Jacory Harris envisioned wearing a pink suit to the Heisman Trophy ceremony.

But he has postponed his visit to the tailor. Indefinitely.

When Harris joked about the fashion statement he would make in Manhattan, he and the University of Miami were flying high. Harris, the poised young quarterback who led his team back into the nation's top 10, was mentioned among college football's elite. He was the greatest thing since sliced bread, Ken Dorsey and Moses.

Then reality came blitzing, like a 220-pound safety with a running start on a red carpet.

Reality: Harris threw four interceptions and two were returned for touchdowns in the 33-24 loss to North Carolina, which dropped UM out of the top 20, Atlantic Coast Conference title hunt and BCS bowl picture.

Reality: Harris is playing hurt behind an offensive line that will not be remembered as one of UM's sturdiest, given that it is ranked 105th in sacks allowed. He was ``hurried'' -- which is a polite term for harassed -- 11 times in Chapel Hill.

Reality: Harris is 19 years old.

So the kid has gone from sophomore savior to sophomore slump. It was all but inevitable. There is no need to panic. Harris isn't. Nor is Steve Walsh, who also became a starter as a sophomore and led UM to a national title.

``I tell every quarterback who has had early success that you have never made it because you are only one bad play away from being a bad quarterback,'' Walsh said. ``Mistakes can be contagious, but you've got to have faith. Jacory has a strong will.''

LITTLE ON INJURY

On Tuesday, Harris buried both hands in the front pocket of his green sweat shirt and again gallantly and stoically placed the blame on himself for the loss to North Carolina.

``Really, the reason why I don't show much is not that I don't care,'' he said. ``It's that my family taught me never change character if things aren't going your way.''

He smiled when asked to remove his right hand from his pocket -- the throwing hand he iced on the sideline after it was whacked during the UNC game. Asked if he was wearing any kind of cast, Harris said, ``I don't know,'' in a coy voice.

Neither he nor coach Randy Shannon would provide details on the injury, but Harris said he would wear protective gear on his hand Saturday in UM's home finale against Duke and that it hurts when he passes.

He's hurting in more ways than one, which is tough for Harris -- 30-0 at Northwestern High -- to admit.

``All I do is I call and talk to my parents,'' he said. ``They let you know that you still have someone who loves you. Because when you're winning, you come back and have about 100 text messages, but when you lose you have five and they come from the most important people in your life.''

Harris sees himself as a sort of lighthouse for his teammates -- showing them the way and absorbing the pounding of any tempest.

``He's never going to throw you under the bus,'' said lineman Jason Fox, who never knew Harris was hurt against Florida State or UNC because Harris never mentioned it.

STRUGGLES ON FIELD

The perfectly tossed rainbows, bouquets and comets that we all marveled at early in the season are now interspersed with water balloons, wounded ducks and Hail Marys. Harris, whose 16 interceptions are second-most in the nation, has faded from the Heisman conversation. Texas quarterback Colt McCoy has thrown nine interceptions and Florida's Tim Tebow four. Harris' accuracy was as high as 80 percent against Georgia Tech but has dipped below 60 the past three games.