Harriott ready to take over leadership role on defense

Last football season was about as memorable of a year as Claude Harriott could have had. In… Last football season was about as memorable of a year as Claude Harriott could have had. In his fourth year at Pitt, he put together a remarkable, awarding-winning season, making himself one of college football’s most disruptive defensive ends.

As a senior at Pitt, Harriott’s studies earned him enough credits to receive a bachelor’s degree in communications in four years. Though his degree qualified him to step out into the “real world” and get a job, Harriott chose to come back for a fifth and final season to play football for the Panthers and take more classes.

Because he was redshirted his freshman season, Harriott has one year of eligibility left, and will use it this season to play for the Panthers, who are ranked 11th in the preseason USA Today poll.”Leaving early wasn’t best for me,” Harriott said. “I don’t want last year to be my highlight season. I want it to be this year.”

Based on an outstanding season last year, Harriott has been named to several watch lists for next season’s major awards, including the Bronko Nagurski Trophy, awarded to college football’s top defensive player, and the Rotary Lombardi Award, which honors the nation’s top down lineman or linebacker.

Harriott hopes the extra season will not be his last year of football.

“I’ve always had the dream of being in the NFL,” he said. “I got my degree, that’s the next thing.”

A National Football League career looks very possible for Harriott, but much more work is needed first. Pitt football fans will be happy to know that Harriott’s off-season training centered on increasing his speed and strength.Going into the start of this season, Harriott’s main focus will be shedding blocks. Though he finished last season with 9.5 sacks and was among the nation’s leaders in tackles for a loss, Harriott thinks a quicker start will create more disruption for his opponents.

A quicker, more powerful Harriott will allow the Panthers to live up to the high expectations of preseason polls. In addition, it is very likely we will see Harriott’s name added to watch lists for future awards.

“I look at it as being fun,” he said of all the attention he and his team have received. “But that’s just paper, until we play the season.”

Harriott’s skill and athleticism were so outstanding last season that many opposing teams will be highly focused on playing him much tougher.

His vicious style on the football field is hard-nosed and mean. He’s known for sacking quarterbacks, forcing fumbles and crushing tailbacks behind the line of scrimmage. His 6-foot-4-inch, 255-pound frame looks intimidating in uniform, and the way he barks at the offensive line of opposing teams may remind you of the nasty attitude of former NFL star Bryan Cox.

In fact, Harriott, who grew up in Florida and loved watching the Miami Dolphins, always admired Cox’ style.

Cox, with his rough attitude and loud mouth on the field, was known for his punishing hits.

The attitude is seen in Harriott’s game face. Off the field, he’s full of laughs and jokes, always smiling. With a grin on his face and a big, straw hat on his head, Harriott recalled the high jinks he has shared off the field with his teammates during his time at Pitt.

“I’ll miss the teammates the most; I’m even missing [them] now,” Harriott said, referring to players that left for graduation or went on to the NFL.

Harriott has never had any regrets about his decision to come all the way from Florida to play at Pitt. He said he will miss a lot about the memories he made here.

But there’s still a year for Harriott to wear a Panther uniform. With promising statistics last season and this off-season training to prepare for this coming year, Harriott looks to be a threat to Pitt opponents – the guy other teams need to stop.