The Gary Harrell story is both compelling and motivational. Coming out of Florida football powerhouse Northwestern High School in Miami, Harrell had an outstanding prep career and attracted interest from such schools as the University of Miami, Florida State and Colorado.
 
Yet Harrell, nicknamed Flea, admits that he was ambivalent about the whole recruiting process.
 
Then suddenly, a visit by Ruben Carter, former Howard University assistant coach, and "strong" encouragement from his mother, Jackie, Harrell chose Howard. But even with those factors, there was still some hesitation. When Carter was at the home visit, Harrell says he listened at first, but soon left the room.
 
When Carter left, Harrell's mother called him in and said, "You're going to Howard University."
 
The rest, as they say, is history. Despite his diminutive size at the time (5-foot-5, 150 pounds), Harrell came to Howard University and ultimately became part of the most successful team in school history, including an undefeated season at 11-0.
 
"I had basically lost hope in the whole recruiting process," Harrell said. "It was all so confusing. But when my mother sat me down and told me of the all the benefits of getting an education from Howard University, it all made sense. Besides, I wanted to get away from home to pursue my athletic and academic goals."
 
Upon arriving at Howard, Harrell said that the atmosphere and the coaching staff made him feel comfortable. He would go on to have an outstanding campaign as a freshman, earning MEAC Rookie of the Week honors several times as a return specialist.
 
Meanwhile, Bison head coach Steve Wilson was in the process of building a program that included Harrell as an important piece. A former standout player at Howard and one of the only three-way players (defense, offense, special teams) in the history of the modern-day NFL, Wilson proved to be instrumental in Harrell's transition.
 
"Coach Wilson really made me feel comfortable at Howard," Harrell said. "He instilled a work ethic and preparation culture that made you feel that you could compete and be successful at any level."
 
He adds that the influence went beyond the football field.
 
"I remember him taking Jay (Walker) and me to an event on Capitol Hill and we were asked to speak," Harrell said.  "I was basically quiet and introverted at that point in my life but that experience would go a long way to building my confidence in all areas."
 
The 1993 season was magical. Most people remember the North Carolina A&T-Howard game that season, which some feel is arguably one of the top games in MEAC and HBCU football history. The Bison prevailed 41-35 in overtime on a Walker jaunt to the end zone that placed it in the lore of MEAC history.
 
But it very well could have been a different conversation, had it not been for two big plays by Harrell that ended up preserving the record.
 
The first came at Towson University, a perennial power in Div. I-AA (now FCS) at that time and nationally ranked team. It was the Tigers' homecoming and Howard had failed to beat them in the two previous meetings.
 
Trailing 26-21 with less than a minute remaining, Walker connected on a key third-down pass that kept the drive alive. On the play, the chemistry between the roommates paid dividends, as Harrell got just enough for the first down and got out of bounds to stop the clock. It proved to be crucial as two plays later, Walker found wide receiver Germaine Kohn from six yards to pull out the dramatic win.
 
The other key play came in the ninth game of the season at Bethune Cookman. The high-powered offense, which averaged over 500 yards, was stymied by a combination of an unorthodox defense and a muddy field, resulting in Walker being sacked five times.
 
On a key play, the Wildcats stripped Walker and a B-CU linebacker picked up the ball at the midfield and was en route to what was an apparent game-winning touchdown. The never-say-die Harrell came out of nowhere and chased the player down, stopping a potential score and helping preserve the record season.
 
"That group was very special," Harrell said in reference to the 1993 team. "We had an unbelievable camaraderie. We all look out for each other and even now, we still have a strong bond. I remember the season before the undefeated season, we finished 7-4. Jay rallied everyone and said the record was unacceptable and that we needed to strive for perfection the upcoming season. We all bought in and it paid big dividends.”
 
As for his stats and accolades, Harrell started every game for Howard’s 1993 team. He holds the Howard record for most receptions in a game (13) and in a career (184). He ranks eighth in the MEAC in total receiving yards (2,639) in a career, ninth in career receptions (184 receptions), fifth in total receptions (72) in a season, tied for fourth in total touchdowns in a game (4) and tied for fifth in total receptions in a game (13).
 
He was inducted into the Howard University Hall of Fame in November 2005, and also received a proclamation from the City of Miami, declaring it Gary “Flea” Harrell Day. Prior to attending Howard, he was a varsity athlete for Miami’s Northwestern High School.
 
Following his college career at Howard, Harrell played two NFL seasons, seeing action in four games in 1994 and '95 with the New York Giants. He also played one season (March 1996-June 1996) for the World League’s Frankfurt Galaxy and two seasons in the Canadian Football League with the Montreal Alouettes (1996-97).
 
Harrell then transitioned into the coaching profession at his alma mater as wide receivers coach from 2002-03. He would go on to have stops at Bowie State as offensive coordinator, at Morgan State as quarterbacks coach, at Florida A&M, Texas Southern, Florida Atlantic and Jackson State as wide receivers coach and at Alabama State as running backs coach.
 
Harrell is now an assistant at the University of Colorado.
 
He served as head coach at Howard for five seasons and led the Bison to a 7-4 mark in 2012.
 
Harrell, who received his degree in marketing from Howard in 1994, credits the MEAC with helping his preparation as a coach.
 
"The thing about the MEAC is that it has some outstanding coaches who do not always get their credit," he said. "The main thing is that there is consistency."
 
When asked about what it means to be inducted into the MEAC Hall of Fame as part of the Class of 2023, Harrell offered his feelings.
 
"It is not something I ever thought about, to be honest," he said. "It is certainly an honor. I think about all the people who helped make this possible, my mother, Coach Wilson and teammates like Jay Walker, Kenneth Reese, Dave Sierra, and others. And what makes it even more special is that I share company with Coach Wilson and Jay as Hall of Fame honors. It is very humbling."