The running backs were always going to be asked to do a lot this season.
With a freshman at quarterback and no stars at wide receiver, the ground game figured to be the centerpiece of the Boston College offense. But when the season started, Montel Harris couldn't have imagined how big a focal point he'd become.
Harris, a sophomore running back, set BC's freshman rushing record last year, gaining 900 yards. He wasn't alone, however, sharing time with fellow freshman Josh Haden, who gained 479 yards. The two figured to form a dangerous sophomore duo this year, pairing with an experienced offensive line to carry the load as inexperienced quarterbacks Dave Shinksie, a true freshman, and Justin Tuggle, a redshirt freshman, adjusted to their roles.
There was even true freshman Rolandan Finch to take some carries from Haden and Harris, to provide a break when blowout games got late.
Suddenly, however, Harris stands alone.
Haden, who was hurt in BC's win over North Carolina State on Oct. 17, decided to transfer after the Eagles lost to Notre Dame on Oct. 24. That was around the same time Finch was diagnosed with mononucleosis. And now that he's alone, that he's become the sole running back in BC's attack, Harris has blossomed.
He gained a school-record 264 yards and scored five touchdowns against the Wolfpack, ran for 136 in a win over Central Michigan, and last week at Virginia carried a stunning 38 times for 151 yards.
He now has 1,081 yards on 221 carries and has scored 13 touchdowns.
"He's just a tough son of a gun," said senior center Matt Tennant. "He got lit up on that interception at Virginia, and we asked if he was all right ... and he was like, 'I'm fine. Let's go.' He's really growing up a lot. He's understanding his role and how central he is to the success of this offense."
Just as Harris set BC's freshman rushing record last year, he's closing in on the sophomore record this season. He's just 83 yards shy of the 1,164 gained by William Green in the fall of 2001. And though there are still at least three games left in his second season at the Heights, Harris is already 18th on BC's career rushing list with 1,981 yards.
If he can gain 134 yards on Saturday when the Eagles host North Carolina (ESPN2, noon), he'd vault up to 10th.
"I'm really impressed," said senior wide receiver Rich Gunnell. "He only weighs 198 or 199 pounds, and for a running back of his size to carry the ball 38 times is very impressive. He takes a beating week in and week out and he's still running as hard as he was the first game of the season."
As well as Harris has run lately, yards won't come easy on Saturday. The Eagles, who are 7-3 overall and 4-2 in the ACC, go up against a Tar Heels team that is not merely 7-3 overall and 3-3 in league play but ranked ninth in the nation in rushing defense and eighth in total defense.
"He embraces it all," said Shinskie. "He always has a smile on his face, even when he's hit. He wants the ball - 38 carries is unheard of. He's a workhorse and when he's not carrying the ball he's blocking a linebacker that's coming full speed or out on a swing pass.
"He's one of the guys we can't win without."
Harris, despite all he's done in a very short time, was not expected to make a major contribution so soon. He wasn't a featured back in high school, splitting time with Clemson's Jamie Harper at Jacksonville's Trinity Christian, and after a initially committing to Duke was a last-minute recruit in February of 2008.
When last season started with a trip to play Kent State, Harris was not on the two-deep, languishing behind Haden and Jeff Smith. He didn't play that night, but impressed in limited duty the next week in a loss to Georgia Tech. The following week, at home against Central Florida, Harris exploded for 113 yards on 13 carries.
He and Haden shared the rushing responsibilities the rest of the season, and figured to split the carries again this year. But then Haden left, and suddenly Harris is the focal point of BC's offense.
"Montel is a big-league player," said BC coach Frank Spaziani. "He showed me another side of him (with the 38 carries) that I had never seen. That was a tough game for a running back, tough carries. ... He's a good football player, and he's got all the qualities to be an exceptional running back."
Two regular season games remain for BC, and there's a small chance the Eagles can win the ACC's Atlantic Division for a third straight season. It was a year BC was expected to fall hard, struggle as inexperienced players like Shinskie adjusted to unfamiliar roles. But the Eagles are headed to a bowl game, again. And they're in contention in the ACC, again.
A big reason is the performance of the running attack. And the running attack is Montel Harris.
(Eric Avidon is a Daily News staff writer. He can be reached at 508-626-3809 or eavidon@cnc.com.)
