University of Minnesota Athletics
10/21/2004 12:00:00 AM | Football
Harston's dramatic transformation on and off the field began at the conclusion of his sophomore season. Prior to the 2002 Music City Bowl, the defensive tackle's weight had ballooned to about 335 pounds. Facing a future potentially filled with numerous health risks due to a family history of high blood pressure and diabetes, Harston felt compelled to lose weight for his personal well-being.
While undergoing some initial dietary changes in the spring of 2003, Harston was simultaneously enduring a position change, switching from defensive tackle to offensive guard. The adjustments presented a myriad of physical and psychological challenges, and Harston acknowledged his hesitancy to change. "I'm probably one of the most stubborn guys around," he admitted.
Yet Harston is a consummate teammate as well. "I don't want to be selfish in any way," he explained, illustrating his team-first attitude. "If there's a way for me to help this team win, that's what I've got to do."
Dieters should realize that they're as likely to be successful at losing weight as Jessica Simpson would be at playing Jeopardy. So Harston didn't rely on solutions from South Beach or Atkins. Instead, he employed the age-old strategy of eating right and exercising. He said resisting the temptation to indulge in eating fast-food was difficult at first, but Harston has become so adept at knowing what and how much he should eat, he no longer counts calories. "Now, I can just tell whether or not I've eaten right," Harston said. "It's really become my lifestyle."
The success of Harston's dieting strategy is remarkable. He lost about 20 pounds last year and dropped another 15 pounds prior to this season. His weight is currently hovering at about 300.
Harston's weight-loss paid immediate dividends for the Gophers. In addition to improved mobility and stamina, he said dropping the weight has helped him maintain concentration during the entire length of a game. "I don't take a play off because I no longer get tired. When athletes get tired they more easily lose focus," Harston explained. "If I can get into the best shape possible, I'll be able to focus longer than my opponent who's probably not working as hard as I am."
Harston was more reluctant to accept the other half of his transformation; a conversion to the offensive line. He was recruited out of Fort Worth, Texas as one of the better high school defensive linemen in the country. In two seasons playing defensive tackle at Minnesota, Harston had tallied a respectable six tackles-for-loss and a sack.
The Gophers coaching staff, however, determined that Harston's skills were better suited for playing offensive guard. Yet he wasn't convinced. "When the switch to offense came, I didn't accept it at first. I thought defense was where I could have the greatest impact and help the team the most," he said. "It took some time for me to realize (offensive guard) is where I needed to be."
Harston had faith that his coaches knew how his skills should best be utilized, but he also sought guidance from the highest authority. "God softened my heart and I decided to just give (offensive guard) a chance," Harston explained. "As I did, I started liking it more as I got accustomed to it."
Having settled into his new position, Harston anchors the right side of an offensive line head coach Glen Mason calls the best he's ever been around. Harston's presence makes the group bigger, faster, and stronger and his progress has been a point of pride for the coaching staff. "I don't think there's a guy that's made more improvement than Brandon Harston at right guard," Coach Mason said of his offensive lineman's development.
Boasting a bench press of 415 pounds, Harston can simply overwhelm an adversary with a combination of brute strength and unexpected quickness during running plays. But he insists there is still room for improvement in his pass blocking skills. "My footwork has gotten better the more games I've played," he stated. "But I know if my feet get too narrow I'll look like a first-year player out there."
The fifth-year senior has waited a long time to make his impact felt. He knows every senior wants to leave their mark, but realizes that the bar has been significantly raised this season. "At first (the goal) was to win every home game," Harston said. "Now it's to get to the Rose Bowl."
Expecting a trip to Pasadena isn't an outlandish prediction. For Harston, a typically soft-spoken, humble guy, it's simply a matter-of-fact belief. He said hard work and sacrifice are required to make the dream a reality. "Every day I want to get better... in the weight room, on the field, and in the classroom," he explained. Brandon Harston has certainly seen the light, and as a result, Gopher opponents will surely feel the heat.
Written by Kevin Noth, Athletic Communications Graduate Assistant. Noth welcomes comments at gophers@umn.edu
Some people will change once they see the light, others when they feel the heat. For Golden Gopher senior Brandon Harston, it evidently required a bit of both.
Harston's dramatic transformation on and off the field began at the conclusion of his sophomore season. Prior to the 2002 Music City Bowl, the defensive tackle's weight had ballooned to about 335 pounds. Facing a future potentially filled with numerous health risks due to a family history of high blood pressure and diabetes, Harston felt compelled to lose weight for his personal well-being.
While undergoing some initial dietary changes in the spring of 2003, Harston was simultaneously enduring a position change, switching from defensive tackle to offensive guard. The adjustments presented a myriad of physical and psychological challenges, and Harston acknowledged his hesitancy to change. "I'm probably one of the most stubborn guys around," he admitted.
Yet Harston is a consummate teammate as well. "I don't want to be selfish in any way," he explained, illustrating his team-first attitude. "If there's a way for me to help this team win, that's what I've got to do."
Dieters should realize that they're as likely to be successful at losing weight as Jessica Simpson would be at playing Jeopardy. So Harston didn't rely on solutions from South Beach or Atkins. Instead, he employed the age-old strategy of eating right and exercising. He said resisting the temptation to indulge in eating fast-food was difficult at first, but Harston has become so adept at knowing what and how much he should eat, he no longer counts calories. "Now, I can just tell whether or not I've eaten right," Harston said. "It's really become my lifestyle."
The success of Harston's dieting strategy is remarkable. He lost about 20 pounds last year and dropped another 15 pounds prior to this season. His weight is currently hovering at about 300.
Harston's weight-loss paid immediate dividends for the Gophers. In addition to improved mobility and stamina, he said dropping the weight has helped him maintain concentration during the entire length of a game. "I don't take a play off because I no longer get tired. When athletes get tired they more easily lose focus," Harston explained. "If I can get into the best shape possible, I'll be able to focus longer than my opponent who's probably not working as hard as I am."
Harston was more reluctant to accept the other half of his transformation; a conversion to the offensive line. He was recruited out of Fort Worth, Texas as one of the better high school defensive linemen in the country. In two seasons playing defensive tackle at Minnesota, Harston had tallied a respectable six tackles-for-loss and a sack.
The Gophers coaching staff, however, determined that Harston's skills were better suited for playing offensive guard. Yet he wasn't convinced. "When the switch to offense came, I didn't accept it at first. I thought defense was where I could have the greatest impact and help the team the most," he said. "It took some time for me to realize (offensive guard) is where I needed to be."
Harston had faith that his coaches knew how his skills should best be utilized, but he also sought guidance from the highest authority. "God softened my heart and I decided to just give (offensive guard) a chance," Harston explained. "As I did, I started liking it more as I got accustomed to it."
Having settled into his new position, Harston anchors the right side of an offensive line head coach Glen Mason calls the best he's ever been around. Harston's presence makes the group bigger, faster, and stronger and his progress has been a point of pride for the coaching staff. "I don't think there's a guy that's made more improvement than Brandon Harston at right guard," Coach Mason said of his offensive lineman's development.
Boasting a bench press of 415 pounds, Harston can simply overwhelm an adversary with a combination of brute strength and unexpected quickness during running plays. But he insists there is still room for improvement in his pass blocking skills. "My footwork has gotten better the more games I've played," he stated. "But I know if my feet get too narrow I'll look like a first-year player out there."
The fifth-year senior has waited a long time to make his impact felt. He knows every senior wants to leave their mark, but realizes that the bar has been significantly raised this season. "At first (the goal) was to win every home game," Harston said. "Now it's to get to the Rose Bowl."
Expecting a trip to Pasadena isn't an outlandish prediction. For Harston, a typically soft-spoken, humble guy, it's simply a matter-of-fact belief. He said hard work and sacrifice are required to make the dream a reality. "Every day I want to get better... in the weight room, on the field, and in the classroom," he explained. Brandon Harston has certainly seen the light, and as a result, Gopher opponents will surely feel the heat.
Written by Kevin Noth, Athletic Communications Graduate Assistant. Noth welcomes comments at gophers@umn.edu
