With rookie running back Montario Hardesty out for the year, Jerome Harrison heads into season as the No. 1 guy for the first time in his career -- and he's taking the responsibility to heart. "I'm going to go out and run hard and I'm going to give this city everything I've got every time I'm out there," he...
With rookie running back Montario Hardesty out for the year, Jerome Harrison heads into season as the No. 1 guy for the first time in his career -- and he's taking the responsibility to heart.
"I'm going to go out and run hard and I'm going to give this city everything I've got every time I'm out there," he said. "I'm going to try my hardest to turn this program around and do whatever I can to do it."
Browns coach Eric Mangini senses Harrison grasps the magnitude of his new role.
View full sizeFor the first time in his five-year career, Jerome Harrison will start the season as the Browns' No. 1 running back.
"He understands the things that he has to do and he understands the great opportunity that he has in front of him," Mangini said. "I expect him to seize that opportunity like he did last year and run with it."
Taking over the for injured Jamal Lewis at the end of last season, Harrison let loose for an astounding 561 yards over the final three games, including the single-game franchise record of 286 yards against the Chiefs. Starting a career-high seven games, he led the team with 862 yards rushing and tied for first on the team with 34 receptions.
One might think that'd be enough to earn the starting job this season, but it wasn't. Instead, the Browns traded up to draft Hardesty in the second round, and virtually christened him the starter on draft day when they said they envisioned him becoming their featured back.
"It didn't affect me at all," Harrison said. "I just line up and play football and see what happens."
But didn't the rookie hot on his heels bring out the best in him?
"I trained the same way in the off-season," Harrison said. "He was there when I trained, I was there when he trained. There was no different mind-set."
What about now? Will his approach to the game change now that Hardesty is out with torn anterior cruciate ligament?
"No, not at all," he said. "I'll go to work everyday, bust my butt and see what happens."
Mangini agreed that Harrison wasn't motivated by Hardesty's presence and isn't by his absence.
"I never got the sense from Jerome that the things that he was going to do were going to be dependent on somebody else," Mangini said. "You don't ever want that. You don't want someone saying, 'OK, because he's doing X, I'm going to do Y.' It's 'I'm going to do this because it's right for me.' I get that sense from Jerome. He has certain goals, he has certain things that he wants to achieve. I'm talking about growth and development. It wasn't based on Montario being here, it wasn't based on anybody being here. It was based on what he wanted to do for him. That's, I think, a very healthy approach."
Harrison did acknowledge the tremendous opportunity he's been given. Over the last four games of last season, the Browns led the league in rushing with 900 yards.
"I'm playing with a great offensive line, the best fullback in the league [in Lawrence Vickers] and they just give me a chance to go out there and run and have fun and be very productive and do whatever I need to do to help this team win," he said.
But why did Harrison have to come back and prove himself this season after what he did at the end of last year? Is it because he's 5-9, 205 pounds, while Hardesty is a more prototypical 6-0, 225?
"I've been proving myself about 21 years now," Harrison said. "I've been playing since I was 6, so it's 21 years. It's nothing new. Just a different level."
Is that what keeps him going?
"Playing this game and the guys in the locker room keep me going," he said.
Harrison said he's not worried he set the bar too high for himself with the 561 yards in last season's final three games.
"We're going to run for it," he said. "I'm definitely going to run for it and we're going to have a good time doing it. All I've got to do is stay alive and I'm all right. I don't worry about pressure, just go out there and play and have fun."
After the third preseason game in Detroit, Harrison said he would fix his fumbling problem (he lost one in Detroit and fumbled twice a week earlier against the Rams). He also lamented having a long gain of 9 yards on his 23 carries, with an average of 3.1 yards. But he explained he was working on other things besides his running.
"In the preseason, I set two goals to work on," he said. "Two things to work on and I did it. Now everything is coming together."
And those two things were?
"I will not tell you," he said with a laugh.