New Hampshire Football Report
Home / College / Griffith primed for big season

Griffith primed for big season

Persistance paid off for defensive tackle Thor Griffith, a Portsmouth resident who earned himself a spot on the Harvard football roster with a different kind of relentless pursuit.

“It was a really interesting recruiting situation,” recalled Harvard coach Tim Murphy. “He was not highly recruited and he’ll be the first one to admit it. He was a New Hampshire kid and he had come to our camp and our coaches weren’t yet sold on him, so we were probably looking at other guys in the country. And quite frankly he just kept hounding me.

“The thing that sort of really flipped the switch for me was he sent me a video of when he was 12 years old. He was then considered one of the top 200 hockey players in North America. And you watch him skate … him going through these skating drills, he looked like Bobby Orr. Effortless. Athletic. Amazing. And I said to myself, ‘What the heck do we have here.’ I said, ‘Thor, so why did you give up hockey?’ He said, ‘Well coach, I got way too big.’

“The second (film) he sent me was flash forward to his junior year in high school. He’s competing for the state heavyweight wrestling championship at 275 pounds and he’s going against a kid just as big as him and he’s just throwing him around the room like a rag doll. And I turned to my staff and I said, ‘I don’t know how good a football player this kid is, but he’s gonna be (good) someday.’ And the rest is history.”

Griffith, a Portsmouth High School graduate, is entering his senior season at Harvard. He was named to the 2023 Buck Buchanan Award Preseason Watch List. The Buck Buchanan Award is presented annually to the most outstanding defensive player at the FCS level.

Griffith saw action in each of Harvard’s 10 games last season, when he was second on the team in sacks (five) and tackles for loss (12), and tied for third in tackles (46). He also led the team in tackles for loss (10.5) and sacks (five) in 2021.

“I think on the (defensive line) it’s a great example of us making each other better,” Harvard defensive lineman Nate Leskovec said. “You can’t block one guy with two people and then do the same thing with another guy. We just open up opportunities for each other. 

“Thor is a phenomenal player,” Leskovec continued. “I anticipate him being an All-American this year. We have sky-high hopes for him for sure. He’s a wrecking ball. He’s an absolute mutant. I think he squats 700 pounds, benches 500. He can’t clean at all because he’s got a little bit of a flexibility issue, but he gets off the ball and changes direction really well. It’s been fun playing alongside him. He’s a very special player.”

*******

Those who would like to help New Hampshire Football Report promote football in the Granite State can do so by purchasing a New Hampshire Football Report membership or by making a donation below. Sponsorship inquiries can be sent to nhfootballreport@gmail.com. Your support is greatly appreciated.

 

You must be logged in to post a comment Login