AUGUST2024 Archives - SB Magazine

PERSON OF INTEREST: BO HARRIS

SB Magazine — Fri, 02 Aug 2024 17:35:35 +0000

BO HARRIS SPORTS LEGEND

Before He Was Bayou Bengal Bo, He Was Gator Bo

Bo Harris is another in a long line of professional athletes from Shreveport-Bossier, including Terry Bradshaw, Joe Ferguson, Todd Walker, Wendell Davis, Robert Parish, Stromile Swift, Alana Beard, Pat Tilley, Jacob Hester, David Toms, David Lee, Stan Humphries and … the list goes on and on and on …

Before Bo Harris was drafted by the Cincinnati Bengals in the third round of the 1975 NFL Draft, he was an LSU Bayou Bengal.

And before that, he was a Captain Shreve High School Gator and teammate of Denny Duron, whose Evangel Christian Academy football program is part of this month’s SB cover story.
“If I ever go to jail in Mexico, I’m calling Denny to get me out,” Harris said. “I know he’ll show up.”

Harris was born in Leesville and moved to Shreveport the summer before his sophomore year of high school. “All of junior high, I played football,” he said. My freshman year at Leesville High School I played baseball before my dad got transferred.

Choosing which Shreveport high school he wanted to play football for was pretty easy for Harris. “I specifically chose Captain Shreve because of Lee Hedges,” Harris said of the late beloved coach who, in 18 seasons at Shreve, won a state football championship and eight district titles.

Harris played tight end and defensive end for Hedges and the Gators before going to Baton Rouge, where he played outside linebacker for the Tigers. Harris joined another LSU standout, safety Tommy Casanova, on the Bengals when they scooped him up 75th overall in the ’75 NFL Draft.

Harris played under Paul Brown during his rookie season; the NFL coaching legend left the sidelines and became the team’s general manager after that season. “It was a truly great experience to play in his organization,” Harris said. “He was a great guy.”

Bill “Tiger” Johnson was Harris’ second head coach in Cincy. In his final three seasons as a Bengal, Harris played for head coach Forrest Gregg, an NFL Hall of Fame tackle who was part of Green Bay’s dynasty in the 1960s. Gregg was also head coach in Shreveport for the Pirates in 1994 and 1995 during the CFL’s brief attempt at expansion into the U.S.

Harris grew close to his coach and remained that way; when Gregg passed away in 2019 at age 85 from complications due to Parkinson’s, Harris was a pallbearer.

Harris played nine seasons in the NFL, eight with Cincinnati and his final season with Buffalo, the rookie season for future NFL Hall of Fame defensive lineman Bruce Smith, an Outland Trophy winner at Virginia Tech who played his final college game in Shreveport, a 23-7 loss to Air Force in the 1984 Independence Bowl.

Throughout his career, Harris would come back home to Shreveport for the offseason and continue workouts with Woodlawn legend Joe Ferguson, who played 17 seasons in the NFL, 11 as quarterback in Buffalo, and Fair Park stud Pat Tilley, a Pro Bowl receiver for St. Louis in 1980 and a Louisiana Tech Athletics Hall of Famer.

“In the summers, we would do our track workouts somewhere like Captain Shreve, Byrd, or Fair Park,” Harris said. “We were usually out there by 9 a.m. We would then hit the field by 3 p.m. I picked up enough skills to pass cover just by playing defensive back for Tilley.”

Harris was excited to show off those DB skills in the ’81 AFC Divisional Playoff Game between Bo’s Bengals and Ferguson’s Bills.

Shreve vs. Woodlawn. Strap in! “I had a knack for covering,” Harris says. Props to Pat Tilley.

“We had played them (the Bills) a couple of weeks before, and they had thrown a fourth wide receiver out there, Lou Piccone,” Harris said. “So, I knew they were going to do that. I had the fourth receiver. “We were in a Cover 2. I had a tight end over me. I rode the tight end hard because he could boogie. What I wasn’t prepared for was for their running back, (Roland)
Hooks, to hit that seam.”

Ferguson was looking to hit Hooks down the middle. Joe forgot Bo had a knack for covering. “I had my back turned when I jumped in the air, and I caught the ball,” Bo said. “With one hand.” One of the Captain Shreve star’s seven interceptions in his NFL career. And probably the most memorable.

Another memorable – though not nearly as warm – moment for Bo was when he played in the coldest game in NFL history back in 1982. Harris and the Bengals beat San Diego, 27-7, and won that AFC Championship game in Cincinnati’s Riverfront Stadium – but at what cost? It was the minus 59 degrees wind chill that made it the NFL’s coldest game ever and earned it the nickname “The Freezer Bowl.” “There wasn’t spandex back then,” Harris said. “We would melt Vaseline, rub that on, then put on pantyhose. “Worked pretty well.”

It got him to Super Bowl XVI. Gregg, Harris and the Bengals lost to San Francisco, 26-21, but the game was played indoors. Thank goodness. Outside Michigan’s Pontiac Silverdome that day was snow and ice that caused traffic delays and other logistical issues. But inside? No Vaseline. No hose. Harris is a lot warmer now, spending his time back home in Northwest Louisiana.

He’s an avid turkey and duck hunter and still likes to follow football on TV. “I’m going to watch Cincinnati every week,” he said. “I really get interested the second half of the season.

“I watched Denny’s (Evangel) playoff game last year on the sidelines. I go to LSU games. I like to watch matchups. I really used to like watching the (New England) Patriots defense and how they made all that work.”

Bo follows LSU baseball, too. He’ll keep up with Duron and the Eagles this fall and the Olympics from Paris this summer. Game recognizes game. And if the Olympics ever start a one-handed interception tournament? Then watch for a former NFL linebacker to come out of retirement. Something tells me Bo’s still got it.

The post PERSON OF INTEREST: BO HARRIS appeared first on SB Magazine.

GOD. FAMILY. FOOTBALL.

SB Magazine — Fri, 02 Aug 2024 16:33:22 +0000

This is a story in three acts. Act one is about a man, his love for God, his love for his family, and his love of football. Act two is about a man who became friends with the first man and thought his story should be told. There’s more about him to come. Act three of this story is about hundreds of people, primarily young men who have been mentored and led by the first man, share his ideals and values, and love football. Here’s the beginning.

ACT I:

Denny Duron was a member of the first graduating class to attend all three years at Captain Shreve High School in 1970. He was a member of the Gator football team. During this time, Denny felt a calling to preach the gospel and had plans to attend seminary. But Louisiana Tech University came calling with a scholarship offer, which he promptly declined. They urged him to go and see Terry Bradshaw play his last college game, and as he sat watching, God spoke to him. Tech is where the Lord needed him to be. Now, this was back in the days before Tim Tebow. Players usually didn’t show their religious beliefs. There were a few exceptions, but for the most part, you kept it hidden. Denny asked himself, “Play football for the glory of God-what does that mean? What is the end game here?” Well, let’s see.

During his junior year, Denny was switched from playing Ist string wide receiver to 4th string quarterback. Denny didn’t particularly care for that – going from a starter to riding the bench. But God spoke to him and said he would quarterback the team to an undefeated season for the first time in Louisiana Tech’s history “for my Glory.” Long story short, Tech was undefeated that year. At the bowl game, an ABC reporter shoved a microphone in his face and commented that the bowl victory made their win 12 in a row. Denny replied, “Well, sir, I asked God for an 11-0 season, and he gave us a 12-0, praise glory.” That shows you what God can do.

After playing a few years of professional football, Denny returned home to Shreveport to help his father “finish” leading his church. Once his father retired, Denny had every intention of resigning his position. Again, this was not in God’s plan for him. “Because I’m a Christian, here’s what I believe with all my heart. It doesn’t matter what we want to do with our life. We have to listen to God’s plan for our life. If we just ignored what He wants for us, we would go down wrong paths over and over again – and then how would your life turn out?”

Denny chose the path God laid out for him, and countless lives have been changed. His mother. Frances. had founded a school in 1980 that Denny was destined to be part of. Evangel Christian Academy has grown from a K-8th grade school to one of our area’s most established and “highly honored” K-12th grade schools. ECA focuses on providing a comprehensive education as it prepares its students for various aspects of life, from academics and athletics to spiritual growth and development.

The role of faith in the establishment of Evangel Christian Academy cannot be overstated. Denny believes in the power of the Holy Spirit to affect the Kingdom of God through students who are mature in their Christian faith. Denny started a football program, which he coached for a number of years. Under his and numerous other coaches’ guidance, the Evangel Varsity team has garnered 18 District Championships, 43 State Championships, and 1 National Championship. Over the years, Evangel Christian Academy has achieved several notable milestones in its development. It has been named by USA Todav as one of the top eight high school springboards to the NFL. This recognition is a testament to the school’s rigorous athletic program, which has sent some 30 football players to the NFL and other professional leagues.

In addition to football, Evangel Christian Academy offers a variety of sports for students to participate in, including baseball, boys’ and girls’ basketball, cheering, and more.

Each athletic program aims to develop well-rounded student-athletes who excel in their respective sports while also prioritizing character development and community involvement. Evangel Christian Academy fosters an environment where students can thrive on and off the field by emphasizing the importance of athletics and personal growth.

Denny used football as a platform to share the gospel. He’d been trying to set football aside his whole life, and God just wouldn’t let up. “We have to listen to God’s plan for our life.” This is what he believes, and this is what he has taught so many Evangel Footballi players. Could this be God’s plan for Denny all along? With every winning season, through the trials of the losing ones, Denny believes that the Lord has helped them do what they do. “We just couldn’t take credit for it, honestly. To tell the truth, there’s nobody that understands what has happened here,” Denny chuckles. I like to call it what it is – a God thing.

ACT II:

At the age of 10, Aaron Benward met Denny when his father, Jeffery, and Denny were ministering together. Denny Duron impacted Aaron at such a young age that he considers Denny a mentor. For 40 years, they’ve kept in close touch. One day, during a phone conversation, Aaron asked how the football team was doing. Denny replied that they were having a hard time. It was so hard, in fact, that Denny was coming out of retirement to head up the coaching staff. Aaron asked, “When?” Denny replied, “Tomorrow.” After that phone call with Denny, Aaron began to toss around the idea of making a docu-series based on “one of my favorite people – one of my heroes,” Denny Duron. And with that, he began what became a three-year process, from the first day of shooting to the date it was aired. “God, Family, Football” follows ex-football player and high school football coach Denny Duron as he leads the team during the 2022 high school football season. The series ran on Amazon’s premium free streaming service, Free Vee. Evangel just signed a contract with Fox Nation for two more seasons with an additional two episodes per season.

This exposure on a national platform showcases the school’s commitment to excellence in athletics and faith, further solidifying its reputation as a leader in Christian education.
Do you see how God works?

ACT III:

The role of athletics at Evangel Christian Academy extends beyond physical prowess, as the school uses sports as a platform for character development and community building. In the “God, Family, Football” docuseries, we see Evangel players being taught to put God first in their pursuit of success on the football field, with coaches emphasizing the importance of faith, dedication, and teamwork. This approach to athletics instills valuable life lessons in student-athletes, preparing them for success in all aspects of their lives. For example, Denny uses a “Performance Spectrum” chart for his coaches to understand better who is “in the game.” The Performance Spectrum evaluates each player’s capabilities, practice performance, and actual game performance on a scale of 1 to 3. The spectrum never lies and allows coaches to call the right plays with the right players on the field at the right time. There are a few exceptions to what appears on the chart. Thoroughbreds, for example. Denny explains, “Some players are scaled high on the skill set chart but are low on almost everything else, but they still help you win ball games.
You have to recognize your thoroughbreds and figure out how to treat them without messing up the culture and chemistry of the team.” Denny is currently working on writing a book on the Performance Spectrum Theory. It applies not only to coaching sports but also to business coaching and leadership.
“God, Family, Football” is a spellbinding viewing event. It not only follows Denny and his coaching staff but also takes you into the lives of some players. Their home life, their school day, the ups and downs of winning and losing, and Evangel’s impact on community involvement.

Through this shared experience, the school community comes together to strengthen the bonds between its members. The series showcases the school’s emphasis on relationship-building, which extends to its athletic programs, most notably its football team. We witness the camaraderie and support among the players, coaches, and families. Evangel has an energetic team of moms working behind the scenes to support their boys. Watching and reinforcing the importance of these relationships within the Evangel community is inspiring.
Viewing the show will give insight into who and what Denny Duron is. He’s the real deal. Perhaps that’s why Denny was included in the 2024 Shreveport-Bossier’s 20 Most Powerful Men.

Congratulating him would probably make him blush and quickly tell you that his strength comes from a higher power. With God’s guidance, Denny, the coaching staff, the teaching staff, and the administration, rest assured there’s more to come for all the athletic teams and students at Evangel.

Evangel Christian Academy has big plans for expansion and growth in the coming years. One of the primary focuses of this growth is their football program’s continued development and success. With a storied history of sending players to the NFL and its recent journey to rebuild the program, Denny Duron has high hopes for the future of Evangel Christian Academy’s football team. He’s a great motivator and believes in tackling things “one play at a time.”

The school’s motto, “God, Family, Football,” reflects its commitment to nurturing students’ connections with God, growing deeper Christian roots, and instilling a strong sense of family values in them. Evangel Christian Academy’s educational approach incorporates prayers, Bible teachings, and spiritual guidance, which allows students to explore and deepen their faith. As a result, students at Evangel Christian Academy experience personal growth and spiritual development that extends beyond the classroom and the football field. God has plans.
And there you have it-a great story made for TV in three acts with more to follow.
We’ll leave you with a beautiful quote from Denny taken from the first episode. One that should go on a T-shirt someday:
“It’s tough to beat a great team, but it’s almost impossible to beat a great family.”

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