NoCo gets #3 running back in California according to Scout.

[ncbears]

Running back Andre Harris was ranked the third best running back in California a couple years ago out of high school. He took a full ride scholarship from Idaho (Had a scholarship from San Diego State), didn't like the coaching staff, went the community college route and is now going to be playing for UNC.
http://www.greeleytribune.com/article/20090812/SPORTS/908129995/1010

[Silenoz]

Idaho and Northern Colorado?

What was he thinking!?




:D

[mtgrizfan4life]

The #3 CA RB, we are talking Idaho, and UNC. Something does not make sense here. What does the kid want to study? Does he study?

Sounds like a great get for UNC. I wish him and UNC luck.

[appfan2008]

how can he be the #3 rb out of a top 3 talent state and not be headed to usc, texas, ok, fla, etc... something doesnt add up... grades?... arrests?... who knows but something is amiss

[mtgrizfan4life]

He could be someone that wants a challenge of turning around a program. He could want to be labeled the best ever RB at a school. Who knows, but this just does not add up. Could this be a real life football version of the movie "Blue Chips"?

[aust42]

how can he be the #3 rb out of a top 3 talent state and not be headed to usc, texas, ok, fla, etc... something doesnt add up... grades?... arrests?... who knows but something is amiss

"He left Idaho because he didn't get along with the coaching staff". I'm making an assumption that he has an attitude problem.

[ncbears]

I'm not sure. All I know is he's wearing the blue and gold and that's all that matters.

[lionsrking2]

Could have been a bad evaluation by Scout when he was in high school...if he were truly the #3 sought-after RB in the state of California, he would have had several BCS offers and wouldn't have had to choose between Idaho and San Diego State...either that or it was a down year for RBs in Cali that year...doesn't mean he's not a good player, and won't be productive at No Co but sounds like Scout jumped the gun on him.

[Hansel]

Idaho?

[BobcatJH]

He must either be a midget, a criminal, illiterate, or all of the above.

[grizband]

He must either be a midget, a criminal, illiterate, or all of the above.
Rivals.com lists Andre as 6'0" 220 lbs (the article lists him as 6'2"), and says he runs a 4.4. I don't know why he ended up at Northern Colorado, instead of an FBS school, but it sounds like the Bears got a good back.

[BobcatJH]

Well, nice pick up for UNC. I think this program has alot of potential.

[catbob]

Don't be so quick to assume the kid has problems or something because he went to Idaho and now is at UNC. I think most of you would be pretty happy about landing such a kid, especially if you have struggled in the run game like the Bears have.

Sounds like a good pickup, hope he pans out for UNC.

[JALMOND]

Running back Andre Harris was ranked the third best running back in California a couple years ago out of high school. He took a full ride scholarship from Idaho (Had a scholarship from San Diego State), didn't like the coaching staff, went the community college route and is now going to be playing for UNC.
http://www.greeleytribune.com/article/20090812/SPORTS/908129995/1010

It would be a big pickup for Northern Colorado, but I would hope the Bears proceed cautiously. Something does not sound right. #3 back out of California and he did not get any scholarship offers from any of the Pac-10 (not even Oregon who will take almost anyone). If he plays, this will be a tremendous pickup for Northern Colorado, but if he comes in with baggage, chances are he will not last the year in Greeley (my opinion).

[lionsrking2]

Don't be so quick to assume the kid has problems or something because he went to Idaho and now is at UNC. I think most of you would be pretty happy about landing such a kid, especially if you have struggled in the run game like the Bears have.

Sounds like a good pickup, hope he pans out for UNC.

I think it's a very safe assumption that there may be issues...he may turn out to be a good player and prosper with the change-of-scenery, but there were more than enough red flags if he doesn't.

[Cocky]

High School football in California that weak?

[CrunchGriz]

High School football in California that weak?

As of 2006, it was ranked the 2nd best high school football state by ESPN, behind only Texas:

http://sports.espn.go.com/sportsnation/news/story?page=communityfbIP

So the answer is a resounding "No!" to your perhaps facetious question.

[ncbears]

I just got back from watching the Bears practice and he's running with the first team. He's a physical specimen. Power and speed.

As for why he didn't go to a bigger school, as I mentioned before I have no clue. It could have been grades. He might have tried to get into an FBS school and didn't have the grades. I do know he was a late addition to the roster.

[JALMOND]

I just got back from watching the Bears practice and he's running with the first team. He's a physical specimen. Power and speed.

As for why he didn't go to a bigger school, as I mentioned before I have no clue. It could have been grades. He might have tried to get into an FBS school and didn't have the grades. I do know he was a late addition to the roster.

Oregon would have taken him. Ducks believe in giving second chances...over and over again.

[blueballs]

You never know about these things, perhaps there is a very legitimate reason he's at UNC.

Take the case of Adrian Peterson for example. At Alachua he was Class 4A POTY in FL, first team all state, and made a couple of HS all american teams.

He had a stuttering issue which made him very difficult to communicate with via phone which scared a lot of coaches off and he had special speech therapy needs that further scared off some of the bigger schools- particularly UF which was 15 miles from his house and where his older brother Mike was an all american LB.

Georgia Southern got on him thanks to Tracy Ham and had a speech therapy dept and a lady who really worked with him. AP redshirted to get ahead in his therapy and studies while working daily with the therapist and the rest is 1-AA history. He got his degree and broke every conceivable rushing record in the book and is still in the NFL going into his 8th season.

The same kind of thing could be in play here... I would be very hesitant to jump to conclusions about the kid because we never really know the whole story.

[appfan2008]

"He left Idaho because he didn't get along with the coaching staff". I'm making an assumption that he has an attitude problem.

that assumption works for me...

[ncbears]

Maybe the coaches were the punks?

[JohnStOnge]

I think the bottom line, I think, is that Scout over rated him. Very unlikely that somebody who was looked at by college recruiters as the 3rd best running back in California, which does produce an awful lot of football talent, would be talking about choosing between San Diego State and Idaho unless...long shot...maybe he was actually from San Diego or Idaho and had some kind of "home town" loyalty. As far as I can tell, his High School is near Los Angeles.

You're telling me that USC wouldn't be after somebody who was the #3 running back in a State that, at least as of 2004, was the #1 State in NFL talent production? (http://rivals100.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=259347) You're telling me that a kid from the Los Angeles area wouldn't rather go play at Idaho than at USC?

I see this kind of stuff all the time. Small schools crow about how they got somebody that BCS schools would covet. Very unlikely.

Having said that, it doesn't mean he can't be a really good back. Brian Westbrook is somebody BCS leauge schools probably didn't covet as a running back.

[MR. CHICKEN]

DELAWARE HAS ENDED UP...WHIFF IN-STATE LADY BASKETBALL PLAYER/PRODIGY....ELENA DELLE-DONNE......WHO WAS DUH #1...AH SAY SON....#1.......LADY BASKETBALL RECRUIT IN DUH NATION........WHO WAS RECRUITED..BAH...ALL DUH BIGGIES....TENNESSEE/RUTGERS/UCONN....ACCEPTED DUH UCONN SKOLLY......CHANGED HER MIND & SPORT....CAME HOME TA YOU-DEE.....PLAYED VOLLEYBALL......NOW HAS CHANGED HER SPORT.....BACK TA HOOPS...FO' DUH LADY BLUEHENS....SO AS CRAZY UH SITUATION AS DAT......IFIN' DIS LAD TRULY IS DUH #3 RB FROM LA-LA LAND.....&......HAS COME TA NORFFERN COLLY......WELL....ANYTHIN'.....IS POSSIBLE.....&...FO' WHATEVERAH REASON.....xchinscratchx....AWK!

[ncbears]

DELAWARE HAS ENDED UP...WHIFF IN-STATE LADY BASKETBALL PLAYER/PRODIGY....ELENA DELLE-DONNE......WHO WAS DUH #1...AH SAY SON....#1.......LADY BASKETBALL RECRUIT IN DUH NATION........WHO WAS RECRUITED..BAH...ALL DUH BIGGIES....TENNESSEE/RUTGERS/UCONN....ACCEPTED DUH UCONN SKOLLY......CHANGED HER MIND & SPORT....CAME HOME TA YOU-DEE.....PLAYED VOLLEYBALL......NOW HAS CHANGED HER SPORT.....BACK TA HOOPS...FO' DUH LADY BLUEHENS....SO AS CRAZY UH SITUATION AS DAT......IFIN' DIS LAD TRULY IS DUH #3 RB FROM LA-LA LAND.....&......HAS COME TA NORFFERN COLLY......WELL....ANYTHIN'.....IS POSSIBLE.....&...FO' WHATEVERAH REASON.....xchinscratchx....AWK!

Yup, what he said.

[Seven Would Be Nice]

You never know about these things, perhaps there is a very legitimate reason he's at UNC.

Take the case of Adrian Peterson for example. At Alachua he was Class 4A POTY in FL, first team all state, and made a couple of HS all american teams.

He had a stuttering issue which made him very difficult to communicate with via phone which scared a lot of coaches off and he had special speech therapy needs that further scared off some of the bigger schools- particularly UF which was 15 miles from his house and where his older brother Mike was an all american LB.

Georgia Southern got on him thanks to Tracy Ham and had a speech therapy dept and a lady who really worked with him. AP redshirted to get ahead in his therapy and studies while working daily with the therapist and the rest is 1-AA history. He got his degree and broke every conceivable rushing record in the book and is still in the NFL going into his 8th season.

The same kind of thing could be in play here... I would be very hesitant to jump to conclusions about the kid because we never really know the whole story.

Very good point about AP.. unfortunately (or fortunately for us ;) ) AP was the exception, and not the rule. Especially in these times, its either the players attitude, some skeletons in the closet, or as mentioned, he isn't as good as advertised.

Should be interesting to see how this works out for UNC. GSU hasn't had the best of luck with transfers lately...best of luck to you!

[coover]

"He left Idaho because he didn't get along with the coaching staff". I'm making an assumption that he has an attitude problem.


I'm not sure. All I know is he's wearing the blue and gold and that's all that matters.

Attitude can be very important and bad attitude can destroy a very good team. This kid sounds like one we wouldn't want in San Luis Obispo. I wish him well in Greeley (did I spell it correctly? my mother was born there), and certainly people can change for the better ... but if I were the coach at Northern Colorado (UNC reminds me of North Carolina), I'd watch this guy like a hawk ... he may be trouble.