What a rush

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This article was published 24/07/2018 (2658 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Andrew Harris is supposed to be in the twilight of his career. 

A 31-year-old running back isn’t supposed to be setting career highs for carries (27) and touches (29) and rushing yards (161) in a game, but that’s just what Harris did Saturday afternoon as the Blue Bombers rumbled to a 38-20 win over the Toronto Argonauts.

It was Harris’ third consecutive 100-yard-plus rushing game and pushed his season total to a league-leading 610 yards on the ground, putting him on pace for a career best of 1,830 yards.

“Even this last game, he just looked so exhausted at the end of the game; looked like he couldn’t carry the ball again,” said Winnipeg quarterback Matt Nichols after practice Tuesday afternoon. “We call the play in the huddle and as soon as I hand it to him, he takes it with force and goes and runs over two more people. This is a guy that never quits.”

Harris doesn’t seem content with the quality of his play. On Tuesday, three days before the Bombers host a rematch with the Argos, he fumed aloud about what didn’t go perfectly in Toronto. 

“Honestly, I look back at the tape and I missed a lot of plays out there,” said Harris. “I could be better; even today, with another good practice. I’m a perfectionist in that way where I want to have a perfect game and do all right things in every situation and I definitely missed some things last week and missed some things today. I’ve got to figure that out and be better for my teammates.”

Harris has a lot going for him at the moment but two factors have been absolutely crucial: he’s kept his fitness at a high level while staying relatively healthy and Winnipeg’s veteran O-line, namely Stanley Bryant, Patrick Neufeld, Matthias Goossen, Sukh Chung and Jermarcus Hardrick, has been performing like the league’s best.  

“When we talk about Andrew, let’s start with the O-line, right?” said offensive co-ordinator Paul LaPolice. “I mean, the offensive line has done a tremendous job. (Assistant coach) Marty Costello has done a phenomenal job with our offensive line, coaching them. Kevin Bourgoin has done an outstanding job with the running backs.”

“What I tell the lineman every week is, ‘If we get seven yards, if we get 10 yards, we’ll keep running the ball.’ And that’s what’s happening the last couple of weeks. We’re getting first downs running the ball, it gives me the freedom to take a pass, convert on second down and run the ball again.” 

Harris, in his third season with the Bombers, has developed a special kinship with his hogs.

“They’re everything,” he said. “They do such a good job; as well as people think that I’m playing right now it’s on them. They’re the guys that pick me up when I’m down, open holes up for me, create those creases, push guys off of me and they get just as fired up for a big run or a big play or if I help them out on a block. We’re definitely cohesive that way and there’s good chemistry; we lean on each other a lot. Those guys are absolute warriors.”

The near-perfect storm of an ageless running back combined with a dominant offensive line has made Winnipeg’s offence unique in 2018.

Normally, the CFL’s pass-to-run ratio is approximately 65 to 35 per cent but the Blue Bombers are currently operating with a 53-47 pass-to-run ratio through the first six regular-season games.

The results have been eye-popping: Winnipeg’s 173.2 yards per game on the ground are more than 40 yards ahead of the second-place Calgary Stampeders.  

“It’s definitely something that when it comes you don’t really realize how many touches you’re getting,” said Harris after the Bombers piled up 184 on the ground against the Argonauts.

“You’re just getting the ball and trying to grind it out and get the win and momentum. The O-line did a great job in creating holes and LaPo had the faith to get the ball in my hands even though everyone knew it was going there. We were able to get some first downs and move the chains.”

If he can stay healthy, Harris thinks of his career in longer terms; he wants to play out the remaining two years of his contract after 2018.  

“What’s Father Time? I don’t know what that is,” he said. “I just stretch; try to eat right and live right; do the right things. I think it’s the environment, too. A lot of guys get tired of getting hit and, for me, I want to make plays for guys in my locker room, especially the O-line. That’s what keeps me coming back for more. It’s just the environment: with our whole team, the locker room, everything. This city definitely feeds the fire and makes me want to get out there everyday and put my body on the line and keep going. But as far as my body feels…I feel great.” 

mike.sawatzky@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @sawa14