Tide's Jerrell Harris is eager to succeed

TUSCALOOSA — Football fans have been talking about Alabama linebacker Jerrell Harris for two years now.

The rising junior sounds determined to give them something to cheer about this fall.

“Man, I’m very hungry,” Harris said after the Crimson Tide’s two-hour workout in shells on Wednesday. “I just realized I haven’t played a full season since I’ve been here. So I’m just looking to get a fresh start and just go full speed ahead and compete.”

Harris, from Gadsden, was suspended for the first six games of the 2009 season because he allegedly accepted a laptop computer from Athens businessman Curtis Anderson — a violation of the NCAA extra benefit rule — and was not forthcoming about it when first questioned by Alabama officials.

“You have to be more aware of what you’re doing,” Harris said. “I was young when I made that mistake. Coach talked to me. ‘Keep moving forward. You can’t go back.’”

But as he prepares for this season, Harris feels an urgency to make up for lost time. He played on special teams and saw the field as a backup outside linebacker his freshman season. Last year, there’s really no telling what his role could have been, particularly after Dont’a Hightower was lost for the season with his knee injury.

“Jerrell was doing a great job last year before he got suspended,” Alabama head coach Nick Saban said Wednesday. “Really paying attention to detail and making a lot of progress.”

Saban said there were defensive packages before the season that included Harris. Then came the suspension, when he lost much more than the six games the NCAA took away.

“He really kind of got lost in the shuffle,” Saban said. “Lot of games, lot of plays, lot of experience.”

When he did return the second half of the season, Harris returned to special teams and played only occasionally on defense. After all, there were games to prepare for. The repetitions went to those who were playing.

“I couldn’t practice as much as I wanted to; or get in the mix like I wanted to; or learn the plays like I wanted to,” Harris said. “It was kind of hard having to pick up and trying to catch up.”

He’s caught up now. He’s packed on 13 pounds of muscle and stands 6-3, 238 pounds. And in his third year in Saban’s defense, Harris said he’s feeling comfortable at the Sam and Will linebacker spot even as he’s also taken turns at the Mike.

“He’s done well in the offseason program as well as spring practice,” Saban said. “The last two practices he’s actually played at inside ’backer and done a good job with that.

“We move guys around and we’ll see where it lands. ... He makes plays. He’s instinctive. He’s done a really good job.”

NOTES:
Jackson returns:No one knows how far Star Jackson was behind, but the quarterback was back at practice Wednesday three sessions with his teammates.

“Star Jackson did come back to practice today,” Saban said. “He’s fulfilled all of the academic obligations that he had to to be able to come back. Hopefully, he’ll continue to do those things and continue to participate with the team.”

Scrimmage personnel: Saban said coaches will make final determinations today about who will be held out of Friday’s first scrimmage of the spring at Bryant-Denny Stadium.

“There are a couple questionable guys — (Earl) Alexander, who has been practicing,” Saban said. “I don’t know what we’re doing with Dont’a. He’s been doing a little bit better. His calf’s getting better. He doesn’t really have a problem with his knee. I don’t know what we’ll do with him. We’ll make these decisions tomorrow — after we watch today’s film — and make a decision.

“Trent (Richardson) practiced today after a couple days when he had a hamstring. Not sure what we’ll do with him. So there are some questionable guys.”

Julio healthy: Rising junior receiver Julio Jones said he feels as healthy as he’s been since early in his freshman season.
He also said he wouldn’t mind taking reps in the defensive secondary if that’s where Saban wants him to play.

“If he does put me over there I’d do it to the best of my ability,” Jones said. “Whatever I do I try to be great at it.”
Jones is also a candidate to return punts.

“It’s a long list of guys. Nobody has the job yet,” the 6-4, 220-pound Jones said. “We’re practicing to see who’s the best. If I’m the best, I’ll take it upon myself to return punts.”

Jones II: Barrett Jones, who spent spring break on a relief mission trip to earthquake-torn Haiti, said the scope of the devastation was one of the trip’s big surprises.

“You can look at all the pictures you want, but you’re not going to understand the depravity and the loss that people have experienced until you actually go over there and see the people,” the right guard said. “It broke my heart at times to see some of the people. But also extremely encouraging because a lot of them still have so much resilience. After what they’ve lost, they still have hope.”