For whatever reason, Pitt hasn’t been able to stockpile running backs from its latest recruiting classes. Whether it’s been academics or injuries, the future of the running backs room needed a jolt.
And that jolt has arrived in the form of Georgia state champion, 2023 three-star running back T.J. Harvison.
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Harvison, a 6-foot-1, 200-pound running back from Bowdon High in Bowdon, Georgia, committed to Pitt Tuesday morning over offers from Air Force, Appalachian State, Arkansas State, Boston College, Charlotte, Colorado, East Carolina, Georgia Southern, James Madison, Kansas, Kent State, Kentucky, Marshall, Michigan State, Middle Tennessee State, Ole Miss, Tulane and Western Kentucky.
Harvison made an official visit to Pittsburgh over the weekend, after officially receiving an offer from cornerbacks backs Archie Collins on Nov. 9, and it was enough to convince him that Pitt is it.
Harvison emerged as a late priority commit for Pitt, at a position where he may be able to come in and make an immediate impact.
“Coach Collins said that he loves my physicality, my speed and my ball skills,” Harvison told PSN in November. “Then when I talked with coach (Andre) Powell. He was saying that he needs a guy that can play next year and would like me to play next year because they have a guy that’s already leaving.
“Hearing that I have a chance to play next year really pumps me up because I’m looking forward to going to a college where I can get the opportunity to get the most playing time.”
Bowdon High rolled to a 14-1 season, capped by a GHSA Class-1A Division II championship and Harvison led the way with 2,026 rushing yards and 23 touchdowns on 250 carries (8.1 yards per attempt), and he racked up 256 receiving yards and two touchdowns on 12 receptions.
He also added 48 tackles (33 solo), four tackles for loss, two forced fumbles and a recovery defensively.
247Sports rates Harvison as the 1,113th-ranked recruit in the class (71st-ranked running back and 105th-ranked recruit from Georgia). Rivals hasn’t ranked him yet, but he holds a 5.5 Rivals Rating.
With the uncertainty surrounding Israel Abanikanda’s future at Pitt, weighing the pros and cons of declaring for the NFL Draft, and Vincent Davis and C’Bo Flemister deciding on whether or not to use added COVID eligibility, Pitt’s running backs room is in flux.
Harvison joins a 2023 recruiting class that also features three-star running back Montravius Lloyd (Saint Petersburg, Florida). Harvison’s downhill running style mixed with Lloyd’s dual-threat ability out of the backfield is a nice pairing.
Now that’s a who’s who of teams Pitt beat out
Decent mix of schools!
Most are scrub programs.
Ever hear of calijah kancey..look at his offer sheet…
that mindset is why pitt is happy with 8 wins a year. Yes, you will find the occasional 3* who blossoms late or is overlooked but that is few and far between. You need to hit of 4-5* to be elite.
Look out for Middle Tennessee State to work on a flip.
The kid is a good back. Pitt has had better backs then PSU historically. I think they know what they are doing.
How do you know he’s a good back? They know what they are doing? From an acc title to their recruiting this year I’d question that.
You are 100% wrong on the RB comparison. PSU’s list of RB’s is exponentially better than pitt. I’ll give you a top 10 and you list pitt
All I can say is Tony Dorsett. The Goat at running back in college football. Curtis Martin nfl hall of famer. Shady McCoy, Dion Lewis, Iron head Hayward, Elliott Walker, Charles Gladman, Curvin Richards etc. Btw, I know the guy is good because I cover HS football locally and nationally. He is a good back. In fact he is a sleeper get. Have a good night Pitt hater
Dorsett and Martin and maybe Shady
PSU
Barkley
Curtis Enis
Ki-jana Carter
Curt Warner
Lenny Moore
Lydell Mitchell
Franco Harris
Larry Johnson
John Cappellitti
Blair Thomas
You know because you “cover football”? That’s good, what’s the name of your blog?
Maybe Shady ? lol Shady had a better NFL career than all those penn state mostly jokes.
Pitt has many more than those 3…ace.
Izzy Abanikanda
Quadree Ollison
James Connor
Ray Graham
Dion Lewis
LeSean McCoy
Kevan Barlow
Nick Goings
Billy West
Curtis Martin
Curvin Richards
Ironhead Heyward
Bryan Thomas
Randy McMillan
Elliot Walker
Tony Dorsett
Marshall Goldberg
Curly Stebbins
Dick Cassiano
oh yes, forgot the great Marshall Goldberg and Dick Cassiano
Marshall Goldberg…that’s a joke, right. Two national championships, two-time all-American, runner-up for Heisman trophy, elected to college football hall of fame. If you attended a game at Acrisure, you would see his banner hanging along side Marino, Dorsett, Ditka, ect.
Perhaps not quite the accomplishments of someone like Ki-jana Carter, but pretty close.
didn’t know we were going back to pre WWII
Curt Warner, Franco Harris, Lenny Moore and Lydell Mitchell better than all but Dorsett
Curtis Martin and Shady McCoy light years better then anyone PSU has.
that’s someone with their homer glasses on
BAM
Barkley, really
Also Pitt had an 8-4 record. Twice as many wins as losses. Had they had a competent Qb all year they go 10-2 and are playing Clemson. Pitt led in every game they lost. So yeah I have faith in their coaches and players.
golf clap with the coulda shoulda….I thought when Slovis came in he was the 2nd coming of Marino? Now he’s not competent?
Just of easily could have been 6-6 as well. Next year 4 wins
Nobody ever said he was the 2nd coming of Marino….dunce.
Just worry about those clods that have played QB at Creepy Valley….none of them in the last 30 years did anything to speak of in the NFL.
I’d take Kerry Collins career….
h2p!
PSU is a third place big ten team. They seem even to me.
They will win 8 or 9 games again. You show your ignorance predicting 4 wins.
in the acc that’s not very hard to do, jv football
As a PSU fan why do you post here? I like going back at you. The PSU arrogance blinds the fan base to reality. Blinded enough to ignore perpetual child molestation for 40 years. The community, school, player and coaches knew and did nothing. Not sure how you can even follow a program that condoned it. I bet deep in your defiled heart you secretly love that he did that to kids.
I love the back and forth and can do it all day…
You’re hatred of Penn State blinds you. Do you really think people ignored Sandusky for 40 years? How long did Duzz know at MSU?
you are a sick person to think anyone would love that.
keep it going Ed, I love this…so easy
#h2p
#lockthe3*gates
Just wondering, how often do you post comments on Ohio State sites…my guess is never. What could possibly have to say…#107,000, #10Wins, #WeAre…bet that would impress them. Probably best to just comment here, where you can be a big fish in a small pond.
thanks for the advice…sounds like a good plan. Thanks for the help
#rosebowl
Thanks for the sound advice, sounds like a plan. Your help is much appreciated in keeping me here!
#rosebowl
I’m not keeping you here, you’re here by choice…but then again, you obviously have no where else to go.
I’ve got many places to go but little brother pitt fans are so easily riled up….
h2p
#patsignalfor3*
Hey, whatever excites you…seems a little weird to me though and with the endless posts, I have to question your statement above.
Defending Creepy Valley…is disgusting. Hope if you ever have a son…a Sandusky type gets him. Would be deserving.
stay classy….hopefully duzz doesn’t let any of his players date your daughter since they beat women (but just have to do a couple tough workouts to get back on the field). duzz also knew about Nassar, hope that doesn’t happen at pitt.
This is football talk that means nothing, you wishing child endangerment is telling and shows what pitt fans are all about.
You are kidding right
Didn’t you say the same about izzy?
Anyways…The kid looks like he got some wheels on him.Hits the hole fast.6’1″ 200 has some nice size too..Looks like a good get for the Panthers..H2P
With those stats, wonder why he didn’t get offers from GT, UGA, Tenn, SC or any of the Florida schools ? Lots of 2nd & 3rd tier offers other than Mich. State, UK & Ole Miss.
because he’s not a p5 player
because he’s not a P5 running back.
@ campus…Schools only have so many slots available year to year. You can’t offer everyone you like. Why doesn’t Franklin offer every 5 star athlete. I think you just like to argue. My thoughts go out to your poor wife, assuming you go upstairs at all
You can’t offer everyone you like? Why? Do you offer kids you don’t like? If pitt would ever land a 5* (these days they hope for low 4* a year after the jv acc title). Big time programs do it all the time, if an elite kids wants to come you pull an existing offer (sucks for the kid but it’s a reality, Harbaugh is the leader of this move). Don’t worry about us, my wife is modeling bikinis right now for Maxim now and when she get’s back we will be making plans for our Rose Bowl departure. #h2p… Read more »
Does my heart well to see all the knuckleheads commenting on our recruits… tells me we are doing something right…h2p
what are you doing right?