Najee Harris' Off-The-Field Impact Is Just As Impressive As His On-Field Accomplishments

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — University of Alabama running back Najee Harris was on the outside-looking-in of the Heisman Trophy voting when the finalists were announced last Thursday.

The Crimson Tide tailback finished fifth and one spot away from being named a finalist like teammates Mac Jones and DeVonta Smith.

It was the first time since 1946 that a single school had three players inside inside the top five vote-getters.

“I’m not tripping at all, man,” Harris said of his stance in the Heisman race on Tuesday. “The two guys we’ve got in there right now is good enough. I play my part when my name is called. It really doesn’t matter if I’m in the race or not.”

On the year, Harris has averaged a stellar 5.9 yards per attempt and carried the 214 times for 1,262 yards, and 24 touchdowns.

The AP All-American and Doak Walker Award finalist's success on the ground has also opened things up for the passing game with Jones and Smith, that is top five in the nation in scoring, passing, and total offense.

"So I think that's a byproduct of being on a good football team," Alabama offensive coordinator Steve Sarkisian said. "But for us as an offense, I think the idea that these guys bought into the run game helps the passing game, the passing game helps the run game. We're not one dimensional. We don't recruit one-dimensional offensive linemen. We ask them to run block, we ask them to pass protect. We don't recruit one-dimensional backs. Clearly Najee with his versatility of running the ball, catching the ball out of the backfield. And Brian Robinson kind of in the same mold. And very intelligent receivers. And so we do use quite a bit of formations and motions and things, and that can be taxing on you if you don't know what you're doing.

"So all in all the buy-in for the players on offense has been something I'm proud of because it's not always easy. It's easy to say, man, we just want to run the ball or why aren't we throwing it more. But I think our players are mature enough to know that we need both aspects of our offense to make the other one go. And the result is those guys are not the only ones, but those guys are getting the accolades that I think they deserve."

Harris is coming off of a five-touchdown performance in the SEC Championship Game, three scores of which came through the air, earning his way to MVP honors.

Notre Dame quarterback Ian Book is very familiar with Harris as the two go way back to their high school days in California together when they played 7-on-7 with each other.

"First off, he's just a great kid from day one I met him," Book said. "He's an awesome guy to play with. And I just remember going down to LA and having 7on7 tournament, and the plan was if we were ever down, you just throw it up and Najee would go catch it. He was playing receiver for us. And he did that. That's how we were able to win some games. And he was by far the best player I've played with at that time. There's no doubt. And he is still one of them for sure. He's an unbelievable player. Really good person. Happy for him. He'll be playing a lot of football in the future as well."

Book knows firsthand the challenge that the Fighting Irish's defense will have slowing down Harris and it won't be easy.

"And our defense has got to step up," Book said. "It's a great challenge for us. I think our guys are excited for it. But just to be able to play with him, when he was a five-star big name recruit, to be on our seven-on-seven team together was awesome. And it was really just a 50/50 ball. Just throw it up to Najee and he'll go get it. And he did that pretty much every time. And it was good."

It has been a record-breaking 2020 campaign for Harris as he is now Alabama's all-time rushing leader (3,639), rushing touchdowns (44), and total touchdowns (54).

He also has forced 78 missed tackles, which ranks second in the nation. As for the Rose Bowl matchup with Notre Dame, Harris wants to make sure his stamina is ready for a four-quarter dog fight.

"I barely played the fourth quarter this whole year," Harris said. "I probably played in maybe like three of them, fourth quarter. Really me getting back to my cardio, getting back to playing through four quarters, not sustaining -- like not getting blowed. Last game I gotta say I was blowed, first time I played fourth quarter. Playing through the whistle, finishing out every run, finishing out every play. Blocking techniques.Really being fundamentally sound, I think, is where I need to be good at for this game, because they're a well-coached team. For me being fundamentally good in all the little things, I think, is going to help me out a lot. They've got good players and have a good defense, good defensive front. Good linebackers who can run."

Along with gashing opposing defenses throughout his Crimson Tide career, Harris has made an enormous impact off the field.

Back in August, he was one of the main voices for the "We Want To Play Movement", that galvanized college football and forced the powers that be to listen what the players had to say about playing amidst a global pandemic.

Later that month, he helped led the social justice rally on Alabama's campus that was sparked by police killings around the country. His efforts have led the way for him to be named a finalist for the Jason Witten Collegiate Man of the Year Award, which honors those who have demonstrated a record of leadership by exhibiting exceptional courage, integrity and sportsmanship both on and off the field.

His signature touchdown dance that fans has become so accustomed to, mimics that of Megan Rapinoe's, a winger for the United States Women's National Team and winner of two World Cups.

Alabama's Najee Harris hit the Rapinoe celebration after his incredible TD on Saturday: "Shout out to her" 💪 pic.twitter.com/ZrLeDTiLrf
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) September 16, 2019

For all the great things Harris has accomplished on the gridiron, it's likely he'll go down as one of the Crimson Tide's most influential players off of it as well.

"Megan go crazy," Harris said. "She's from California, first of all, and she listens to Nipsey. Nipsey Hussle, one of my favorite rappers, too. She gave a shoutout to him. Really all the stuff she stands up for. She's a feminist and how the females, how women in the world gets treated unfairly and how they get paid different and different stuff than men. She stands up for all that. I like how she does that.

"And obviously the social injustice that happens, she plays a part in all that. And for her to be a woman and saying all that stuff, and it could be scary for her, for being a woman in what they will say is a man's world, and her just playing a part, standing up, not listening to all the naysayers out there and really just standing up for what she believes in, it's motivating. And it's inspirational.

"Me as a male, I guess you could say, like maybe not too many males will like say they look up to a woman nowadays. But I really look up to her, just for what she does outside of sports. And I guess I had to give her a shoutout and stuff."

Najeeeee🥰🙏🥰🙏🥰 Roll Tide!!!!! ( did I do it right? 🤪) Be Great, get those 🌹‘s and hurdle someone for me! @ohthatsNajee22 👩🏻‍🎤x 2️⃣2️⃣ https://t.co/4YcDPCGShD
— Megan Rapinoe (@mPinoe) December 30, 2020