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DeMatha graduate, and current Michigan State linebacker, Darien Harris, makes his bowl experience a family affair at the 2012 Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl in Tempe, Ariz. /Photos courtesy of Michigan State Athletic Communications
DeMatha Grad Thrives at Michigan State Redshirt Freshman Enjoys Bowl Experience By Elton Hayes WI Staff Writer
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Sports Photos by John De Freitas
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36 Jan. 10, 2013 - Jan. 16, 2013
Darien Harris’ family members are racking up frequent flyer mileage these days. Last January, the Harrises made the 900-mile trek from the Washington area to Tampa, Fla., for the Outback Bowl. This past December they traded the beaches and ocean of Florida for the mountains and palm trees of Arizona. “The weather’s fantastic, we’re having a great time and everybody’s enjoying themselves. This is just excellent,” said Harris’ father Alan, 50, who lives in Silver Spring, Md., and owns a publishing company. In what is quickly becoming a yearly tradition, the Harris family has spent the last two holiday seasons on the road in whatever bowl city Michigan State lands in for the college football postseason. The 2011 DeMatha Catholic High School graduate, played in the 2012 Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl in Tempe, Ariz., on Dec. 29. And while his trip to Arizona revolved around football, the 6-foot, 210-pound linebacker still enjoyed the unique opportunity and his team’s 17-16 victory over Texas Christian University located in Fort Worth, Texas. “It feels great. I’m always happy for the opportunity to keep on playing and to keep our season going,” said the journalism major and Silver Spring, Md., native. “This is a great bowl and it’s been The Washington Informer
a great bowl experience so far. It’s family building time and everyone enjoys it. It’s just a really fun time,” said Darien Harris. Six members of the Harris family, that spanned several generations, traveled to the Phoenix area for the highly-anticipated bowl matchups. Lucinda Harris, Darien’s grandmother, gushed with pride as she talked about her grandson. “It feels fantastic to be able to come out to Arizona to watch my grandson’s football game,” said the Richmond, Va., resident. “I’m one proud grandmother.” A redshirt freshman, Harris, 19, played in every game last season and is expected to make a greater contribution next year with the departure of several linebackers on Michigan State’s roster. Junior Spartan linebacker, Max Bullough, earned First-Team All-Big Ten honors for his menacing play on the gridiron last season. He said his teammate has the talent and potential to become one of the better players on defense. “He’s an explosive football player who makes plays,” said Bullough, 20. “He’s really become a dominant factor on our twodeep [roster] and I think he’s a guy who we are confident with putting into a game at any time. He’s a great guy and definitely stands out as someone who you can trust. He’s the kind of guy you want on your football team.” Although football is a priority for the young athlete, academics remain at the forefront of his
agenda. Education trumps football. “[Darien] has known that while football is his passion, education has to always come first,” said his mother, Lisa Harris, 51, an attorney who works at the U.S. Department of Education in Southwest. “He has that foundation; we started it when he was really young. And when we talk to him about being at Michigan State, we ask how football is going and how things are going in the classroom. We keep up with his grades and his GPA.” While the lack of free time prevents their son from coming home as often as he would like, his parents attend all of his games and remain involved in his life. “They’re really dedicated,” said Darien Harris of his parents. “I’m really blessed to have them.” For the charismatic student-athlete, the opportunity to represent his Hyattsville, Md., high school at the collegiate level is an experience that he relishes. “It feels great to be able to add another legacy to DeMatha,” he noted. “You kind of feel a bond with the guys from [high school] who were able to play Division 1 football. I’m really close with my old teammates. We’re able to talk, relate and share our bowl game experiences. Everything so far has just really been great,” he said with a smile. wi www.washingtoninformer.com