Kolbe Harmon turns focus to football recruitment after TSSAA state title in final track meet
MURFREESBORO — While rain poured and lightning flashed outside, Brentwood Academy's Kolbe Harmon sat in a car in the Dean A. Hayes Stadium parking lot, thinking about what he would do when he got out.
Harmon and a pair of teammates did what they could to wait out the storms that put Wednesday's TSSAA state track and field championships on pause for about two hours. When they weren't talking with one another, they were trying to "get locked in." In Harmon's case, that meant visualizing himself winning the 100-meter dash, the race he was warming up for when the meet was suspended.
"Being so ready for the race, my mind being completely on the race, my adrenaline super high to run, just seeing that delay of course got me down," Harmon said. "…. But (I) had to come right back out. Things happen. Gotta get straight back into it."
Harmon, a 3-star wide receiver and defensive back who the 247Sports Composite ranks as the No. 27 junior in Tennessee, plans on graduating high school early and enrolling in college for football in January. This was his final track meet, and while the conditions didn't give him much help, he made the most of his last meet.
Harmon won the DII-AA title in the 100 with a time of 10.67 seconds, just .04 seconds off his school record and personal-best 10.63 which he ran at the DII-AA Middle Region meet two weeks ago. In addition to becoming the 117th individual state champion in the illustrious history of BA boys track and field, he placed fourth in the 200 (22.20 seconds) and anchored the Eagles to a second-place finish in the 4x100-meter relay.
"Finally being able to pull that out, my last season of track, it was really, really exciting," Harmon, who finished fourth in the 100 last season, said. "It brings me real joy to finally get that goal."
Not only does track build and reinforce Harmon's speed on the football field, but it gives him a mental edge as well. It's a pure head-to-head competition, and by competing against — and beating — the best sprinters in Tennessee, Harmon gains confidence that he can do the same to his opponents in the fall.
While Brentwood Academy finished a program-worst 2-10 last season, Harmon impressed with 42 catches for 682 yards and nine touchdowns as one of the top targets for 5-star Tennessee commit George MacIntyre. The Volunteers are also after the 5-foot-9, 165-pound Harmon, who in April released a top eight which consists of UT, Duke, Indiana, Louisville, Miami, Michigan, Missouri and Penn State.
"Most schools see me as a DB," Harmon said. "There's a couple that see me as athlete or receiver. I love both positions. ... Ultimately, I wanna get on the field and be set up for the big league, where I play best at or where they see me best at."
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Harmon has two official visits planned: Indiana next week, and Duke the last weekend of June. He's trying to narrow down his list of schools towards the end of the summer and wants to make his commitment before the season, but said it's not a guarantee he will. After ending his track career on a high note, he's ready to focus on his football future.
"I want to be developed as a person, not just as a football player, but ultimately as a football player," Harmon said when asked what he values in a college. "The culture is a big part, making me a better person and a better football player. And of course, a winning culture. Everybody loves to win, and especially me."
Jacob Shames can be reached by email at jshames@gannett.com and on Twitter @Jacob_Shames.
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Kolbe Harmon recruiting: Tennessee, Michigan in mix for 3-star athlete
