FOOTBALL PREVIEW 2005: Crimson Takes Changes In Stride, Says Captain

The Crimson had a chat with Harvard captain Erik Grimm, the 6’5, 270 lb. stalwart defensive end.

Q: What does it mean to you to be a Harvard captain?

A: “It’s a tremendous honor to be selected by my peers. We’ve got a great team with a great group of guys, and it makes my job that much easier. It’s exciting to be able to lead the team into battle, and I look forward to doing it on Saturday.”

Q: How is the defense different this year with the loss of All-Ivy-caliber players such as Ricky Williamson, Sean Tracy, Matt McBurney, and Bobby Everett?

A: “Well, you know we miss those guys. Those guys are great players and great leaders. They have a lot of speed on the field. But we have other guys stepping up, Ryan Tully stepping up, Adam Miller doing the job and stepping up, Gary Sonkur, Keith Howell doing well. Mike Berg on the defensive line is doing a great job as well. I feel like we’re going to surprise a lot of teams this year. People are doubting us because we lost people like Ricky Williamson and Bobby Everett. I think we’re going to do a great job this year.”

Q: With Ryan Fitzpatrick gone and you as a captain, do you see the defense taking on more of a leadership role?

A: “In some ways yes and some ways no. The defense needs to take a greater leadership role in the first four games. We’ve got new quarterbacks coming into the system, and it’s important that the defense limit the offense to a low score so the offense has a buffer zone to work with. There are great playing anchors in the wide receiver corps—Rodney Byrnes, [Corey] Mazza, Joe Murt, Ryan Tyler. I think the offense is going to do great, but it is important that the defense support the offense, especially in the first four games while the quarterbacks get settled.”

Q: Can you talk about Matt Thomas and what he means to the defense?

A: “Matt Thomas is a great leader. He leads by example. He’s an animal out there on the field. He likes to hit and doesn’t do too much talking but lets his abilities and actions and playing speak for themselves. He does a great job assignment-wise. He plays up in the system, and he knows the system extremely well but at the same time he makes outstanding individual plays.”

Q: How do you feel about the cornerback situation with Gary Sonkur possibly missing some time?

A: “There’s going to be some youth in the secondary. Andrew Berry, he’s a freshman from Maryland, really stepped up and had two interceptions in the intersquad scrimmage. Steve Williams could see some time. We’ve got plenty of talent in the secondary. I’m not too worried about it. You have some guy like Gary Sonkur. We’re hoping he’ll be able to go, but with his injuries, we’re not too sure yet.”

Q: How has the whole team handled the quarterback competition?

A: “I think the team has embraced it well. It’s kind of a tough situation because we’ve been with Liam all of last year. We’ve gotten on quite well and everyone was rooting for him. Richard Irvin has gotten on quite well, and the rest of the team has embraced him... Whoever steps up and leads this team and leads us to victory is whoever we want in charge. There are no hard feelings on either side. Harvard football is Harvard football, and we want to win.”

Q: If you could draw up a script for your final season, how would it go?

A: “You know, of course being undefeated in the Ivy League and undefeated in the overall season with another Ivy League championship.”

—COMPILED BY SAMUEL C. SCOTT