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Kentucky Running back Stanley "Boom" Williams
BEREA — Madison Southern Damien Harris is going out of state to play college football.
The five-star senior running back chose Alabama over Kentucky and Ohio State during a much-anticipated announcement Friday in the school gymnasium. The decision ended a long recruiting battle between Kentucky and Alabama for the star player's future services.
“It was a hard decision,” Harris said. “All three schools are great schools, but at the end of the day, I just had a feeling that Alabama was the best fit for me. I can develop academically, physically and as an athlete.”
Harris is listed as the top running back in the Class of 2015 by Rivals.com and re-opened his commitment after opting against signing with the University of Michigan, his first collegiate choice.
Kentucky and Alabama became the front-runners, while Ohio State made a late chase for Harris this fall. His final five included Alabama, Kentucky, Ohio State, Florida and Texas A&M. Harris recently eliminated the Gators and Aggies from contention.
Despite narrowing his choices to three schools, Harris' mother Lynn Harris wasn't sure where her son would be attending college.
“He actually kind of kept me out of the loop,” she said. “I kind of had a feeling, but he had told me a couple of weeks ago, he wasn't going to tell me because I'm an emotional basket case. It's been so overwhelming and so emotional and everything. He told me, 'I'm not going to tell you. You're going to find out like everyone else.' I had an idea (where he was going), but he still kept me guessing.
“I knew in the back of my mind, but he was still trying to make me guess.”
He also kept Kentucky coach Mark Stoops, Alabama coach Nick Saban and Ohio State's Urban Meyer guessing until the official announcement was made in front of his friends, coaches and classmates. Harris added he kept in contact with all three coaches this week to make sure he had made the right decision.
“I just wanted all the coaches to find out at the same time,” he said. “I really didn't talk to anybody beforehand.”
Moments after speaking with Saban on his smartphone following the ceremony, Harris said he's eager to begin the next phase of his career in Tuscaloosa. Former Boone County standout Shaun Alexander starred at Alabama and went on to a stellar career in the NFL. Harris hopes to blaze a similar trail.
“I'm really excited for the next step in my life,” Harris said. “It's a great opportunity that I have been given. Their coaching staff is welcoming me with open arms and it's going to be a great next four years.”
Madison Southern coach Jon Clark said Harris will be a good fit for the Crimson Tide.
“He has great vision,” Clark said. “He's a downhill runner and the hole is not always right in front of you. You have to find it while you're moving full speed. His vision allows him to find a crease in a downhill, uphill system. His (has the ability) to accelerate through contact. When you're running downhill, you've got to run through people on contact and he's very good at that.”
Madison Central and former Garrard County coach Mark Scenters agreed and said Harris is an explosive runner.
“Damien is a slashing-type runner,” Scenters said. “He can hit a cutback lane and take it to the house out the backside of a play. Where he is at his best in my opinion is when he can get to the edge and turn the corner. Once he turns the corner he's gone. Not too many guys gonna catch him without a great angle. He has a great "burst.” That's what makes him special in my opinion.”
In last week's Under Amour All-American Game, Harris rushed for 110 yards and a touchdown in the contest, signifying his status as the top rusher in his class. The score by Harris went for 36 yards.
In seven games last fall, Harris rushed for 1,474 yards and 23 touchdowns for the Eagles and scored 42 points three times in his prep career at Southern. He is the state's second all-time leading scorer, 738 and second in career touchdowns with 122, including 113 rushing touchdowns. During his stellar career at Southern, Harris averaged 12.48 yards per carry and a touchdown in every 4.7 carries.
Madison Central football coach Mark Scenters has been impressed by Harris and thinks the Southern senior has a bright future ahead of him at Alabama.
“He seems like a great kid,” he said. “He has been a very good ambassador for the Madison Southern program and has represented himself and Madison County very well in all the places his football opportunities have taken him so far. Well spoken and handles himself well in front of the camera. He has a lot of friends that he grew up with at Madison Central and they seem to be very close.”
Like Alexander, Scenters said Harris has the skills and potential to excel at the next level.
“I think he is the best running back to come out of Kentucky since Alexander, but he is a completely different style of running back than Shaun was,” he said. “Alexander was a down hill runner, shoulders square to the line of scrimmage and hit the hole, power football, after he cleared traffic he had plenty of speed to take it to the end zone, but he wasn't a speed burner.”
Harris said Alabama's tradition of feeding backs into the National Football League also influenced his decision to play for the Crimson Tide.
“(That was one of the) biggest factors,” he said. “It was hard to pass up a great opportunity like that. (Playing at Alabama) will help me as a player.”
Harris added his relationship with Alabama commit Blake Barnett, also a five-star quarterback, played a role in his decision.
“It was a huge factor,” Harris said. “He's a great player and seems like every time we play together we seem to win. Why not try to continue that tradition of winning together.”
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