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Harris has been keeping in touch with coaches
The story of former Texas Tech safety Steven Harris is definitely an interesting
one. The Lewisville native could have easily walked away from Lubbock completely
when he got suspended from the team last June, but he did not.
“I went to summer school and I’m in class now. I’m just trying to get all my
grades right. I just stayed at Tech and took summer school classes and classes
this fall.”
The time away from the football field has given Harris an opportunity to reflect
on where things went wrong.
“I’ve learned a lot. It’s given me a lot of time to think about everything.”
By staying in the Hub City, Harris feels like he’s gone through an experience
that will help him in his future. His close friends are still those that are on
the football team.
It’s just like old times except that Harris isn’t around them anymore when
they’re at practice or on Saturdays, during a game. He’s been forced to stay at
home and watch the games from his couch.
“It’s been terrible. It’s been killing me inside. I can’t even tell you. You
can’t even understand. Knowing that I should be out there and I’m not just
really hurts me.”
This drives Harris even more and has been forcing him back onto the right path.
From a distance, the former special teams gunner has seen this team take on a
transformation and he wants to be a part of it.
“This season has been good for them. No, it’s been great. They played good up
until last week. They have a new attitude around here with a little bit of
swagger. I like it.”
There is a sense that a new era in Red Raider football is being built and Harris
is trying to do everything he can to be a part of it once again. He’s been
keeping in touch with the coaching staff all season long, letting them know that
he’ll be ready this January if his suspension is lifted.
“It would mean a lot. I’m working right now and trying to get back. I’m still
talking to Coach Mainord, Coach Ruff and Clay McGuire all the time. I call them
and stuff like that.
“In fact, I went to eat with Clay last week. He was just talking to me and
stuff. He was saying that everyone is waiting for me to get back. He wants me to
get everything in line and get back. I have to go back out there and perform.”
The coaching staff is counting on Harris getting his act together in time. After
all, there’s not going to be many safeties going through this spring. Not only
could Harris right the ship, but he could get a chance to be back on the field
in a more prominent position than ever.
“That’s why they’re trying to get me to get back. We’re trying to make sure my
grades get right.”
Gray weighs in on the BCS
Joel Gray has had a pretty
illustrious high school career. He earned a state championship ring as a
freshman, then won the starting left tackle spot for Lewisville Hebron as a
sophomore, a spot he never relinquished. After rebounding from a knee injury
before his junior season, Gray played well enough to earn over 25 offers before
his senior season had even started. However, his senior season and his stellar
high school career came to a disappointing end last weekend.
“We lost last week to Wylie, 31-28,” he lamented. “We lost on a last second
field goal in overtime. We got out to an early lead, but they were able to come
back and make it close. We probably could have put the game away, but we fumbled
on their one yardline and they ended up driving and scoring. One thing led to
another and we ended up going into OT. Then, a couple of things broke the other
way, and we weren’t able to come away with a win. It was definitely frustrating
to lose like that and go out on such a sour note.”
But if you know Joel Gray, you won’t be surprised to know that the three-star
tackle isn’t letting the loss get him down.
“I guess it’s just kind of bittersweet,” he said. “We had a pretty good run in
my years there, you know? And I guess I had a good enough career to get to keep
playing the game I love, so it’s not all bad. But at the same time, I’d be lying
if I said it didn’t suck- I really want to still be out there playing. I’m
already bored, so I’m just ready to start getting ready for Tech.”
Gray, who says he might throw the shot put or wrestle this spring in an effort
to stay active, also gave his thoughts on this year’s BCS insanity.
“You know, I just don’t think it’s right,” he said. “To be honest with you, I’m
in favor of an 8 team playoff. Obviously the Big 12 South has three teams that
are legit National Championship contenders, and yet two teams will probably get
left out because they had to play each other and they’re all Top Five teams, and
no one else had to play a schedule like that. And to me, that’s unfair. I think
it’s unfair that Tech was undefeated until the second-to-last weekend of the
year, then they lose to a Top Five team, and all the sudden, they’re getting
hosed because other teams lost earlier in the season. To me, a loss is a loss.”
“Seriously, I mean, we beat the No. 1 team in the country, who had just beaten the
No. 1 team in the country a few weeks earlier,” he continued. “And then we beat the
No. 8 team in the country, and had beaten some good teams before that, but yet
we’re still going to get hosed. We beat the No. 1 team in the nation and now they
might be playing for a National Championship over us, even though we beat them.
I just think it’s very unfair. I would love to see the 8 team deal, because then
you just let the best teams get in there and go at it, and whoever comes out on
top can rightfully call themselves the National Champs.”
Stephens gives a scouting report on 2010 QB Scotty Young
Though it’s more or less understood that if Mike Leach offers a QB, the kid can
play, we still thought it would be worth asking Mansfield Timberview standout
Eric Stephens what he thought about Denton Ryan signal caller Scotty Young, who
currently holds a Tech offer.
“Man, that guy was ridiculous,” laughed Stephens. “If you would have told me
that kid was a junior and I hadn’t known better, I would have called you a liar
straight up, because he didn’t play like a junior, I’ll tell you that much.”
Stephens went on to add that, in his opinion, Young is the complete package.
“He’s got good size, he’s a real big kid,” he said. “He’s got a great arm, he
can make all the throws you could ever want, and he reads a coverage as fast as
anyone I’ve ever seen. He’s a player for sure- I can definitely see why Tech
offered him.”
As a matter of fact, Stephens was so impressed with Young that he doesn’t even
harbor any ill will towards Denton Ryan.
“I mean, if you’re going to lose to someone, you might as well lose to a team
with a quarterback that’s unstoppable,” he said with a laugh. “I’m actually
planning on watching them as much as I can from now on in the playoffs, because
I think they’re going to do really well.”
Premium Photo: Texas Tech commit Will Ford
Karam reflects on OU game
Texas Tech QB commit Jacob Karam had
plenty to say about the OU game, some of which we detailed in an update this
week, but the fiery signal caller had more to say.
“I was just shocked, to be honest with you,” he said. “I thought for sure that
the week off was going to be enough to get Crabtree and everyone healed up, and
I thought we’d be able to really hit ‘em hard. But that’s just how it goes some
times. This is the Big 12, and every week is going to be a hard-fought game, so
I guess nothing should surprise me.”
The Friendswood native doesn’t reside in the most Tech-friendly part of the
world, but thanks to his commitment, that is slowly changing.
“Ever since I committed, my friends and family have all been switching over to
Tech,” he laughed. “We’re starting a little Tech fanbase here, I guess you could
say. It was funny because we’ve been having these game watching parties every
week after our games where we’ll watch Tech’s games, and more and more, people
are starting to like Tech. So, even though you’d think all my friends were
razzing me about OU, the truth is that everyone at our party understood that
it’s a tough thing to walk into Norman and come out with a win. People in the
media don’t seem to recognize that- not too many teams do play well up there, so
why get so down on Tech about it? Luckily, people understood that and were real
cool even after the loss.”
News on Clark
It seems as if Texas Tech safety commit Ryan
Clark has had some kind of issue at Navarro, because he did not end the season
as a starter. Interestingly enough, we've also heard that Clark has begun
adamantly expressing his desire to play cornerback. This all comes on the heels
of the news that he will not be able to sign early and participate in spring
football.
Attempts to contact him have been unsuccessful.
Premium Q&A: 2010 CB Adrian White
How’s the recruiting
process going for you?
AW: "It’s going real well. We just ended the season in a loss against Skyline.
It was a good season and right now I’m just getting ready for the U.S. Army
All-American camp."
What offers do you hold right now?
AW: "I have offers from LSU, Texas A&M, Texas Tech, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State,
Wisconsin, Stanford and Vanderbilt. I think I’m missing one or two as well. I
have a total of nine or 10 offers."
Are you surprised with this much early attention?
AW: "A little bit. LSU surprised me a little bit. I expected one or two but
not eight or nine at this point."
Have you been calling coaches at all and looking into future schools?
AW: "Right now I’m looking at schools. I’m focused on camps and next year
right now. I’ll focus more on the schools next year."
Do you know what junior days you’re going to go to?
AW: "I haven’t even looked into junior days. I’ve gotten a couple of
letters and LSU is going to let me come to their junior day. We just ended the
season and I haven’t even looked at it."
Any chance you might visit Texas Tech this spring?
AW: "I think I might go to a couple. Maybe Texas, Texas Tech, and maybe a
couple of more."
What do you know about Tech?
AW: "They have a good football team. They fell short against OU and that
was a tough loss for them. But they have a good team. They have an up and coming
defense and look pretty good."
Have you ever been to Lubbock?
AW: "No sir, I haven’t been to Lubbock yet."
Do you have any friends or family that have ever gone there?
AW: "I have a couple of friends. In a way, I’m related to [Michael]
Crabtree through marriage. I’ve never talked to him though. I just found out
that he’s related to me. My other cousin told me."
What’re you looking for in a school?
AW: "I’m looking for a good coaching staff, the atmosphere, and how the
players are and how I like the team."
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This post was edited on 11/28 12:13 PM by A. Dickens
