Will Andrew Harris Be Back Next Season

[Blitz]

Andrew Harris is a free agent at the end of this season. He remains unsigned and contract talks with Wally have grown quiet. Harris had the worst outcome of his career last Sunday, with only 4 carries for 3 yards. He has averaged 28 yards per game rushing in his last 4 games, after such an impressive start to the season.

Willes: Black Sunday weighs heavily on Lions' Andrew Harris

Frustration builds for Lions running back after one of the worst days of his career, and the future doesn’t look much brighter

By Ed Willes, The Province September 16, 2015



It’s tough for B.C. running back Andrew Harris to put up any numbers when defences key on him as the only real offensive threat the Lions game muster.

On Sunday afternoon, Andrew Harris suffered through the worst day of his six-year CFL career.

In the run game, he carried the ball four times for three yards and fumbled inside his own five-yard line. He did catch three balls for 30 yards, but two of the catches came during junk time in the Lions 31-18 loss to Ottawa.

Following the final gun, Harris sprinted off the field, changed without showering, and left B.C. Place without speaking to the media.

A couple of days after the fact, Harris had a chance to process the events from Black Sabbath and fully consider their deeper meeting for him and his team.

His conclusions? He isn’t any happier but at least he’s willing to talk about it.

“100 per cent,” Harris answered when asked if his actions on Sunday reflected a heightened sense of frustration.

“Obviously I feel I’m a key component of this offence and the success of this offence.

“I’ve definitely been, not so much neglected, but almost an afterthought the last four weeks. It’s frustrating, especially when you know the product is a losing outcome.”

That’s frustrating for him, the team and, most importantly, the fans who are enduring the most disturbing sequence of games in the Wally Buono era.

With injuries to Travis Lulay and Solomon Elimimian, Harris has become the face of the Lions, and for the first six games of this season, he might have been the best player in the CFL. Over that span he averaged 86.5 yards rushing per game, another 48 in the air and was on pace to challenge Mike Pringle’s record of 2,414 yards from scrimmage in a single season.

Uh, Pringle’s record is no longer in jeopardy.

CFL defensive coordinators, it seems, can read the stats sheet as well as anyone, and they noticed Harris was the only real threat on the Lions’ offence. Beginning in Hamilton four weeks ago, those learned coaches made stopping Harris the entire focus of their game plan, and they’ve succeeded, holding the 28-year-old Winnipegger to — yikes! — an average of 29 rushing yards over his last four outings.

As a result, the Lions offence has dried up like a prune, the team has lost three of its lost four and there is now great unrest in the land. On Friday, they travel to Calgary to take on the Calgary Stampeders who are also the best team in the league.

Things were bad on Sunday. If it’s possible, they might get worse.

“It has to do with the way defences are playing us,” Harris said of the sharp downturn in his production.

“Teams are really keying on me, shutting me down and forcing other guys to make plays.”

But four carries?

“For me, I can’t focus on the play calling,” Harris said. “I’ve just got to come to work every day, compete and work hard and hope that it turns.”

Head coach Jeff Tedford said he met with Harris earlier in the week and discussed things. The details of that conversation weren’t made public, but Tedford acknowledged the frustration factor in his star running back.

“When you lose a game like that, people aren’t happy,” Teford said. “The coaches aren’t happy. The players aren’t happy. Then we focus and move on to the next thing.”

But how do you make this better? That’s the only relevant question and, on Tuesday, both Tedford and offensive co-ordinator George Cortez were leaning on some familiar rationalizations.

The offensive woes are a combination of things. Some times it’s the offensive line. Sometimes it’s the receivers. Sometimes it’s the quarterback. And sometimes it’s Harris. The Lions have had some success. Now they just need to be more consistent.

See, it’s that easy. So why does it look so bloody difficult?

On top of everything else, Harris is poised to become a free agent at the end of this season. Lions GM Wally Buono and Harris’s agent, Dan Vertlieb, exchanged proposals during the Lions’ bye week, but things have since grown quiet.

The Lions’ back was asked if his contractual status weighs on him.

“It’s there,” he says. “I can’t really control it. All I can control is how I feel in my situation.”

And right now, that isn’t the greatest feeling in the world.

ewilles@theprovince.com

[DanoT]

If I was Harris I wouldn't resign with this train wreck of a team. There needs to be a major change in game planning and play calling. Cortez is old school inflexible and so far Tedford is a dud and is not having the influence on the Offense that everyone was expecting.

Wally has a history of only making changes only after it becomes painfully obvious that the team is heading in the wrong direction which it clearly is right now.

[Toppy Vann]

Heard the HC say this to Rintoul.

But how do you make this better? That’s the only relevant question and, on Tuesday, both Tedford and offensive co-ordinator George Cortez were leaning on some familiar rationalizations.

The offensive woes are a combination of things. Some times it’s the offensive line. Sometimes it’s the receivers. Sometimes it’s the quarterback. And sometimes it’s Harris. The Lions have had some success. Now they just need to be more consistent.

Memo to HC and OC:

More of the same won't get you a different result.

But if things don't change, the OC will be looking for a new gig new year.

[Sir Purrcival]

I'm pretty sure Harris will be keeping his options open at this juncture of his career. This team is likely not to be competitive in the next 2-3 at least and he is only going to decline in value as time goes on. He has never gotten the respect that he deserves on this team from the coaching staff. Used more appropriately with a different philosophy, I sure he could have been rivaling Cornish for some of those rushing titles that Cornish won. Instead he has had to labour under pass happy OC's with horrible Olines and bad coaching decisions.

[Rammer]

Harris should have taken a page from Cornish's playbook. After Cornish had a similar net yard game, he called out his OL in a bit of a tirad on National TV. Since then somehow the calls and the OL has given Cornish lanes to run through.

If you can't get production from Harris's talent you might want to look at your play calling vs suggesting that each component of the O has faultered to factor into the lack of production. Besides you can simply reduce the language down to execution, at least Lion fans have knowledge with that terminology.

Remember Harris is a decent receiver and much more effective in space...it is capable to throw a screen once in awhile just to slow down the DL a little.

[MexicoLionFan]

If I was Harris I wouldn't resign with this train wreck of a team. There needs to be a major change in game planning and play calling. Cortez is old school inflexible and so far Tedford is a dud and is not having the influence on the Offense that everyone was expecting.

Wally has a history of only making changes only after it becomes painfully obvious that the team is heading in the wrong direction which it clearly is right now.

I agree Dano...I am a fan of football and great players, not just the Lions. As I am sure you, Joe and Blitz would agree to, Andrew Harris has given his heart and soul to the Lions and has been a "one man wrecking crew" for far too long. If Harris decides to go somewhere else next year, I will continue to support him! He is a game and ratio changer being a CDN at such an important position. Andrew would become the #1 Free Agent available this coming off season if he doesn't re-sign here, and should get a big contract from a top team!

[WestCoastJoe]

A sensational talent made to look ordinary.

If he leaves, and especially if he leaves on bad terms, it is just more decay for our team.

No lifetime contracts these days, as in baseball's old reserve clause. Players can move on by their choice.

I agree with Dano and MLF. Andrew should seek to play for a team that knows how to build a solid run game.

[MexicoLionFan]

A sensational talent made to look ordinary.

If he leaves, and especially if he leaves on bad terms, it is just more decay for our team.

No lifetime contracts these days, as in baseball's old reserve clause. Players can move on by their choice.

I agree with Dano and MLF. Andrew should seek to play for a team that knows how to build a solid run game.

Joe, how about Harris in HAM with Kent Austin and a new stadium. That might be a very nice fit for him.

[WestCoastJoe]

A sensational talent made to look ordinary.

If he leaves, and especially if he leaves on bad terms, it is just more decay for our team.

No lifetime contracts these days, as in baseball's old reserve clause. Players can move on by their choice.

I agree with Dano and MLF. Andrew should seek to play for a team that knows how to build a solid run game.

Joe, how about Harris in HAM with Kent Austin and a new stadium. That might be a very nice fit for him.

Yes, MLF. As a fan of football, I would love to see Andrew Harris running free. He is still greatly underappreciated as a football player. Amazingly durable. Faster than defences think. Stronger than tacklers think. Able to make guys miss. Able to absorb the hit and slide off. Instinctive. Can catch like a WR.

[DanoT]

Looking around the CFL and assuming CJ Gable gets healthy in Hamilton along with Paris Cotten in Winnipeg for next year, then the team that most needs Harris is B.C. But will Wally pay him accordingly? Edmonton might.

[TheLionKing]

Wouldn't surprise me in the least if we see Harris in another uniform next season. Buono will consider him to be a trouble maker and let him walk.

[MexicoLionFan]

Looking around the CFL and assuming CJ Gable gets healthy in Hamilton along with Paris Cotten in Winnipeg for next year, then the team that most needs Harris is B.C. But will Wally pay him accordingly? Edmonton might.

EVERY team in the CFL except CGY will be vying for Harris' services because he's not only an all-around back that excels at whatever he does, HE'S CDN! He and Cornish are two of the most valuable players in the entire CFL.

[WestCoastJoe]

Looking around the CFL and assuming CJ Gable gets healthy in Hamilton along with Paris Cotten in Winnipeg for next year, then the team that most needs Harris is B.C. But will Wally pay him accordingly? Edmonton might.

EVERY team in the CFL except CGY will be vying for Harris' services because he's not only an all-around back that excels at whatever he does, HE'S CDN! He and Cornish are two of the most valuable players in the entire CFL.

Yes, and if we had good N ratio depth, we could run two effective RBs. Harris and an International.

Even more deadly with two outstanding RBs. Same backfield. Alternating. Many combinations and ways. Keep 'em fresh. Defence cannot just key on AH and tee off on him.

Some say but can a smart coach get stupid all of sudden? Well maybe that "smart" coach was not always so brilliant.

Some say but can't the professional coach see more and know more than mere fans? Fans are not mere fans. They bring lifetimes of experience. They are far enough away that they can see the big picture. People involved in the day to day work can lose perspective. They can even get "stubborn." They can get stuck in their ways. They can stay with what is comfortable. They might even try to convince the media that the media sees it incorrectly. Happens to individuals. And it happens to organizations.

[DanoT]

Looking around the CFL and assuming CJ Gable gets healthy in Hamilton along with Paris Cotten in Winnipeg for next year, then the team that most needs Harris is B.C. But will Wally pay him accordingly? Edmonton might.

EVERY team in the CFL except CGY will be vying for Harris' services because he's not only an all-around back that excels at whatever he does, HE'S CDN! He and Cornish are two of the most valuable players in the entire CFL.

My guess is that Harris might be reluctant to go to a team that already has a feature RB and with that in mind I am hoping that the Lions can re-sign him. Still the Lions will need to do a major shift in how they play Offense as there is no point in having a great RB but not give him very many touches.

[peeby]

Travis Lulay hands off to Andrew Harris, he rips one for fifteen yards and it's another first down for the Bombers.

I think Harris is one of those Winnipeggers you meet who actually would like to go back there, no? I don't see ratios as the issue some coaches seem to. You have 2 RB's, one CDN, one INT, and when you alternate, you change a INT WR for a NAT or visa versa.