LITTLE ROCK — Sixth in a series profiling 2010 inductees into the Arkansas Sports Hall of Fame
Leotis Harris holds a singular distinction in Arkansas football history.
As an offensive guard in 1977, Harris became the Razorbacks’ first black All-American.
“It’s a great legacy for me and my family, and for African-Americans period,” Harris said. “It’s a great feeling to be a part of history.”
Harris’ life and achievements will be celebrated again Friday night when the Little Rock native is inducted into the Arkansas Sports Hall of Fame.
The honor comes 27 years after Harris, 54, played his last game, for the Green Bay Packers in 1983.
“My personal feelings are God always has a time for you, and it’s just my time now to go in,” Harris said. “When you’ve been out of the game awhile, you can look back and reflect on things, all the work you put into it.
“It makes everything a little sweeter, because you can appreciate it more.”
Harris starred at nose guard for Little Rock Hall High School and was heavily recruited nationally as a senior in 1973.
“Leotis couldn’t be blocked in high school,” said Ken Turner, a Razorbacks assistant coach from 1972-1988 who recruited Arkansas. “Everybody wanted him.”
From Gainesville, Fla., to Los Angeles.
“I got letters and phone calls from all over, including Florida,” Harris said. “Southern Cal called me up and said, ‘Hey, you want to come out here?’ I told them, ‘No, that’s a little bit too far.’ ”
Closer to home, Oklahoma State made a strong push to sign Harris away from Arkansas.
“It was a tough go to get him,” Turner said. “It went right down to the wire between us and Oklahoma State.”
In the end, Harris decided to sign with the Razorbacks.
“Oklahoma State was tempting, but it wasn’t home,” Harris said. “I think I made the right choice going to Arkansas.
“I’m a homebody. Arkansas is where I was going to live, so playing for the Razorbacks was for the best.”
Harris came to Arkansas expecting to anchor the defensive line, but kept suffering ankle injuries.
Arkansas’ coaches decided to move him to the offensive line his sophomore year in 1975 so he wouldn’t be a target for so many hits on his legs.
Harris became a starting guard as a junior and then blossomed into a first-team All-American as a senior, helping Arkansas to a 10-1 regular-season record.
In Arkansas’ 1977 media guide, Harris is listed at 6-1 and 267 pounds.
“He wasn’t real tall, but he was strong as an ox, and he could really run,” Turner said. “He probably ran a 4.7[- second] 40-yard dash.
“He was as good an offensive lineman as we had the whole time I coached at Arkansas.”
In practice, Harris went against defensive tackles Dan Hampton and Jimmy Walker, who both earned All-America honors in 1978.
“Leotis could get a stalemate against those guys,” said Razorback Foundation Executive Director Harold Horton, who was Arkansas’ defensive line coach in 1977.“They wouldn’t use him up the way they did the other offensive linemen.
“Leotis had an explosion coming off that football and was just very physical and athletic.”
Frank Broyles, Arkansas’ head football coach in 1958-1976 and athletic director in 1973-2006, recalled that Harris seemed to be a natural offensive lineman.
“And he was natural leader, too,” Broyles said. “The players respected him, and they all played better because of him.”
Harris said he was excited to move to offense.
“I was having trouble with injuries on defense, and the switch worked out great for me,” he said. “Instead of getting hit all the time, I was doing the hitting.”
But when Harris was accidentally hit by another offensive lineman while passblocking during a scrimmage before the Razorbacks went on Christmas break, he tore ligaments in his left knee, which sidelined him for Arkansas’ Orange Bowl matchup with Oklahoma.
Without Harris and three suspended players - running backs Ben Cowins and Michael Forrest and receiver Donny Bobo - Arkansas was a heavy underdog to the Sooners.
But in one of the most memorable games in Arkansas history, the Razorbacks won 31-6.
Harris watched from the sideline.
“Sure, I wanted to be out there playing,” he said. “But I was there supporting my teammates and rootingthem on.”
The knee injury undoubtedly affected Harris’ status for the NFL Draft.
“Nobody could really work me out before the draft,” he said. “A couple of teams came down to check on me, but the only thing I could do was jog.”
Harris was picked in the sixth round by Green Bay, where he played in 74 games in 1978-1983, including 55 starts.
“Playing in the pros was a dream come true,” he said. “That’s what I had wanted to do since I first started out playing football in junior high.”
Playing for the Packers, who are community-owned and have a statewide following in Wisconsin, reminded Harris of playing for Arkansas.
“Every Sunday you played at home, they packed that stadium and everyone in the state was really behind the team,” Harris said. “Just the way the fans here in Arkansas are behind the Razorbacks.”
During the off-season, Harris returned home to Little Rock. After missing the 1984 season rehabbing in Green Bay from another knee injury, he retired and came back to Little Rock for good. He now works for Tyson Foods.
Harris was selected to Arkansas’ All-Decade Team for the 1970s and to the All-Century team in 1994. In 2005, he was inducted into the UA Sports Hall of Honor.
Now comes a final tribute with his induction into the Arkansas Sports Hall of Fame.
“There’s no question Leotis deserves this,” Horton said. “He’s one of the greatest Razorbacks ever.”
Harris and Walker were roommates at Arkansas, and when not knocking heads on the field, they used to discuss their aspirations for being the Razorbacks’ first black All-American.
“We would always talk about that in the room at night,” Harris said. “Jimmy would say, ‘Well, I’m goingto be the first All-American.’ And I’d say, ‘No, I am.’
“I’m happy to say, I beat him by one year.”
Harris at a glance
HOMETOWN Little Rock AGE 54 COLLEGE Arkansas CAREER Starred at nose guard at Little Rock Hall, became an All-American offensive guard at Arkansas as a senior in 1977, and played six NFL seasons with the Green Bay Packers from 1978-1983.
FAMILY Wife Gloria; daughter Tachicia; sons Leotis Jr., Derrick, Michael and Antonio; and 14 grandchildren.
NOTEWORTHY First black All-American in Arkansas history, member of the Razorbacks’ All-Century Team.
Sports, Pages 29 on 02/14/2010