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Kentucky sophomore already has 8 Division I offers

There's a lot of buzz in Kentucky centering around a rising sophomore football player.

Damien Harris, a powerful 5-foot-10, 195-pound running back, had an excellent freshman year at Madison Southern (Berea, Ky.) and could be one of the Bluegrass state's all-time greats before he graduates. In his first varsity year he carried 62 times for 742 yards and 11 touchdowns.


Photo by Jon Clark
Damien Harris, Madison Southern
His performance was so good, in fact, that he already has Division I scholarship offers from eight colleges: Michigan, Tennessee, Kentucky, Syracuse, Ohio University, Fresno State, Wake Forest and Illinois.

Jody Demling of the Louisville Courier-Journal calls Harris "one of the best to come out of his freshman year in a long time. I saw him play basketball a couple weeks ago and he looked like a senior or college player. Bob White (long-time prep writer, now retired) said it's been awhile since anyone got this kind of attention (so soon)."

Coach Jon Clark told MaxPreps, "He had a great experience at the Michigan camp. There were 1,200 kids there. He is as imposing physically as anyone there. He is built like a sophomore in college as far as a running back.No question he is uniquely built and gifted for his age. After the camp, Michigan offered him."

Harris, who runs 40 yards in 4.42 seconds, has such a mature physical presence that he arguably could be compared to a young LeBron James.

Clark stressed that his young protege brings the whole package.

He calls him "an outstanding young man. He's very coachable. He's an A and B student. The thing that stands out the most is his contagious personality."