But it may be Murphy’s contributions as a mentor that are most significant to the team. His leadership has helped the less-experienced Crimson linemen—like freshman Will Whitman—make an immediate impact on the team.

Coach Murphy had never before started a rookie offensive lineman, but Whitman has bucked the trend.

The 6’6, 280-pound rookie has started every game for Harvard this season, becoming the only lineman to be named to the watch list for the Jerry Rice Award, which is given to the best freshman in the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS).

And as other position players recognize, the list of impact linemen

doesn’t stop there.

“[Junior center] Jack Holuba, [junior guard] John Collins, [and sophomore guard] Austin Scheufele, they’re all doing a wonderful job this year,” says junior running back Treavor Scales. “They take pride in their job, and that’s one thing you can’t teach. It’s one thing you can’t coach, and they do it. It’s a beautiful thing.”

Despite the adversity, the offensive line has not missed a beat, making major contributions to the Crimson’s offensive production this season.

Allowing just 24 sacks in nine games, the offensive line has helped Harvard quarterbacks throw for just under 250 yards per game. It has also paved the way for the  Crimson running game, which has amassed over 1,600 yards on the ground.

The success of the offensive line has not gone unnoticed.

“A lot of times, the offense goes as far as the offensive line does,” Winters says. “To play as well as we have all season, a lot of that goes to the offensive line. They’ve done a great job buying time for protection and making holes for our running backs. We have a lot of talent at the skill positions, but the only reason we’re able to use it is because of them.”