Hawkeyehusker Posted March 6, 2007 Share Posted March 6, 2007 http://www.omaha.com/index.php?u_page=1200&u_sid=2342364 March 6, 2007 NU Football: What ever happened to Harrison Beck? BY RICH KAIPUST WORLD-HERALD BUREAU LINCOLN - Harrison Beck admits that he looked back. "I'm a different dude now when it comes to football," North Carolina State's Harrison Beck says. "I don't know if something clicked in my head or a light turned on or what. I'm just in a better state of mind now."On a brutally long drive home, just hours after it all came crashing down at Nebraska, the prized quarterback with the golden arm had too much time to think. Open highway from Lincoln to Clearwater, Fla. All the time in the world to second-guess himself and rehash what had just happened. "I was 18 years old," Beck said. "Of course I was asking, 'Did I do the right thing?' The whole 20-hour drive home I was asking, 'Did I do the right thing?' Where I stand right now, I'm really happy with the decision I made and where I'm at." Beck got the second thoughts out of his system. He not only turned the page, he threw the book away. "I just had to change my outlook on everything," Beck said. "When I was there, I don't know what it was, what happened to me. It's hard to explain. I just had to learn to enjoy playing football again and everything that comes with it. "I'm a different dude now when it comes to football. I don't know if something clicked in my head or a light turned on or what. I'm just in a better state of mind now." Beck starts his run at the North Carolina State quarterback job when the Wolfpack open spring practice on March 14. The sophomore will try to unseat returning starter Daniel Evans after redshirting last season. Beck abruptly left NU on Aug. 5, just two days into preseason camp. It followed a spring disrupted by shoulder problems for the player who was heralded as coach Bill Callahan's first high-profile quarterback recruit when he signed in February of 2005. It wasn't a pretty exit, either, as Callahan basically reported him missing and Beck bolted town without comment. Beck's mother, Evelyn Beck-Bothwell, then made remarks to reporters that Beck admitted made it hard to come back. One thing that was untrue, Beck said, is that there was any rift between himself and NU starting quarterback Zac Taylor. In fact, Beck said, they still talk three or four times a month and text-message regularly. "I don't know why people made it out to be that way," Beck said. "Some of it was because of my mom, and mom was just being mom." Beck takes full responsibility for the falling out and refuses to comment negatively on the Huskers. Part of that he attributes to strides he's made the past seven months. "I had growing up to do, obviously," he said. "I had things I had to experience and learn from. I feel more ready to take on the challenges and pressures and preparations it takes to play this game." Once 230 pounds at Nebraska, Beck dropped to 200, reshaped his body and is back to a "solid" 215 or 220 pounds. Under a new strength and conditioning coach who has stressed flexibility, Beck said he feels more athletic. His shoulder is fine. Beck also is under new leadership, as Tom O'Brien and Dana Bible left Boston College to become N.C. State's head coach and offensive coordinator, respectively. Beck said they'll feature a simpler pro-style offense than the West Coast system that he studied both at NU and under former Wolfpack coach Chuck Amato. To O'Brien and Bible, the trio of Evans, Beck and Justin Burke all start with clean slates at quarterback. Senior Marcus Stone has moved to tight end after being a part-time starter in 2005 and a backup to Evans in 2006. "They don't care if you've played every snap since whenever," Beck said. "It's open competition. We're starting from scratch." After transferring to N.C. State, Beck directed the Wolfpack scout-team offense last fall. He spent the time getting to know his teammates, some of whom he played against as Florida preps. It is different in Raleigh, where Beck can walk into a restaurant and not be noticed. He tells his N.C. State teammates all the time about what it was like in Lincoln, where he said there is "no place in the country like Nebraska when it comes to football." But that's a chapter that's over and done. "I'm under the covers here," Beck said. "People don't really know anything about me. I'm kind of the mystery guy. And I kind of like it right now. "I'm just excited to compete again and have meaning behind it. I've been waiting forever. It seems like I was in high school 10 years ago." Quote Link to comment
Hunter94 Posted March 6, 2007 Share Posted March 6, 2007 well, just a kid who wasn't ready to grow up yet. good luck harrison. Quote Link to comment
Alex 4.0 Posted March 6, 2007 Share Posted March 6, 2007 "If you can't handle the heat, get outta the kitchen.." No excuse for what his mother did and said though. I still feel like she was the one that sunk Beck. oh well, just a kid, so good luck to him. this topic is more worn out than my adidas from junior year of high school.... so hopefully it doesn't turn into a huge thread bashing beck Quote Link to comment
BIGREDIOWAN Posted March 6, 2007 Share Posted March 6, 2007 Who's this Beck guy??? Quote Link to comment
BIGREDFAN_in_OMAHA Posted March 6, 2007 Share Posted March 6, 2007 It'll be interesting to see what he does with the rest of his football career. Quote Link to comment
gamecocks Posted March 6, 2007 Share Posted March 6, 2007 I'll wish him the best of luck with his future, but if the kid can't handle the pressure of backup quarterback then he would of never handled the pressure if he was asked to start at Nebraska. Quote Link to comment
huskerfan500 Posted March 6, 2007 Share Posted March 6, 2007 any kid who can't stand to wait as a backup couldn't earn a starting job Quote Link to comment
Michigan Red Posted March 6, 2007 Share Posted March 6, 2007 Good luck to him. But really who gives a damn anymore. Quote Link to comment
Spartness Posted March 6, 2007 Share Posted March 6, 2007 Good luck to him, too. I think the kid wanted to come back here, but his mommie messed things up. Oh well, we got him replaced with Lee and perhaps Witt. I don't count Keller since he is a one-year deal. Quote Link to comment
Touchdown Tommie Posted March 7, 2007 Share Posted March 7, 2007 I am extremely happy that he didn't come back. How could his teamates accept him back after what he did? His good ol' mommy messed everything up for him. We wouldn't have Keller if he wouldn't have left and we might have missed out on Lee and Witt as well. Good riddance in my opinion! Quote Link to comment
huskered17 Posted March 7, 2007 Share Posted March 7, 2007 It sounds like he did grow up quite a bit. He didn't trash us and a immature kid probably would have done that. Things didn't work out and that's to bad. We have moved on and it sounds like he has also. Best of luck to him. A lot of kids his age are immature and don't have any where near the pressure he was being asked to face. Didn't like the way he handled it but it's water over the Bridge now, or is it Dam. GBR!!! Quote Link to comment
Drowning_in_the_Sea_of_Red Posted March 7, 2007 Share Posted March 7, 2007 Who's this Beck guy??? I think he's a singer or something? Good luck to him....... Quote Link to comment
big poppa Posted March 9, 2007 Share Posted March 9, 2007 As the sign above the back bar at the SIDETRACK says.... NO CRYBABIES Quote Link to comment
dbetz23 Posted March 10, 2007 Share Posted March 10, 2007 Who's this Beck guy??? Quote Link to comment
husker rob Posted March 10, 2007 Share Posted March 10, 2007 would be nice to play KSUcks and NCST in Lincoln the same year, Beck and Freebie as the starters Quote Link to comment
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