Don’t tell Nick Harris that he weighs 300 pounds. Big guys aren’t supposed to be this light on their feet. And don’t tell him that he’s a true freshman and he’s not supposed to be starting in a playoff game against Alabama. Be sure not to tell him that he’s “undersized” because his name is popping up on all of the All American lists. And, whatever you do make sure that you don’t tell him that swag is for wide receivers not centers
Actually, given Washington Head Coach, Chris Petersen’s formula for evaluating a high school prospect, he prefers his players to have something to prove. He has stated on numerous occasions that he likes kids “who play with a chip on their shoulder”. In fact, the two players who accompanied him to Pac 12 Media Day were former walk-on in 2016, Myles Bryant, and Harris who was an afterthought to many in that same recruiting class.
He’s a Brick House
When evaluating college football players, Pro Football Focus looks at every play of every game in college football to determine a game grade and a season grade. PFF’s College Football Analyst, Cam Mellor noted that in 2018 Harris stone-walled defenders in allowing only 8 QB pressures.
Harris also finds himself on the Remington Watchlist given to the top center in the country. “Brick”, as he’s known, when he’s being meme-orialized on social media; is now a cornerstone to building one of the best offensive lines in the country that includes freshman All American, Jaxon Kirkland, 2nd team
Harris just might need a brick house to store his awards:
Sporting News 2nd Team All American
CFN 2nd Team All American
Athlon Preseason 3rd team All American
Phil Steele Preseason 4th team All American
Pro Football Focus 1st Team All Pac 12
Outland Award watch list
Remington Award watch list
Wuerffel Award watch list
Chip on his shoulder
“Undervalued” is a box that Coach Pete seems to love checking off when vetting a potential recruit. Washington only signed two offensive linemen in the 2016 recruiting class and Harris’ teammate, 4 star Luke Wattenberg out of Junipero Serra High School was considered the crown jewel.
Wattenberg visited Washington on July the 28th 2015 and many thought that he brought his friends, Nick Harris, along for the ride. Pictures of Wattenberg and Harris visit spread around social media with many speculating that Harris, given his 6′-2″ 270 pound frame, would be offered a preferred walk-on (it turned out that he was actually 6′-1″).
However, Harris left Seattle with a full scholarship offer in his hand. Harris committed two days later on July 30th. But the talk of his size made the chip on his shoulder just that much bigger. Many expected him to utilize 2016 as a red shirt year but the coaches saw something in fall camp: a nasty streak that was fueled, in part, by criticism of his size.
They taught Harris to use his size to his advantage as it would be easier for him to get under the pads of the defensive linemen. He was the offspeed pitch and it was up to the other guy to adjust to him and not the other way around. But Coach Pete didn’t recruit him just for his nastiness because he was also light enough on his feet that he could pull him as a guard and get him down field to light up defenders for Myles Gaskin and Lavon Coleman.
In 2016 Harris saw time early in the revolving door at right guard next to Kaleb McGary. Six games into the season he went from the bullpen to starting at right guard between Jake Eldrenkamp and McGary because he proved to a “road grater”, as well in helping Washington to nearly 200 yards rushing per game.
In 2018 he moved from right guard to center. Moving Harris to Center was the best way to get the best 5 linemen onto the field. It facilitated Jaxon Kirkland taking the Right Guard spot. Kirkland became a freshman All American. McGary stayed at Right Tackle and became the Morris Trophy winner and first round draft pick. And Harris became a First Team All Pac 12 Center.
Meme-able Moment
Jake Browning altered the snap cadence to keep the defense off balance. Arizona State’s twitchy nose guard bought the inflection in Browning’s voice and the clap of his hands and jumped offsides into Harris.
Somebody not so light on his feet might have been staring straight up at the sun but with as much swag as a 300 pound mauler could possibly have, Harris popped out of his stance, maintained his balance, shuffled his feet and flashes two index fingers towards the defender letting him know that he needs to back up 5 yards. Big guys aren’t supposed to be that light on their feet.
Armchair Quarterbacks can be ruthless and reactionary so Coach Pete encourages his players to stay off of social media during the football season. Buy staying off of social media during the season didn’t apply when he was turned into a meme. He went viral.
Those close to him say that that was just Nick being Nick. Harris got more play than Coach Pete’s Death Stare on Corey Littleton in 2015, or “The Point” by Jake Browning in the 70-21 roasting of the Ducks in 2016, and John Ross breaking Juju Smith-Schuster’s ankles, also in 2016 and even Dante Pettis’ “wind up” after setting the NCAA punt return record in 2017.
Student Becomes the Teacher
An offensive lineman job is to keep his QB’s jersey clean and bash open holes for the the guy carrying the rock. With 8 QB pressures in 2018 and another 1,300 yard season but it’s not “Job Done” yet despite a Peach Bowl, Fiesta Bowl, Rose Bowl and two conference championships.
But in order to get there he strives to get the entire offensive line to be great and not just the starters. In order to get there he serves double duty as student and teacher. He has always been a student of the game but now he has to be a teacher, as well.
“My mission it to leave (the offensive line) in a better place than when I first got here,” he said after practice recently.
But part of what motivates Brick might also be another equal part of rewarding Coach Pete for the faith he showed Harris when he offered him back in 2015… and proving his doubters wrong.
In fact, the doubters and the naysayers have done nothing more than make Harris work harder, make him study harder… and make him nastier. In the utmost of ironies those same doubters said that a guy that small doesn’t belong on the field are now the same ones that say a man that big shouldn’t have moves like that.
Harris’s journey from a footnote to headliner is nothing short of remarkable.
With Warren Mainard (editing) and Emily Tomczak (graphic)
