Miami Hurricanes Football: Jacory Harris Plays Like a Champion in Win vs. UNC

The University of Miami Hurricanes earned a huge ACC victory in Chapel Hill, NC as the team beat the home-standing North Carolina Tar Heels in a hotly-contested game at Kenan Stadium by a score of 30-24.

One key for the Hurricanes' fast start and eventual victory was the man that many 'Canes fans were calling for his head and for him to be replaced with Stephen Morris: senior quarterback Jacory Harris. 

Harris came out on Miami's first offensive possession and immediately made his presence felt as he marched the team down the field and scored on a five-yard toss to stud running back Mike James. 

After a Tar Heels' turnover, Harris came right back out and led the Hurricanes to another score to gain an early 14-0 advantage in the game, by throwing a 27-yard strike to Tommy Streeter on a wide-open fake reverse to Travis Benjamin.

For the game, Harris completed 20 of 30 passes for 268 yards and three touchdowns and NO interceptions, and he did most of his damage in the first half which proved to be the difference in the game.

He did his job above and beyond, and even earned the praise of the head Hurricane, Al Golden, who said that Jacory Harris is a good football player and that he works hard week in and week out to ensure he's ready for each game.

Sure sounds like a grown-up signal caller who is far removed from the error-prone kid who would force passes that weren't there and would throw a lot of interceptions in critical times.

"Harris has moved into tenth in the nation for quarterback efficiency rating, owning a 169.57 ranking.  He has connected on 62 of 92 passes with nine touchdowns and only three interceptions." (Hurricanesports.com) 

When asked what's different now then in different years, Harris said that he has never had a group of guys trust him like his teammates do now, and that he knows that everyone has a job to do, and that if they take care of the little things, they will be fine as a team.

Jacory Harris is a senior quarterback, and he is finally playing to his potential that he showed as a part of the highly-touted 2008 recruiting class.

He is not NFL-ready right now unlike others that have come before him, but with the right coaching and the right system, the sky is the limit.

This season, Harris seems to finally grasp the fact that he doesn't have to do everything himself to help the Hurricanes win. 

He is getting the ball out of his hands, and into the hands of his playmakers, as Miami has been in all three of the games they have lost this season until the very end for that reason.

Sounds like he's finally playing like a champion in one man's view.