Michael Harrison has been a wide receiver throughout his still-young football life.
He arrived at Colorado as a receiver three years ago. And although Harrison has made the bulk of his appearances for the Buffaloes on special teams, he has spent his time in Boulder since 2020 working with CU’s wideouts.
Until recently, anyway.
Earlier this year, CU receivers coach Brett Bartolone and tight ends coach Tim Brewster approached Harrison about switching to tight end. Harrison didn’t immediately embrace the opportunity, but after giving it some thought and noting the wealth of talent new head coach Deion Sanders was bringing in at receiver, Harrison was on board with the switch.
It could prove to be a shrewd move by the Buffs. With CU’s only two scholarship tight ends slowed by injury this preseason, the newcomer to the group has been trying to take advantage of the opportunity.
“It definitely took some convincing. I’ve played receiver my whole life,” Harrison said. “But I think when coach Brett and coach Brew brought it to my attention that they thought it would be a good position change for me, obviously I thought about it. The way they presented it, it would be a better opportunity for me to get on the field. As a player, that’s all you want. I thought it over, and I’ve done everything I can just to have the best mindset and a positive mindset about doing the position change.”
A tight end group already thin on depth has been tested further during preseason camp.
Louis Passarello is sidelined indefinitely due to a knee injury. The Buffs’ other scholarship tight end, Caleb Fauria, is hoping to be in the mix for CU’s Sept. 2 season opener at No. 17 TCU, but he still is getting back to 100% following a foot injury he suffered last year against Arizona State. Harrison has stepped in to take first team reps the past two weeks, but the position change remains a work in progress.
“The greatest thing about Mike is that he has totally embraced being a tight end. He’s bought in,” CU tight ends coach Tim Brewster said. “I coach with a chip on my shoulder every single day. Time is our enemy. We have got to get better today. Today we must improve and get better. Accept that responsibility and Mike has bought into that. He’s working extremely hard. He’s doing some really good things. But again, the process is ongoing as far as gaining trust.”
A junior from San Francisco, Harrison appeared in all 24 games for the Buffs the past two seasons. Most of that action occurred on special teams, but he did record two receptions for 12 yards late last season — catching a pass for only three yards at Washington before making a nine-yard reception against Utah.
Harrison was one of 18 walk-ons who survived Sanders’ roster purge, and after the position change, gaining weight became a priority. The 6-foot-3 Harrison was listed at 205 pounds last year but is listed at 215 this year. He still is looking to add more bulk, as tight ends typically have sported a blocking-first job description in the offense run by coordinator Sean Lewis when he was the head coach at Kent State.
“Somewhere around 225 to 230 would be a good thing for me,” Harrison said. “The change happened so recently that that’s kind of a ballpark, a reasonable number for me to get to and also still be able to be a force in the run game as well as we move well in the pass game.
“At receiver you’re blocking lot more corners and safeties and maybe a linebacker every now and then. Now I’m going up against ends, linebackers and mainly box players though. But Coach Brew and Eli (Yelverton, another walk-on tight end) have done good jobs getting me more physical as a player and getting my technique right in the run game.”
