Sophomore offensive lineman Knijeah Harris had two critical blocks in Florida’s win over No.9 Ole Miss last Saturday. The first being a vicious downfield block on Ole Miss safety Trey Washington, which helped create additional running room for WR Elijhah Badger on his jet sweep catch. Harris, who was originally isolated from the play, quickly got up field before laying the boom on Washington, giving Badger roughly 10 more yards after the catch. The Gators would score a touchdown on this drive to go up 7-0 in the second quarter.
WATCH: Knijeah Harris lays vicious block on safety Trey Washington
“That was definitely one of my more exciting plays so far in my career,” Harris said on this block. “I think that’s one of my harder ones, for sure.”
Harris’ second game changing block was on Montrell Johnson’s eight-yard touchdown run out of the wildcat formation. Harris pulled from the left side of the line before finding his assignment and sealing the go-ahead touchdown in the 4th quarter.
WATCH: Harris sets up go-ahead TD vs Ole Miss with block
Much like Florida’s offensive line, Harris seems to be finding a rhythm in the 2024 season after struggling in the month of September.
“I definitely feel it’s been a journey over the year, continuing to grow, maturing as a player on and off the field. Just continuing to take advantage of my opportunities. I feel like from Miami to now, FSU, feel like I’ve grown as a player, gotten stronger, faster. Still getting more knowledge of the game. It’s been great,” Harris said on his growth this season.
After frequently rotating in off the bench as a true freshman last season, Harris has started all ten games for Florida in 2024, logging 542 snaps, the 5th most on the Gators’ offense.
“I would say just discipline, my technique, my fundamentals,” Harris said on his biggest improvements. “As well off the field getting stronger, faster, growing in that aspect as well.”
It would have been easy for this Gators team to roll over and die after starting 1-2 through three games. Expectations and overall buzz around the program were at an all-time low, but that didn’t stop this team from showing up every day and working hard to get better.
“I feel like we’ve never wavered in our confidence,” Harris said. “We just know that every day we got to come in the building and go to work. I think we just kind of focus on that, just focus on working hard, stuff like that. I think our confidence has been pretty consistent throughout the whole season. Just continuing to keep our head down, working, starting to show on the field.”
Florida is now coming off back-to-back wins against top 25 opponents for the first time under Billy Napier. The Gators are focused on not getting too high after their recent success so they can take care of business against an overwhelmingly bad Florida State team.
“We try not to get too high or get too low throughout the season. Just trying to keep a level head,” Harris said. “Focusing on the work, earning the right to win every week. The same things that got us to this point was the work we put in on a weekly basis. So just focusing on that going forward, trying to finish strong.”
Harris is part of an offensive line unit that grades 13th in the FBS in pass block and 25th in run block, according to Pro Football Focus.