New Charlotte 49ers running back Tre Harbison finally comes home

Tre Harbison saw a chance to end his college football career close to home. So he grabbed it.

When Harbison was a standout running back at Northern Illinois over the past three seasons, it wasn’t easy for dad James and mom Kim to make the 12-hour drive from Shelby to DeKalb, Ill., to watch him play. They might have done it two or three times each season.

But now that Tre is playing for the Charlotte 49ers, the Harbison family is less than an hour away.

“Being close to my home and family is a top priority for me,” Harbison said. “At my old school, that was really tough.”

Harbison has come full circle, and the final stop of his career features a significant challenge: he’s being counted on to help replace Benny LeMay, second on the 49ers’ career rushing list and an all-Conference USA selection last season.

“We know he’s an extremely powerful runner, who’s really versatile,” 49ers coach Will Healy said before coronavirus concerns canceled Charlotte’s spring practice. “He catches the ball well out of the backfield and gets downfield in a hurry. He’s difficult to tackle.”

Harbison certainly has the credentials.

Harbison had a brilliant high school career. Cleveland County’s career rushing leader (5,770 yards) when he left Crest High, Harbison led the Chargers to two state championships, scoring seven touchdowns in the 2015 title game against Southern Durham. He was MVP of both championship games.

Harbison was a coveted recruit. Pursued by several ACC and SEC schools, he chose Virginia and former coach Mike London. Although London resigned after the 2015 season, Harbison still enrolled early at Virginia. He decided to leave the program after going through spring practice in 2016.

Ending up at Northern Illinois, Harbison ran for 1,034 yards and five touchdowns as a junior and 1,021 yards and eight TDs last season.

After graduating from Northern Illinois with a journalism degree, Harbison wanted to play one final season as a grad transfer. After entering the NCAA’s transfer portal, he heard quickly from Charlotte, as well as Pittsburgh and Maryland and Conference USA programs Middle Tennessee and Rice.

But the opportunity to come home was too good to pass up. He’s enrolled in UNC Charlotte’s Masters of Arts Liberal Studies program.

Harbison isn’t guaranteed a starting spot with the 49ers. Senior Aaron McAllister, who backed up LeMay and rushed for 380 yards and five touchdowns last season, returns.

“Not just because we’ve added Tre, but ‘AMac’ has changed,” Healy said. “He went from being OK with being Benny’s backup, to, ‘oh no, somebody’s not going to come in and take my job.’ I’ve seen his level of play elevated since Tre’s been here.”

Said McAllister: “It doesn’t matter who starts. With Tre being a big, fast guy, coming from Northern Illinois with the numbers he put up, it’s going to be very good for our running backs room. Losing Benny, it’s a big deal for him to come in. We’re learning, teaching each other.”

Harbison agrees with his new coach and teammate.

“Ever since I’ve been here, we’ve been pushing each other,” Harbison said. “In the weight room, on weekends. I show ‘AMac’ some things, he shows me some things. We’re getting along great.”

One other trait Harbison hopes to bring to the 49ers is leadership, something he said doesn’t come naturally to him.

“I want to have that positive leadership role; I’m working on that,” Harbison said. “That will be good for me. I didn’t have to play that at the other schools I’ve been at. Now I’m the old guy, the grad student. I don’t feel like the old guy, but I’ll pass down what I know to the younger players and be a positive leader.”