The countdown to kickoff is within two weeks remaining. After profiling the underrated yet overly reliable Chris McGaha yesterday, today the spotlight turns to one of the key members of arguably the best Sun Devil team in history with running back Darryl Harris.
While he was born in Mississippi, Harris grew up in California. He became a high school legend, rushing for 2,404 yards in one season and leading his high school to their first ever state title. That drew the attention of head coach Darryl Rogers, who brought Harris in at the start of the 1984 season.
Ironically, though, Rogers never got to see his prized recruit play. After the 1984 season, one that saw Harris effectively redshirt, Rogers was fired and John Cooper was brought in. Things turned around almost immediately, with the Sun Devils going 8-4 thanks, in part, to Harris being the starting running back.
Things went to another level in 1986, though. Harris finished with 1,042 rushing yards and helped lead Arizona State to a Rose Bowl championship over the Michigan Wolverines, whose quarterback at the time was Jim Harbaugh.
Harris was rewarded for his efforts with a Second Team All-Pac 12 selection that year, but he found room to grow even more. The next year, Harris was named First Team All-Pac 12 and an All American honorable mention.
The Sun Devils fell to 7-4-1, largely due to losing starting quarterback Jeff van Raaphorst the year before, but Harris was able to anchor the offense in his absence. Regardless, Arizona State finished the season ranked inside the Top 25, and Harris was a big reason why.
For a long time, Harris held a pole position in the rushing record books for the program. He's since been surpassed by several more modern stars like JR Redmond, Cameron Marshall, Demario Richard, Eno Benjamin, and - most recently - the great Cam Skattebo.
However, just because you'll no longer see Harris at the top of the list in the record books, it doesn't erase his legacy in Tempe. Harris was a playmaker for the Sun Devils during one of their most successful three-year stretches, and he still stands as a measuring stick for today's Arizona State rushers.