by Tony Grossi, Plain Dealer Reporter , Plain Dealer

Jerome Harrison took the handoff, scooted through a hole over left tackle and didn't stop running until he reached the end zone.

A 72-yard scoring run - eighth-longest in Browns history. In a key moment of a road game against Buffalo. With the whole league watching on "Monday Night Football."

It should have been the start of something big for a reserve running back in his third NFL season.

"I agree with you," Harrison said Friday between practices at Browns minicamp.

Instead of a start, it was an end, actually. The last touchdown scored by the Browns on offense in 2008. Only cornerback Brandon McDonald found the end zone on an interception return over the last six, dreadful games.

"That season's over," Harrison said. "We'll see what happens this year."

One thing evident is Harrison has a new lease on his career. He is one of the holdover players apparently benefiting from the coaching change.

Harrison has received plenty of reps with the No. 1 offense in the off-season practices while Jamal Lewis rehabs from off-season ankle surgery. As a result, new coach Eric Mangini is learning more about Harrison than he can see on video review.

The more Mangini looks, the more he sees a facsimile of Leon Washington, one of his favorites with the Jets.

"I think Jerome has had an outstanding group of OTAs [organized team activities] and camps," Mangini said. "His ability to pick up the protections and run routes out of the backfield, he reminds me a lot of Leon. I have been very pleased with him in all aspects - running, catching, protection, and the way he works on the field and in the classroom. He has done a great job."

There were two knocks on Harrison in his three years playing for Romeo Crennel. One was that he was a risk to the quarterback when called on to pick up blitzes. The other was he didn't have a niche on special teams and that made it hard for the coaches to fit him on the 45-player roster on game day.

He shrugged off both knocks.

"Depends on who's doing the knocking," he said. "Some coaches go off on sizes and critique instead of just putting on the film and watching guys play. There's always going to be a knock on smaller backs."

Harrison won't be able to prove himself in blitz pickup until the pads are on in training camp and he faces live opponents in preseason. But Mangini so far is impressed with Harrison's recognition of blocking assignments in the touch Football phase of the off-season.

"My experience with a guy very similar in size is positive in terms of what Leon was able to do in protection," he said. "I think if Jerome keeps working the way that he is working, it should be similar."

Harrison (5-9, 205 pounds) is built similarly to Washington (5-8, 202). To gain a feel for what may lie ahead for Harrison in the new Browns' offense, consider how Mangini used Washington with the Jets last year.

Thomas Jones was the Jets' feature back, leading the AFC with 1,312 rushing yards and placing second with 13 touchdowns. Washington was not always pigeon-holed as a third-down back. He sometimes relieved Jones on first and second downs.

Overall, Washington carried 76 times for 448 yards (5.9-yard average) and six touchdown runs, and had 47 catches for 355 yards and two receiving TDs. Washington also was 11th in the NFL in punt return average (10.4 yards) and 10th in kickoff returns (25.6). He made the Pro Bowl as the AFC return specialist.

"Leon's a good running back," Harrison said. "I watched him all through college and through the NFL, and he's good. So getting compared to Leon, I take that as a compliment.

"You know me, I'm just going to keep working. If the opportunity presents itself, I'll be ready."

While most players will shut it down after today's final minicamp practice until the team reconvenes for training camp in six weeks, Harrison's off-season conditioning reaches a new level. For the fourth straight year, he will join Lewis in Atlanta for intense workouts with trainer Tony Villani of XPE Sports.

The regimen includes two-a-day workouts, with a portion devoted to exhaustive cardiovascular pursuits such as running through sand pits, boxing, swimming and long-distance cycling.

"The first day I worked out with Jamal, I almost died," Harrison said. "He thought I wouldn't come back, but I've been back each year."

To reach this Plain Dealer reporter: tgrossi@plaind.com, 216-999-4670

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