Jerome Harrison has the numbers that scream potential
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http://www.cleveland.com/pluto/blog/index....the_number.html
It seems like forever I've been writing that the Browns need to make Jerome Harrison a significant part of the offense. Some fans and a few members of the Browns' organization even accused me of being the running back's agent. I just thought a guy who rushed for 1,900 yards at Washington State and led the PAC-10 in rushing must have some talent, especially when he showed some speed and a knack for ripping off big plays when he did get a chance.
But never did I imagine Harrison turning into a smaller version of Jim Brown as he did in the final three games of last season, rushing for 561 yards.
That's 561 yards in three games on 106 carries, and doing it against defenses that knew Harrison would run the ball -- because the Browns' passing game was an abomination.
At 5-9 and 205 pounds, he ran the ball 34 times for 286 yards at Kansas City -- the third-highest total in NFL history! Seven days later, they handed him the ball 39 times for 148 yards against Oakland.
He finished the season with 127 yards in 33 carries against Jacksonville.
Harrison didn't just sprint around end, outrunning defenders. He often pounded into the line, his legs pumping to kick off the hands of tacklers -- his shoulders taking one teeth-rattling hit after another. Earlier in the season against Cincinnati, he had 121 yards in 29 carries. Simply surviving that heavy workload is remarkable. The 39 carries was a team record, his 34 carries is tied for fourth all-time. The most Jim Brown ever carried the ball in game was 37. His 106 carries in three games are the most in NFL history!
None of this is to put Harrison in Brown's class, or make any Hall of Fame predictions.
But consider this: In his first three pro seasons, Harrison had a total of 77 carries -- 29 fewer than in those last three games.
Or how about this?
Harrison was a fifth-round pick in 2006. The only players who have been with the team longer are Phil Dawson (1999), Ryan Pontbriand (2003) and Joshua Cribbs (2005). In that same 2006 draft were D'Qwell Jackson and Lawrence Vickers.
"I know I have to keep working to stay on top," Harrison said. "I've never had anything given to me."
As a senior at Kalamazoo (Mich.) Central High, he rushed for 2,338 yards and 31 touchdowns. His next stop was Pasadena Junior College, where he's the only player in school history with back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons.
At Washington State, he gained at least 100 yards in his last 14 games, including four games with more than 200 yards, and broke several school records. But that didn't happen until the middle of his junior year, when the starter was injured and Harrison took the job and never gave it back.
"I was his college strength coach for two years" at Washington State, e-mailed Rob Oviatt. "He has tremendous character. Never complained, missed practices, or games. Tough, and always positive. Made everyone around him better."
The point is Harrison has always been a heavy-duty running back.
"If I were a few inches taller, no one would say I that am injury prone or just a third-down back," said Harrison, referring to the knock against him in his first three seasons under former coach Romeo Crennel. He also was criticized for not being a good blocker against blitzing linebackers, and for not being effective on special teams.
The former coaching staff dwelled on what he couldn't do, ignoring the 5.8-yard per carry average he had in his brief chances to run the ball from 2006 to '08.
Coach Eric Mangini was preparing Harrison for a larger role -- and thinking about cutting veteran Jamal Lewis -- when Harrison suffered a knee injury in the 2009 preseason opener. He missed the first two regular-season games, and it took time for Mangini to finally cut Lewis and put the ball in Harrison's hands.
"I wanted him to focus on blocking on third down and I thought he did a really nice job with that," Mangini said. "He has come a long way in the system . . . gotten a chance to carry the ball quite a few times and be a feature guy. I think it always helps to know that you can be that guy."
While Mangini is a Harrison fan, the Browns still traded up to draft Tennessee star running back Montario Hardesty in the second round. Hardesty was very impressive in minicamps, but has missed most of training camp because of a knee injury that the team doesn't seem to think is major.
Nonetheless, that puts Harrison back in the spotlight.
"I've got a great line blocking for me," Harrison said. "Vick [fullback Vickers] just blows open holes for me. I know that I've still got a lot to prove to some people, I just want a chance to show what I can do."
This season, he should get it.
NewEraDawg -
Indeed he does have the numbers that scream potential as many of us have thought for years but he also has a body size that potentially screams banged up and injured but its way past time to find out if harrison can hold his own for the duration of a season...
What a waste its been with so many talented young guys like JH rotting on crennels bench without any real preparation or training nor a fair opportunity to show what they had...
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http://www.cleveland.com/pluto/blog/index....the_number.html
It seems like forever I've been writing that the Browns need to make Jerome Harrison a significant part of the offense. Some fans and a few members of the Browns' organization even accused me of being the running back's agent. I just thought a guy who rushed for 1,900 yards at Washington State and led the PAC-10 in rushing must have some talent, especially when he showed some speed and a knack for ripping off big plays when he did get a chance.
But never did I imagine Harrison turning into a smaller version of Jim Brown as he did in the final three games of last season, rushing for 561 yards.
That's 561 yards in three games on 106 carries, and doing it against defenses that knew Harrison would run the ball -- because the Browns' passing game was an abomination.
At 5-9 and 205 pounds, he ran the ball 34 times for 286 yards at Kansas City -- the third-highest total in NFL history! Seven days later, they handed him the ball 39 times for 148 yards against Oakland.
He finished the season with 127 yards in 33 carries against Jacksonville.
Harrison didn't just sprint around end, outrunning defenders. He often pounded into the line, his legs pumping to kick off the hands of tacklers -- his shoulders taking one teeth-rattling hit after another. Earlier in the season against Cincinnati, he had 121 yards in 29 carries. Simply surviving that heavy workload is remarkable. The 39 carries was a team record, his 34 carries is tied for fourth all-time. The most Jim Brown ever carried the ball in game was 37. His 106 carries in three games are the most in NFL history!
None of this is to put Harrison in Brown's class, or make any Hall of Fame predictions.
But consider this: In his first three pro seasons, Harrison had a total of 77 carries -- 29 fewer than in those last three games.
Or how about this?
Harrison was a fifth-round pick in 2006. The only players who have been with the team longer are Phil Dawson (1999), Ryan Pontbriand (2003) and Joshua Cribbs (2005). In that same 2006 draft were D'Qwell Jackson and Lawrence Vickers.
"I know I have to keep working to stay on top," Harrison said. "I've never had anything given to me."
As a senior at Kalamazoo (Mich.) Central High, he rushed for 2,338 yards and 31 touchdowns. His next stop was Pasadena Junior College, where he's the only player in school history with back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons.
At Washington State, he gained at least 100 yards in his last 14 games, including four games with more than 200 yards, and broke several school records. But that didn't happen until the middle of his junior year, when the starter was injured and Harrison took the job and never gave it back.
"I was his college strength coach for two years" at Washington State, e-mailed Rob Oviatt. "He has tremendous character. Never complained, missed practices, or games. Tough, and always positive. Made everyone around him better."
The point is Harrison has always been a heavy-duty running back.
"If I were a few inches taller, no one would say I that am injury prone or just a third-down back," said Harrison, referring to the knock against him in his first three seasons under former coach Romeo Crennel. He also was criticized for not being a good blocker against blitzing linebackers, and for not being effective on special teams.
The former coaching staff dwelled on what he couldn't do, ignoring the 5.8-yard per carry average he had in his brief chances to run the ball from 2006 to '08.
Coach Eric Mangini was preparing Harrison for a larger role -- and thinking about cutting veteran Jamal Lewis -- when Harrison suffered a knee injury in the 2009 preseason opener. He missed the first two regular-season games, and it took time for Mangini to finally cut Lewis and put the ball in Harrison's hands.
"I wanted him to focus on blocking on third down and I thought he did a really nice job with that," Mangini said. "He has come a long way in the system . . . gotten a chance to carry the ball quite a few times and be a feature guy. I think it always helps to know that you can be that guy."
While Mangini is a Harrison fan, the Browns still traded up to draft Tennessee star running back Montario Hardesty in the second round. Hardesty was very impressive in minicamps, but has missed most of training camp because of a knee injury that the team doesn't seem to think is major.
Nonetheless, that puts Harrison back in the spotlight.
"I've got a great line blocking for me," Harrison said. "Vick [fullback Vickers] just blows open holes for me. I know that I've still got a lot to prove to some people, I just want a chance to show what I can do."
This season, he should get it.
"Vick [fullback Vickers] just blows open holes for me
word up
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Earlier in the season against Cincinnati, he had 121 yards in 29 carries. Simply surviving that heavy workload is remarkable. The 39 carries was a team record, his 34 carries is tied for fourth all-time. The most Jim Brown ever carried the ball in game was 37. His 106 carries in three games are the most in NFL history!
interesting stat. i'm sure this came about as a result of the historically low passing attemps by da and bq, but mad props to jerome and his blockers for running the ball successfully under those circumstances. everybody knew the browns were running the ball (and rarely passing) in those last few games, but they still couldn't stop them!
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James Davis.
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