HARD WORK PAYS OFF
Besides sophomore running back Paul Stanton, Zorn has been the most consistent offensive player for the Crimson so far this year. Through nine games, the preseason All-Ivy third-teamer leads all Harvard receivers with 44 receptions and 661 yards —more than twice the total for any other team member.
Zorn uses his quickness to create separation on short crosses and possesses the necessary speed and strength to beat cornerbacks on fade and post routes. His biggest game this season came in an eight-reception, 168-yard performance against Princeton. The receiver has not forgotten how to throw the ball, either—Zorn tossed a 32-yard touchdown pass on a trick play against Dartmouth.
Indeed, Zorn has progressed from a novice wide receiver to one of the most important members of the 2013 Harvard team.
“[Zorn] doesn’t say much, but he delivers,” Murphy said. “He’s one of those kids that everybody respects because he’s a man of few words, extremely dependable, extremely competitive, and everybody has tremendous respect for him because he’s so dependable and durable.”
While Hamblin’s impact has been more limited than Zorn’s, the junior from Syracuse, N.Y., has begun to emerge in recent weeks as a reliable target.
The junior caught his first career touchdown on a 36-yard strike down the sideline against Cornell and has 12 receptions in six games, including a five-reception, 56-yard effort against Columbia.
Hamblin was forced to miss time at the beginning of the current season with tonsillitis, but when an injury sidelined Brate for two games a couple of weeks later, Hamblin responded with seven catches in the pair of contests.
“When you have guys go down [to injuries], it’s depressing,” Hamblin said. “So it was pretty cool to go down and need to step back up for the team at the end of the year.”
When Zorn moved to wide receiver and Hamblin was made a tight end, both players needed to acquire a revamped skill set to adapt. They have both done so successfully, using their athleticism and a sophisticated knowledge of the game they acquired while leading from behind center.
But while the daily routines have changed, for both Zorn and Hamblin, one characteristic that every good quarterback needs has remained an integral part of their approach: leadership. And for all of Harvard’s wide receivers and tight ends—along with the team as a whole—that’s a good thing.
“Both guys are absolutely the leaders of their group,” Murphy said. “Part of it is they’re always prepared…. They make very few mistakes. If you ask those guys a question, they [will] nail it.”
—Staff writer David Steinbach can be reached at david.steinbach@thecrimson.com.