Today we take a look at Smoke Harris, a guy that improved week after week in 2019.
14 -- WR Smoke Harris (RS SO) -- Harris signed with Louisiana Tech in the 2018 recruiting class out of West Feliciana HS, the same HS that Jaylon Ferguson attended. Harris chose the Bulldogs over offers from Tulane, TCU, Memphis, ULM, Army, Arkansas State, and a few others. Tech had to fight off TCU late in the process. Derius Davis, his brother, actually signed with TCU in the same class.
First off, I think Smoke entered the 2019 season with some exceptionally high expectations. When you watch his HS tape, he's explosive with the ball in his hands. He can really make guys miss in open space.
It was clear through the first 6-8 games, he was still adjusting to the speed of the collegiate game. He's no longer the fastest guy on the field like he was in HS. He had to learn to make one move and get north and south. I also thought Tech didn't set the edge very well on most of his speed sweeps that he ran.
For the season, he had 74 touches for 680 total yards and 3 TDs. He caught 47 passes for 348 yds, 2 TDs. Rushed 11 times for 61 yds, 1 TDs. Returned 10 kicks for 233 yards. Returned 6 punts for 38 yards.
His best game of the season came against Marshall when he caught 9 passes for 91 yards when Cee Jay Powell was out due to a hamstring injury. Other quality games include 6 catches for 58 yards against Texas and 5 catches for 64 yards and 1 TD against Bowling Green.
He relinquished kick return duties midway through the season to Wayne Toussant. Toussant is more of a natural kick returner than Harris is in my opinion.
He returned 4 punts for 38 yards against Miami in the bowl game, definitely the best he looked all year in that aspect of his game. He also had one TD called back due to penalty earlier in the season.
Overall, I thought he had a season that you would expect for a RS FR. He learned a lot and by the end of the season he actually played more snaps than Powell did.
300 of his 348 yards receiving came after the catch, if that tells you the spots that Tech tried to get the ball in his hands.
He did have 4 drops, 2nd most on the team. That will need to get cleaned up.
As a route runner, he's still learning. He hasn't quite fully learned how to set guys up out of the slot spot or how to run those option routes to perfection. He'll get there, he's young. He's never played a true WR spot before he got to Tech.
Looking ahead to 2020, I think he plays a similar role to 2019 but looks more explosive. Now that he's got a year under his belt, I think you see him make guys miss more often. The better he gets as a route runner, the more he'll make plays down the field. Also remember, he's 5'6, so he's going to really have to be open to make a play. He's isn't out-jumping guys at that size. He and Powell will both play a ton out of that slot position that Tech uses in its offense.
Is he ever a 1,000 yard WR? At this point, I don't think so. But, I think he can be a 1,000 total yards guy for the next 3 seasons. He's going to be impactful in the punt return game.
Thoughts on Smoke?
Here are some of his HS highlights:
14 -- WR Smoke Harris (RS SO) -- Harris signed with Louisiana Tech in the 2018 recruiting class out of West Feliciana HS, the same HS that Jaylon Ferguson attended. Harris chose the Bulldogs over offers from Tulane, TCU, Memphis, ULM, Army, Arkansas State, and a few others. Tech had to fight off TCU late in the process. Derius Davis, his brother, actually signed with TCU in the same class.
First off, I think Smoke entered the 2019 season with some exceptionally high expectations. When you watch his HS tape, he's explosive with the ball in his hands. He can really make guys miss in open space.
It was clear through the first 6-8 games, he was still adjusting to the speed of the collegiate game. He's no longer the fastest guy on the field like he was in HS. He had to learn to make one move and get north and south. I also thought Tech didn't set the edge very well on most of his speed sweeps that he ran.
For the season, he had 74 touches for 680 total yards and 3 TDs. He caught 47 passes for 348 yds, 2 TDs. Rushed 11 times for 61 yds, 1 TDs. Returned 10 kicks for 233 yards. Returned 6 punts for 38 yards.
His best game of the season came against Marshall when he caught 9 passes for 91 yards when Cee Jay Powell was out due to a hamstring injury. Other quality games include 6 catches for 58 yards against Texas and 5 catches for 64 yards and 1 TD against Bowling Green.
He relinquished kick return duties midway through the season to Wayne Toussant. Toussant is more of a natural kick returner than Harris is in my opinion.
He returned 4 punts for 38 yards against Miami in the bowl game, definitely the best he looked all year in that aspect of his game. He also had one TD called back due to penalty earlier in the season.
Overall, I thought he had a season that you would expect for a RS FR. He learned a lot and by the end of the season he actually played more snaps than Powell did.
300 of his 348 yards receiving came after the catch, if that tells you the spots that Tech tried to get the ball in his hands.
He did have 4 drops, 2nd most on the team. That will need to get cleaned up.
As a route runner, he's still learning. He hasn't quite fully learned how to set guys up out of the slot spot or how to run those option routes to perfection. He'll get there, he's young. He's never played a true WR spot before he got to Tech.
Looking ahead to 2020, I think he plays a similar role to 2019 but looks more explosive. Now that he's got a year under his belt, I think you see him make guys miss more often. The better he gets as a route runner, the more he'll make plays down the field. Also remember, he's 5'6, so he's going to really have to be open to make a play. He's isn't out-jumping guys at that size. He and Powell will both play a ton out of that slot position that Tech uses in its offense.
Is he ever a 1,000 yard WR? At this point, I don't think so. But, I think he can be a 1,000 total yards guy for the next 3 seasons. He's going to be impactful in the punt return game.
Thoughts on Smoke?
Here are some of his HS highlights:
