'Highlight' Harline unanswerable
His circus catches, his Velcro-like hands, his speed, his ability to bust up defenses who try to cover him man-on-man, and all this scoring of touchdowns sure to make highlight films? Well, he saved a dose for the show and lights of entertainment-mecca Las Vegas on Thursday.
Harline earned MVP honors for helping his BYU teammates trash Oregon by 30 points in a one-sided show of firepower by the Cougars.
Oregon's defense had no answer for Harline. None at all.
"It feels great to get this win," Harline said in Sam Boyd Stadium on Thursday night, mobbed by Cougar fans and fighting his way to get to the locker room. "There's no greater feeling than going out a winner."
Harline continued where he left off at Rice-Eccles Stadium onto the Las Vegas Bowl, making huge catches against Oregon. That it came against Gary Crowton, the Ducks' offensive coordinator who as BYU head coach took Harline out of a sophomore redshirt year to play him just on special teams, was even more gratifying.
The speedy tight end from Orem High School snagged a John Beck pass with an outstretched hand that looked like it was coated with fly paper on an 18-yard catch that set up BYU's first touchdown, a stand-up run by Curtis Brown.
He made it look routine. And big time.
Which catch did he like the most? "It had to be the touchdown, to get the catch on the sidelines and run all the way," Harline said.
What about the fly-paper grab?
"Oh, I liked that one too.".
Harline caught a career-high nine catches for 181 yards and one touchdown. If he hadn't played just special teams three years ago, he'd be back next year for his senior season. But as it stands, he should get a big, long look at the professional level after his performance this year earned him all-America honors.
Special-teams work aside, Harline ends up with 1,788 yards, the third most yards ever by a BYU tight end, behind Gordon Hudson and Chris Smith — basically in just two years of work.
"What can you say about Jonny?" linebacker David Nixon said. "He's been making big plays for us all year. That he did it tonight against the best pass defense in the Pac-10 only shows just how good of a player he is."
E-mail: dharmon@desnews.com
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