Why Saturday Is A Huge Game For Senior Cornerback Ahmari Harvey

Now we never like to single out a player, but it is a big game coming up for Ahmari Harvey. Harvey has been a key defensive piece for the Yellow Jackets in the rebuild and resurgence of a program that was everybody’s doormat at one point. Since head coach Brent Key has come in, the Yellow Jackets have played at a high level and been a team you have to respect and account for. Harvey has been at the forefront of that. He had a career year last season, recording 62 tackles, a forced fumble, and an interception.

This season, he has dealt with injuries that required him to miss the majority of October and the early part of November. Georgia Tech has certainly missed his presence. Before he went out, the Yellow Jackets were playing at a high level on defense and making it tough for teams. Harvey, in particular, had it going. He was a ballhawk, making it tough to complete passes on him. Don’t just take my word for it, his Pro Football Focus grade tells it all. Harvey is the fourth-highest rated player on the team with a 73.7 defensive grade. He has the third-highest coverage grade on the team with a 75.8. He has continued to improve as a tackler and has a 71.8 tackling grade. Despite what the stats may be saying, Harvey has been stellar for the Yellow Jackets, and if he hadn’t suffered an injury, he would be even better.

Head coach Brent Key talked about what Harvey has meant to the team and the program throughout his tenure.

“I love Ahmari as a player, but I could really care less about him as a player. Ahmari is a human. Amari is a young man. The development that he's had, the maturity that he's come across, the ups and downs, the highs, the lows, all for him to become this version of himself. To have a nasty injury five weeks ago, now, and come back and be cleared to play last week. Just because you're cleared doesn't mean you're going to play. For him to go out there, he walked up to me at halftime when we came back out on the field and said, Coach, put me in the game,” said Key.

“I want to help change the game. It's a credit to who he is and how he's matured. Amari's got a great future ahead of him. He really does. He's special to this football team. He's special to his position and his side of the ball, but he's special to me. All these guys have been here from the start and seen the ups and downs. I read his little thing he put out on social media yesterday, and just reading those is pretty cool to see the response these guys have.”

Harvey is the Yellow Jackets best cornerback on the field and will be tasked with slowing down Kenny Johnson, who is the leading wide receiver for the Panthers. A week ago, Georgia Tech struggled with Boston College and covering its wide receivers. Reed Harris finished with five catches for 142 yards and a touchdown. Lewis Bond had eight catches for 106 yards. Harvey was just back from an injury in this game, but came up and affected the line of scrimmage. He plays with a physicality in the run game and as a cornerback that helps the team in a lot of ways. Georgia Tech has struggled with wide receivers over the last few weeks and needs Harvey to play at the level he was before his injury. With Saturday being senior night, it will be a great chance for him to showcase for one final time the elite player that he is, and help clinch a spot in the ACC title game.

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