09-11-2004, 10:24 AM
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Head Coach
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Join Date: Nov 2003
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http://www.daytondailynews.com/sport...0harrison.html
Quote:
He's got it covered
C-J's Harrison does it on offense, defense and special teams
By Mark Gokavi
Dayton Daily News
DAYTON | — Brandon Harrison wakes up early for school at Chaminade-Julienne. After the bell, there's football practice and homework (he is going to Notre Dame next fall).
That doesn't leave room for much else, except ?
"Sleep," Harrison said. "Oh, and I love watching movies. Action, horror, even romantic if I'm with the ladies."
Ladies? Plural? "I've got one main girl," the C-J senior amended. "She keeps me steady."
Harrison is more than just steady on the football field. The soon-to-be Fighting Irish defensive back is one of Ohio's best.
Like his film preferences, the 5-foot-10, 200-pounder enjoys a little bit of everything in football. Apart from playing corner on teams' top receiver and safety, he plays halfback and returns kicks.
In a Week 1 victory against Northmont, Harrison took a "bubble" pass 72 yards for a score. Last week in a win over Carroll, Harrison broke a punt return for 63-yard score.
Still, when people mention C-J football, the first name usually is running back and Mr. Football candidate Javon Ringer.
"The problem with great defensive backs is that people can run away from them," C-J coach Jim Place said. "Quarterback and tailback are the glamour positions."
The coach said that lack of recognition may have stung a couple years ago, but not now. With a Notre Dame scholarship offer in hand and a 2002 state title ring, the talkative, friendly Harrison has all the recognition he needs.
"That was cool," Harrison said of the punt return TD, then proudly added: " But I'm a defensive player. Leave the fame to the offensive players."
Place was asked who would be C-J's top runner if not Ringer. "Brandon," Place said without hesitation. "He'd do great. He'd be All-Ohio. He doesn't practice offense much. He makes all the calls on defense."
If Harrison had his way, he would have been 6-3, 235.
"I always wanted to play linebacker," he said. "When you're little, everybody is the same height and weight. Then some people get big and some get little."
Harrison and Ringer have been good friends for years. Harrison's buddy even makes sure he's on the right page on Friday nights. "Sometimes when we walk up to the line he tells me the play," Harrison said. "He'll say, '24 veer' to make sure I know.
"I don't know all the blocking schemes. When I'm on offense, I just run the ball and go where they tell me. I just try to run over somebody — not like Javon and his side-to-side. My technique when I run the ball is that I'm going so fast I can't break down and shake. I'm running so fast forward that if I break down, I'd just fall."
Last season, his 9-yard TD run in overtime gave C-J a 40-34 win over Carroll. This season, the Eagles' defense had its sights set on a lower number. The result was a 35-10 win. Carroll's lone TD came on a punt return.
"It was good to shut them out" of the end zone," Harrison said. "They had just three points on offense. We played solid defense and I had a few skulls (hard hits) but they didn't really pass that much. I had an interception but I dropped it. I was too excited."
Tonight, the 2-0 and nationally ranked (No. 23 by USA Today) Eagles are at Louisville Trinity, the three-time defending Kentucky big-school champions.
"It's going to be fun," Harrison said. "It's a game to show out in. It'll be interesting to see how they do things down there."
Harrison also keeps an eye on Notre Dame and the Irish coaching staff talk to him. Notre Dame lost to Brigham Young 20-17 last weekend. All defensive backs get beat and Harrison knows that only the next play matters. Still, that DB bravado is always present.
"They said they wished they had me now," Harrison said of Notre Dame. "I saw how some of their DBs against BYU got burned on straight streak routs and I was like, 'Man, I could've covered that.' "
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