Get to Know Andre Harris
By Craig HaubertAntonio Harris knew early on that his son Andre had a special ability to play the game of football. Before the young Harris was finished playing Pop Warner, his father had him lifting weights while pushing him to improve. Although the elder Harris knew the talent was there, he also understood that patience was important.
During Andre's freshman year of high school, the coaches liked the job he was doing and saw the talent that he possessed, and wanted to move him up to the varsity squad. Antonio Harris thought it would be best for Andre to complete his freshman year on the JV and continue improving his skills. That advice paid off, as Andre moved up the next year, and has been running wild since.
That guidance from his father has helped Andre improve and become one of the top running back prospects in the 2006 class. Just ask him. He's as quick to point out his areas for improvement as well as his strengths.
"My strengths are my combination of speed and power and my ability to catch the ball out of the backfield," said Harris. "I need to work on my pass blocking and selling my fakes."
That need to improve has been a strong point of Harris' game since its the early days. Even from his junior to senior year, he feels he improved his footwork and speed and believes he is playing harder in general. To help improve his game, he even picked up lacrosse as an offseason sport.
His focus on football has caused him to wait until after his senior season to begin a serious look at where he will play his college ball. As he and his teammates head into the playoffs this weekend to take on Jefferson, he has given some thought to which colleges he might like to visit. Some of the schools on his early list of favorites are Washington, Arizona, Minnesota and San Diego State.
Of those four, Minnesota sticks out because of its location, but it is obvious to Andre why he should take the school seriously.
Harris simply said, "They run the ball a lot."
That seems like a pretty good answer for a running back. Although he doesn't have a list of factors he is considering to help narrow down his choices, he does want to go to a program that runs the ball often and someplace where he will have the opportunity to play as a freshman.
Just like his football career, his recruitment will be a team effort. Naturally, his father will be there to help, but his older brother Antonio Jr. is also lending a hand. The Loyola law student is researching schools and sending out tapes for his younger brother. Although no visit dates are set, it should not be long after the season is finished before they start.
It appears between his desire to improve, his father's guidance and his brother's help, that Team Harris has all the bases covered, and when he does a make a decision, it will be a good place for Andre to shine.
Harris Q&A
Scouts Inc.: What is your favorite NFL team?
Andre Harris: Atlanta Falcons.
Scouts Inc.: Who is your favorite player?
Harris: Clinton Portis. He is hard-nosed yet still explosive.
Scouts Inc.: What is it about your position that you love?
Harris: Running through people or around them.
Scouts Inc.: Do you have a pregame ritual?
Harris: Yes. I write on my wrist tape my goals for that game.
Scouts Inc.: Favorite subject in school?
Harris: African-American history.
Scouts Inc.: Favorite band/artist/group?
Harris: Lil' Wayne.
Scouts Inc.: What are your goals for your senior season?
Harris: For the team to win a championship and to gain 2,000 all-purpose yards.
Scouts Inc.: What are your goals for your career after football?
Harris: Work with my dad in the family security business.
Craig Haubert is a recruiting coordinator for Scouts Inc.
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