USC freshman is close to mastering the offense, but he’s been given an unusual task
It sounds as if South Carolina running backs coach Thomas Brown should have this the other way around.
It just makes sense to pair a young player with an older one when it comes to workouts. The older one has been in a college football program, he knows the ropes and can theoretically spur on a younger charge.
But in this case, it’s the young player, freshman tailback Kevin Harris, pushing the other players.
“In the offseason, we’ve been pairing him at times with other guys in the room because he’s kind of a workout warrior and he makes those guys work out harder,” Brown said. “You’re talking about a guy you know can squat about 600 pounds and you know 40 inch vertical whatever he did in summertime. It’s really impressive numbers.”
The goal is to make sure those aren’t just weight room stats and actually translate functionally to the field.
The 5-foot-10, 225 pound back slimmed down since the spring, getting the payoff of a college weight program. He had teammates raving in the spring, complimenting his power and will, and Brown echoed some of that early in August camp.
“Kevin’s a super talented young player,” Brown said. “Really smart football player as well as he works his butt off.”
That work ethic has him paired with others in the weight room. Asked if that is unusual for someone so young, Brown said the key factor was a level of confidence the staff has in a player.
Harris ran for 1,556 yards and 22 touchdowns as a senior, finishing as the sixth-leading rusher in the state of Georgia. He’s definitely a power back, but the coaching staff spoke well of his speed at every turn.
The question for Harris short term will be opportunity.
South Carolina’s running backs room is crowded with veterans. Clemson transfer Tavien Feaster joined for the start of camp. Veterans Rico Dowdle (nearly 1,700 career yards) and Mon Denson are there, as is A.J. Turner, who for the moment is playing defensive back.
That’s a lot for a first-year player to try to overcome, no matter how strong or successful he is.
But there’s another factor boosting his case: a confidence in how well he knows the offense that borders on mastering it. He put in his work in spring and since then, and it means the staff in turn has that confidence in him if and when he makes it on the field.
“Obviously the more time you have, the more meetings you’ve been in, the more walkthroughs, more practices, he knows what to do now,” Brown said. “He knows the offense and the mistakes are, you know, few and far between. I think at this point as much as we (put in) in springtime. three or four times in the summer going over installs, one two and three again, he should have the offense mastered by now. So I would say just the confidence, the level of play to relax and let his competition step up and play. It’s been good for him.”