Harris Enjoys Solid Day in Final Memorial Stadium Appearance
Nov. 22, 2010
Many things could have been going through the mind of senior Chris Harris Saturday before his team’s game against Oklahoma State. After all, it was senior day and his last chance to play before the home crowd at Memorial Stadium.
Instead, the only thing the Bixby, Oklahoma native was concentrating on was how he could help his team give the No. 10 Cowboys a run for their money.
“That’s why I’m a captain,” Harris said. “My role is to get everybody ready and I just definitely wanted to come out and leave my mark.”
That’s just what Harris did, leaving his fingerprint on the team’s final home game and as well as on the Jayhawk football program. Harris’ 11 tackles were just enough to propel him into sole possession of third-place for career tackles by a defensive back with 284.
“I’m trying to just soak it all in,” he said after the game. “I just wanted to go out there play hard and leave a legacy of a guy who played with all of his heart in the field and gave everything this program.”
The program has definitely benefited from Harris’ can-do attitude. Kansas has only had one defensive back in its history to record 300 career tackles and Harris goes into the Border Showdown next week just 16 shy of that mark.
He has saved his best for conference play, recording double-digit tackles in four of KU’s last five contests – all Big 12 games.
“This team is definitely getting better,” Harris said. You can see that through the (last few) games. We’d definitely love to play K-State and Baylor again right now because we’re a much better team now that we were at that point.”
For Harris, Saturday’s contest took on special meaning not only because it was senior day, but because his hometown of Bixby, Okla. is just a short 45-minute drive from Stillwater.
“I had a lot of emotions,” he said. “I had like 25-people come to the game that were friends and family of mine, which is why it’s really hard losing to Oklahoma State. I always wanted to go home with a lot of bragging rights.”
Even though Harris didn’t have the pleasure of defeating his OSU, he’s still proud of the way his team played hung tough with a strong force such as the Cowboy offense.
“We played the No. 1 offense in the country today,” Harris said. “We definitely made them earn in, but I still don’t feel good about us losing.”
While there is no ‘next year’ for Harris, he still has one more game left in his Jayhawk career. With his can do attitude and his team’s positive strides, the four year veteran will look to make history next week at Arrowhead by helping KU upset the nationally ranked Missouri Tigers and continue his climb toward 300-tackles in the process.
