DeeJay Dallas left for NFL and Don Chaney had surgery, but this Miami RB is ‘primed’
Last March, Cam’Ron Harris told reporters during spring practice that he changed his last name, streamlined his body fat from 11 to 6.8 percent and that his Hurricanes were “going for the Natty’’— as in national championship.
On Tuesday, almost a year later, an even fitter, bulked up Harris was equally energized and determined that his Canes — “Miami, the U,’’ he said — are going to make some noise with offensive coordinator Rhett Lashlee’s new, super-charged spread offense.
“The offense is great,’’ said the 5-9, 209-pound Harris, who changed his last name from Davis to honor his father. “I like when [Lashlee] came in with a different mindset, telling ‘This offense will be great and we will put up 35 or better every game.’
“...It’s just a fast type of offense. Miami...is a fast team. We can’t slow down a little bit. We can’t let the defense relax. We love the tempo. We got the defense on their toes.”
No more DeeJay
Harris, a junior out of Miami Carol City High, is NFL-bound DeeJay Dallas’ successor and the No. 1 tailback going into the season. Dallas, an upbeat, outspoken leader, left UM (6-7 in 2019) this offseason after finishing 21st in the nation and second in the Atlantic Coast Conference in 2019 with 6.03 yards a carry (693 rushing yards and a team-leading 10 touchdowns in only 10 games).
Harris, meanwhile, added a more-than-respectable 576 rushing yards (5.1 yards per carry) and five touchdowns, with 16 catches and another receiving score.
Coach Manny Diaz this week praised Harris for his outstanding work ethic.
Primed for ‘big year’
“I don’t think anybody’s done more extra work in the weight room than Cam Harris,” said Diaz, noting that he is “priming himself for a big year.”
“I grew up with Cam,’’ cornerback Al Blades Jr. said Tuesday after spring practice No. 2. “I played all throughout my little league life with Cam. Cam’s a worker. He has constantly been getting better mentally and physically. You see what Coach Diaz said about him in the weight room. He’s doing that for the betterment of the team, not just himself.”
Safety Amari Carter also spoke of Harris’ ability from a defensive viewpoint.
“With Cam it’s consistency,’’ Carter said. “I know we’re not in pads yet, but He’s making the right reads, which holes to hit. I see it from a safety’s perspective because I’m in the back and seeing everything progress. He’s running hard.”
Chaney out but Knighton a force
Harris was supposed to have Miami Belen Jesuit grad and elite early enrollee Donald Chaney Jr. as significant competition in spring, but Chaney underwent minor shoulder surgery in January and Diaz said he will not participate. Instead, Harris has another elite early enrollee competitor in Deerfield Beach High’s Jaylan Knighton, as well as redshirt junior Robert Burns.
Knighton, a consensus four-star prospect, was rated the No. 5 prep running back nationally by Rivals.com, No. 10 back by the 247Sports composite and No. 11 back by ESPN.
“Jaylan, for a true freshman two days in... Again, we don’t have pads on yet, but just his ability to have no fear and jump in there has been impressive,’’ Lashlee said. “It’s exciting that he gets to have a whole spring. You can definitely see his burst.
“With Cam, I have no preconceived ideas on anybody and it’s two days in. But what he did in the offseason workouts, I noticed. You could tell he has some explosion and he seems pretty focused.’’
What’s life like without DeeJay?
“I just know I have to step up and be a captain of the team, because I watched him last year,’’ Harris said. “He’d tell the offense, ‘Let’s do great.’ If we had a bad day, he pushed us... even if we had a rainy day and we were doing bad stuff. He’d be on us every day.’’
Harris said this about his youngest competitor in spring: “Oh, Jaylan Knighton, man. He’s a speedster, man. He’s still learning the offense, still learning the college program. When he gets ready and when his name is called, oh my God, y’all going to see about him.”
Harris refuses to talk about 2019, saying “it’s over.’’
“I’m on 2020 right now. ...I’m feeling so good right now. Can’t wait for the season.”
The Hurricanes are off Wednesday and convene again on Thursday.
Practice update
▪No. 1 quarterback D’Eriq King looked sharp again Tuesday, throwing one especially impressive deep touchdown to Dee Wiggins. The other quarterback throwing particularly nice deep balls was 6-4, 199-pound Peyton Matocha, the redshirt freshman who did not play last season.
▪ Sophomore striker Keontra Smith had an interception, with cornerback Christian Williams also earning one. Both picks were thrown by Tate Martell.
This story was originally published March 3, 2020 at 7:26 PM.
