Roman Harrison is entering his fifth year with coming off a career year with Tennessee football and is looking to take an even bigger jump in 2023.
After playing most of his snaps at the LEO position on the defensive line behind 2023 third-round NFL Draft pick Byron Young, Harrison set career highs in tackles (39), tackles-for-loss (7), sacks (3) and QB hurries (5). He started in just one game but appeared in all 13 of them.
Now, he is expected and willing to fill the role left by Young. A new season means that there are holes left by the departures of seasoned veterans, and a good program has the bodies to fill it year in and year out.
Standing at 6-foot-2 and 235 pounds, he certainly has the measurables to match Young’s production. However, Harrison knows that it takes much more than athleticism to compete at a high level in the SEC.
“I will say in this league, everybody’s fast, and everybody’s strong, but I will say it’s your will,” Harrison said. “It’s ‘Are you willing to finish? Are you willing?’ And that’s what it comes down to at this level.”
His ‘will’ began to show late last season. In the season finale against Vanderbilt, Harrison recorded 2.5 tackles-for-loss, with two sacks while taking home SEC Defensive Lineman of the Week honors.
Since the beginning of last season, Harrison had been preparing for Young’s departure in order to be ready to make the next jump as a player and a leader.
“I kind of felt like I needed to step up at that point then,” Harrison said. “So, at this point it’s not just about bettering myself, but bettering those around me. And I figured that out over the past couple of seasons, and so it’s just about bringing those young guys along with me.”
Along with the returns of veterans such as Omari Thomas, Tyler Baron and Elijah Simmons, defensive line coach Rodney Garner has seen Harrison make a big jump as a leader on the defensive front.
“Roman Harrison has had a good camp and is starting to do things the Tennessee way, and not so much things his way,” Garner said. “I think it’s becoming contagious. They’re not afraid to call one another out. That’s what real leadership is, it’s just being willing to be different, be out front and be able to take a stand.
“A lot of times, some guys don’t want to go the wrong way, but they just want somebody to be willing to step out and go the right way so they can follow that guy. I think we are seeing a lot more of that.”
As the talent continues to come to Knoxville, it’s up to guys like Harrison to keep the Tennessee football machine running as the culture in the program grows.
“I’m not going to be here next year, just like (Young) isn’t here this year.” Harrison said. “So that’s what it’s about for me, making sure they’re ready to lead when I’m gone.”
Harrison arrived on campus during Jeremy Pruitt’s tenure at Tennessee, and he knows what a program with a lack of culture looks like. While what seemed like the entire roster transferred, he stayed put and bought into head coach Josh Heupel’s vision for the program.
Now as the Vols sit as legitimate contenders in the SEC East entering 2023, Harrison expects nothing but success and hopes to be a key contributor on and off the field.
“Tennessee became what I wanted it to be without me having to say a word, and that’s a big up to coach Heup(el),” Harrison said. “We know it’s going to come with hard days, you’re gonna have to work every day for it. Our technique, our plays, knowing what you have to do. It all ties into it. And so we all know that as a group and under coach Heup(el), we just expect to win.”
