Harris returns to his roots with trip to Arlington to face Aggies

Posted: October 3, 2009 at 7:10 a.m.

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FAYETTEVILLE — As the son of a famous father, Matt Harris consciously seldom prefaces a sentence with "my dad."

However there are occasions the University of Arkansas senior safety simply must discuss his dad.

This is one of them. After all the Razorbacks and Texas A&M Aggies on Saturday night play the second ever collegiate game in Cowboys Stadium, the colossal new home of the Dallas Cowboys for whom Cliff Harris starred as a "Ring of Honor" safety from 1970-79.

Cliff Harris' 1970-73 Dallas seasons inthe Cotton Bowl were part of pioneering the Cowboys into Texas Stadium in 1974, a futuristic football home in its day though not matching the "wow!" impact of Cowboys' owner Jerry Jones' dazzling combination of ancient coliseums and the Jetsons.

"Just colossal," Matt Harris said. "It's like going into the Romans .... Jerry Jones went all out. I've never seen it, (in person) but on TV it looks unreal, it looks fake, The scoreboard ... it's unbelievable."

And in his own way impacting the Cowboys on their "America's team" run, Cliff Harris contributed towards building it. So naturally Matt Harris was asked plenty about his father and the stadium and its impact upon him heading into the 6:30 p.m., ESPN2-televised game.

"It means a lot," Matt Harris said. "I'm very proud of my dad and the accomplishments he's had. To be playing on the field where he made history is a big deal to me. It's going to be a big game."

And would be a biggame whether it was in a cotton field, the old Cotton Bowl or football's newest showplace.

The Hogs and Aggies are rekindling an old Southwest Conference rivalry expired. Arkansas left the moribund SWC for the SEC in 1992 before A&M, Texas, Texas Tech and Baylor fled to the Big Eight to form the Big 12.

There is a Harris family history with Arkansas versus Aggies though not with Cliff. Cliff Harris played at Ouachita Baptist.

But Tommy Harris, Matt's uncle, was a Razorback defensive back from 1972-75 and played in perhaps Arkansas' most historic triumph over the Aggies. Frank Broyles 1975 Razorbacks in December in Little Rock not only defeated but throttled, 31-6 the undefeated Aggies and claimed a piece of the SWC crown.

Growing up in Richardson, Texas, with Arkansas roots, (Cliff and Tommy Harris originally are from Des Arc) Matt Harris has his own history with Aggies.

"I know a bunch of guys down there at A&M," Matt Harris, an alum of Richardson's Pearce High, said. "I had some ex-teammates and I know a coupleof guys that still play. It's a huge deal. We're playing not only in the new stadium, but to show off the Texas boys from the SEC against A&M."

Of course it could be said these Razorbacks, whether born in Arkansas, Texas or Timbuktu, don't have much to show against the 3-0 Aggies.

Arkansas is 1-2. The 2 are 52-41 and 35-7 SEC losses to Georgia in Fayetteville and at nationally No. 3 Alabama.

Yielding 87 points in two games makes any defense wince. However those were SEC powers with one on the road.

A&M's 3-0, media remarked to Harris, is entirely home-cooked nonconference servings at its Kyle Field in College Station over New Mexico, Utah State and Alabama-Birmingham teams that are a combined 2-9.

"I know A&M is coming off three wins, like you said, that didn't really test them a lot," Harris said. "But I know our mettle has been tested and we know we can play with a lot of confidence, and a lot of speed. I'm happy that we have played them [Georgia and Alabama]. I'm obviously not happy at our record. But the way we have competed, andthe way we know we can play, we do have a lot of confidence going into this A&M game."

On A&M's side of the coin, all a team can do is play the schedule besetting it. Coach Mike Sherman's Aggies and run-pass quarterback Jerrod Johnson, 3 rushing and 3 passing touchdowns against Alabama-Birmingham, have played that schedule so well they lead the nation in total offense, 589.5 yards per game.

"You've got to respect that stat, regardless of whether they've played three no-name teams or three Big 12 teams," Harris said. "I know personally I'm going to get me and my defense ready to play the best offense in the country, like we did last year against Tulsa."

Tulsa brought a wideopen, no-huddle, runpass Spread offense to Fayetteville year. Arkansas, with Harris making a team leading 13 tackles, prevailed, 30-23.

Harris recalls the secondary's stress prepping for Tulsa last year as vividly as he recalls the victory.

"Last year against Tulsa, it was a challenge for the defensive backs, like it will be this week," Harris said.

Sports, Pages 7, 10 on 10/03/2009

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