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Junior linebacker Darien Harris looks forward to playing in home state of Maryland this weekend

November 12, 2014
<p>Junior linebacker Darien Harris and Wyoming running back D.J. May dive to recover a Wyoming fumble Sept. 27, 2014, at Spartan Stadium. The Spartans lead at halftime, 42-14. Julia Nagy/The State News</p>

Junior linebacker Darien Harris and Wyoming running back D.J. May dive to recover a Wyoming fumble Sept. 27, 2014, at Spartan Stadium. The Spartans lead at halftime, 42-14. Julia Nagy/The State News

Photo by Julia Nagy | The State News

Junior linebacker Darien Harris has had an eventful week.

The native of Silver Springs, Md. has been working the phones to ensure that as many of his family and friends are able to go to College Park, Md. to see No. 12 MSU (7-2 overall, 4-1 Big Ten) take on Maryland (6-3 overall, 3-2 Big Ten).

Harris estimated that he has about 100 friends and family that will be in Byrd Stadium Saturday night.

"Once we figured out we were going to Maryland this year, we had to figure out how everyone was going to go because obviously a ton of people were going to want to go," he said. 

Harris said some of his teammates gave him some of the tickets they are allotted for away games so Harris could get as many people in the stands for him as possible.

"We were able to get a block of tickets where people were willing to pay, and no one had a problem doing that," he said. "At one point, the ticket office said we couldn't have any more because we were buying so many of them."

Harris went to DeMatha High School, a program known for producing division one players. He said 15 players from his graduating class went on to play at division one programs.

"You learn fast, how recruiting works," he said about his time at DeMatha. "You kind of learn to wait your turn, which is good coming into division one college."

Harris said he grew up about 15 minutes from Maryland's campus and his high school was on the same cross street. Despite that, Maryland didn't recruit Harris, something he wasn't surprised about.

"Growing up in my days at DeMatha I learned that Maryland didn't really recruit local guys," he said. "I wasn't really too worried or upset that they didn't recruit me because a lot of my older friends on the team went elsewhere, I don't think anyone I played with actually went to Maryland."

Even though it might not have the venom of an Ohio kid playing against Ohio State, Harris said the game against Maryland still feels personal because he played against some of the Maryland players in high school.

"It's personal in the sense that I know some of the guys on that team," he said. "It's always fun to play against guys that you know and guys who you grew up competing against from high school days."

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