“Good genes, Jesus Christ, and the people around me”: Trevor Harris and the secret to longevity
Jake Maier, who will start at quarterback for the Ottawa REDBLACKS tonight when they play host to the Saskatchewan Roughriders, has 13,122 career passing yards to his credit at age 29.
When Trevor Harris celebrated his 29th birthday, his career yardage total was a comparatively paltry 705.
He has certainly made up for lost time.
The fourth-year Roughriders quarterback — who is in his 14th CFL season —needs only 170 passing yards on Friday to assume sole possession of 12th on the league’s All-Time list.
Harris is poised to leapfrog Tom Clements, who registered the first 12,466 of his 39,041 career yards with Ottawa (1976-78) and Saskatchewan (1979). Clements compiled 17,002 yards in advance of his 29th birthday.
Although Harris is not motivated by any statistic that does not appear in the win column, he appreciates the significance of an imminent ascent on a legend-laden list.
“I don’t want to try and brush off any of those things, because when you start talking about 12th All-Time, that’s pretty cool,” said Harris, 40. “A lot of really great quarterbacks have played up here, so it’s humbling to hear that.”
Harris has been a teammate of two of the few quarterbacks who are above him on the yardage list — Henry Burris (third All-Time at 63,639) and Ricky Ray (fourth; 60,736).
Ray and Harris both occupied the Toronto Argonauts’ quarterbacks’ room from 2012 to 2015. Ray was the starter for most of the first three years before encountering injury issues that opened the door for Harris to enjoy a breakout season in 2015, at 29.
That year, Harris threw a league-best 33 touchdown passes — his career high to this point — and led the loop in completion percentage (71.0).
Harris joined the REDBLACKS the following year and worked in tandem with Burris.
While Smilin’ Hank battled injuries at age 41, Harris earned East Division all-star laurels and led the CFL in quarterback efficiency rating (116.0). He attempted 330 passes, compared to 264 by Burris, during the regular season.
Come playoff time, Burris guided Ottawa to back-to-back victories, including a 39-33 conquest of the Calgary Stampeders in the 104th Grey Cup Game.
Burris earned Grey Cup MVP honours after throwing for 461 yards and three touchdowns — including the overtime winner — in what turned out to be his final game as a player.
Grey Cup MVP accolades were graciously accepted by Harris after he quarterbacked Saskatchewan to a 25-17 victory over the Montreal Alouettes on Nov. 16 in Winnipeg.
Harris could have opted for a storybook ending to his playing career, a la Burris, but instead signed a new contract with Saskatchewan.
Good move.
The first quarterback in Roughriders history to begin a season in his 40s, Harris carries a stratospheric efficiency rating (127.3) into Friday’s game in Ottawa.
He has thrown for 1,175 yards and become only the second quarterback in Roughriders history to hit 300-plus in each of the team’s first three regular-season games. The first was Joe Paopao, in 1985.
Moreover, Harris has thrown eight touchdown passes — and only one interception — while fashioning a typically top-tier accuracy rate (75.7 per cent).
“I feel like I’m still in my prime,” he said. “I’m just thankful that I’ve been able to learn and grow and develop around a lot of good people who have taught me things.
“I’ve been preparing for these years of my career for the last 10 years.”
Over that span, Harris has thrown most of his 212 career touchdown passes.
He assumed sole possession of 14th on the CFL’s All-Time list by passing for two scores last Friday against Toronto at Mosaic Stadium. Harris and Dieter Brock were tied at 210 when the game began.
What is the secret to making all this happen at age 40?
“I’ll have to thank Jesus Christ for a work ethic to keep grinding the way I have,” Harris replied.
“I thank Tom and Suzanne Harris for good genetics to allow me to play at this stage of my career.
“I’m just glad that I’ve listened and that I’ve had the right people in my corner to help me — like Jake Kozens, my personal trainer — and other people who have helped me formulate the way I go about my off-seasons.
“Good genes, Jesus Christ, and the people around me.”
TREVOR HARRIS ON THE CFL’S CAREER LISTS
PASSING YARDS
79,816 — Anthony Calvillo
72,381 — Damon Allen
63,639 — Henry Burris
60,736 — Ricky Ray
53,255 — Danny McManus
52,867 — Kevin Glenn
50,535 — Ron Lancaster
45,198 — Bo Levi Mitchell
43,857 — Matt Dunigan
41,355 — Doug Flutie
40,534 — Tracy Ham
39,041 — Tom Clements
38,872 — TREVOR HARRIS
TOUCHDOWN PASSES
455 — Anthony Calvillo
394 — Damon Allen
373 — Henry Burris
333 — Ron Lancaster
324 — Ricky Ray
303 — Matt Dunigan
293 — Kevin Glenn
284 — Tracy Ham
270 — Doug Flutie
270 — Bo Levi Mitchell
259 — Danny McManus
252 — Tom Clements
221 — Zach Collaros
212 — TREVOR HARRIS
ATTEMPTS
9,437 — Anthony Calvillo
9,138 — Damon Allen
7,452 — Henry Burris
7,303 — Ricky Ray
6,689 — Danny McManus
6,434 — Kevin Glenn
6,233 — Ron Lancaster
5,476 — Matt Dunigan
5,339 — Bo Levi Mitchell
4,943 — Tracy Ham
4,854 — Doug Flutie
4,700 — Kent Austin
4,657 — Tom Clements
4,535 — Dieter Brock
4,474 — TREVOR HARRIS
COMPLETIONS
5,892 — Anthony Calvillo
5,158 — Damon Allen
4,982 — Ricky Ray
4,649 — Henry Burris
4,068 — Kevin Glenn
3,640 — Danny McManus
3,493 — Bo Levi Mitchell
3,384 — Ron Lancaster
3,184 — TREVOR HARRIS
COMPLETION PERCENTAGE
71.24 — Cody Fajardo
71.17 — TREVOR HARRIS
