|
SS, 6'1, 202, 4.53, 315 BP
Clinton, TN
Birthday: 6-26-80
High School: Anderson County
HS Mascot: Mavericks
HS Coach: Larry Kerr
HS Position: SS
HS Number: 22
Official Visits: Alabama
Second Choice: Ole Miss
Host During Alabama Visit: Sam Collins
Committed: 8-12-98
Roommate To Be: Brandon Miree
Academic Status: Qualified
Stats
HS Junior Season
Tackles
Interceptions
HS Senior Season
Tackles
Honors
SBR Scouting Report
Hard working prospect with good size and speed for his position. Very intelligent player who always seems to be in position. Good hands. Excellent toughness and character. May also contribute on special teams. Projects as a strong safety.
[Observation: highlight tape.]
Stories
He Was Tennessee Born And Bred
Harris |
Tyler Harris, the son of a former Tennessee walk-on, was born and bred on Volunteer football.
"We live just 15 minutes from Neyland Stadium," Tyler says. "When I was kid, we went to almost all of Tennessee's games. We were big Tennessee fans."
But they weren't the kind of Tennessee fans that hated Alabama.
"I was a big fan of Jay Barker and my dad was a really big fan of Johnny Musso and Major Ogilvie. The reason I wore number 22 in high school was because my dad liked Musso so much."
When he was in the eighth grade, Tyler became such a big fan of Barker that he and his father skipped some Tennessee games to come to Tuscaloosa to see the Tide.
But it wasn't until this past summer, while attending the Alabama football camp, that Tyler became an Alabama fan.
"I became pretty close with Coach Cottrell and Coach Swinney. And I also met Jarrett Johnson and Jeremy Walker. We all became good friends and decided that we wanted to be at Alabama together."
Not surprisingly, Tyler has already asked Alabama coaches to let him wear number 22.
"It's one of the greatest numbers in Alabama's history. It's an honor to wear that number."
Harris Gets Physical
It looked like a mismatch. Tyler Harris was going against the fastest player in the state of Tennessee.
It was in the state playoffs against Dobbyns-Bennett during his junior season at Oak Ridge. He was matched up in man coverage with speedster Teddy Gaines.
It was clearly a mismatch -- 4.6 guy trying to stay up with a 4.3 sprinter.
"Before the game I was nervous," Harris says. "But once the game started, I found the key to stopping him."
That key was his 30-pound weight advantage.
"I got in his face and got physical with him at the line. I'd jam him real hard and he didn't like coming off the ball too much. It kind of took his speed away."
With the game tied late in the first half, Dobbyn's-Bennett turned to Gaines for a big play.
"He ran a streak pattern down the left sideline," recalls Harris. "I jammed him at the line and was with him stride for stride all the way."
As the ball came down, Harris tipped it away from Gaines and intercepted it.
"That play turned the momentum. We took it down and scored. It wasn't really close after that."
Harris refused to let Gaines catch many passes that night and intercepted another himself in the fourth quarter. Oak Ridge won by two touchdowns.
|
