Iowa’s Jermari Harris regains confidence after persevering through season-long injury, gambling suspension

IOWA CITY — As former Iowa football great Robert Gallery spoke to the current Hawkeye team as last weekend’s honorary captain, he brought a “special guest.”

It was Marcus Luttrell, the retired Navy SEAL whose harrowing and tragic experience as the only survivor of a mission in Afghanistan was depicted in the 2013 movie “Lone Survivor.”

“I can’t believe I was talking to a man who went through something like that,” Iowa defensive back Jermari Harris said this week. “I can’t even imagine the perseverance and the will and the fight that you had to have to go through that and to still be here today having a conversation with us.”

Harris, obviously on a much smaller scale than the retired Navy SEAL, has needed some perseverance of a different kind in the Iowa secondary.

After a promising end to the 2021 season — Harris had interceptions in Iowa’s last three games — a season-long injury kept Harris out of the 2022 season. Then, he missed the first two games of the 2023 season with a sports wagering suspension.

It caused the defensive back to go 623 days — more than 20 months — without playing in a football game of consequence.

“Patience is a virtue,” Harris said earlier in the season. “It was a big test of my patience, and I felt as though I passed the test.”

Fellow defensive back Quinn Schulte said Harris stayed sharp on the “mental side of things” during the extended absence.

“He never lost his mental focus,” Schulte said. “If you’re not getting a physical rep, if you get a mental rep, sometimes that’s just as good, if not better.”

Harris said he “tried to add value in a different way other than being on the field” while he was out. A big part of that has been being a mentor for younger defensive backs.

“He’s a very positive influence on our kids,” defensive coordinator Phil Parker said.

As Parker and others speak highly of Harris’ leadership, the fifth-year senior is “not taking any credit” for his mentees’ success.

“Because at the end of the day, they still have to listen,” Harris said. “You can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make them drink.”

Harris’ efforts to mentor younger players also have paid dividends for himself.

“When I’m talking to someone, a younger guy, I’m also helping myself, reminding myself of those little details,” he said.

The results of Harris’ off-the-field work were on display when he finally took the field in Iowa’s Week 3 win over Western Michigan. He started at cornerback on the side opposite of preseason All-American Cooper DeJean.

"You just feel confident that he’s out there, he knows what’s going on,“ Parker said.

Harris has felt “more comfortable” and, like Parker, confident.

“Not even just in myself, but in the team as a whole, my confidence is growing,” Harris said. “I feel as though our best football is ahead of us.”

Harris’ optimism is infectious in the defensive back room.

“He brings the confidence to the other guys on the unit,” Parker said.

Harris’ return to game action last month was not perfect. A gap in coverage between Harris and safety Xavier Nwankpa allowed Western Michigan to get away with a 64-yard touchdown reception and take an early 7-0 lead.

“I tried to do too much, but corrected it out on the practice field and continue to correct many other mistakes,” Harris said.

Harris has at times been “trying to do too much” in his three games back on the field, which head coach Kirk Ferentz said is “common for guys when they come back.”

“He was too anxious, maybe pressing a little bit,” Ferentz said. “My experience is, at least, when you start to press or try to force things, usually it doesn’t work. You have to play the game and then eventually plays will come to you or they won’t.”

A big play came to Harris near the end of Iowa’s 26-16 win over Michigan State as he picked off the Spartans’ Noah Kim in the final seconds.

“I missed that feeling,” Harris said. “Hopefully, I get to feel it a couple more times throughout the year.”

The plays Harris came up short on, however, are the ones “more on my mind at the time.” Fortunately for Harris, he will have an opportunity to show he corrected those mistakes, too, on Saturday.

“For this next game, hoping to make it the best one yet,” Harris said.

Comments: john.steppe@thegazette.com