Harris ready to translate knowledge to the field at middle linebacker

Editor's note: Sixth in an eight-part series looking at the Iowa State football team, position by position. Next: Secondary

AMES - Jordan Harris lives for the contact.

He's made big hits a staple of his game through junior college and last year on the Iowa State scout team. Now, he's putting offensive players for all 12 ISU opponents on notice.

'I love hitting people, especially receivers coming across the middle,” Harris said. 'They probably second guess it the next time coming across the middle after you get a hit on them the first time.”

'He hits somebody and it gives you chills,” said ISU linebacker Jay Jones. 'It hurts me when he hits other people.”

It's one thing for the 6-foot-0 and 233-pound junior middle linebacker to say he'll be a force on the Cyclones defense, and quite another to actually do it. But looking at where Harris was just 18 months ago, indications are he'll be doing a little more than just talking.

The Clarksdale, Miss., native led the junior college ranks in tackles for Copiah-Lincoln C.C. in 2013 (124 tackles and 13.8 per game) and made the move to Ames the next spring. Harris went through spring practice, hurriedly preparing to assume a starting job in the fall in the heart of the ISU defense.

But something just wasn't clicking. A frustrated Harris couldn't bridge the gap between the film room and field.

'I knew what was going on, but I just couldn't translate it to the field. You can know the whole defense in (the film room), but you've got to translate it on the field in order to be successful.”

Harris red-shirted the 2014 season, but was still able to cut his teeth on the scout team. Concepts started becoming more second nature and Harris' ISU teammates were starting to get a taste of what his true ability could be.

'He was the giver of several physical plays down on the scout team last year,” said ISU coach Paul Rhoads. 'His film was a highlight reel of big hits so you knew he was capable of all that. But come springtime he finally started understanding and operating faster in our defense.”

Progress didn't happen for Harris without a lot of off-the-field work. He spent much of his time in the film room - sometimes flanked by defensive coordinator Wally Burnham. Harris was first on Burnham's list of players he's seen marked improvement from during summer and fall workouts.

'I know the defense like the back of my hand now,” Harris said. 'I put in a lot of time and since the guys that helped me last year are gone, I kind of put that on my own shoulders.”

Rhoads wasn't ready to rule out junior Kane Seeley as a middle linebacker, and it's possible Seeley and Harris would be on the field together in the three-man defensive front.

Defensive tackle Demond Tucker played with Harris for a year at Copiah-Lincoln and noticed right away how much he's seen his teammate grow.

'Jordan is an outstanding linebacker,” Tucker said. 'He led our defense in tackles and that's a big goal. He really encouraged me to come here too and he's a great brother toward me.”

A CLOSER LOOK AT LINEBACKERS

Depth chart

SLB/N 1. Jay Jones, 6-3, 209, junior; 2. Reggan Northrup, 6-1, 191, red-shirt freshman

MLB 1. Jordan Harris, 6-0, 233, junior; 2. Kane Seeley, 6-2, 239, junior

WLB 1. Levi Peters, 5-11, 218, junior; 2. Luke Knott, 6-1, 215, junior; 3. Brian Mills, 5-10, 226, sophomore; 4. Willie Harvey, 6-0, 222, red-shirt freshman

The starters

Jones has been raved about during fall camp for his athleticism and should be a prototypical nickel back. Harris has the nod right now at middle linebacker, but Iowa State coach Paul Rhoads said the gap between he and Seeley isn't wide enough to undoubtedly hand over the starting job. Peters has been known for highlight-worthy tackles and trademark beard, but has started to grasp defensive schemes and received a scholarship in the offseason.

The backups

Most questions about the linebacking core have come because of the WLB spot. Knott started eight games at linebacker last year, but has struggled with hip injuries throughout his career. Word is that Harvey has been productive through fall camp and could potentially work his way into a regular rotation.

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