2022 Countdown to IUFB Kickoff: 82 Days (Christian Harris)

Written by: TJ Inman (@TJHoosierHuddle)

The 2022 Hoosier Huddle Countdown is well and truly underway. Each day, we will take a look at one (or two) players on the current roster and highlight the players role in the upcoming season. Today’s profile is a returning walk-on at a position with a lot of turnover: Christian Harris.

Name: Christian Harris

Hometown: Wheaton, Illinois (College of DuPage)

Position: Wide Receiver

Year: Senior

Height/Weight: 6’3”/181 pounds

It does not take a football expert to be able to write that IU’s 2021 offense was a complete mess. Running game, passing game, blocking, it was all bad. That led to a number of changes in coaching and playing personnel. Few areas changed as much in the offseason as the wide receiver room. Several players transferred out. A new position coach was hired. The Hoosiers added Emery Simmons, Cam Camper and Andison Coby from the portal. A few freshmen will be joining the position room as well. The most veteran player left standing? Walk-on wideout Christian Harris. Harris, originally from Wheaton, Illinois, is a “super senior” played at Wheaton-Warrenville South High School before heading to College of DuPage and eventually coming to Bloomington.

College of DuPage, who’s athletic teams have a nickname of the Chaparrals, is a two-year junior college located in Illinois. Harris caught ten passes for 150 yards in 2018 and then came to IU, redshirting the 2019 season. He played in five games during the shortened 2020 season and earned IU’s Chris Beaty Outstanding Walk-On Player of the Year award. Last season, Harris appeared in ten games, all on special teams. His highlight was blocking a punt in the season finale at Purdue.

Christian Harris enters his final season of eligibility as a long shot to earn significant snaps at wideout. Despite his veteran status and the amount of change on the roster at his position, it would still be quite a surprise if he featured in many offensive plays. That being said, he showed last season that he can be very useful on special teams and the importance of good special teams players should not be discounted.

The countdown continues with a new profile each and every day so come back to hoosierhuddle.com daily!