Darnell Harris: It means everything to me. I pretty much sacrificed my whole life trying to make it to play college ball. Blood, sweat, tears, and time was put into football. I went homeless just trying to play.
Joe Gaiter: Where did you grow you grow up and how was your childhood?
Darnell Harris: I was born in Long Beach, grew up in San Diego and Las Vegas . It was rough. I was on my own at 14 bouncing from house to house, state to state, park to park. I had to grow up fast.
I couldn’t play football coming up because we couldn’t afford it. I didn’t have support in high school until I moved back to San Diego with my aunty who took me in.
Joe Gaiter: What are your fondest memories of Kearney HS?
Darnell Harris: Everything-just being part of that team that year gave me hope. I was at San Marcos High where I made a name for myself and pretty much blew every offer I had getting into a dumb fight. That cost me my everything and I’m still paying the price.
Joe Gaiter: After you graduated from Kearney where did you go?
Darnell Harris: I went to Grossmont Community College which was probably the biggest mistake. The coaches at the time told me, quote, “it’s not smart to red shirt at a JUCO.” to red shirt do to I didn’t have a place to stay. I was sleeping in my car and different friends homes so I wanted to take a year off. They wouldn’t let me redshirt and instead promised me I would play. The end result- I never played. I was treated like a scrub because I knew what was best for myself. I’m not a quitter but ended up blowing my D1 clock. My biggest hopes and dreams is playing on TV showing the world my talent at a big school and be part of something.
Due to being homeless I had to work. I dropped out of school and messed my grades all up because I couldn’t focus . It took 5 years to fix my grades and kind of get settled. I was still homeless fighting to get on the Field when I was at Mesa, yet I still performed well enough to win a championship making it worth the struggle.
Joe Gaiter: What was your stats like at San Diego Mesa College?
Shared reps with somebody was wasn’t even close to my talent. John Jennings played favorites, and lied to me. I trained and did everything I could to get ready to come into a season where I thought I was going to start but ended up sharing reps because he was from Texas. Long story short the coaches didn’t do their job recruiting trig to get me out and when the first game came around I was randomly. Intelligible to play that season but I didn’t give up made some plays for I can play.
Joe Gaiter: Why did you transfer to McKendree University?
Darnell Harris: Recruiting was a bad experience. Either my coaches weren’t doing their job (most likely) or the high school kids had a second signing day I’m not sure. I was getting recruited by Midwestern State in Texas my first communication with a coach. It was a lot of verbal promises that went held on the end of day. I bust my butt to get my grades right ball out whatever it took. Fortleiws Head Coach came to my cousins house where I stayed at the time. He pretty much said he didn’t need me but wanted me and never spoke to me again after that sit down. I wanted to go to MSU MANKATO but they looked past me and offered one of the best brothers I played with at Mesa who I helped get recruited. Then, I ended up at Southwest Minnesota State were Coach Todd Strop kicked me off the team for calling MANKATO to see if I could possibly go there. I was having a hard time getting a job in the middle of a small town kept getting pulled over by the police for no reason was to much for me. I couldn’t deal with the pressure life throws at me. How can he trust me on the field when the pressure hits me.
The program was just bad all around.
Darnell Harris: I was on McKendree radar for a few weeks. Then the DC at the time didn’t really like me on film he felt he had what he needed for his defense so he dropped me like MSU Fortleiws and many other schools
I felt God was telling me to go there.
So I called coach Myers who is a QB coach who loved my tape and kept fighting me for cause he went to grade school and Smsu and knew what I was going through so right after the July 4th. I had an offer waiting for me I just had to get down there so I followed my heart took a leap of faith again and took off. Funny thing when I was a SMSU a player from Cali was coming to program. He ended up staying with me a few days and come to find out MSU Texas was reciting him to come there and didn’t care for me anymore. I pushed him into going into program. Funny how the game works
Joe Gaiter: How do you deal with adversity on your team?
Darnell Harris: I usually keep to myself until things get out of hand. I demand respect and everybody respect this brotherhood. Most of the time I stick to myself I have my own problems.
Joe Gaiter: Is it hard being a student athlete?
Darnell Harris:Yes, no doubt. When you don’t have anybody in your corner, life will hit you hard and wake you up fast JUCO isn’t for everybody I seen a lot of people stop playing.
Joe Gaiter: What is your untold story?
Darnell Harris:John Robinson taught me everything I know. This old man woke me up I never thought about playing football in college I couldn’t even name 5 schools when he sat me down . He gave me motivation to purse football gave me somebody to look up to. He compared me to Ronnie Lott. I had know idea about him until I googled him.
Joe Gaiter: Do you feel like your talents are underrated?
Darnell Harris: Yes, if I had the right exposure, the attention and the right coaching I promise I would been pro ! If John Jennings would let me play I would be an All American. If Mike Harrison would knew how to coach I would be an All American but instead these coaches held me back for no reason. I do things nobody else can do. Better yet I don’t give up on a play. You can bust a 60 yarder bet I’m on you bumper trying to stop you period. I got that old school football in me.
Joe Gaiter: What inspires you?
Darnell Harris: My 5 siblings, being homeless, coaches screwing me over and family turning the back on me.
Joe Gaiter: What is your life like off the field?
Darnell Harris: A hard working brotha just trying to make my life simple as possible. I train at least 3 times day. Most my days are school – work – work out. I work 2 jobs just to make ends meet. It’s a beautiful struggle not a lot of players can go through this and still dream going pro.
Joe Gaiter: What do you want your legacy to be as an athlete?
Darnell Harris: Go down as one of the GREATS.
Joe Gaiter: Final Words?
Darnell Harris: Once you in college it’s business. It’s no more fun and games. Ain’t no time for mistakes. Can’t let days go by with a work out, studying trying to be a better player. You have to grind to shine period.
Joe Gaiter: Shoutouts?
Darnell Harris: Stephen cooper for training me being by my side for the last few years. My mentor Amir who always helped me no matter what was going on. He helped me become a gentleman. John Robinson for teaching me the game. He brings the best out of me.
Darnell Harris, McKendree University, Interview with Joe Gaiter was last modified: March 27th, 2019 by Joseph Gaiter
