Exclusive Interview: Texas Longhorns Football 2010 Recruit John Harris
by ElongatedHorn on May 21, 2010 6:43 AM CDT
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The Longhorns' offense takes a big blow with the loss of Colt McCoy and Jordan Shipley to the NFL, but the 2010 recruiting class delivers one of the best groups of high school receivers in years. One of the best in the class is four-star recruit John Harris from Naaman Forrest High School in Garland, Texas.
Harris played quarterback for the 2009 season, but had previously played receiver, his natural position. He passed for just 517 yards and three touchdowns but ran for 1,155 yards and 13 TDs. He joins fellow WR recruits Mike Davis (Skyline), Darius White (Dunbar), Chris Jones (Daingerfield) and Darius Terrell (DeSoto).
Burnt Orange Nation caught up with Harris to talk about his plans for the summer, why he chose Texas, where he envisions himself in the offense, and, of course his favorite cereal.
BON: You played quarterback in 2009, so how did that help you better understand the wide receiver position?
John Harris: I learned how to read coverages a lot better. I can kind of tell what the safeties are doing. Another thing I learned-you kind of want to catch the ball, because the quarterback takes a beating back there. It kind of hurts if you take a beating when throwing the ball. If they don't catch it, you have to get back up and do it again.
BON: How did playing QB help you develop relationships with your receivers?
JH: You have to be able to count on your receivers, and you have to count on the quarterback to get it to you. You might be in a position as the quarterback where you have to take that hit. It's the same way with the receiver when you have to go across the middle. You just have to put it in the right spot.
BON: School's almost out, so what are your plans for the summer to get ready for your freshman year in Austin?
JH: I've been working out with Coach Bullitt. I played football with his son, who's playing for Texas Tech. His other son plays for the Colts. I'm going down to Austin June 1. I'm taking one summer class. I don't know if I'm going to do second semester. Just going to go down there and work hard and try to get playing time. I think it playing quarterback this year helped me learn plays easier.
BON: Why did you choose Texas? Have you always wanted to play there?
JH: I watched Texas as a little kid. As I got older I always said I was going to play for them. When I finally got the opportunity, I just took it.
BON: What did the coaches talk to you about when they recruited you?
JH: I talked to Coach Kennedy most of the time. He's a real cool guy. He told me I was one of the receivers he wanted the most. He was real easy to get along with.
BON: What other schools recruited you?
JH: Texas Tech, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Arizona and Texas A&M. My top three were Texas, Texas Tech and Oklahoma. Texas Tech was because I have a high school teammate that plays there. I had never been to Lubbock. There's not much out there, and I didn't want to go where there's nothing [to do].
BON: What's it like being part of such a great class of receivers? You guys are going to have a lot of competition the next few years. What's something special you can bring?
JH: We can pretty much all do the same stuff. Darius White is tall. Mike Davis can jump, and he's probably only about 6 feet tall. Chris Jones has the speed. Darius Terrell is big, about my size. What I think I can do best is go out there and outwork people. Coach Patterson used to work me to death, so I'm used to getting down and dirty.
BON: Have you gotten to know the other receivers in this class?
JH: Yeah, I know all of them. I'm rooming with Chris Jones when I go down to Austin in the summer. I talk to Mike every now and then.
BON: Would it be OK with you if you were redshirted this year?
JH: It would be OK if I was redshirted. I feel like if I was redshirted, I was redshirted because I'm not ready to be there yet. I just don't want to be redshirted because I didn't work hard enough.
BON: What are you most excited about for your college career at Texas?
JH: Just to play college football. A lot of people from high school don't get to do this. I'm just excited to play for them.
BON: What team are you most looking forward to playing against?
JH: I probably have three of them. I'd say Texas Tech, Oklahoma and UCLA. Texas Tech because my teammate plays safety. Jonathan Miller [former teammate] goes to Oklahoma. He's a second-string running back for them. And UCLA, I've always wanted to play them because I've seen them on TV.
The Harris Profile
Position: WR
High School: Naaman Forrest (Garland)
Height: 6-3
Weight: 190
Favorite Longhorn of all time: Vince Young
Plans to Major In: Physical therapy
Favorite Movie: Remember the Titans
Favorite Actor: Will Smith
Favorite TV Show: CSI
Favorite Breakfast Cereal: Frosted Flakes
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" You guysare going to have a lot of completion the next few years."
Let’s hope so!!
seems like he has a great work ethic. welcome to the 40 acres.
may be just talk,
but I love someone who says:
1) I’ll outwork you, and
2) I’m ok with a redshirt, IF I’m not ready.
Seems like we have another great character recruit in the fold.
I was thinking
he meant to say “competition” and it was a serendipitous typo.
6’3 190? I always forget about him. Pretty good size.
by Displaced Longhorn on May 21, 2010 8:48 AM CDT reply actions
For our "So you love Lubbock list."
“I didn’t want to go where there’s nothing.”
So If he red shirts and works hard
You are looking at prox 6-3 and 205 red shirt freshman. Maybe 6-4 and 215 by Soph? Limas Sweed anyone?
Good stuff, elongated...nt
"I want to be remembered as the guy who gave his all whenever he was on the field."
-Walter Payton
My sister and good friend teaches at Naaman. My friend had him in a class last year. Says he is a good kid. He’s a big’n.
"Try not. Do, or do not. There is no try."
- Yoda
Wait, you mean there’s nothing to do in lubbock? Maybe he didn’t hear about the Leachling Bros circus that’s still in town.
Ahh TT you always find ways to make me laugh. Seriously though, I like the makeup of this kid and I hope that class does extremely well cuz I’m sick of hearing how prolific of an offense the thieves have when we all know it is overhyped.
by dukeoforange on May 21, 2010 12:54 PM CDT via mobile reply actions
It's awesome BON is starting to land interviews
Would love to see more of this in the future!
Agreed!
"I'm young, but I'm old-fashioned." - Will Muschamp
by BMC237 on May 21, 2010 4:31 PM CDT up reply actions
What a novel idea. Interviews with players. (Thanks much, EH.)
I remember when newspapers used to do this sort of thing.
And I remember when college head coaches didn’t prevent it from happening!!!!! Guess you gotta get ‘em before the kid’s on campus. Kind of sad.
Yeah, it certainly is.
This kid is so direct and mature and has some fine thoughts of his own, without tutoring, great sense of what accomplishment is all about. That’s refreshing.
Fine work, EH.
Good stuff, EH
Harris gets overlooked a bit in this class because of the other talented wide receivers, but he could be a good one on the outside — he has great lateral quickness that allows him to make the first defender miss in the open speed and I think his speed is underrated. Should be a solid contributor, but I definitely think that he redshirts this falls.
by Wescott Eberts (GoBR) on May 21, 2010 5:46 PM CDT reply actions
Great Post and a Couple Questions
Thank you very much – enjoyable read. Few questions for BON:
1. Any chance that this type of interview for recruits could get expanded?
2. Truly it is better for his development to have played QB than WR? He will be further ahead?
Some of the answers to the questions made me a fan of Harris immediately.
The class of 2000 included Roy Williams, B.J. Johnson, Sloan Thomas and Tony Jeffery. The 2010 class has the most potential of any class of WRs since then. Because he didn’t play WR his senior year, committed early and White/Davis got most of the press I did not pay much attention to Harris. One and perhaps two of the WRs in this class will redshirt and I assumed one of those would be Harris. I still think that is what will happen simply because of the numbers at the position, but after reading the interview it would not surprise me if Harris played.
You Are Prolly Right
I guess Davis would be least likely to red shirt, given his polish, and the fact that he best fits the Cosby, Ship kind of reciever.
Jones is the most likely to red shirt – just because his skill set is so much like Hales and DJ. It would be great to get a year of seperation there.
Then you have the battle between Harris and White. Before reading this article, I would have put the odds of White winning the battle at prox 95%. After reading this interview – I move the odds of White winnning the battle into the 60s%. The one thing I love about the post Alamo Bowl Mack – if Harris outworks White – he will be in front of him. I truly think that disappointing year was a blessing in a disguise, and Mack could now care less of your recruiting ranking, or which class you are in. God bless Mack, Boom, Horns.
I think you are right about Jones
If I remember Mack’s comments correctly, redshirting is a topic addressed during the recruiting process. Some guys are apparently told up front that the staff wants them to redshirt and their offer might even be conditioned on that. Others are told they may redshirt and that sounds like what Harris was told. White I believe said that he wanted to play as a freshman, so he will probably not redshirt although he may play sparingly.
Good stuff on the redshirt process
Seems to me Mack also has said that while the staff will honor the player’s request — and if he does not want to redshirt he probably will play as a true freshman.
But there’s an additional aspect: If the staff feels the player is not ready to play, or could really benefit by redshirting, they’ll hold him out of the first 3-4 games and reassess. This gives the player a chance to see, during the season, what he might gain by accepting the redshirt.
Harris is a great kid and athlete
I have friends over in Garland and by all reports Harris is both a great kid and great athlete. I really hope he shirts, he needs it.
in fact the ONLY WR I want to see take the field is Davis. White is not ready to play D 1 ball based on reports from both under armor and people who know scouting. Of the other WRs, Terrell and Jones are the most ready but I really hope we shirt both, especially Terrell if we are moving him to Big WR/Flex TE/H Back.
We normally use 6 WRs, Williams, Goodwin, Kirk, Chiles, Hales, DJ (could be RB/could be slot back) Timmons, Davis and Fitzhenry are 9.
Now granted, you can start passing those guys on the chart but the advantage each of those guys has is a full year working with GG and knowing the system.
Had some of them come in this spring, might be another story but count me as disappointed if we see more than Davis play.
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