Most high school football players think they're headed to the NFL.

It's a dream that some will realize and most won't. Brian Harrison wouldn't mind making it to the NFL himself, but he's a realist and he will tell you his best shot to get there is probably in the broadcast booth. Off the field Harrison's gift of gab is so great that Orangeburg-Wilkinson head coach Reggie Kennedy let his player out of practices and workouts to attend a summer broadcasting camp at the University of South Carolina this year.

"(Harrison) did the evening announcements at school last year," Kennedy said. "And, he showed some special attributes. Everyone can't do that -- public speaking."

Harrison has been playing football since he was 10, and he likes the game. But, his love has quickly become broadcasting.

"It's one of my ambitions in life," he said. "I would like, after football and after college, to be a newspaper reporter, a journalist, a broadcaster, whether it be a sports broadcaster or a news anchor."

Where does the ambition come from?

"I couldn't tell you," Harrison said. "I watch Sports Center religiously, and I fell in love with Stuart Scott and Rich Eisen. I wanted to be like them. But, as I got more indepth into the profession I found out there were more and more avenues that I could pursue."

Harrison got into the USC camp when his sister, Tiesha Harrison, ran across it while surfing the internet. She asked her brother if he wanted to go, and he couldn't say yes fast enough. And, as it turns out, the experience only fueled Harrison's interest in the profession.

"It was a five-day camp," Harrison said. "It gave us hands-on experience as a broadcaster, and we had to interview a lot of different people. Most of them were other kids in the camp that were from different states.

"When my sister offered the camp, I just thought, 'What could it hurt?'" he continued. "And, as it turns out this was definitely something I like."

But, this is game week, and broadcasting can wait. Heading into Friday's 8 p.m. opener at Edisto, Harrison is focused on getting a season-opening win. This will be the 5-11, 185-pound linebacker's third year on varsity, and he's 1-1 against the Cougars. He's also never played on a Bruins team with a winning record.

"As a senior, I would love to get a win against them going out," he said. "The memories will be there. Coach has always told me that if we work hard Monday through Friday the game will be second nature. I think this game will be second nature, and I believe we will win.

"When we were in 10th grade, we were 1-10," he added. "Last year, we were 4-8, and you say to yourself, 'That's still not a winning season'. But, we went from one win to four wins, and I think that speaks volumes, especially in the community. This year, the community wants more than four wins, and I think we are going to give them more than four wins."

He heads into the season with big ambitions and without an offer to play for a school on the next level, and realizes time is short for one to appear. But, if this is it, if Edisto marks the countdown to the end of his playing days, he is prepared. Just listen to him talk a little, and you'll know. Brian Harrison's future is bright.

"I am very excited," he said. "I'm heading into the season not knowing if this will be my last time playing football. I would like to think of this season as the beginning of the end.

"It's my last year, but it's also the beginning of a new chapter in my life," he continued. "After high school, I'm going to college and I'm going to get my major and quote un quote go into the real world. Football is my dream, and it would be great to go to school for that. But, my backup is academics, and I wouldn't mind going to school just for that. As each day comes closer and closer to the season, I realize that this season is going to fly by and it will be over quick.

"I won't be able to wear orange and maroon anymore, but I will always have orange and maroon in my blood."

-- T&D Sports Editor Brian Linder can be reached via e-mail at blinder@timesanddemocrat.com or by phone at 803-533-5553. Check out his blog, Welcome to Linderland, at www.thetandd.com. --

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