Arkansas football lineman E’Marion Harris has earned the right to start in his hometown

E’Marion Harris has moved up and over on the University of Arkansas offensive line.

Harris, a redshirt sophomore from Little Rock, will start at left guard when the Razorbacks open against Arkansas-Pine Bluff on Thursday night at War Memorial Stadium after beginning camp as the second-team left tackle.

It will be the first college start for Harris, whose first name is pronounced AH-mar-e-YON. He was a 4-star recruit at Joe T. Robinson High School.

“I think the growth that we’ve seen from him spring to fall has been crazy,” said left tackle Fernando Carmona, a junior transfer from San Jose State. “Nothing I’ve ever seen a player do before.

“He was in that second group in the spring, and then fall camp comes and this guy just blossoms into this whole new player. Just the way he’s grown his mindset, the way he attacks every day in practice, I’m excited to play next to him. I know we’re going to do some damage out there.”

Not only is Harris starting, he’ll also be a team captain for the pregame coin toss.

“It means the world, just because I’m from Little Rock,” Harris said Wednesday on Coach Sam Pittman’s radio show. “Going out there and playing for the home state, it means a lot.”

Junior Patrick Kutas, who opened camp as the first-team left guard, has missed several weeks of practice with a back injury and won’t play Thursday. But Pittman said Harris earned the right to start.

“E’Marion Harris has had an outstanding camp and I don’t know that there’ll be any drop off there,” Pittman said. “He’s really not 5 (among the linemen). If you were going 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 — he’s not 5.

“I don’t know where he is at. I don’t know if he’s 3, I don’t know if he’s 4, but he’s not 5. He’s really done a good job. I’m really pleased with how he’s come along and gained his weight.”

Harris is listed at 6-7 and 300 pounds. He was 340 as a true freshman in 2022.

“He went from being too heavy when he first got here to dropping like 100 pounds, and got too light,” senior All-SEC defensive end Landon Jackson said. “And now he’s starting to finally put the weight back on.”

Pittman said Harris got down as far as 275 pounds.

“He had lost so much weight … and I’m not sure if that didn’t affect his mind as well, because he wasn’t able to move people,” Pittman said. “He always had good quickness and always had pretty good technique, but now I think him being over 300 pounds, his confidence is much better.”

Harris’ father, Elliott Harris, was a defensive lineman for the Razorbacks from 2001-04. E’Marion Harris played on the offensive and defensive lines in high school.

“He just told me whichever side I liked, he’s rocking with it,” Harris said of his father’s approval of him playing on the offensive line in college.

Harris played in six games last season with a combined 23 offensive snaps against Western Carolina, BYU and Florida International along with getting work on special teams.

The 2022 Liberty Bowl has been Harris’ only extensive playing time previously. He played right guard in the Razorbacks’ 55-53 triple-overtime victory against Kansas after starter Ty’Kieast Crawford suffered a leg injury in the first quarter.

“The coaching staff has put a lot into me this offseason and this fall camp,” Harris said. “Now it’s time to flip the switch.”

Harris settled in at left guard after Addison Nichols and Amaury Wiggins also got first-team work there.

“He has had a fantastic camp,” said Nichols, a redshirt sophomore transfer from Tennessee who will start at center. “He’s truly been unbelievable. He has really bought in, great effort, great execution and he’s someone that you trust playing next to.

“I feel like we have a room of guys that all want to win… all can play at a very high level and E is a great example of that.

“Being able to fill in at a position that he filled, didn’t ask any questions, didn’t bat an eye. Just came in and filled it — beyond expectations. Extremely proud of him.”

Arkansas offensive line coach Eric Mateos said Harris is “by far the most improved player” in his position group.

“You see it in how he moves,” Mateos said. “He’s got shoulders back, chest up, chin up. He’s got confidence. He’s gotten his weight back where he wants it. He’s feeling strong.

“You’re just seeing the maturity of him being a third-year guy, and that’s an underrated thing. It’s usually that third year where guys … you know what or get off the pot, right? You can tell he’s taken that step.”

Jackson said he has seen a different mental approach from Harris in practice.

“He knows what he wants. He wants to play. He’s tired of not playing,” Jackson said. “He’s coming in and working real hard every day.”

Quarterback Taylen Green said Harris is always prepared and smiling.

“Any question that he has, he’s not afraid to ask it,” Green said. “He meshes well with what we have.

“Can’t wait for him to showcase what he’s been working on day in and day out.”

Harris is also listed as the second-team left tackle, so he can move from guard to the outside if needed.

“He can do either,” Mateos said. “I mean, he’s been awesome at both.

“It’s just hard to find a bad play of the guy, you know? So he belongs. He deserves to play.”