By Paul Vozzella
NEFJ Staff
CAMBRIDGE – Harvard took one step closer to the start of the regular season with its annual spring game on Saturday afternoon. Team Crimson shined as it defeated White 31-0.
Although the final score won’t be taken into serious consideration, the main focus was on individual performances and who proved they deserve a bigger role going into the 2025 season, according to head coach Andrew Aurich.
“It’s like an opportunity to get [players] in a true gameday type atmosphere and see which guys shine in that environment,” he said. “We evaluate those different things. We put more weight on these scrimmages. So, roles can be earned or changed, depending on how these scrimmages go.”
Several players stood out from the rest, mainly wide receiver Brady Blackburn. The Canadian is entering his second year with the Crimson and is set to take on a big role in the offense. He finished with six receptions for 102 yards and two touchdowns.
“I think the quarterbacks just trusted me today,” said Blackburn. “They put the ball out, I made some plays, but really all credit to the coaches and quarterbacks. They just gave me the opportunity and things went well.”
With Xaviah Bascon sitting out, senior running back Isaiah Abbey led the rushing attack with 30 yards on the ground and a touchdown.
Bascon and the rest of the backfield have big shoes to fill with the loss of 2024 captain Shane McLaughlin. Along with McLaughlin, Harvard also lost leading receiver Cooper Barkate, arguably one of the fastest receivers in the country at any level.
“We just had to figure out who’s getting the touches,” said Aurich. “That’s really what it comes down to. The reality is [McLaughlin and Barkate are] really good players and they’re hard to replace but I’m pretty confident that we have some talented guys that are gonna be able to replace them… Brady Blackburn had a really good game.”
While new offensive weapons will need to step up, there is no uncertainty looming over the quarterback room. Senior Jaden Craig is in line to return as the starting quarterback again, but talent is in line behind him just in case. Junior Dante Torres finished with 15 completions on 23 pass attempts for 170 yards and two touchdowns. Sophomore gunslingers Sam Kaiser and DJ Gordon also pieced together several solid drives.
On the defensive side of the ball, senior Ty Bartrum is ready to lead the team on and off the field as the appointed 2025 captain.
“It’s a huge honor,” said Bartrum on being named captain. “I got voted right after the Harvard-Yale game. Since then, I just kind of took a leap in the leadership role. I care for the guys, the guys care for me. We’re trying to build that culture every day.”
Bartrum made the highlight of the day on defense with a one-handed interception after the defensive line pressured the quarterback. The safety – a member of the 2024 All-Ivy League First-Team – highlights the secondary along with 2024 All-Ivy League Second-Team cornerback junior Damien Henderson.
Harvard also found success in the trenches during the scrimmage. Sophomore Christian Nwosu stood out with two sacks and junior Josh Fedd tallied a sack and tackle for loss as part of a four-tackle performance.
Senior linebackers Jaedon Kinlock and Jack Kirkwood are in prime position to step up to anchor the defense. Sophomore Ben Alvarez also impressed in the scrimmage with a diving swat in the middle of the field.
With talent scattered all over the roster, Harvard is in a great position to make a run at its third consecutive Ivy League Championship.