UCF Football: Tim Harris Jr is the X factor on this coaching staff
When you watch the UCF Spring Game the first thing that leapt out to you is how good the running backs looked. How different they ran and were used. They were aggressive and were good at catching the ball. You can not argue that the running backs were the most unit at the spring game. Johnny Richardson and RJ Harvey were outstanding. They looked like they have been in this system for years. Richardson looks like a completely different player than last year. Harvey is poised for a breakout year and we haven’t even seen MAR yet. The running backs have transformed into more complete players this year. This is thanks to the new running backs coach Tim Harris Jr. What Tim Harris Jr has done with these running backs is very impressive. He is going to be the X factor in this coaching staff.
I have wanted Tim Harris Jr on this staff for years. Harris has been a rising star in the coaching ranks for years. We have to talk about his work at Booker T Washington, where under his father Tim Harris Jr won multiple state championships. Then when he was handed the reigns Booker T won a national championship. Harris Jr was such a successful high school coach that Butch Davis brought him to FIU. Here Harris really shined as a coach. His running backs always finished near the top of conference USA. He was so successful there that Butch wanted him to be OC this year and many FIU beat writers thought Harris would be the successor to Butch at FIU. So Tim Harris Jr has a long list of accomplishments and has worked his way up the coaching ranks. He’s been a fast riser.
But his biggest skill is his ability to recruit. Harris was the top recruiter in the CUSA last year. Harris ranked in the top 10 for G5 recruiters last year overall. In fact every year he has been at FIU, Harris has been a top 10 G5 recruiter. While the living embodiment of the pillsbury doughboy relied on the idiot that was Randy Shannon, Tim Harris Jr was taking Shannon to school in south Florida. Take for example Savion Collins recruitment. Collins was a big time prospect that UCF needed to add to help with DT depth. Shannon tried to push for him, but Shannon, allegedly, came off as an idiot to Collins so Collins turned to a man who he could trust that was Tim Harris Jr. Randy Shannon was often called a recruiting guru yet never was ranked in the top G5 recruiters while at UCF. Shannon also swung and missed on several “hidden gem” players that never panned out. Harris Jr has a better reputation and better track record the last couple of years. He is the true south Florida recruiting guru.
When Gus Malzahn was building his staff, Harris Jr’s name was never mentioned as a potential coach. On paper it appeared that Gus had no connections to Tim Harris Jr so no one. considered him to be an option to be on this staff. So the fact that Gus has been trying to get Tim Harris on staff at Auburn for years just speaks to Harris’ ability. Gus knows that he needs Florida recruiters on this staff. Guys that know this area and can keep kids at home. No one is better at it than Tim Harris Jr. he is going to be the glue that holds this staff together in terms of recruiting. He has a plethora of contacts in south Florida that will be used to bring in some game changers from that area. But not only that he will be a force on the trail all over the state. He’s not just a one trick pony like Randy was.
Harris is already paying dividends on the trail. He has helped make inroads in schools that UCF had neglected. For example Chaminade, the three time state champion, was often ignored by Randy Shannon. Tim Harris Jr has already reached out to the coaching staff and has offered a. few players. It seems like every single day a new player from the area is commenting on how they talked to Harris Jr and were offered a scholarship. He’s also been hitting the central Florida area hard as well. In terms of recruiting, Harris Jr has been awesome on the trail. Shannon was absolutely lazy as a recruiter and lived off his supposed “south Florida legend” title for his entire career. Well now UCF fans are seeing what a real guru recruiter in the area looks like.
I already like how Harris has transformed the running backs. The running backs were going to be very young after Greg and Otis left. So to see the development. of this position group just in spring is impressive. These running backs look more complete than last year. The biggest leap is Johnny. Richardson who had been the scapegoat for the Tulsa loss by the old staff. Richardson looks to be a live wire in practice. Johnny coming out of the backfield as a catch passing running back is a new dimension to his game that he had not had before. The transition that RJ. Harvey has had in spring practice has been remarkable. He has gone from quarterback to a bruiser of a running back. He also looks more of a complete running back. This is all thanks to Tim Harris Jr.
Tim Harris Jr might be one of the most important part of Gus Malzahn’s offensive staff. He will be a key factor in the recruiting and development of the biggest group. Gus loves his running backs so the fact that he trusts Tim Harris Jr to be in charge of the running backs speaks volumes of Harris Jr’s abilities as a coach.
