Waverly's Keshaun Harris pushes track career to side to live dream with Michigan football

Keshaun Harris made no secrets about his dreams and aspirations when he was a star athlete at Waverly.

He would randomly tell peers back then he was going to sign with Michigan and play football.

Harris has done just that, although he didn't take the typical path.

And he will have a chance to live his ultimate dream Monday night when he suits up for the top-ranked Wolverines when they face No. 2 Washington in the national championship game in Houston.

Harris certainly didn't picture himself on Monday's stage when he arrived at Michigan on a track scholarship in 2019 after a high school career at Waverly where he was a state champion hurdler and was named the LSJ's track athlete of the year.

"If you would have told me back in high school or my freshman year or the years I wasn't playing or during COVID that I would end up being in the national championship, I probably would have laughed," said Harris, who is a graduate student cornerback. "This is something that's just so surreal to me and I'm just thankful. I'm just thankful to be where I'm at."

So how did Harris go from a track recruit to now playing cornerback for one of the nation's top college football teams?

When he signed with Michigan, he made it known to the track staff his interest in playing football as well. Harris had also received a preferred walk-on opportunity with the football program and was allowed to compete in both sports during his first year on campus.

Harris practiced with the football team during the 2019 season and then transitioned to track following the Citrus Bowl loss to Alabama. That first track season for the Wolverines was cut short by COVID-19.

That was when Harris decided to give up track and fully focus on football.

"It was a hard decision," Harris said. "I love track, especially doing it in high school and getting all the accolades. From the time since I was a little kid, my dream has always been to play Michigan football. Me and my family are huge Michigan fans. When I got the offer to come to Michigan, it was kind of like a no-brainer. Since I was a little kid I grew up watching Michigan football and always envisioned myself playing football at Michigan."

The journey wasn't smooth and there were times when Harris questioned if he made the right choice. The NCAA didn't allow Harris to play any football games his first two seasons because of issues surrounding his recruitment for both track and football.

Harris was finally allowed to play in 2021 but had to forego some of his scholarship money. That 2021 season was pivotal as Harris played in 12 games, including the Big Ten title game.

"It definitely was a long journey," Harris said. "There were times I didn't know if I should go back to track or just stick it out with football. I leaned on God and kept my faith and knew that this was a dream and a goal of mine and stuck at it."

That determination and his dedication to growing as a player have paid off as Harris has had a bigger presence this season for the Wolverines. He made three starts at corner this fall and has continued to contribute on special teams while helping Michigan to a 14-0 record and national title game appearance. He has registered 11 tackles in 10 games, including 1.5 for loss.

Harris hopes what he's accomplished while living out his dream with the Wolverines impacts others with similar aspirations.

"To be a kid from Lansing, I hope I'm able to inspire not only my family and my brother and my sister, but other people from Lansing, especially from the Waverly community," Harris said. "I just hope I'm doing my part and making people proud and kind of being an inspiration for others."

Contact Brian Calloway at bcalloway@lsj.com. Follow him on X @brian_calloway.

This article originally appeared on Lansing State Journal: Waverly grad Keshaun Harris living dreams with Michigan football