Howell Completes Surprise Off-season With Murphy’s Vote of Confidence

When Harvard coach Tim Murphy picked his cornerbacks at the start of 2003, Keith Howell didn’t crack the starting lineup. Or the second string. When Murphy scoured his roster for depth when both his starters—Gary Sonkur and Benny Butler—fell victim to injury, he didn’t call Howell’s name. And when Murphy looked ahead to his defensive backfield of the future, Howell wasn’t one of the rising stars likely to make an impact.

One year later, Keith Howell is Murphy’s starter heading into opening kickoff.

“We thought he was a nice player a year ago,” Murphy said. “Now we think he has a chance to go to the top of the defensive backs in the Ivy league.”

The change in Murphy’s attitude reflects an unanticipated change in Howell’s character—not his technical ability. That’s not to say the junior cornerback’s skills haven’t been honed in the past year. They have. But almost overshadowing that improvement has been the enormous growth in Howell’s confidence. And Murphy has certainly taken notice, promoting Howell above Sonkur and Danny Tanner, Butler’s primary backup last season.

“Right now,” Murphy said, “[Howell] has tremendous enthusiasm and confidence.”

And he isn’t hiding that fact from anyone. During an intrasquad scrimmage last Saturday, Howell could barely contain his excitement, crunching wide receiver Ryan Tyler along the Harvard sideline before erupting in celebration. Before the half was over, Howell again unleashed his newfound fury on a temporary opponent, this time Brian Edwards.

With a ball from quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick lofted long down the righthand sideline, Howell sized up Edwards as he went to reel in the catch, then planted his teammate in the stadium turf. The hit forced Edwards from the game and left him with his arm iced and in a sling as a precautionary measure.

“Confidence and experience—I think the combination of those two is so critical in a corner,” Murphy said. “[The position]—it’s not for a shy guy, it’s not for the faint of heart. And he has a lot of confidence, and he backs it up.”

Howell, who lines up opposite Sonkur, will have to if the Crimson secondary is to maintain the level at which it played last season. Butler, whom Harvard lost to graduation and Howell now replaces, was a first-team All-Ivy selection and the crux of an over-worked pass defense.

But is the player whose improvement rivals that of any of his teammates shying away? If the hits on his teammates are any indication, don’t count on it.

—Staff writer Timothy J. McGinn can be reached at mcginn@fas.harvard.edu.