Superman Wears No. 17
November 08, 2010 | Football
Nov. 8, 2010
Originally printed Oct. 23, 2010 in the First and Goal football game program
By Charles Welch,
Assistant Director of Media Relations
Just call Dwayne Harris Superman. After all, nearly everyone who is a fan, hardcore or otherwise, most likely has at some point.
If you read his biographical sketch on East Carolina's online roster, it reads: "Expected to provide the Pirates' new offensive system and the special teams unit with an energetic spark that has already defined his career to date."
Even before beginning the 2010 campaign, Harris had national publications heaping praise on him. He was selected to Blue Ribbon College Football Yearbook's (first-team) All-Conference USA squad as a wide receiver, named a preseason second-team all-league choice as a wide receiver and kick return specialist by Phil Steele Magazine, tabbed to the 2010 Consensus Draft Services Preseason FBS All-America (honorable mention) as a kick returner and given the nod as a College Football Performance Awards preseason favorite to capture the 2010 Kickoff Returner Trophy.
All of the attention was well deserved. In 2009, he earned first-team All-Conference USA laurels as a wide receiver and was named C-USA's Special Teams Player-of-the-Year. Additionally, he stood among the nation's top 20 (19th) kickoff return specialists with a 27.0 yards-per-return average and ranked 21st nationally in all-purpose yards per game (152.4) and 29th in receptions per game (5.9). The junior set a program record with three scoring returns, bringing back kickoffs to the endzone in games vs. SMU (77 yards), Rice (92) and UAB (99). In all, Harris made 37 returns for exactly 1,000 yards.
Now fast forward to the season opener against Tulsa. In front of the second-largest crowd ever to watch a game at Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium, Harris became the school's all-time leading receiver, ending his day with 1,999 career yards. He also passed Jarrett Dillard of Rice and Houston's Donnie Avery on his way to 15th-place on the C-USA career all-purpose chart.
Ultimately, Harris has shown no indication that he is slowing down. Five contests into the 2010 season he stands sixth nationally in receptions per game, 17th in allpurpose yards per game and 19th in receiving yards per game. The senior was a key factor in helping the Pirates improve to 3-0 in league play for just the second time since joining Conference USA in 1997 as he made nine receptions for 99 yards in a thrilling 44-43 victory at Southern Miss last weekend. He has nearly 600 receiving yards in his last six appearances against league foes.
Harris will be the first one to tell you that he wasn't always the stellar player Pirate fans have come to love and admire. He credits Tucker (Ga.) High School varsity football head coach Bill Ballard for giving him some of the tools necessary to succeed at the next level.
"Coach Ballard prepared me not only as an athlete, but a quarterback as well," Harris said. "Playing for him really prepared me for a lot of things I've seen in college. I wasn't always as athletic as I am now. Coach really got me ready physically and mentally."
All of this is not to say that Harris was not a great athlete in high school, however. He was a Class 4A All-State selection by the Georgia High School Coaches Association as a senior and led Tucker to a 10-1 record and a Regional 6-AAAA championship. During that year, THS reached as high as No. 3 in the Associated Press Georgia prep rankings.
Harris' recognition continued to build when his high school career neared an end as he was invited to participate in the North-South All-Star Game and was chosen as the contest's MVP. In all, the Stone Mountain, Ga. native amassed 1,858 yards through the air and on the ground which turned into 17 touchdowns as the squad's senior captain. Prep Star Magazine took notice and listed him as one of the top quarterback prospects out of the southeast region while SuperPrep Magazine also caught on and named him one of Georgia's top 25 recruits.
All of the exposure led major college programs to pursue Harris' services. However, his test scores were not quite enough to qualify him for college ball. He still remembers that one school that stuck with him until those marks were up to snuff.
"East Carolina was very patient with me coming out of high school," Harris explained. "I didn't have the greatest ACT and SAT scores but they waited on me until I did qualify for that college level. A lot of schools like Kentucky, Boston College and Southern Miss moved on, but ECU stayed right there with me. It was one of the biggest reasons I came here."
Behind every successful athlete is a support system that aids him or her through not only their athletic endeavors but also their lives. While playing that waiting game with various schools, Harris knows that without encouragement and love, he would not be where he is today.
"My mother has been the most influential person in my life," Harris remarked. "She has supported me through everything and been behind me 100 percent in anything I have done. My whole family is also a big support system for me. They come to every game near and far."
There is a plethora of wide receivers playing at football's highest level that started in other positions. In Harris' case, he joined the likes of Michael Crabtree, Heinz Ward and Charlie Ward in making the transition from calling the plays to running routes. After signing with Skip Holtz' program in 2006, Harris took a redshirt and began learning the ins and outs of receiving. The coaches were so impressed with his quick learning curve and work ethic that he received promotion to the travel roster on numerous occasions.
"I looked at the transition as a good thing," Harris said. "There are a lot of similarities between the positions and guys make the switch all the time. You touch the ball and learn how to catch even as a quarterback so playing wide receiver really isn't all that different. The most difficult thing is learning how to actually run the routes instead of throwing to a receiver in that route. Once you learn all of that, blocking comes easy and catching the ball is old hat."
Prior to this season, East Carolina bore the distinction of losing the most letterwinners of any program in the nation. Add a new coaching staff on top of all that and the recipe for disaster is there. However, head coach Ruffin McNeil has kept the ship steady and the Pirates find themselves in a familiar position - leading C-USA's East Division. Harris credits McNeil for knowing how to relate to players, but also when to exercise necessary disciplinary measures.
"Coach Ruff has been confident in us since day one," Harris noted. "Since the time he got here back in January, he has made a huge impact on the team. He is a like a father to a lot of these guys out here and also a friend. He isn't afraid to joke around with us but be serious when he needs to be. His arrival was one of the best things to ever happen to this program, especially after we lost all of those great players on offense and defense."
Harris has quickly earned respect from his coaches and teammates who haven't been around the program and are just now beginning to see his potential.
"When you need a guy to make a play to win a game," junior quarterback Dominique Davis said, Dwayne Harris is that guy. "If you need anything. If you need him to run the ball, catch the ball, throw the ball, he's that guy. Make a tackle if we turn it over, he's that guy."
There is no doubt "that guy" will make waves not only for the rest of this season, but at the next level on Sundays. However, he will be slow to forget what the past four seasons have meant. During his time in Greenville, the Pirates have won two conference titles and qualified for three bowl games.
"I have had some great times here and hope to build on the relationships I have formed here with guys on the team even after I leave," Harris finished. "I will always come back to Greenville to support East Carolina. It's been a great experience here and I hope the fans have enjoyed having me here and watching me play."
