ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Wednesday, January 31, 1996 TAG: 9601310041
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: DOUG DOUGHTY STAFF WRITER ANTAWAN HARRIS has run 40 yards in 4.2
seconds and is extremely versatile.
Virginia's latest football commitment is from a prospect who might be the
fastest player in the Cavaliers' recruiting class, Antawan Harris from
Ravenscroft School in Raleigh, N.C.
Ned Gonet, Ravenscroft's coach, said Harris can run 40 yards in 4.2 seconds.
``People might laugh at that [clocking] and push it up to 4.3 if you want, but his speed is legitimate,'' Gonet said. ``I've been coaching 20-some years, and he's by far the best player I've had.''
Harris, a 5-foot-11, 185-pounder, rushed for 5,627 yards and scored 78 touchdowns in four seasons at Ravenscroft. He had more than 1,000 yards in receptions and averaged 25.4 yards on kickoff returns and 14.0 yards on punt returns.
``He offers an institution a lot because he's so versatile,'' Gonet said. ``He can carry the load at tailback or he can play receiver, plus he's an outstanding defensive back. I think he will have an immediate impact on special teams.''
Harris has scored more than 900 on the Scholastic Assessment Test (SAT), although he needed a strong first semester to push his grade-point average to an acceptable level. He picked the Cavaliers, who had received a commitment from teammate Stephon McQueen, over Clemson.
``I don't think Virginia started out as the leader,'' Gonet said. ``We're a small, private, academically oriented school, and I think he saw the same types of individuals at Virginia.''
Harris is the 18th player to commit to UVa, which still is in the running for defensive backs Deveron Harper from Orangeburg, S.C., and Johnny Ponder from Jacksonville, Fla. Ponder said Tuesday his finalists are UVa, Notre Dame and Division I-A newcomer Central Florida.
``I liked my visit to Virginia,'' said Ponder, an all-state performer. ``That's probably where I'm leaning.''
Notre Dame and Florida State furnish the chief competition for Harper.
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