Harold Perkins looks back on flipping from Texas A&M to LSU as a recruit

Harold Perkins knew he was going to play in the SEC one way or the other. For some time, he thought it would be wearing maroon with the Texas A&M Aggies. The five-star product out of the Houston area had a long-time commitment to former head coach Jimbo Fisher. But as signing day drew closer, Perkins flipped over to the LSU Tigers, putting his faith in Brian Kelly.

Nearly three years later, Perkins has turned into a star in Baton Rouge and is now representing the program at SEC Media Days. He was asked to reflect on his decision to flip from Texas A&M to LSU, saying it was a hard one. But not something he regrets.

“It was a difficult decision,” Perkins said Monday at SEC Media Days. “It was a moment I felt that I had no regrets on but it was still a difficult decision.”

Losing recruiting battles is tough, especially to a direct rival. Perkins could have been a member of Texas A&M’s historic 2022 recruiting class, one that has fallen apart over the years. Fisher is no longer in College Station, with Mike Elko running the show. Ironically, Elko was a key recruiter for the class.

So facing off against the Aggies possibly means a little more to Perkins. He enjoys facing off against them, something LSU has done the final weekend of the regular season in recent seasons. Perkins knew coaches on the opposing sideline and enjoyed the battle.

“It’s fun,” Perkins said. “Obviously, the guys on their team, coaches and stuff — we have a history. I know them, they know me. It’s not a surprise. So, it’s a fun game when we play them.”

Perkins has recorded 11 tackles, 2.5 tackles for a loss, and 0.5 sacks against Texas A&M in two games. This past season at Tiger Stadium was by far his best performance, having nine of those tackles and getting 1.5 TFLs.

There will be at least one more opportunity to face Texas A&M in Perkins’ college career. Oct. 26 will renew one of the SEC’s newer rivalries, with Kyle Field set to host. While the Aggies might have an old-school rivalry coming to town later in the year, you know the fans will want to get one over LSU.

Perkins is not too interested in losing, though. He will forever be connected between the schools, being a classic SEC recruiting story.