4/30/06 Jerome Harrison conference call

(on his smaller size)- “I’m a little undersized, but there are a lot of running backs in the NFL today who are having success at my size.  When you carry the ball over 300 times last season and have no injuries as I did, then you can throw that size thing out the window.”

(on his style of play)- “I’m loose and make people miss. But I don’t do a lot of dancing.  I think I’ll be able to catch the ball a lot. You can put me in the slot or out on the end.  I’ll play on third down. I’ll play on special teams.  I just want to do what I can to help the team.”

(on the Browns running backs)- “Reuben (Droughns) is a great back.  He’s a veteran. I don’t mind learning from him.”

4/30/06 General Manager Phil Savage press conference

(On fifth round pick Jerome Harrison)- “We’ve been trying to get a running back. We were real fortunate to get Jerome Harrison from Washington State. He rushed for 1,900 yards, the second most in the country. He came on a visit as well. He just had a really strong two years at Washington State. We think he could be a real strong challenger at that changeup back for Reuben (Droughns).

(On Jerome Harrison dropping as late as he did)- “He’s 5’9” 200 pounds so the reason is size. His production was good.”

(On Jerome Harrison’s receiving skills)- “He catches the ball well. They didn’t necessarily use him as much as a receiver. He probably would not be a guy down the field. Certainly on check-downs or things on the perimeter.”

(On Jerome Harrison’s presence impacting Lee Suggs)- “I don’t necessarily think so. Lee is a talented player and he’s just been hurt. He hasn’t been able to get out there and show what he can do with this particular group. I think it doesn’t really say anything either than it increases the competition.”

JEROME HARRISON

Tailback

Washington State University Cougars

#1

5:09.2-199

Kalamazoo, Michigan

Eastern Michigan University

Pasadena City Community College

Kalamazoo High School

OVERVIEW

An unheralded athlete prior to his senior season, Jerome certainly earned national recognition with his record-breaking 2005 campaign. The compactly built runner has drawn comparisons to former St. Louis/Arizona Cardinals great, Stump Mitchell, for his explosive burst and quick acceleration through the holes.  The Kalamazoo High School product was an All-American honorable mention and Detroit Free Press All-State selection as a senior. He added All-Conference first-team and All-State honorable mention during his junior year, serving as team captain during both seasons. He shattered school season-records as a senior, piling up 2,338 yards and 31 touchdowns on the ground.  Harrison decided to stay in-state during 2001, enrolling at Eastern Michigan University. Because of his academics, he was forced to enroll at Pasadena Community College for the next two seasons. He ran for 790 yards in seven regular season games in 2002 and including playoff action, finished that season with 1,033 yards and eleven touchdowns on 122 attempts (8.5 avg).

He earned All-Mission Conference honors in 2003, carrying 174 times for 1,059 yards and ten scores. In two seasons with the Lancers, he gained 2,092 yards with 21 touchdowns on 296 rushing attempts (7.1 avg), becoming the first player to rush for over 1,000 yards twice in a career. He also gained 299 yards with a score on 31 receptions.

Jerome transferred to Washington State in 2004. He started five games as a junior, but still managed to lead the team with 900 yards and nine touchdowns on 174 carries (5.2 avg). He added 69 yards on ten catches, gained 172 yards on ten kickoff returns (17.2 avg) and amassed 1,154 yards in his first year as a Cougar.  Harrison had a sensational spring camp prior to the 2005 season, with his teammates nicknaming him “Ghost” for the way he seemed to disappear for long runs coming out of the backfield. The “Ghost” scared quite a few opponents during his final year, as he ranked third in the nation in rushing (172.73 ypg) and all-purpose yardage (192.09 ypg). He set school season-records with 1,900 yards and 16 touchdowns, carrying 308 times (6.2 avg). He also improved his receiving skills, hauling in 24 passes for 206 yards (8.6 avg) and a score. He totaled 2,113 all-purpose yards and scored 102 points.  In 22 games with the Cougars, Jerome started 16 times. He carried 482 times for 2,800 yards (5.8 avg) and 25 touchdowns. He also snared 34 passes for 275 yards (8.1 avg) and a score.

Including his time at Pasadena College, Harrison amassed 4,892 yards on 778 rushing attempts (6.3 avg) and 46 touchdowns. He also gained 574 yards with two scores on 65 receptions (8.8 avg) and returned twelve kickoffs for 196 yards (16.3). He averaged 134.81 all-purpose yards per game and 7.62 yards each time he touched the ball (855 times) as a collegian. He closed out his career with a string of fourteen consecutive games with at least 100 yards rushing.

CAREER NOTES

Because he only played two seasons at Washington State, most of his records are seasonal rather than career marks…His 2,800 yards rushing as a Cougar rank fifth in school annals behind Rueben Mayes (3,519 yards, 1982-85), Steve Broussard (3054, 1986-89), Shaumbe Wright-Fair (2938, 1989-92) and Tim Harris (2830, 1979-82)…His 1,900 yarrds on the ground in 2005 broke the old school season-record of 1,637 by Rueben Mayes in 1984…His 482 carries rank sixth in WSU annals and his 25 rushing touchdowns rank second, surpassed only by Steve Broussard’s 33…His 3,267 all-purpose yards as a Cougar is the sixth-best career total in school history, topped only by Broussard (4,635), Mayes (4,418), Wright-Fair (3,804), Harris (3,584) and Bernard Jackson (3,474, 1970-71)…Harrison’s 2,113 all-purpose yards in 2005 was just shy of Jackson’s WSU season-record of 2,118 in 1971…His four 200-yard rushing performances in 2005 broke the old school season-record of three by Mayes in 1984…Set another school record by rushing for at least 100 yards in each of his final fourteen games.

2005 SEASON

Consensus All-American first-team selection and unanimous All-Pac 10 Conference first-team choice…Ranked third in the nation in both rushing (172.73 ypg) and all-purpose yardage (192.09 ypg)…Led the Pac-10 with a school season-record 1,900 yards and sixteen touchdowns on 174 carries…Fumbled six times, with the opposition recovering three of those miscues…Had 33 runs for at least 10 yards, including fourteen of 20 yards or longer (had five runs for 50+ yards)…Caught a career-high 24 passes for 206 yards (8.6 avg) and a score…Led the team in scoring with 102 points…Added 7 yards on a kickoff return…Amassed 2,113 all-purpose yards…Ran for at least 100 yards in each of the team’s eleven games, including a school record four 200-yard performances.

2004 SEASON

All-Pac 10 Conference honorable mention…Played in every game, starting the final five

contests…Led the team with 900 yards and nine touchdowns on 174 carries (5.2 avg)… Had ten receptions for 69 yards (6.9 avg)…Returned ten kickoffs for 172 yards, adding 13 more yards on a punt return.

JUNIOR COLLEGE

Lettered twice at Pasadena (Cal.) City College (2002-03), playing football for head coach Tom Maher…First player in school history to rush for over 1,000 yards in two seasons.  2003 Season…All-Mission Conference first-team selection…Named City College Player of the Year and Male Athlete of the Year…Rushed 174 times for 1,059 yards (6.1 avg) and ten touchdowns…Amassed 255 yards with three scores on 27 carries vs. Santa Ana and gained 162 yards on 33 tries vs. Saddleback.

2002 Season…Appeared in seven regular season games and the Potato Bowl…Picked up 790 yards with nine scores on 100 carries (7.9 avg) during the regular season and increased his yearly totals when he scored twice and piled up 243 yards on 22 attempts vs. Moorpark in the Potato Bowl.

2001 SEASON

Enrolled at Eastern Michigan, but failed to qualify under NCAA Proposition 48 rules.

CAMPUS AGILITY TESTS

4.54 in the 40-yard dash…405-pound bench press…30 ¾-inch arm length…9-inch hands… Right-handed.

HIGH SCHOOL

Attended Kalamazoo (Mich.) High School, playing football for head coach Bob Kubiak…

All-American honorable mention and Detroit Free Press All-State selection as a senior… Added All-Conference first-team and All-State honorable mention during his junior year, serving as team captain during both seasons…Shattered school season-records as a senior, piling up 2,338 yards and 31 touchdowns on the ground.

PERSONAL

Humanities/Communications major…Son of Debbie and Jerome Purcell…Born 2/26/83…

Resides in Kalamazoo, Michigan.