Area Quarterbacks
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Area Quarterbacks
by 50's PONY » Mon May 23, 2005 10:25 am
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by Fresh » Mon May 23, 2005 6:57 pm
Harris is A-OK
Bowie QB stays at head of his class by keeping priorities in line
By John Miller
Star-Telegram Staff Writer
The first in an occasional series on Bowie quarterback Sherrod Harris as he decides where to attend college.
Arlington Bowie quarterback Sherrod Harris isn't the first top recruit to consider waiting until the end to make his decision.
Some relish the chance at a televised splash the day before Signing Day or announce their plans during a high-profile all-star game.
But none of that interests Harris.
He figures the longer he waits, the better the chances that more scouts will come by his school, which might help some of his teammates land a scholarship.
"Maybe they will see somebody catching the ball real well or running the ball real well," Harris said. "If I have the chance to help out other people, then that's what I should do."
At a time when giant egos go hand-in-hand with top recruits, Harris blazes a different trail. A natural leader who writes poetry and enjoys following current events on the Internet, Harris shines in the classroom and always puts the needs of others in front of his own.
"He's the type of kid you coach once in a lifetime," Bowie football coach Anthony Criss said. "He's a great football player, but he's very humble. He's great in the classroom. He's a great person, and everyone loves him around the school. He does a remarkable job in whatever he does."
Mr. Versatility
Criss expects his senior quarterback to rewrite the school record books by the time he graduates.
That sounds grander than it is. Harris (6-foot-3, 205 pounds) will be a three-year starter at a school that opened in 1991 and has little passing tradition.
Harris didn't put up great numbers last season, completing 73 of 216 passes for 896 yards, with four touchdowns and eight interceptions. He ran for 612 yards and six touchdowns on 43 carries as Bowie went 1-9.
But it is his potential that has college scouts flocking to Bowie and recruiting analysts ranking Harris, who also plays basketball and runs track, among the top dual-threat quarterbacks in the country. He has already received 18 scholarship offers.
In eighth grade, he could throw the ball 50 yards. As a sophomore, he threw for 1,393 yards, 15 touchdowns and four interceptions, and ran 84 times for 365 yards and six scores.
"When you look at him, you see a lot of positives," said Jeremy Crabtree, director of the recruiting Web site Rivals100.com. "He's athletic with a solid arm. Last year he was lacking some of the raw fundamentals, but that can be cleaned up with some good coaching in college, and he's already improved. If he continues to do that, he'll be one of the elite quarterbacks in the country."
A consummate teammate
It was a tough junior season for Harris, but if it bothered him, none of his teammates knew.
While disappointed, the always-smiling Harris remained positive and did not dwell on the obvious negatives. He would talk with his teammates about a future that could include football scholarships.
"At practice, people would come with their heads down, especially at the end of the season," defensive back Walter McClendon said. "But he came to practice energetic and ready to practice every day as if we were 10-0 or something like that."
Some recruiting analysts felt Harris' teammates were partly responsible for the quarterback's down numbers.
Harris never bought it. At a recent Nike combine at TCU, some of those same receivers who had been criticized showed improvement. Somebody commented to Harris that it looked like he might have somebody who can catch his passes his senior season.
His response?
"I could have thrown a more catchable ball last year."
And it's not just on the field where Harris helps his team.
A straight-A student, Harris tutors his teammates at school and home.
McClendon remembers a time when he needed help before a test. Harris was at track practice and had scheduled a workout with a trainer later that evening.
"He canceled all that just to help me out," McClendon said. "It helped a whole bunch. I got like a 79 or 80. I passed, that's what I know."
From the beginning, Harris' parents stressed academics to their son. In the seventh grade, he made the mistake of bringing home a C.
"I don't know what his problem was," his mother Sandra Saunders said. "I think he was just testing me to see if I was on my toes. After that, he straightened up and hasn't slipped since."
He's not only book smart. Harris jumps online whenever he can to keep up with the news.
"He's got a world view that is unbelievable," said A.J. Fischer, a business teacher at Bowie who has become friends with Harris. "We talk about current events -- we talked about the election a lot. And he can make informed opinions. And he's not afraid to express his informed opinions."
A helping hand
At school, Harris works with children through the Peer Assistance Learning program. At home, he plays with the kids who knock on his door wanting to shoot hoops or play video games.
The peer program allows Harris to get away from school and talk with children who have self-esteem issues or problems at home.
"I would call him the prototype for the program," said Randy Sangalli, one of the directors of the program at Bowie. "He's a big, strapping athlete that is cool with the kids. This is the kid we want them to emulate as a mentor.
"Being a football player is one thing, but if he wasn't a great guy, the kids wouldn't care about him."
Harris doesn't think the kids care about anything he does on the football field.
"They want to eat cookies and do stuff like that," Harris said. "They don't really know me as the Bowie quarterback. I'm just a tall person in high school."
His mother is amazed by all the kids who come by the house.
"They're probably in the fifth or sixth grade, and I'm like, 'How do you know Sherrod?' But all the kids know who he is," she said.
Harris is only too happy to mentor them as much as possible.
"If anybody is looking up to you, you need to be a role model," Harris said. "You may not want to be, but it's a responsibility that comes along with the territory."
Who's the star?
With all of his commitments, Harris doesn't have a lot of free time to spend with his girlfriend, Leidy Cuartas, whom he has been dating for 19 months.
"He tries, but I understand," Cuartas said. "It's OK because I know it's all for a good cause."
She knew little about football when they started dating, but it didn't take long for Cuartas to discover Harris' popularity. When they walked down the halls, people would always stop and talk to him.
The same thing happens when they're at the mall.
"Everyone that sees him, Sherrod says to me [about them]: 'He's the man. This is a superstar,' " Cuartas said. "I think it's really fun. I'm like, 'Who's the superstar?' But it's good that he tries to make people feel good about themselves."
One day, when he decides on a college, he will make a coach feel pretty good. He plans to keep it low profile, with no news conference or TV cameras around.
No doubt Harris will be smiling on his end of the phone.
"That's what Sherrod is all about, he's all about smiles," Cuartas said.
Quarterback central
The area has produced quality quarterbacks in the past, but few years have produced this much quantity and quality at the position:
SHERROD HARRIS, Arlington Bowie 6-3, 205 | Dual-threat quarterback has started since he was a sophomore and already has 18 offers.
MATT STAFFORD, Highland Park 6-3, 210 | Candidate for top QB in the country has committed to Georgia.
GREG McELROY, Carroll 6-2, 210 | Hasn't started a game yet, but has shown enough to get a few offers.
CHRISTIAN PONDER, Colleyville Heritage 6-3, 195 | Strong 7-on-7 showing last summer has helped lead to multiple offers.
JEVAN SNEED, Stephenville 6-4, 205 | Comes from a quarterback factory and has a Florida commitment.
NICK STEPHENS, Flower Mound 6-3, 195 | Didn't play last season because of transfer rules, but strong Nike camp put him on the radar.
JOE MAURO, L.D. Bell 6-5, 210 | Hasn't received any offers, but that could change after summer camp tour.
About Sherrod Harris
Position: Quarterback
Height: 6-3
Weight: 205
Schools considering: Texas, Stanford, Georgia Tech, Oklahoma State, Colorado, Kansas, Duke
Favorite movie: Anchorman
Favorite video game: NCAA Football
Favorite musical artist: Dru Hill
Favorite book: John Grisham's The Testament
Favorite class: Spanish
Worst movie ever: Napoleon Dynamite
Favorite NFL team: Dallas Cowboys
Favorite sport other than football: Basketball
Favorite food: Seafood
Least favorite food: Cajun
Favorite TV show: Family Guy or American Dad
My dream vacation is: The Caribbean
If I could have lunch with anyone in the world, it would be: Bill Gates
I will major in: International business with a minor in Spanish
In 10 years, I will be: Doing international business
Bowie QB stays at head of his class by keeping priorities in line
By John Miller
Star-Telegram Staff Writer
The first in an occasional series on Bowie quarterback Sherrod Harris as he decides where to attend college.
Arlington Bowie quarterback Sherrod Harris isn't the first top recruit to consider waiting until the end to make his decision.
Some relish the chance at a televised splash the day before Signing Day or announce their plans during a high-profile all-star game.
But none of that interests Harris.
He figures the longer he waits, the better the chances that more scouts will come by his school, which might help some of his teammates land a scholarship.
"Maybe they will see somebody catching the ball real well or running the ball real well," Harris said. "If I have the chance to help out other people, then that's what I should do."
At a time when giant egos go hand-in-hand with top recruits, Harris blazes a different trail. A natural leader who writes poetry and enjoys following current events on the Internet, Harris shines in the classroom and always puts the needs of others in front of his own.
"He's the type of kid you coach once in a lifetime," Bowie football coach Anthony Criss said. "He's a great football player, but he's very humble. He's great in the classroom. He's a great person, and everyone loves him around the school. He does a remarkable job in whatever he does."
Mr. Versatility
Criss expects his senior quarterback to rewrite the school record books by the time he graduates.
That sounds grander than it is. Harris (6-foot-3, 205 pounds) will be a three-year starter at a school that opened in 1991 and has little passing tradition.
Harris didn't put up great numbers last season, completing 73 of 216 passes for 896 yards, with four touchdowns and eight interceptions. He ran for 612 yards and six touchdowns on 43 carries as Bowie went 1-9.
But it is his potential that has college scouts flocking to Bowie and recruiting analysts ranking Harris, who also plays basketball and runs track, among the top dual-threat quarterbacks in the country. He has already received 18 scholarship offers.
In eighth grade, he could throw the ball 50 yards. As a sophomore, he threw for 1,393 yards, 15 touchdowns and four interceptions, and ran 84 times for 365 yards and six scores.
"When you look at him, you see a lot of positives," said Jeremy Crabtree, director of the recruiting Web site Rivals100.com. "He's athletic with a solid arm. Last year he was lacking some of the raw fundamentals, but that can be cleaned up with some good coaching in college, and he's already improved. If he continues to do that, he'll be one of the elite quarterbacks in the country."
A consummate teammate
It was a tough junior season for Harris, but if it bothered him, none of his teammates knew.
While disappointed, the always-smiling Harris remained positive and did not dwell on the obvious negatives. He would talk with his teammates about a future that could include football scholarships.
"At practice, people would come with their heads down, especially at the end of the season," defensive back Walter McClendon said. "But he came to practice energetic and ready to practice every day as if we were 10-0 or something like that."
Some recruiting analysts felt Harris' teammates were partly responsible for the quarterback's down numbers.
Harris never bought it. At a recent Nike combine at TCU, some of those same receivers who had been criticized showed improvement. Somebody commented to Harris that it looked like he might have somebody who can catch his passes his senior season.
His response?
"I could have thrown a more catchable ball last year."
And it's not just on the field where Harris helps his team.
A straight-A student, Harris tutors his teammates at school and home.
McClendon remembers a time when he needed help before a test. Harris was at track practice and had scheduled a workout with a trainer later that evening.
"He canceled all that just to help me out," McClendon said. "It helped a whole bunch. I got like a 79 or 80. I passed, that's what I know."
From the beginning, Harris' parents stressed academics to their son. In the seventh grade, he made the mistake of bringing home a C.
"I don't know what his problem was," his mother Sandra Saunders said. "I think he was just testing me to see if I was on my toes. After that, he straightened up and hasn't slipped since."
He's not only book smart. Harris jumps online whenever he can to keep up with the news.
"He's got a world view that is unbelievable," said A.J. Fischer, a business teacher at Bowie who has become friends with Harris. "We talk about current events -- we talked about the election a lot. And he can make informed opinions. And he's not afraid to express his informed opinions."
A helping hand
At school, Harris works with children through the Peer Assistance Learning program. At home, he plays with the kids who knock on his door wanting to shoot hoops or play video games.
The peer program allows Harris to get away from school and talk with children who have self-esteem issues or problems at home.
"I would call him the prototype for the program," said Randy Sangalli, one of the directors of the program at Bowie. "He's a big, strapping athlete that is cool with the kids. This is the kid we want them to emulate as a mentor.
"Being a football player is one thing, but if he wasn't a great guy, the kids wouldn't care about him."
Harris doesn't think the kids care about anything he does on the football field.
"They want to eat cookies and do stuff like that," Harris said. "They don't really know me as the Bowie quarterback. I'm just a tall person in high school."
His mother is amazed by all the kids who come by the house.
"They're probably in the fifth or sixth grade, and I'm like, 'How do you know Sherrod?' But all the kids know who he is," she said.
Harris is only too happy to mentor them as much as possible.
"If anybody is looking up to you, you need to be a role model," Harris said. "You may not want to be, but it's a responsibility that comes along with the territory."
Who's the star?
With all of his commitments, Harris doesn't have a lot of free time to spend with his girlfriend, Leidy Cuartas, whom he has been dating for 19 months.
"He tries, but I understand," Cuartas said. "It's OK because I know it's all for a good cause."
She knew little about football when they started dating, but it didn't take long for Cuartas to discover Harris' popularity. When they walked down the halls, people would always stop and talk to him.
The same thing happens when they're at the mall.
"Everyone that sees him, Sherrod says to me [about them]: 'He's the man. This is a superstar,' " Cuartas said. "I think it's really fun. I'm like, 'Who's the superstar?' But it's good that he tries to make people feel good about themselves."
One day, when he decides on a college, he will make a coach feel pretty good. He plans to keep it low profile, with no news conference or TV cameras around.
No doubt Harris will be smiling on his end of the phone.
"That's what Sherrod is all about, he's all about smiles," Cuartas said.
Quarterback central
The area has produced quality quarterbacks in the past, but few years have produced this much quantity and quality at the position:
SHERROD HARRIS, Arlington Bowie 6-3, 205 | Dual-threat quarterback has started since he was a sophomore and already has 18 offers.
MATT STAFFORD, Highland Park 6-3, 210 | Candidate for top QB in the country has committed to Georgia.
GREG McELROY, Carroll 6-2, 210 | Hasn't started a game yet, but has shown enough to get a few offers.
CHRISTIAN PONDER, Colleyville Heritage 6-3, 195 | Strong 7-on-7 showing last summer has helped lead to multiple offers.
JEVAN SNEED, Stephenville 6-4, 205 | Comes from a quarterback factory and has a Florida commitment.
NICK STEPHENS, Flower Mound 6-3, 195 | Didn't play last season because of transfer rules, but strong Nike camp put him on the radar.
JOE MAURO, L.D. Bell 6-5, 210 | Hasn't received any offers, but that could change after summer camp tour.
About Sherrod Harris
Position: Quarterback
Height: 6-3
Weight: 205
Schools considering: Texas, Stanford, Georgia Tech, Oklahoma State, Colorado, Kansas, Duke
Favorite movie: Anchorman
Favorite video game: NCAA Football
Favorite musical artist: Dru Hill
Favorite book: John Grisham's The Testament
Favorite class: Spanish
Worst movie ever: Napoleon Dynamite
Favorite NFL team: Dallas Cowboys
Favorite sport other than football: Basketball
Favorite food: Seafood
Least favorite food: Cajun
Favorite TV show: Family Guy or American Dad
My dream vacation is: The Caribbean
If I could have lunch with anyone in the world, it would be: Bill Gates
I will major in: International business with a minor in Spanish
In 10 years, I will be: Doing international business
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Fresh 
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by Danny Noonan » Mon May 23, 2005 8:52 pm
100-1 he ends up with UT. Soon.
"Remember Danny - Two wrongs don't make a right but three rights make a left."
- Danny Noonan
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- Joined: Fri May 13, 2005 1:13 pm
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by DallasDiehard » Mon Jun 13, 2005 9:15 am
Good call, Danny Noonan. Harris committed to the cows yesterday.Danny Noonan wrote:100-1 he ends up with UT. Soon.
Rise up, Mustang Nation!
Go SMU!
Go SMU!
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DallasDiehard - Posts: 1836
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by Danny Noonan » Mon Jun 13, 2005 11:08 am
DallasDiehard wrote:Good call, Danny Noonan. Harris committed to the cows yesterday.Danny Noonan wrote:100-1 he ends up with UT. Soon.
He had to. He wanted to go there and they were already up to 20 commits. Now 21.
"Remember Danny - Two wrongs don't make a right but three rights make a left."
- Danny Noonan
- Posts: 314
- Joined: Fri May 13, 2005 1:13 pm
- Location: Bushwood
by Danny Noonan » Mon Jun 13, 2005 3:12 pm
Stallion wrote:they also got a DT from South Carolina the other day-I thought they were at 22 now.
They may be. I know they're pretty much just holding out for Mitch Mustain, the top QB in the nation. If they get him they're pretty much done getting everone they wanted.
"Remember Danny - Two wrongs don't make a right but three rights make a left."
- Danny Noonan
- Posts: 314
- Joined: Fri May 13, 2005 1:13 pm
- Location: Bushwood
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