Time flies: Year 4 of the Harbor experiment

[18IsTheMan]

Hard to believe we're on the last leg of Harbor's time here at USC. His progress has been...slow...and steady. From 12 catches to 26 to 30 and increasing his yardage from 195 to 618. The whole process was interesting. Taking a DE from high school and making him a WR so that he could try to make the Olympics as a sprinter, more or less allowing his entire first year+ to be a wash developmentally as he pursued the Olympic dream.

As odd of a transition as it was, the promise was there all along. Some of what was missing early on was the commitment as he was trying to pull double duty with track. He flashed some nice catches in tight windows. I think we might have some different results if he had been brought in to be 100% football from the outset. But the catch 22 was that the way only we got him here was by allowing him to pursue the track dream. So, I don't really fault for our coaches for that. If we had a drawn a hard line on being 100% football, he simply would have gone elsewhere.

Because of all that, even though he's now a senior, I still find myself thinking of him as more of a sophomore/junior developmentally. But, here we are, with him entering his final season of play. He'll be a centerpiece of the offense (or at least attempted centerpiece). He's already a certified deep ball threat. Though he doesn't have a quick first step, he has the physical tools to be a lethal weapon at WR.

For his sake, and ours, I hope this is a great year for him. I don't fault him for wanting to pursue the Olympics...that's every athlete's dream.

 

[PrestonyteParrot]

Hard to believe we're on the last leg of Harbor's time here at USC. His progress has been...slow...and steady. From 12 catches to 26 to 30 and increasing his yardage from 195 to 618. The whole process was interesting. Taking a DE from high school and making him a WR so that he could try to make the Olympics as a sprinter, more or less allowing his entire first year+ to be a wash developmentally as he pursued the Olympic dream.

As odd of a transition as it was, the promise was there all along. Some of what was missing early on was the commitment as he was trying to pull double duty with track. He flashed some nice catches in tight windows. I think we might have some different results if he had been brought in to be 100% football from the outset. But the catch 22 was that the way only we got him here was by allowing him to pursue the track dream. So, I don't really fault for our coaches for that. If we had a drawn a hard line on being 100% football, he simply would have gone elsewhere.

Because of all that, even though he's now a senior, I still find myself thinking of him as more of a sophomore/junior developmentally. But, here we are, with him entering his final season of play. He'll be a centerpiece of the offense (or at least attempted centerpiece). He's already a certified deep ball threat. Though he doesn't have a quick first step, he has the physical tools to be a lethal weapon at WR.

For his sake, and ours, I hope this is a great year for him. I don't fault him for wanting to pursue the Olympics...that's every athlete's dream.

Yep, time for the experiment to pay off!

 

[18IsTheMan]

Yep, time for the experiment to pay off!

In a way, it kind of hearkens back to the old days of college football, when a player when spend a few years developing leading to a big payoff in their final season.

With the players skipping out early for the NFL having become commonplace and the advent of the portal, player development has largely become a thing of the past. Players want to start NOW and be the focus of the offense NOW and coaches scour the portal only for players who can contribute NOW.

Though Harbor's path was unconventional, I appreciate the rare commitment to development and progression.

 

[Lurker123]

In a way, it kind of hearkens back to the old days of college football, when a player when spend a few years developing leading to a big payoff in their final season.

With the players skipping out early for the NFL having become commonplace and the advent of the portal, player development has largely become a thing of the past. Players want to start NOW and be the focus of the offense NOW and coaches scour the portal only for players who can contribute NOW.

Though Harbor's path was unconventional, I appreciate the rare commitment to development and progression.

I was surprised at the amount of yards last year.

If he continues developing, his trend could approach 1000 yards.

 

[18IsTheMan]

I was surprised at the amount of yards last year.

If he continues developing, his trend could approach 1000 yards.

I know there was some frustration early on with his development and the divided focus with track, but he's had steady improvement in every statistical category so far.

 

[92Pony]

He, along with all of our offensive talent, has been handcuffed the majority of his time here by inept OLs and OCs. Here's hoping Briles (and Clements) can help Harbor put it all together.

 

[Lurker123]

I know there was some frustration early on with his development and the divided focus with track, but he's had steady improvement in every statistical category so far.

Purely hypothetical, but I wonder sometimes if the money might have been better spent on a 4 star WR? We might have even got a 4 year WR, instead of a guy entering his senior year still hoping to develop into one.

(Couldn't help it, had to stir the pot)

 

[18IsTheMan]

Purely hypothetical, but I wonder sometimes if the money might have been better spent on a 4 star WR? We might have even got a 4 year WR, instead of a guy entering his senior year still hoping to develop into one.

(Couldn't help it, had to stir the pot)

It's a reasonable question in the pay-to-play era.

I suppose it depends on whether there any viable 4* we could have gotten. And you just never know how they'll develop. Mazeo was highly rated WR and a 4*. So far he has not panned out. Then you have the retention factor in this era. If we got a productive 4* WR out of HS, could we have held onto him 3-4 years? I'd guess not.

 

[kidrobinski]

He, along with all of our offensive talent, has been handcuffed the majority of his time here by inept OLs and OCs. Here's hoping Briles (and Clements) can help Harbor put it all together.

I'm expecting that they can. He's as pure a long ball guy as there is and and a throw that I hope Sellers has been working on overtime; pop a couple of those and one of the spies they put on Sellers will exit for a double DB.

 

[Lurker123]

I'm expecting that they can. He's as pure a long ball guy as there is and and a throw that I hope Sellers has been working on overtime; pop a couple of those and one of the spies they put on Sellers will exit for a double DB.

I know connecting on them would help, but just throwing that deep ball a couple times a game will force some adjustment from the defense.

 

[3USC1801]

I know connecting on them would help, but just throwing that deep ball a couple times a game will force some adjustment from the defense.

I was under the impression Sellers could throw the long ball but was terrible at short/intermediate routes and reading the defense. Maybe, just maybe, Brile‘s system and coaching will benefit Sellers and Harbor. I’m not holding my breath though.

 

[Lurker123]

I was under the impression Sellers could throw the long ball but was terrible at short/intermediate routes and reading the defense. Maybe, just maybe, Brile‘s system and coaching will benefit Sellers and Harbor. I’m not holding my breath though.

I would say the same. I think the biggest issue with the deep ball was giving Sellers the time. If we cant do that, imo, move the pocket to get that play run.

 

[3USC1801]

I would say the same. I think the biggest issue with the deep ball was giving Sellers the time. If we cant do that, imo, move the pocket to get that play run.

I agree. The OL played a part in Sellers outcome as did the play calling.

Briles purportedly is good at running the ball AND spreading the field for the shorter routes, which would open up the long ball.

 

[Go Gamecocks]

(Couldn't help it, had to stir the pot)

 

[Go Gamecocks]

That speed has to interest some NFL scouts. I just hope he reaches his potential, whatever it is. Nick seems like a really good guy.

 

[Gamecock Jacque]

I would love to see him opposite Stewart for a series.

 

[I4CtheFuture]

Purely hypothetical, but I wonder sometimes if the money might have been better spent on a 4 star WR? We might have even got a 4 year WR, instead of a guy entering his senior year still hoping to develop into one.

(Couldn't help it, had to stir the pot)

I'm not so sure that 4 years ago, it was ok to buy players. - Seems like the floodgates hadn't opened yet IIRC - ??

 

[Lurker123]

I'm not so sure that 4 years ago, it was ok to buy players. - Seems like the floodgates hadn't opened yet IIRC - ??

I had to look it up. Summer of 2021 was when it became legal.

 

[18IsTheMan]

I would love to see him opposite Stewart for a series.

Can you imagine he had a Rudy moment and came in for a play and sacked the QB? That would leave everyone wondering "what if?" for the last 3 seasons.

 

[92Pony]

Can you imagine he had a Rudy moment and came in for a play and sacked the QB? That would leave everyone wondering "what if?" for the last 3 seasons.

That sounds awfully Gamecock to me!

 

[Gamecock Jacque]

Can you imagine he had a Rudy moment and came in for a play and sacked the QB? That would leave everyone wondering "what if?" for the last 3 seasons.

Not sure about it being a "Rudy" moment. Wasn't Harbor a 5* as a DE?

 

[Bubba Fett]

I wish him well, but it's painfully obvious, and has been from the start, that he's not a receiver.

 

[Tngamecock]

I wish him well, but it's painfully obvious, and has been from the start, that he's not a receiver.

He’s a receiver…. that catch in the end zone getting 1 foot down against Alabama year before last tells you all you need to know. Don’t confuse not a receiver with a crappy offensive line and stupid game plan.

 

[Piscis]

He’s a receiver…. that catch in the end zone getting 1 foot down against Alabama here before last tells you all you need to know. Don’t confuse not a receiver with a crappy offensive line and stupid game plan.

No, he's not a receiver. He is a freak athlete that can outrun a DB who lets him get a step on them. When he runs a route other than a fly pattern, he is no better than any 3 star WR.

The nonstop blaming of the OL and previous OCs is embarrassing. I guess South Carolina has had 130+ years of bad OCs and OL coaches?

 

[18IsTheMan]

No, he's not a receiver. He is a freak athlete that can outrun a DB who lets him get a step on them. When he runs a route other than a fly pattern, he is no better than any 3 star WR.

The nonstop blaming of the OL and previous OCs is embarrassing. I guess South Carolina has had 130+ years of bad OCs and OL coaches?

You can argue whether Nyck should be at WR or not, but our OL was awful. Legitimately one of the worst in all of college football.

 

[Piscis]

You can argue whether Nyck should be at WR or not, but our OL was awful. Legitimately one of the worst in all of college football.

It was bad, but it wasn't terrible in '24 or really in '23 and I remember plenty of people around here praising Teasley because of his recruiting. Everyone was very high on the OL going into 2025.

I'm not saying Teasley should have been kept, but I think the issue is a talent issue more than a coaching issue. OL is a position group that needs a lot of bodies and a lot of talented depth. Maybe the new group, basically the whole position group is new this year, will be better.

 

[18IsTheMan]

It was bad, but it wasn't terrible in '24 or really in '23 and I remember plenty of people around here praising Teasley because of his recruiting. Everyone was very high on the OL going into 2025.

I'm not saying Teasley should have been kept, but I think the issue is a talent issue more than a coaching issue. OL is a position group that needs a lot of bodies and a lot of talented depth. Maybe the new group, basically the whole position group is new this year, will be better.

We never had a good OL under Teasley. They were all bad. '24 and '23 only don't look as bad b/c '25 was truly one of the worst in all of CFB, not just P5. The '23 OL killed our season the second it started. They were completely awful against UNC and never got better. That was the game where their D beat TWO double teams on the same play to sack Rattler. Sellers masked some of the OL problems in '24 because he caught opposing Ds off guard with his running. His best plays were escaping pressure and making something happen with his legs. Once opposing Ds put a spy on him last year, he was toast with our OL.

 

[Uscg1984]

Whether Harbor is a receiver or not, I'd like to see him get 900+ yards receiving this year with 10+ TDs.