C-J's Harrison opts to play for Michigan
Defensive back tired of waiting on Ohio State
By Mark Gokavi
Dayton Daily News
DAYTON | — Ohio State never offered him a football scholarship. Notre Dame fired the coach he liked. Iowa finished as runner-up for his services.
As a verbally committed recruit of the Michigan Wolverines, Chaminade-Julienne defensive back Brandon Harrison will get shots at all three.
"I can't wait to hit one of the Buckeyes," Harrison said. And of the Fighting Irish? "I want to hit one of them, too."
The 5-foot-9, 190-pounder announced his choice Tuesday afternoon during a live interview with ESPNews via satellite from the ThinkTV studios. He can sign his letter of intent Feb. 2.
Harrison is one of several Notre Dame recruits shopping around after Tyrone Willingham was let go.
"Iowa is nine hours away and Michigan is three," said Harrison, looking only mildly nervous while smiling and wearing a blue sweatshirt. "That's a big factor, too, because I want my parents to come see me play every game."
Ranked as the 15th best defensive back prospect by rivals.com, Harrison knows an Ohio player going to Michigan is hard for some fans to take.
"Everybody's going to hate me here all the Buckeyes fans," he said. "I'm ready for them."
Growing up, Harrison wanted to play for the scarlet and grey. Now, he'll play against them wearing maize and blue.
"I've been going to the Ohio State camp since I was a freshman," he said. "I always got the outstanding player award, medals for the fastest 40. I thought they were going to offer. I even went up there to the Nike camp and ran a 4.25 (40-yard dash) and I thought, 'Well, this is going to seal it and they're going to offer.'
"They told me to be patient and while they're telling me to be patient, I see them offering all these other players from everywhere else. I don't understand why all these other colleges are offering me scholarships and my hometown college isn't."
Notre Dame coach (and New England offensive coordinator) Charlie Weis couldn't coax Harrison into a sales pitch meeting.
"It was kind of hard to turn that down," Harrison said. "He's seen defensive backs in the NFL. But I had already narrowed it down."
Instead, Michigan coach Lloyd Carr and defensive backs coach Ron English will tutor Harrison, whom some colleges thought wasn't an ideal height for a DB.
"I fell in love with the program," Harrison said. "I love the way coach Carr is running it.
"They're telling me that I'm physically ready to play right away. It's all on how I pick up the schemes and everything."
Harrison's C-J teammate, running back Javon Ringer, will attend Michigan State. They may cross paths on a football field.
"You've got to hit him low and you've got to hit him strong," Harrison said. "I was able to bring him down a couple times in our intrasquad scrimmages. There's always those times when he squirms out. That's Javon."
