Sports at Lunch, Jim Harbaugh and Evan Harney

He could have easily called in sick, but Evan Harney wanted to fulfill his obligation to talk USD football. Five days earlier the Toreros’ Division I-AA All-American running back had survived a freak accident that had left him hospitalized for three days.

But Harney arrived as scheduled with USD coach Jim Harbaugh Thursday afternoon at the San Diego Hall of Champions for Sports at Lunch.

Talk about comeback stories.

“I’m blessed to be alive and not paralyzed,” said Harney, the 2004 Mid-Major Offensive Back of the Year from Fallbrook High.

In two seasons at USD, since giving up a baseball scholarship at UC Irvine, the 6-foot-, 220-pounder has established Toreros career records in rushing yards (2,809), attempts (588) and touchdowns (35). This was to be his third and final season as USD hopes to improve on its 7-4 record last year in its first season under Jim Harbaugh, the former NFL and Chargers quarterback.

Harney said one of his first questions for doctors in the hospital is whether he would be ready for the start of fall camp on Aug. 9.

“They looked at me with a concerned expression and told me it will be six months before I can have any contact,” Harney said “This is one of the most shattering things to happen to me. I love sports and football so much. To have that taken away from me with the snap of your fingers is shattering, but I’m blessed to walk away from the accident. We’ll still have a great season if I’m not here. We’ve got an incredible coach and incredible program with good people behind it.”

Harney said the freak accident happened Saturday night near his Linda Vista apartment. He opened the door to help friends out of his car when he lost his footing in the dark and a nylon fence behind him gave way. He tumbled 30 feet down the hill.

His athleticism and physical fitness were both a blessing and a curse as he tumbled to the bottom. Instead of coming to a rest at the retaining wall, he was regaining his feet when momentum carried him over the wall and another 10 foot fall, with his head hitting the concrete.

Harbaugh, while he spoke at the Sports at Lunch, talked about how Harney was in top physical shape and his offseason training helped him survive the accident. But Harney also fortunate that two EMTs, emergency medical technicians, lived in an apartment at the bottom of the hill. They heard Harney’s fall, rushed outside and offered immediate treatment.

“They stabilized me and took me to the hospital instead of waiting for an ambulance,” Harney said. “At the hospitals, the doctors said because I got there so quickly they were able to control the swelling. Otherwise they would have had to perform brain surgery.”

Instead, all that Harney required was five staples in the back of the head.

“I’m fortunate I have such good friends and the EMTs were there,” Harney said. “I was walking and tell them I didn’t need to go to the hospital, but they took me anyway.”

Harney said he plans to apply for a sixth-year medical redshirt from the NCAA to play in the 2006 season.

Jim Steeg, the Chargers’ Chief Operating Officer, also attended Sports at Lunch and visited with Harney, inviting him to visit him at Chargers Park any time he felt ready for a visit.

Harbaugh also spoke about how much the Toreros will miss Harney, but the team was still optimistic about its goal to win a Pioneer Football League title this year.

What else did Harbaugh have to say about the season? You should have been at Sports at Lunch.