Madison County Red Raiders

Madison County’s Kellen Harris hasn’t played a game in two seasons after missing all of last season with a torn ACL. 
 
It was more like in the pop of a knee for Kellen Harris.

In the spring of 2009, as a sophomore, the Madison County tackle was blocking for a screen pass during practice when he planted his leg and heard a sound he'd never heard before - a loud pop from his knee.

"I really didn't know what happened and I thought I was OK and I went walking (around) to walk it off. I felt an extreme pain in my knee, and I just collapsed on the ground," Harris said.

It turned out to be the worst-case scenario - a torn anterior cruciate ligament. He required surgery over the summer and was unable to play during his junior season, which he considered a pivotal point in his career.

"I was really disappointed because my junior year, that was going to be my most important year to get my name out there," Harris said. "I was heartbroken, really."

While playing guard as a sophomore, Madison County coach Randell Owens said he could see that Harris had a ton of potential, but also said Owens had a lot of "puppy" in him, the kind of player that follows and hangs behind a little bit.

"With his size and everything else he kind of reminded you of a big sloppy Saint Bernard puppy that hasn't grown into his feet yet," Owens said. "A great big body that looked like a full grown dog, but kind of uncoordinated a little bit."

Now a senior, Harris has come back a changed person on and off the field after hard work in the training and rehab rooms.

"He's got much better body control, much better foot speed and he's stronger, but the biggest thing is just his maturity level has really cranked up. He's gone from the follower of the pack to the leader," Owens said.

Harris said the change from guard to tackle isn't too difficult a transition, but he is now responsible for protecting quarterback Alex Jordan's blindside.

As for the knee, he says it's "feeling great and I'm having no problems with it."

The only thing left to do now is play his first game in almost two years.

"I just can't wait, the anticipation is just so great right now, and I already have butterflies in my stomach just thinking about it. I just want to get on the field and hit somebody," Harris said.

That first game, however, is against the newest member of Region 8-AAAA - Flowery Branch, who moves up after reaching the Class AAA state quarterfinals last season.

"When we figured out our first game was going to be Flowery Branch, that was a shock to me," Harris said. "I'm real nervous about it, but I think we're ready."

Flowery Branch enters the region taking the place of Monroe Area, which was consistently the doormat of the region.

With their success in the lower class, Flowery Branch certainly brings more challenges to the region - one now widely considered the toughest region in the entire state.

But when asked what it's like to be the first to play Flowery Branch in the new region, Owens had a question of his own.

"What's it like for them to play AAAA football?" Owens said. "Are they any more intimidating than Clarke (Central) or Cedar (Shoals) or Apalachee from last year, not really. But it's going to be about like that every week against the teams we have to play."