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Harris made a major move from wide receiver to quarterback last spring. At times it has been a bumpy transition but Harris made the best of it and adjusted.
"Duwone's athletic ability has always been there," said Peavey. "Quarterback has been a learning process for him. He has strength and power and he moves well. He's a good athlete."
Blessed with athletic ability, Harris runs a 4.6 in the 40-yard dash. In the weight room, he bench presses 270 pounds and squats with 380.
Harris (5-11, 193, jr.), the son of Karen and Duain Gayten, grinned when he was informed of the offensive honor. "I couldn't do it without Him (Jesus)," pointing to the cover of an FCA sports New Testament.
He has two older sisters, Alexis Smith and Shanequa Harris who is a BHS senior. His mother wore jersey No. 12 when she was playing softball in the A.L. Lott summer league and he keeps that number visible on the football field.
Asked about the victory at Stone County, Harris said, "It felt great. We were down 14-0 (first quarter) but everyone started to step it up. Our offensive line blocked well; so did our receivers and running backs. Our defense played hard and made some big plays."
Harris said the unsung heroes in the offensive line were a valuable part of the offense. They include Derrick Henderson at left tackle, Stone Underwood at right tackle, Sam Ballard at right guard, Mitch Case at center, Tameas Hooker at left guard and Nick Peavey at tight end.
Harris said the Panthers had something to prove, especially after the previous week's lopsided loss at Picayune. Already saddled with 3 region setbacks, they desperately needed a win to stay in playoff contention.
"We had to dig deep in overtime," said Harris. He scored all 3 touchdowns in OT, including the game-winner on a 10-yard, third-down sweep as running back Semmie Smith provided a key block.
"Jacoby Cooper blocked a PAT to keep it (score) tied," Harris recalled. "There were a lot of big plays."
Obviously, he's becoming more comfortable with the high-pressure role of quarterback.
"I love playing quarterback right now," said Harris. "At first, it wasn't my cup of tea. But coach (Peavey) said I had to make the best of it."
Apparently, Peavey's patience and persistence have paid off. "Coach Peavey and I have had our ups and downs but I love playing for him," said Harris. "He pushed me and made me a better player."
To his advantage, Harris was familiar with the passing routes and that helped him make mental connections with his receivers. "I can let the ball go because I know where they make their cuts."
Harris said the region losses to No. 1 West Jones, No. 2 Wayne County and No. 3 Picayune have been a learning experience in the new alignment. "As a team we have come together. We found out we could play with West Jones and Wayne County. We beat Stone County."
The Panthers (4-4, 2-3) have home dates with McComb (2-6, 2-3) Friday night and Forest Hill (4-5, 1-4) Nov. 6, both must-win situations if they want to make the playoffs. Harris believes his team will win if they pull together.
His father played cornerback at BHS for Les Bumgarner in the early 1980s. "He was a really good player."
In his free time, Harris said he enjoys listening to rap music and watching the Alabama Crimson Tide on television. He watches the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sundays. His favorite NFL player is strong safety Troy Polamalu, a former 2-time All-American at Southern Cal and an All-Pro with the Steelers.
