’m just going to try my best to do what I’m supposed to do and help us win,” Whitman said. “I’m not trying to show I can replace an NFL player this year, because there’s no real way I can.”

But what Whitman can do is continue to gain experience—and impress his teammates.

“He’s had some very successful games as a freshman, and I’m definitely excited to see him get after it,” praises junior running back Treavor Scales, who will have Whitman blocking when he runs to the right. “Whit’s already a heck of a player.”

On the line, Whitman has found a group of mentors who have helped him quickly step into a starting role.

“He’s always willing to listen and very coachable, and I think that shows in how much he’s learned in such a short time,” says senior left tackle Kevin Murphy.

Whitman’s confidence isn’t just evident in his ability to move into the starting position at such a young age. He is also one of just a few kids from his hometown to go to college so far away, and is one of a select few to ever come to Harvard from Lexington Catholic, his high school.

Leaving such a tight-knit community has not been always been easy.

“It’s been my first time away from home for longer than a week,” Whitman shares.

He adds that head coach Tim Murphy and offensive line coach Joe Conlin have been very caring and “like dads away from home for me,” becoming a part of the close community he has found within the football program.

“The offensive line is usually among the closest units on the team, by virtue of what they do,” Murphy said. “The upperclassmen have really taken [Whitman] under their wing.”

Family is important to the Crimson right tackle. A native of Lexington, Ky., Whitman earned all-state honors twice in high school and represented Kentucky in the Border Bowl against Tennessee.

But his favorite football memory was going up against his cousin, who played for a rival high school, during his senior season. The two played directly across from each other the whole game—Will on the offensive line and his cousin on the defensive line.

When asked if he won the majority of the matchups, Whitman broke into a proud grin.

“Yeah, but my team won the game, so that was all that mattered.”

For the Whitmans, athletics and family go hand-in-hand. Whitman’s father, Hank, was a defensive tackle at Vanderbilt in the 1980s, and his younger brother Jack is a 6’8” high school basketball standout.

Will’s father—whom he counts as one of his biggest influences—was elated to hear the news that his son would be starting. But as a former college player himself, he also understands that being called upon so early in such a significant role can be overwhelming.

“[My Dad] was excited; [he was] all for it, but nervous because it’s a lot of pressure,” Whitman recalls. “You’re in front of so many people, and you’re already being criticized just because you’re so young. Then if you mess up, it makes it even harder on yourself.”

But so far in his young career, Whitman has performed at a high level for the Crimson—and on a much bigger stage than he has ever been accustomed to. In Kentucky, Whitman says the largest crowd he ever played before was around 700 people.

Tomorrow night, he’ll be donning his No. 71 Crimson jersey and playing each snap at Harvard Stadium. About 20,000 fans are expected to turn out.

“It’ll be rockin’,” predicts the big man, whose excitement to perform in front of a Harvard home crowd for the first time is palpable. “I come from Kentucky, so there’s not much to do there. Not much stuff besides hunting and fishing … It was nice, but nothing really awesome.”

Then, with conviction, Whitman adds, “It already is awesome here. I love it.”