Comments from Brandon Harrison press conference.
Brandon, how are you doing today?
"I'm doing fine, how are you doing?"
I'm doing quite well. Tell us, what were your thoughts when Tyrone Willingham
was fired?
"I didn't think that it was very classy. Firing a man after his only three
years of his five year contract, then having a secret meeting the night before,
and firing him the next morning, it just wasn't fair you know?"
So how do you make your choice from there?
"When that came out, my head coach told me to open up my recruiting again
and take a few official visits. I didn't really hear anything from the Notre Dame
coaches for about 2 weeks. A couple of coaches would call me every once in a while
and tell me that they didn't know what was going on and that they were still confused
and that they didn't know if they were going to stay or leave."
I heard that you got a phone call from Coach Weis, I think that was his
first recruiting phone call since he was Notre Dame's head coach. Tell me about
that phone call and what he was trying to pitch to you.
"He was just asking me if I had narrowed it down, and I told him that I narrowed
down to two schools, Iowa and Michigan. And he said the he would fly in on Friday
and meet with me and my parents. He wants to pitch his plan to me about how he
plans to run the program at Notre Dame. And that after he leaves my house, I will
be a Notre Dame recruit again. I told him that I had narrowed it down, and that
I had lost a little bit of the feeling and comfort that I had with Notre Dame
with what they did to the coach that I wanted to play for."
You visited Iowa, and then you followed up with Michigan, so tell me a
little bit about those visits and how they compared, and ultimately how you ended
up at your decision.
"Well, when I went to Iowa, they greeted me well. The coaches were all great
guys. Coach Parker, the defensive back coach. I got to meet a lot of the palyers.
They have a great Business Program. And they have a great strength and conditioning
coach. When I went to Michigan, they greeted me well, talked to a lot of the players.
I had a sit down with coach Carr. He told me everything that he is trying to do,
and I like the way that he's running his program. Coach English is a great D-back
coach. I got to sit down and talk to him and go over some technique. And you know,
Iowa is 9 hours away, and Michigan is 3, and that was a big factor too. I want
my parents to be able to come and see me play every game. They have been watching
play since I was in grade school and that is very important to me."
I know that Kirk Ferentz, Lloyd Carr, and your parents basically have
to watch this show to find out where you are going. So why don't you tell us where
you are going.
"I'm going to school at the University of Michigan. I chose the University
of Michigan because again, I just fell in love with the program. I love the way
that coach Carr is running like I said before, coach Ron English is a great defensive
back coach. From what he taught me in that little bit of time I was up there,
I came back with a lot, and that's my decision."
I like how you said that. " You lost your feeling of comfort." That
is very hard to do when you have Charlie Weiss ready to find to your house. That
was very well handled.
Did you talk to Marlin Jackson on your visit? Obviously he is a great
corner back that is leaving, and what do you think the plans are for Michigan
as far as playing right away or stepping in and becoming a corner back?
"They told me that physically I was ready to play, but it is all on how I
pick up the schemes and everything. Coach Carr told me that he expects me to come
in and be a play-maker. He expects me to contribute to the team and be on the
field."
Brandon, congratulations to you. Thanks for coming on the show.
"Thanks for having me."
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