Berry Talks Recruitment on After Further Review
08/19/2024
Harlem Berry is the No. 1 running back in the country for 2025 and has been committed to LSU since January. He visited with Matt Moscona on 104.5 ESPN Baton Rouge to discuss his commitment, his relationship with Frank Wilson, what he wants to improve on during his senior season and his relationship with Bryce Underwood.
On why he committed to LSU early:
“I’ve really had my mind made up. I’ve been wanting to go to LSU since I heard of LSU. So I learned it from that play and all those type of players, but once I really had my mind made up and was like, I saw what I wanted to see, I was like, yeah. This is where I need to be at. I just went with it, and I was like, I need to commit. So I have my senior season to myself. I don’t have to worry about recruiting visits, coaches, this and that. So I just wanted to make that decision early.”
On his relationship with LSU RB coach Frank Wilson:
“Me and coach Frank had gotten real close in the past years, since he’s been recruiting me, so it was a great connection. Coach Frank, he came, they went at me hard, they were coming after me, so I just felt like coach Frank could do the best.”
Why Frank Wilson recruits New Orleans so effectively:
“He lived in New Orleans, and he has so many connections. Coach Frank is known around New Orleans, so it just makes it easier for him to adapt, get to know the player better, get to know the type of player that you are and everything.”
On competing with No. 1 Quarterback and LSU commitment Bryce Underwood in 7-on-7:
“Oh, it was fun, especially because over the summer I was really working on running back, but I was trying to, you know, getting the receiver receiving back type of thing. So being able to work on that and then go produce and go put on a show, especially with Bryce as such a great quarterback, it’s just a fun experience and great, great way to build a connection between me and him.”
On his ability as a receiver:
“I would say it’s kinda a gift from God, but, yeah, I had definitely tweaked it up a little bit to get the quality a little bit better over the summer. But I definitely think, yeah, that would be a gift from God that, honestly, I’m just thankful for. I could play that type of position too.”
On his relationship with Underwood:
“Me and Bryce pretty cool. Definitely seen him on visits, talked to him through you know social media and stuff like that, but we’re building a connection to make something great at LSU. So it’s definitely been great.”
On his size at 5-foot-10, 185
“I’m definitely gonna get, bigger especially playing the SEC. I’m not a power back so I don’t want to be too big, but I’m definitely gonna try to put on some more weight to be able to take those hits from those big old guys in the SEC.”
What he wants to work on his senior season:
“Definitely getting used to staying between the tackles. Because high school and college is two different things. It’s way easy to run outside, make a lot of guys miss getting the end zone. But in college, that is definitely way harder than you can make it seem in high school. So that’s definitely something I’m definitely trying to work on this season.
And then, just motioning out the back field, going lineup at receiver. Because I did it in 7-on-7, but, we put the pads on and it’s tackle. That’s a little different. So definitely working on that too.”