Christ School's Josh Harrison mastered pass rushing after working with former NFL player
Josh Harrison was one of the most improved players in Western North Carolina in 2022. He recorded 11 sacks after recording only one the year before.
Coach Chad Walker credits his jump to spending extra time with defensive coordinator George Johnson, who played nine years in the NFL as a defensive end, and learning the art of pass rushing.
“It’s not just being able to beat a guy with speed or beat a guy with power,” Walker said. “There’s a lot to the art of pass rushing, and Josh learned it this year.”
The growth he showed and his potential resulted in Harrison receiving 14 Division I offers this past offseason.
Harrison, a 6-foot-2 and 225 pound edge, committed to Wake Forest in March and is No. 3 on the Asheville Citizen Times and Hendersonville Times News Elite Eight, a collection of WNC's top college football recruits for the Class of 2024.
Moving to the gridiron from the hardwood
Harrison, originally played only basketball at Christ School. Walker recruited him to play football during the COVID-shortened 2021-22 season when the Greenies needed more players.
He joined the team in Week 3 when Christ School was preparing to play Rabun Gap-Nacoochee.
“We put him in as a middle linebacker,” Walker said. “And basically said, ‘Hey Josh, see ball, get ball. You’re athletic enough to be able to do it.”
He finished his first game with eight tackles. Walker said the coaching staff met to discuss where Harrison could be best utilized and moved him to the defensive line, where he began to flourish.
Harrison said he tries to model his game after current Dallas Cowboys defensive linemen Micah Parsons and Pittsburgh Steelers edge rusher T.J. Watt.
“Those are two players you call dogs,” Harrison said. “They don’t take plays off. You’ll see them around the ball every play. They’re the leaders of the defense on their teams.”
Mom saw his football potential first
He said he knew he could always play football if he wanted to, thanks to his tall stature. But his mother was the first one to recognize his potential in football.
“She was talking to my dad, actually,” Harrison said. “She was like, ‘One day that kid is gonna go out and play football and blow up.’ He didn’t believe her. He thought I was soft, so I went out there and showed it to him.”
He said his faith and his family keep him motivated.
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“I want to do it for my family,” Harrison said. “They’ve done so much for me. I owe it to them to give it my all, the sacrifices they made.
“Then my faith, I’ve been blessed with this beautiful opportunity to play at the next level, so I want to make the most out of it.”
This article originally appeared on Hendersonville Times-News: How Christ School's Josh Harrison mastered the art of pass rushing
