A case of sudden impact

Newton's Williams went from scout team to starter at Harvard

James Williams of Newton was the starting left tackle last fall at Harvard, where he earned All-Ivy status as a sophomore. (David Silverman)

James Williams didn't get onto the field for a varsity snap as a freshman at Harvard.

As a sophomore, he made what Crimson coach Tim Murphy called "a quantum leap."

The 6-foot-6, 285-pound lineman from Newton started all 10 games at left tackle last fall, and was a first-team All-Ivy League selection while helping power the Crimson to the Ivy championship.

"He didn't back down from anybody with the scout team his freshman year, and our coaches said he was as good as any of the upperclassmen," said Murphy, whose team was 8-2 last season and perfect (7-0) in league play.

Williams, who weighed 240 pounds when he enrolled at Harvard, spent his freshman year adding some bulk. "I was making the transition from high school weight to college weight," he said. "It was the first time I lifted on a daily basis."

As a member of the scout team that first season, he went up against Crimson regulars such as All-Ivy defensive tackle Michael Berg. "So I still was able to play against top talent and develop my skills despite not playing in a game," he said. "Going into the spring of my freshman year, I knew the offensive tackle position was open for the fall.

"My hope was to contribute to possibly winning the Ivy championship," he added, "and as time went on, I got better at picking up what the defenses would do."

Williams said he was "pretty anxious" before the season finale, going up against undefeated Yale, but after Harvard's 37-6 victory over the Elis, "it was like a dream come true. Right now, I'm putting that behind me and focusing on what's ahead, playing my best on every down next season. "

Williams, also honored as a Sports Network All-America honorable mention, was a football and track captain at Roxbury Latin, where he also played hockey and wrestled.

A first-team All-Independent School League selection in both football and wrestling, Williams played for the North squad in the 2006 Shriners Football Classic. And he also was a first-team All-New England shot-putter and won the discus competition at the Division 3 New England Prep Track and Field meet, earning Globe All-Scholastic honors in track and field his senior year.

"I had hoped to attend Harvard but hadn't really received much attention," he recalled. "So the summer after my junior year I attended a football camp at Boston College and the New England Elite camp at Lexington High. I also sent out my own DVDs after my father, Martin, arranged for the filming. After that I started to get letters and calls from the colleges."

While at the BC camp, Williams met a Harvard assistant coach who invited him to the college's senior day. Williams impressed the Harvard staff during his visit. "I had a chance to tour the campus and meet Coach Murphy," said Williams, who committed to Harvard the same day.

"He had a certain charisma that was very intriguing," said Murphy.

"Coming to Harvard has been a unique experience," said Williams, an economics major who interned this summer at State Street Bank in Boston and will report to Harvard's preseason training camp Aug. 26.

"I like our team a lot. No one thinks they're better than anyone else. It's a very supportive atmosphere. And I definitely feel more like a veteran than a newcomer after two seasons."

Murphy thought he'd ease Williams into the lineup last season, but changed his mind after watching his new tackle get better and better.

"James stood out in the spring, then surprised us with his progress last fall," said Murphy, a Wayland resident. "It's rare for a sophomore to make first-team All-Ivy, but he deserved the honor. He has great instincts, he's physical and aggressive, and he has outstanding athletic ability for his size.

"There's still untapped potential and room for improvement," added Murphy, "but if he continues to work hard he could be one of the best to play at his position at Harvard."

Williams agrees that there's more work to be done. "I want to focus on my first step on run block at camp, and also keep a lower center of gravity so that I can better elevate against a defensive player," he said. "I also want to improve on my foot speed."

Williams, who sang in the glee club at Roxbury Latin, worked his senior year of prep school at a music studio in Lowell. He has a keyboard and drum machine in his dorm room and music-editing programs on his computer.

"I'd like to have my own music publishing company someday," said Williams, who hasn't skipped a beat on or off the field.