Coach Harrison was basically
retired for the 2008 football season and pursuing other interests
including more family time BUT....WELL, A great Job came along, and
Coach Harrison is now the new Head Coach of the Heritage Hawks in Newnan
Georgia. The Hawks have just recently picked up football in 2006 so most
of the players have only 2 years of total football experience. Harrison
ended his stint at the Heritage School with 2 winning seasons and 2
playoff bids.
2006 Coach Harrison speaks, and make presentation, at the annual
Double Wing Symposium in Frisco (Dallas) Texas in February.
" Wow, such a large group of coaching nut cases like myself for 3 days
sharing info. There were lots of great times laughing so hard it hurt
and outdoor demos in sub-freezing weather with 40 MPH winds and that
hurt too." I had a terrific time, getting to know a great group of fine
coaches from Maine to Southern California and all points in between, and
made 120 or so new friends.
Click HERE for DETAILS AND
PICTURES
OF COACH'S 2005 ARIZONA TRIP
2005 Coach Harrison speaks at
"Hugh Wyatt's", Atlanta Double Wing Clinic on 2-26-2005.
(From Hugh Wyatt's Web Site)****** What a great lineup of speakers at
the Atlanta Clinic - Larry Harrison, who went from being
an offensive
coordinator at a large high school that didn't always appreciate his
offense to head coach at a
small private high school - Nathanael Greene Academy - which he took to
this year's state final
game. Oh yes - and he did it without a single assistant... Steve Jones, of
Ocean Springs,
Mississippi, who has coached the Double-Wing successfully at three
different schools, taking the
Ocean Springs Greyhounds to this year's Class 5A (largest class) final
game; Kevin Latham, who
as a middle school coach won a DeKalb County (suburban Atlanta)
championship, suffered a
near-fatal heart attack (at the age of 37) and just finished his first
year as a high school head
coach at Decatur's Columbia High School. Considering the stereotype that so many of us fight - that our
offense is just three or four plays
from only one formation - I can only say what an incredible feeling it
is to know that we have
advanced to the point where at Atlanta and other clinics, there are now
men of the caliber of
coaches Gibson, Harrison, Jones and Latham able to step up and share the
things they're doing.
Coach Harrison among friends as the Atlanta Clinic comes to a close.
Coach Harrison was the final speaker of the day as he outlined the Nathanael Greene season (11-2) and the great young men he was blessed to
coach. He answered questions in detail about the offense and what people
do, to try to stop it. "The first thing I had to do was to try to bring
the FUN of playing football back to the kids there. They bought into the
plan and we indeed had a great time, week to week, getting ready for the
next opponent."
Voted,
2004 (GISA) North Georgia Region "Class A" Coach of the Year !
In my many years of pursuing various interests, I have consistently
stayed with coaching football all of my adult life. I have coached
football on every level from the upper youth levels through High School,
and have just as much enthusiasm now as I ever have, about getting kids
to play and learn a high level of football. It seems, that every where I've coached, I have ended up
taking on the struggling team in the struggling programs and have been
very fortunate, in making winners and over achievers with them, and in highly
unlikely situations. After 32 years of coaching, I have managed to post
a near 80% winning record, taking some situations where kids had never
won, and working them into being very competitive. I have had a number
championships, several undefeated teams, and many finalists. I have
certainly been blessed to have had terrific coaches in my youth and high
school, which really set the course for my successes in coaching. I was very
fortunate to have played for a couple of really good youth coaches, and
my mentor and senior high school coach, Phil Knight, one of Georgia's
greatest coaches, in my opinion, and many others.
In the 2003 football season, I
was fortunate enough to be hired, and served as Offensive Coordinator at Lakeside High School in DeKalb
County (Atlanta) Georgia where my double wing offense led the county in
rushing, averaging over 300 yards per game, and instrumental in
getting Lakeside back on
the winning track after a long loosing spell. Then in 2004, I was hired as
the Head Football Coach at Nathanael Greene Academy High School where
my hope was to get the Patriots to a state championship, with my double wing offense
and new 4-4 defensive package. Nat-Greene had not had a lot of success
in football in the past but with the great people that I'd met,
the
renewed commitment to football, and the great vision and
leadership of our new headmaster, Jim Prance, I was very optimistic
that the sky was the limit, in Siloam Georgia, better known as Patriot Country!
Since then...
**The
2004 football season is over and
we did a most unexpected thing. Coming in very optimistic and ready to
take on the challenges of the Nat-Greene situation, I had no idea that
the progress we were making was so dramatic. We
went to work, and with the efforts, great attitudes, and high spirits, of the
great kids we have here, an amazing season happened, finding us in the
state championship game playing for all the marbles. In the beginning we
were just tickled to death to win a scrimmage and then our opener which
was a big rival in Piedmont Academy, a strong "AA" program, but
then to follow with a win over a very athletic and strong Monroe Academy team, we
started feeling some confidence that we just may be competitive. We then
cruised a bit until the defending champs came in. They looked like a
team two leagues up from our "A" status but I think they claim to be
legitimate. They beat us good but a second half comeback, just loosing
26-18, shot us into a
higher level of play, for the balance of the season. We had shocking
wins over a good "AA" Gatewood team 48-6 and ended up finishing the
season scoring in the 40's 50's and 60's with our offense, and shutting
down very strong opponents. We ended our regular season with a huge win
over, then #1, Thomas Jefferson, and a win
over a huge team and cross town rival, John Hancock 52-13. Going into the playoffs, we were as
confident as could be and marched on like a team that you would think
was a very huge, strong, 270 pound monster type team, but we were still
playing with the original 17 players we started with, averaging maybe 170 pounds. These kids
had hearts that were larger than life, and I've learned to never put the
huge size of individuals over the size of the hearts of kids, ever.
After taking care of Randolf Southern and a great Westwood team, we
ended up loosing the title game to the same Toombs team that beat us
during the season. The time to win it ALL was just not ours, even though
we beat them in every facet of the game except the score. Our mistakes
killed us but that is part of the growing process. The heartbreak is
still fresh but we will get over it and crank it back up next year. We
are loosing 9 seniors which is usually un-survivable at this level, but
we will be checking the heart size, of the kids coming up, and try to
ignore the even younger aged and slighter size we will display. A couple of move-ins
wouldn't hurt for sure, but no matter what, our goal will always remain
the same. Visit our season on the
GAMES 2004 PAGE... CLICK ON A HELMET
anywhere on this site.
The
2005 football season came to a
fevered pitch before the sad ending. We made the final 4 once again and
lost a thriller in 2-Overtimes to a very good Toombs team. In a year
that most folks call a rebuilding year, we were among the very best in
our league at the end and that is what you strive for as a player and a
coach. Not predicted to utter a sound after loosing so many seniors,
this group of fighters worked their way through a tremendous amount of
injuries like I've never witnessed, and fought week in week out getting
better and having new kids step up to the challenge every week. 4 of the
5 games we lost this year were so close that it was determined by and
extra point or one miscue on one particular play. Man, how close can you
get? And then the finale (see game page). It was the game of games and
we all know how that went. You can't get closer to winning and not win,
it's that simple. Well, it's on to next year and the good news is that
we only loose 4 seniors. The bad news is that they are huge players for
us. This is the sad part of coaching, saying good-by to great kids! I
hope they come around to visit like the 2004 guys do. It's always great
to see the great kids that played here coming back to support the guys
following their lead.
GAMES 2005 PAGE... CLICK ON A HELMET
anywhere on this site.
The
2006 football season has now
ended with a great group of seniors winding up their football careers
with great stories and accomplishments for a lifetime. We finished 9-4
and a Semi-finalist once again which in 3 years, these seniors finished
as a Region Champion and State Runner up and 2 time Semi-Finalist.
These four accomplishments are a first in the schools 38 year old
history. We set offensive records here that may never be broken with
14,904 yards of offense over 3 years. To you seniors, you can take with
you the fact that you were a huge piece of the 3 greatest teams in NGA
history to date. What a great career, what a great season, and what a
great group of young men that graced the halls of Nathanael Greene
Academy.
QUESTIONS
FOR COACH...
1.
Why do you coach and why have you coached for so long? " It
was a great place for me to disperse my attention deficit disorder into
something positive, and rock and roll wasn't working. hahahaha
2.
Why are you not a teacher? My situation at the time didn't
allow me to spend a lot of time at
college, but I did leave with a high average, for those who think I was
just too intellectually challenged. I had to make a living at the time
and coaching was the farthest thing from my mind! Hey, Thinking
maturely and sensibly was the farthest thing from my mind! But I never
aspired to be a teacher anyway. I just wanted to survive back then!
3.
How did you end up at Nathanael Greene Academy? After
watching my youngest brothers play in the GISA back in the early 80's, I
always wanted to coach in this league or anywhere really on the high
school level. It seemed like a great place to be and coach. After sending out resumes and having had an interview with
the NGA board, They
still wanted me and offered me some big money. hahaha
4.
Why do you drive those silly looking cars? I'd rather have
money to eat than pay for gas! Plus, it fits my silly personality!
Not to mention, anyone can look good in a sophisticated car like a
Beamer!
5.
How have you managed to win, and turn teams and programs around ?
Boy!, Have I done that??? That's a tough question. I started winning as a coach the year
after high school, 1971, coaching while playing in a highly competitive
flag football league, also at Georgia State (flag-intramural) on my
short lived college stint. This was before I started coaching my
youngest brother, Ken, in youth ball. Ken eventually helped me coach in the late
80's
when I coached my son Chad. It was1977 I think when I started with Ken in
youth ball and went 9-1. I really don't know how to explain how I've
kept winning so much, but I
hate losing, and try to avoid it by out thinking and out working the
foe. But that explanation is flawed because some coaches just can't seem
to win or win a lot, no matter how long and hard they work! I think the expression,
"Work Smart not Long" may apply in some instances but I think
the conciseness and the conviction of your teaching is crucial. The fact that I've
won with some very under manned situations is a result of getting kids
somehow to think, and play better than they really are. I
really think, after all these years, that getting kids to become
winners, and play above their heads, is something intangible. For some
reason, most kids respond to what I do and how I coach them, and that, I
simply can't explain. I've coached the same way from the start, so it is not a
conscious effort to do anything in particular. I think coaching is one of those things
that comes natural, and maybe some folks just have what works, while
others struggle to find it. I can say that I have always been infatuated
with the coaching aspect of football since I was a kid, and I know what
worked on me. I also know that I view football much
differently than most coaches. I think that I view it as an art form rather than a
sport. I guess my art and musical background has something to do with
that, but you know how strange the artsy people are! I guess I maybe one of
them somewhat! Anyway, that was a long winded answer for much of
nothing, huh?
6.
Who is your favorite football player of all times?
There are a lot of them over the years but I'll tell
you one, and you can probably guess some of the rest. Doug Flutie.
I'll take that guy anytime, anywhere, to any battle. To me, he
exemplifies being the very best you can be in all aspects of sports and
life. If I have a hero or a role model for my kids to live by, its Doug
Flutie. Hands down!
7.
Where do you think society is, or is going?
That is the easiest question of all, THE WRONG WAY!
Football is one of the only games that still allows us to teach some of
the solid core values and lessons of life with good moral lessons etc.,
but if you watch football on Sundays, you'll see that our great game is
being crucified !!!!!! And all the while, the smoldering carcass is
being mimicked by college and high schools much too accurately! There is
still a lot of "good, and great" in the world and I think people need to
quit filling their eyes and ears with the filth that is modern
Television (MTV types), and gravitate to the more moral and truthful things
happening! Make one thing clear, I'm by far no saint and hope no one
ever got that idea, but I was just answering the question. Watch the
movie, "It's a Wonderful Life", I would like society to get
back to that!
8.
What are your strengths in coaching football? If
I have to answer that one myself, it probably is "preparation" and
game planning. I guess play calling is next, but that is
partially a result of the preparation. I have been very fortunate to have pulled out a bunch of games over the years, either on the
last play or the last series, to win some awfully big games. Came close
to a couple of whoppers this year (2005), but I'd really rather make it easier
on the old ticker than that. wheeew, I get jacked up just thinking about it!
9.
What are your weaknesses? I refuse to
aid the enemy! Of course there
are no weaknesses! That was an attempt at comic relief of course!
11.
How does your wife feel about the time coaching requires?
She actually enjoys her time. She says that she
can get some things done when I'm not around. She also enjoys the quiet
couple of hours after a day of enthusiastic second graders! She
says that she loves that I coach and admires the passion I have for the
game and the kids. She really says that! Really! No, I
didn't make that up!
12.
Who have you admired as football Coaches? Oh
my!!! Anyone that beats me! haha , just kidding! Coach Phil
Knight, my high school coach, a number one choice. He taught me so much!
Truth is, I don't know a lot of HS coaches so to speak, but some I
admire for their person of character! One would be Chester Skates
(earlier high school coach, a tough hombre and disciplinarian), as far as what I
consider great HS coaches?, Calvin Ramsey (Avondale '60's), Dave Hunter
(previously Brookwood-Gwinnett Co., GA), I guess I'll have to
throw in Cecil Flow (Parkview) with that doggone tear they were on with 3 state
titles. Oh, and lets not forget T. McFerrin who's organization skills
and prep skills set the standards for others like Dave Hunter and Mark
Crews, both from Brookwood. Of course with the above mentioned, they all had great players
and weren't exactly underdogs all the time, but built programs on hard work and great
kids! I just haven't been in the high school
loop to know of that many coaches. As far as College Coaches, Bear
Bryant captured me as a kid, along with Lou Holtz, Bobby Ross, and
the guy at Arkansas before Holtz, Oh yeah, Frank Broyles?. Oh yea!
Got to put Paul Johnson, now at Georgia Tech in there. I'm sure there are and were a
bunch of great ones! I have witnessed some really great youth coaches in
my day as well such as my youth coach C.K.Brazwell and DeKalb Yellow
Jacket Coach, Dee Stanley. There are many many not so good coaches in youth
but there were some darn good ones back then. I've butted heads with
some pretty darn good youth coaches myself!!
13.
Who do you think is overrated as a coach?
Steve Spurrier, I think he's pretty good, just way overrated and hyped,
but I still watch his teams.
14.
How long do you intend on coaching? Until I'd
rather do something else, or until no one will hire me! Right now I'm 57
years old but as a high school coach, I'm very fresh. I don't run scout
team QB anymore, or get quite as physical in the trenches illustrating
with the kids as I used to, Oh, maybe sometimes, but my passion for the game is still at the
highest level ever!
15.
Why are you going back to NGA after building a winner at heritage?
Divine intervention!
Coach Harrison holds the right to change his mind
on any or all the above answers at his will! " Hey, I can be swayed
with some good sound logic. but come with some real game!"
For Coach Harrison Clinic
Info: CLICK here for CONTACT PAGE
MORE
2004 COACHES CANDID SHOTS CLICK HERE
***HIGHLIGHT DVD or CD
SEE
NAT-GREENE OR GAMES PAGES TO ORDER
FRIENDLY LINKS:
http://www.georgiacomputersolutions.com Great computer guys.
Keeps me up and running and very reasonable in the rates. Call Jim
http://www.gasports.com/?MenuID=2&file=StartupPage.htm
For Georgia High School Football...Just register
free and get to see all the standings and scores weekly or by region.
A really good reference.
www.gavsv.com HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL. stay on top of the
Football in your area of Georgia in this great football site. Keep up
with all of the GISA Football Schools and their standings and scores.
www.harrisonsigns.com/
Coach Harrison owns a sign company specializing in signs of all kinds.
Many can be seen on this site. He also designed the new NG logo for
the schools identity which had been using the New England Patriot
swoosh.
www.thereturnonline.com
The RETURN is the best authentic Beatle Band anywhere. These guys have
it all going on in recreating seeing and hearing the Beatles in the
early 60's. The look, the sound, and the original equipment, you name
it, they got it. Plus they are a great bunch of young guys.
www.coachwyatt.com
Friend and Double wing Guru so to speak, and his site has lots of
interesting stuff. Hugh has a nation wide view of our double wing
offense and posts emails from coaches all over that are running it. He
is also a football historian with amazing recollections of football
and greats of the past. A Great, Smart and Funny Guy.
www.coachmarkham.com
The Father or actual inventor of the double wing we run. He features
our Nathanael Greene Team in his scores on this site. Don has a hard
nosed, dumb as a fox style from what I've seen in his presentations
but is a very sharp football coach. He is approaching the magic 300
win mark in Bloomington, CA.
www.doublewingonline.com/ DOUBLE WING ONLINE is A new site
that will be featuring teams and coaches around the country who run
our double wing offense. Coach Weidner runs the site and is a very
talented coach, and his site will be a great source for information
and fun with DW coaches around the country.
WHO ARE THESE INTELLIGENT LOOKING GUYS??? Well, it is Coach Hugh
Wyatt on the LEFT and Coach Harrison on the RIGHT. Hugh Wyatt is
one of the foremost Gurus of the double wing offense and was a
tremendous help to me when I first started running the double wing. He
tours the country every year with his clinics and is a great guy with
a crafty sense of humor.
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