Iowa cornerback Jermari Harris working to ‘knock the rust off’ after missing 2022 season with injury

IOWA CITY — Jermari Harris’ return to the Iowa football field last month did not have much of an audience or fanfare.

But for the soon-to-be-fifth-year cornerback, it felt like “I was out there in front of 75,000” people.

“I was a little antsy,” Harris said. “After a couple plays, nerves finally calmed down. … Being able to put my helmet on and be able to put my pads on — it was a great feeling.”

After missing all of 2022 with an injury, Harris is healthy again and recognizes he will be in a “leadership role” amid a young secondary in 2023.

Four of the eight defensive backs listed on Iowa’s spring two-deeps have been in college for only one season, and a fifth defensive back — Cooper DeJean — has been at Iowa for two seasons.

Harris, meanwhile, has been at Iowa for four seasons.

“I’ve seen a lot of mental growth from him and a lot of leadership skills that have come out of him,” Quinn Schulte, another of Iowa’s experienced defensive backs, said of Harris.

DeJean also has taken note of Harris’ improved leadership in the defensive backs room as well.

“He’s so knowledgeable of the game,” DeJean said. “He has a lot to say in the meetings, which helps me and a lot of our other guys in the room. So he’s a great leader to have around.”

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The Hawkeyes will have to replace cornerback Riley Moss and safety Kaevon Merriweather, both of whom will likely have an NFL home by the end of this month.

Moss is a former Big Ten Defensive Back of the Year, and Merriweather led the country in NFL passer rating allowed last year, per Pro Football Focus.

“It’s going to take a lot of preparation and a lot of focus on our alignment, keys and responsibility,” Harris said as the Hawkeyes look to replace that production. “We’re going to have to rely on each other and hold each other to that standard.”

While Harris could not be on the field last year because of the injury, it did give him a chance to get what Schulte describes as “mental reps.”

“Sometimes getting the mental reps are better than the physical reps,” Schulte said.

Harris said he has felt 100 percent healthy since the beginning of spring although “there’s still some stuff I have to work on.”

“Knock the rust off a little bit,” Harris said. “But that’s going to come with time, preparation and continuous hard work.”

If there’s a silver lining to Harris’ extended absence, it might be the lack of recent film of the 6-foot-1 corner for Iowa’s early opponents to scour.

What does he do well that opponents need to be wary of?

"A good magician doesn’t give out his tricks,” Harris said. “I’m going to let them try to find that out.”

Harris finished his sophomore season with some momentum after starting the last six games at cornerback in place of injured cornerbacks Terry Roberts and Matt Hankins.

He had four interceptions, including one in the Big Ten championship game and one in the Citrus Bowl against NFL Draft prospect Will Levis.

But then he suffered that season-long injury. As for specifics, Harris “will leave that up to Coach (Kirk) Ferentz to talk about.”

Having to watch from the sidelines, especially after his success in 2021, “was a very difficult challenge.”

But he has been trying to maintain a “positive mindset.”

“You learn the most about yourself when adversity hits, and adversity hit,” Harris said. “I’m still going, so that’s the beauty of it. I just wake up, thank God every day for another opportunity and try to make the most of that opportunity.”

Comments: john.steppe@thegazette.com