TAMPA, Fla. – MacArthur Mykel Harris III is not one to shy away. He will be heard from whether it is at a family gathering or on the football. That is his personality.
“It runs in the family,” he said of raising the decibel level. “I have always been a loud person, have always been energetic and I am always going to be smiling and playing around with the guys. I am naturally an outspoken guy. I am going to speak up about the things I need to speak up about.”
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The 230-pound outside linebacker, who goes by “Mac,” had his most productive season for USF a year ago. He played in all 13 games (six starts), recorded 4.5 tackles for loss, had a team-high three fumble recoveries and added the second interception of his career.
In the larger picture, Harris could be a key ingredient in a defense that he said is feeling much better about itself in what is the second year under coordinator Todd Orlando. He likes the vibe that accompanies the unit.
“Being in this package for another year has given us more confidence,” said the product of The Villages Charter School. “In the offseason, guys were working it in OTAs (Organized Team Activities) and guys getting into the meeting room more often, sticking around and watching more film. Defensive linemen and linebackers were getting together, linebackers and safeties getting together and diving into the playbook more and getting comfortable.”
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Last season’s production helped Harris grow more comfortable in his role within Orlando’s scheme as well as what he can otherwise bring to the table as a veteran who been with the program since the pandemic-abbreviated 2020 season. If he detects something is not right, he will speak up.
“I am going to call you out, but it is not a thing where I am better than you or you are better than me,” he said. “It is an understood thing as far as the defense and as far as the team that there is a standard. The guys who are being corrected understand it completely. It’s checks and balances. It is the standard that we built here as a team.”
Harris, who has two years of eligibility, would like to set a standard in his post-football career. The integrative publication relations and advertising major is intrigued about the possibility of being a marketing consultant for a “big company like Adidas or Nike.” He also wants to share his experiences with youth.
“I want to give back to younger kids, for sure,” he said. “I do not know if it is going to be coaching, or what it is going to be. I feel like I have a lot to share and I feel I can relate to a lot of people in a lot of different circumstances.”
When that time comes, his passion and energy will likely serve as a benefit.
“We are all loud,” he said of his family. “We are funny, energetic and smiling all of the time.”
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