Scoota Harris going home a standout

Arkansas linebacker De'Jon Harris reacts after making a tackle against Coastal Carolina on Saturday, Nov. 4, 2017, at Reynolds Razorback Stadium in Fayetteville.

— Scoota Harris earned some bragging rights with a close high school friend when Arkansas knocked off LSU 31-14 in Baton Rouge in November of 2015.

His friend just so happened to be Michael Divinity Jr., at the time an LSU linebacker commit and teammate of Harris’ at John Ehret High School in Louisiana. Harris, already a Razorback commit by then, watched the game on TV with Divinity and didn’t miss an opportunity to to rub in the convincing Arkansas win.

“It was just a good feeling just to make fun of him,” Harris said.

Two years later, they’ll square off in Tiger Stadium, a venue Harris, an emerging sophomore star for the Razorbacks, is all too familiar with.

“I always wanted to play there,” Harris said. “At least get the chance to play against (LSU). Just to play on the field in general, growing up as a Tiger fan.”

The Tigers didn’t offer Harris a scholarship back then, but perhaps wish they would’ve now. Two years later, he’ll return to his home state ranked second in the SEC in solo tackles (51) and fourth in total stops (81).

He’s emerged as a bright spot on a struggling Arkansas defense in his first year as a starter.

“He’s made tremendous progress, man,” linebackers coach Vernon Hargreaves said. “From a year ago to now, the jump that he’s made has been outstanding. We couldn’t ask for any more.”

Divinity isn’t the only player Harris knows on LSU’s team. Far from it.

“I know a lot of guys, the majority of the team really,” Harris said.

There’ll be plenty of other people Harris knows in Tiger Stadium on Saturday, too.

Each player gets four tickets to each game, but Harris has gone around to his teammates asking for extras they aren’t planning on using. He’s managed to secure about 10 for his immediate family.

“Most of the time, it’s trying to trade off tickets throughout the season, like, ‘I’ll give you these tickets if my family don’t come and you try to give me LSU tickets,’” Harris said.

There’ll be other family and some friends in attendance, too, watching him make his Death Valley debut as one of the SEC’s most productive linebackers.