Troy running back DuJuan Harris has endured trying season

TROY — It was just a year ago that Troy running back DuJuan Harris had the game of his life, a 28-carry, 234-yard performance with two touchdowns in Troy’s 48-3 win over UL-Lafayette.

Just a sophomore last year, Harris ran for more than 1,000 yards and earned second-team all-conference honors. He was projected to be a first-teamer this year and Lindy’s Magazine named Harris the league’s preseason Player of the Year.

But a slow start to the season and a focus on events off the field has taken its toll on Harris, and he’s looking for the old Foxx (nickname) to return. Troy, which has had plenty of success running the ball on ULL, travels to face the Ragin’ Cajuns Saturday at 6 p.m.

Harris lost his starting job to true freshman Shawn Southward, but remains a vital part to Troy’s offense. He’s scored nine times this year, but has run for just 423 yards. He does have 23 catches for 193 yards.

He lost his starting spot three games ago and watched Southward run for 139 yards and four touchdowns in a 40-20 win over Western Kentucky.

“I knew I wasn’t being myself the whole season,” Harris said. “I knew a change was going to come soon, but I knew I wasn’t being myself. I’m not blaming it on anything, I just haven’t been me all season.”

Harris did get a surprise late in the summer, when he found out he was going to become a father. DuJuan Jr.’s due date is in late January, but “I think he might come at the end of December or early January,” Harris said. “It’s something to look forward to. It’s something special.”

Offensive coordinator Neal Brown said he didn’t think Harris handled the upcoming fatherhood news well when he first learned of it, and it might have caused his play to stumble early this year. Brown is a fairly new father himself, as his daughter will be 2 years old in February.

“We have a saying around here where you just got to leave it at the gate (of the stadium),” Brown said. “When my wife was pregnant, I came to work, but it didn’t mean I didn’t think about it. I still had to do my job. Your job is class and football and when you’re in class and practicing, you got to let it go.
“He’s doing better with that. He didn’t do as good of a job with it earlier in the year.”

Southward’s emergence has also played a big role in Harris’ reduction in stats, but with the Trojans winning, Harris doesn’t mind. Brown said next year, he’ll put in formations that use Harris and Southward at the same time.

“I’m glad to see Shawn doing good,” Harris said. “He’s started doing what he’s doing and when I get back to being my old self, it’ll make us that more dangerous as a team, so I’m just doing what I can.”

Troy has had plenty of success running the ball against ULL over the years. Former Trojan Kenny Cattouse ran for 139 yards with a slight knee strain against ULL in 2008 and for 172 yards in 2007.

If there’s a game for Harris to get his swagger back, this might be it.

“Hopefully (the success) continues,” Harris said. “We can’t go in thinking it’s going to be like last year. We’ve got to go in with a game plan and do what we can.”