July 15, 2022

O’Leary: Harris adapts to close in on 10k

Thomas Skrlj/CFL.ca

DARTMOUTH — As he closes in on a pair of milestones in his one-day hall-of-fame career, Andrew Harris only has to look to his hands as a reminder of the cost of greatness.

The Toronto Argonauts’ running back could knock off a pair of significant accomplishments out here on Canada’s east coast in the Touchdown Atlantic game.

The 35-year-old Winnipeg native is 46 yards away from passing Blue Bombers legend Milt Stegall to move into fourth all-time in yards from scrimmage. Stegall finished his hall of fame career with 15,209 yards.

Harris is also 114 rushing yards away from cracking the 10,000-yard mark. Whenever he does it, he’ll be the first Canadian player and the sixth CFLer to hit that mark.

He knows the good health he’s been blessed by through his 12-year, 179-game career is a big part of his success. He quickly jumps to his teammates from his time in BC, Winnipeg and now Toronto for helping him get there.

“It’ll be a cool moment. I probably won’t really notice it until after the game, you know, celebrate it and then just keep on trucking,” Harris said after the Argos’ walkthrough on Friday in Dartmouth, N.S.

“It’s not like once I hit this milestone I’m done. There’s there’s still more damage to be done and I want to keep this the train rolling.”

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That train has rolled through the physical toll that the game will take on anyone that sticks in it long enough. Harris figures he’s dislocated every finger in his left hand over the years as he’s racked up records and three Grey Cup rings.

“Some of the rings I have don’t even fit on this hand anymore,” he said, showing off a collection of puffy-looking knuckles. “I use my hands a little less now.”

It’s a common theme among elite athletes as they progress in their careers. Harris remembers his early days in the CFL and how he’d power his way through openings, relying on his strength to get him extra yards. A few nasty-looking finger injuries will change the way you approach the game, though.

“I remember there was a certain play, we played against Calgary in 2018 I think and I spun off of the sideline and my hand hit the ground and this finger here,” he said, pointing to his ring finger, “it was like a 90-degree angle from my pinky. It was crazy. So I came off the field and basically pulled on it and got it put back in place, taped it up and got back out there.”

Veteran athletes tend to cringe when you bring up their age, but there’s a wisdom that comes with a long, successful career. That experience has let Harris see the game and approach it differently. Harris realized quickly that you can’t run through walls for extra yards forever.

Andrew Harris is adapting to his new surroundings this season, with head coach Ryan Dinwiddie and GM Michael ‘Pinball’ Clemons (Thomas Skrlj/CFL.ca)

“As you get older you’re not going to be as explosive, as fast. Your mind is the best thing you can have,” he said.

“Obviously I’ve slowed down a little bit as far as my legs and speed and and how much I can take. Now, for me, honestly the game has slowed down so much more. But it’s also mental preparation and study so I can see things before they happen.

“Anticipation is really there and just focusing on those little details will help make sure you’re in the right spots. When I was younger, I used to hit the holes as hard as I could and now it’s more about tempo to speed through and going through that way.”

He spends more time studying his opponents and trying to gauge what to expect from them in how they hit and where defences might be vulnerable.

“It’s a bit of a science,” Harris said, “but at the end the day it’s just instinct and who wants it more.”

For 12 years, Harris has seemed to want it more than just about anyone else. Whether it’s this week in Wolfville at Touchdown Atlantic, or next week back in Regina where the Argos will face the Riders again, it should be a matter of time before Harris writes his next bit of CFL history.

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