Natturner Harris was right in the thick of the Booker T. Washington state championship celebration last December.

Fast forward to this season and a lot has changed.

The Tornadoes have a new coach, Earl Tillman, and a whole new set of senior leaders.

Harris is the most prominent on a defense that posted eight shutouts a year ago.

''That was a great feeling for us last year, we finally got over that hump,'' Harris said. ``But that's over with now, I'm a senior leader and defensive captain now and I have to make sure that I step my game up another notch and do more for the team.

The 6-0, 170 pound Harris registered 36 tackles and five interceptions last year while playing safety for Booker T., but will see extended time at cornerback this season.

While Harris did draw a lot of interest for his play at safety as a junior, most colleges that are recruiting him want him as a cornerback.

''A lot of schools are contacting me and sending me letters, but almost all of them are saying that they want to see me play as a corner before they make official offers,'' Harris said.

Among the schools Harris lists as the most frequent callers are: Rutgers, Florida State, Central Florida, West Virginia, Boston College, NC State, Pittsburgh, Minnesota, and Florida.

But Natturner said Miami, who signed Booker T.'s top 2007 defensive back recruit Brandon Harris, hasn't really shown a lot of interest in him.

''UM has contacted me and they've called and talked to me a little bit, but they haven't made any kind of offer,'' Harris said. ``But I really don't have a favorite school or top choice right now anyway. I'm just looking forward to having a good year and helping my team repeat as state champions.''

Harris is one of the remaining cogs from a defense that was ranked No. 1 in the county last season and graduated nine seniors.

''The coaches have put a lot of trust in me that I'll lead the defense in the right direction,'' Harris said. ``I have to make all of the defensive checks and switches, I basically tell the defense what to do.''

''I feel like we have one of the best defenses in the country and can repeat at state, so I have to do everything I can to make sure we live up to that,'' Harris said. ``There really isn't a big difference between coach Tillman and coach [Tim] Harris. Coach Tillman is a much stricter about things than coach Harris was, but everything else is the same, business as usual.''

Harris went into the summer clocking in a 4.5 40-time and a 205-pound bench press max, but says that he still has a lot of things to improve on.

''Of course we do our workouts to improve our speed and strength,'' Harris said. ``But the biggest thing I want to improve on this season is my tackling and gaining more weight.

``I want to be able to go up against the bigger receivers at the next level.''

Off the field, Harris has a 2.7 grade point average and scored an 810 on his initial attempt of the SAT. Improving those marks are his top priority.

''School always comes first,'' Harris said.

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