At wideout, senior Adam Chrissis returns after leading the team with 40 receptions and 481 yards in 2010, as does junior tight end Kyle Juszcyk, who caught 25 passes last year. The team should get a big lift from the return of senior receiver Chris Lorditch, a second-team All-Ivy Leaguer in 2009 who suffered a season-ending knee injury during the second week of the season in 2010.

“Chris Lorditch coming back is a huge thing for our offense,” Murphy said. “We missed Chris a lot last year.”

On defense, senior defensive tackle Josue Ortiz returns to anchor the defensive line. After being named to the Associated Press All-America third team after a 7.5-sack season last year, Ortiz is expected to do even bigger things in 2011. He’ll be joined in the trenches by senior Benjamin Graeff, a preseason All-Ivy second team selection who was leading the league in sacks a year ago before losing his season to injury against Princeton.

Senior captain Alex Gedeon, another preseason All-Ivy pick, will anchor the linebacking core after finishing with 49 tackles and even filling in as an emergency punter in 2010. The group will be without the graduated Nick Hasselberg ’11, who tied for the team lead in tackles with also-departed safety Collin Zych ’11 last year. Senior Dan Minamide will have the tall task of filling in for Zych, the All-American who led the squad in interceptions during his senior season. At corner, senior Matthew Hanson and junior Brian Owusu form a solid combo.

“Matt’s really had a terrific offseason,” Murphy said. “He’s more physical than ever. He’s a guy I think can be one of the best defensive players in the league, a real physical shut-down corner.”

With that squad in place, Harvard believes that, this season, it can not only continue its 10-year streak of seven-plus wins—the first team in Ivy history to achieve that feat—but also finally get back over the championship hump.

“Our goal is always to win an Ivy League title,” Winters said. “That’s what we’re setting out to do again this year. Especially since we haven’t won it the last couple years, I think guys are hungrier and more motivated to do everything we can to get the title back.”

—Staff writer Scott A. Sherman can be reached at ssherman13@college.harvard.edu.