Here’s how his lifelong dream came true for Florida Memorial coach Tim ‘Ice’ Harris
Tim “Ice” Harris could feel the excitement of rebirth, the hope of renewal.
Along with his 6-year-old grandson, Brandon Harris Jr., he had stopped by the Betty T. Ferguson Recreational Complex this past summer to sit in on a meeting with other local coaches regarding Florida Memorial University bringing back football for the first time since 1958.
“Sitting there with my grandson, it was inspiring,” said Harris, a 54-year-old native of the Overtown section of Miami. “I wanted to be a part of this.”
Just a couple of months later — on Aug. 12, to be precise — Harris was announced as FMU’s new coach, giving him one year to prepare for the rebirth of the program in the fall of 2020.
Harris is certainly qualified for the job. He virtually reinvented the high school program at Booker T. Washington, leading the Tornadoes to the first three state titles in school history.
For Harris, FMU restarting its program is allowing him to come full circle.
As a high school defensive back at Miami Jackson in 1983, Harris had to leave Florida to get an opportunity to play college football at NCAA Division III Carthage College in Kenosha, Wisconsin.
Fast forward more than three decades, and the Lions are continuing a positive trend for the sport locally.
Since Harris’ playing days, there are now many more opportunities for local athletes to play football in South Florida. FAU and FIU began playing football in 2001 and 2002, respectively, and are now Football Bowl Subdivision programs. ASA Miami began playing junior college football in 2015, and St. Thomas University will start its NAIA program this year.
But this is about more than just opportunities for players. It’s about coaches, too.
“It’s always been a dream of mine to be a head coach in college,” Harris said. “We’re giving kids another opportunity to stay home and play college football. We’re also giving coaches the chance to transition from high school to college.”
Harris, who twice served stints on Miami Hurricanes staffs as director of operations and running backs coach, comes from one of the most prominent football families in Miami, including his sons Tim Jr., Brandon and Treon.
Tim Jr., a former Hurricanes track star, is the running backs coach at FIU. Brandon, a former star Hurricanes defensive back, was the Houston Texans’ second-round pick in 2011 and played four years in the NFL before taking his current job as an FIU graduate assistant.
Treon, a former Florida Gators quarterback, is set to earn his bachelor’s degree from Tennessee State in December, and it’s possible he could join his father at FMU if he decides to go into coaching.
Meanwhile, “Ice” Harris — he earned his nickname in the seventh grade when he used to emulate NBA star George “Iceman” Gervin — got his own start in coaching in 1985, thanks to his head coach at Jackson, Charles Bethel, and his position coach, Ralph Arza.
Raised by his grandmother, Harris revered those coaches as his positive male role models.
“I could’ve gone in a different direction in my life if not for them,” Harris said.
In ’85, Arza, who by then was the head coach at Miami High, named Harris his wide receivers coach. Harris later served as an assistant at Northwestern and Central before getting his chance at Booker T.
By next year, Harris hopes to boast a balanced offensive attack that will include a traditional fullback and tight end. On defense, he will employ a 4-3, cover-two system with a mix of blitz packages.
FMU’s natural rival will be St. Thomas, which Harris said did not call him for a job interview.
“That will be a big game every year,” Harris said. “We should have that game somewhere unique — Hard Rock Stadium or Marlins Park.”