Neil Hurley, Right Safety, Calls Signals Very Quietly

"Neil exudes a lot of confidence out there." said safety Fred Martucci. "He doesn't say too much: he's not a real gung-ho sort of guy, but it sure is great playing next to a guy who not only does his own job well, but will cover up for you when you make a few mistakes."

Neil Hurley, who calls the signals for the Crimson defensive secondary, has been playing football in his quiet way for nine years. And in order to start playing he had to be particularly quiet.

Neither of Hurley's parents, both natives of Ireland, likes football. His father thinks it is a dirty game, and his mother is afraid that he might be injured. But Neil's two older brothers encouraged him, and he played-by sneaking out of the house with his uniform in a bag, and getting dressed for practice in the coach's car.

Since then Huriey has spent a lot of time on the football field. At Malden's Catholic High. he started (??) squad in 1965.

First not Fourth

"At he end of the football season my freshman year. (??)

His sophomore year, Hurley began to specialize input returns while playing for the varsity 'B' team. Last year, he led the Crimson varsity in punt returns with a 16.3-yard average for 11 attempts.

This year, as right safety, Hurley leads the team in pass interceptions with four. One of them. in the Cornell game, is commemorated by a hand-written poster in his room. It reads: "Congratulations Crazy Legs. 101-yard pass interception return, October 18, 1969." "My girlfriend did that." he said. "I guess that she was so excited about it that she forgot how to spell congratulations."

Interceptions like that one result in special recognition from the defensive coaches. too. A defensive player who makes an interception. scores a touch-down, or makes an exceptional play receives a small silver or black football ??a touchdown) to put on his helmet.

Psyche-out

"Those footballs are a psyche-move by the defensive coaches." said Hurley, who has five of them. "They give you an extra meantime to play well, and are a type of status symbol."

Hurley seems to have found his place in his safety spot. "Nothing feels better than a good clean tackle." he said. "and that's probably what makes it all worth it Besides. it's pretty gratifying to see a quarterback eat the ball, because that means you're doing your job."

Brian Dowline, Yale's fabled quarterback is the best athlete Hurley has played against "His ability to scramble enable him to avoid eating the ball, and eased harsh in our secondary. He wasn't all that impressive on film, but when you had to go out and play against him, it was a whole different story." he said.

In addition to football, Hurley plays ??-field for Harvard's varsity baseball team. A superb bunter, he finished last season with a 259 batting average.

Involvement

Athletics has taken a big portion of Neil's time at Harvard and sometimes he re?? that he doesn't have more time to got involved in programs like Phillips Brooks House. He did work two summers with Boston area Boys' Clubs, coaching ?? privileged boys.

Hurley. a government major. has no definite career plans, but his thinking is influenced by his experience with the Boys' Clubs.

"I've thought about the Peace Corps, and I've thought about teaching and coaching." he said, "Or I might work as a guidance counselor in a high school."

If Hurley is not reclassified 1-A when he graduates, he hopes to go to law school. But whatever he decides to do, he'll go about it the way he plays football-quietly and well.