Former LSU Quarterback Brandon Harris Transferring to North Carolina

Written by Charlie Beuttel

Twitter: @charlie_cds3

On Sunday afternoon, quarterback Brandon Harris announced via Facebook that he will be transferring from LSU, where he spent his first three years of collegiate football, to North Carolina, where he will be eligible to play immediately as a graduate transfer following his graduation in June.

In his Facebook post announcing the move, Harris wrote he made a decision after a visit this weekend:

“Obviously, it has been an important time for me, looking for a great situation and another opportunity to grow as a young man and as a student as well as a football player. The opportunity to accomplish that is very important to me. After my official visit this weekend to the University of North Carolina, I’m going to get that opportunity. With that being said, I’m fully committed to UNC this upcoming year and I look forward to the opportunity to play for coach Fedora and UNC. Thank you, to all of those who have kept me in your prayers and continue to do so. I have to say that I haven’t been this excited in a while and can’t do anything but thank God and my wonderful family for their continued support. #godbless #tarhealnation.”

Harris, a native of Bossier City, Louisiana, played his high school ball at Parkway where he was one of the best quarterback prospects in the country. During his senior campaign in 2013, the Panthers star completed 178-of-329 passes for 3,172 yards and 34 touchdowns while rushing for 1,048 and 15 more touchdowns while leading his team to a 14-1 record and reaching the 5A state championship game.

During his first season in Baton Rouge in 2014, the young freshman appeared in nine games while making one start. Despite his limited action, Harris completed 25-of-45 passes for 452 yards and six touchdowns. In his first career start against Auburn, Harris and wide receiver Malachi Dupre became the first quarterback-wide receiver true freshmen combination to start the same game in program history. A couple other achievements for Harris in his freshman season came as he became the only true freshman quarterback in LSU history to throw three touchdowns in a game when the Tigers beat New Mexico State and also against Auburn when he became the first LSU true freshman signal-caller to throw two-plus scores in his first SEC outing since 1992.

The 2015 season was Harris’ best year as a Tiger starting all 12 games helping lead LSU to a 9-3 record. The sophomore play-maker finished with the year by completing 149-of-277 passes for 2,165 yards and 13 touchdowns while rushing the ball 67 times for 226 yards and four more scores. During the 2015 season he threw 137 consecutive passes without an interception which tied for first in LSU history with Alan Risher who accomplished the feat in 1982.

During his final season in 2016, there was a lot of shake-up in the LSU program as Head Coach Les Miles and offensive coordinator Cam Cameron were let go and Ed Orgeron was named interim head coach after a 2-2 start by the Tigers. On the football field, Harris started the first two games of the season which were a loss to Wisconsin and a win over Jacksonville State. After that, the junior appeared in just two other games with no starts. In all four games combined, Harris completed 13-of-25 passes for 139 yards and one touchdown. After the disappointing season, Harris announced his intentions to transfer from LSU.

With the addition of the LSU transfer, North Carolina now has five quarterbacks on their roster including Manny Miles, Nathan Elliott, Chazz Surratt, and Logan Byrd. None of the four current Tar Heel quarterbacks have ever started a game at the collegiate level and are sharing the reps during spring practice trying to earn a starting spot in the fall.

The Tar Heels are trying to replace Mitch Trubisky, who left the school after his junior season in 2016 and is expected to be one of the top quarterbacks selected in the upcoming NFL Draft.

Before his decision to join the North Carolina program, Harris had reportedly been considering Texas and Arizona but his first and final visit came in Raleigh.

If Harris can quickly adapt to his new school and the no-huddle offense that Tar Heels’ head coach Larry Fedora likes to employ he will a successful senior year to finish out his college football career.

Photo credit: facebook.com; Brandon Harris during his visit at North Carolina

Photo credit: Sporting News; LSU Quarterback Brandon Harris attempts to throw a pass