SPRINGDALE — Standing in the center of the world’s most dynamic football stadium, all Garrett Harper could think about was the 11 extremely large bodies on the other side of the field waiting to crush him into the turf.
With his heels barely touching the blue paint of the end zone, the Shiloh Christian senior nervously shifted his weight from side to side as the Euless (Texas) Trinity kicker placed the football on the kicking tee.
“Looking at them before they kicked it, it was kind of intimidating,” Harper said recently. “They’ve got some huge guys and I had never returned a kickoff.”
Gathering in the kick at his own 3, Harper glanced around searching for an opening as a wall of black-clad players descended upon him.
The Lost Season
Harper’s junior season can best be described as empty. What began with such promise quickly went the other direction as a concussion and ankle injury sidelined him and a dislocated elbow finished him before he even had a chance.
“Garrett had a tough year,” Shiloh coach Josh Floyd said. “I’m sure it was discouraging.”
As the Saints marched to the Class 4A state championship, all Harper could do was watch from the sideline in street clothes, his arm in a sling. He tried to be a good teammate and cheerleader, but high-fives after watching friends score touchdowns can only go so far.
Once he recovered from the elbow injury, Harper focused on his rehabilitation, trying to build the strength back in his left arm.
“Garrett worked extremely hard to come back,” Floyd said. “There’s never been anybody come through here who’s more committed and works harder outside of what we do. He’s a guy on Saturday and Sunday who’s calling coach (Rod) Washington and saying ‘Hey, come up here to the school and let’s run.’ You don’t see that out of many kids.”
Harper turned his attention to running spring track, where he found success under Washington, who serves as the Saints track coach in addition to being the offensive coordinator.
Back On The Field
Harper was able to return for spring football practice, but it wasn’t until the season opener in Pine Bluff against Class 5A Watson Chapel that he got his first real test since the previous season.
On the second play of the game, he scored on a 60-yard run, giving the Saints a dimension they’d lacked the previous season — an explosive running back capable of scoring from any point on the field.
“You look for guys who have the ability to take it to the house and Garrett is one of those guys. He’s very explosive,” Washington said. “When he touches the ball, if he gets to the second level, he’s probably going to the house.”
The Watson Chapel game was the start of a sensational season for the 5-foot-10, 190-pound Harper. He led the team with 1,445 rushing yards and 21 rushing touchdowns and caught 42 passes for 656 yards and nine touchdowns. In addition, he racked up 2,419 all-purpose yards and two more touchdowns to earn NWA Media Small Schools Football Offensive Player of the Year honors.
‘I Forgot To Celebrate’
As the Trinity players flooded the field in seek-and-destroy mode, Harper spied a sliver of space near the right sideline and raced for it.
He dodged a couple of would-be tacklers and suddenly found himself in the open. The months of rehab, the after-practice speed drills and the intense desire not to get caught all kicked in at once. And his team needed a spark, trailing 14-0 against one of the nation’s top prep football teams.
So Harper ran as fast as he could.
“I just didn’t want to get caught,” Harper said.
Over the final yards of the 93-yard kickoff return, all the frustration of missing virtually an entire season raced through his mind.
The explosiveness of the return was all the proof Harper needed to know he was back and ready to play a key role in the Saints drive to a third consecutive Class 4A state title, a goal that was accomplished on Dec. 10.
“That kickoff return against Trinity; he’s proven he’s a big-time player,” Floyd said.
For Harper, who is looking at several colleges, the end of the run was both stunning and exhausting.
“When I made the end zone, I forgot to even celebrate because I was too tired,” he said.
Just being back on the field was celebration enough.