Tre Harris at SEC Media Days: Everything Ole Miss’ leading wide receiver had to say

The included transcript of leading Ole Miss wide receiver Tre Harris from Day 1 at SEC Media Days on Monday was provided by SECSports.com.

TRE HARRIS

Q. What is the biggest challenges and the most fun about playing in the SEC?

TRE HARRIS: The biggest challenge is definitely the contact. Every single day it’s guys going as hard as possible. And everybody’s out there trying to make a name for themselves. But the best thing for sure is the fans and the interaction with the fans.

Whenever you go out there for the first time and you see and you hear the crowd roar, it’s not even words to describe it. I’m super stoked for the season this year, just ready to get going.

Q. There’s a good vibe about your team going into the season. How does that feel?

TRE HARRIS: It feels great. We understand there’s a lot of expectations on us this year. But at the end of the day we understand that everything that we worry about, we can only control what we can control. And we all are just worried about the guys inside of the facility. We understand that each and every day we have to get better. That’s the main goal trying to get better every single day and trying to get the best possible expectations as possible.

Q. Can you speak on the talent that the wide receiver and the depth that the wide receiver room has, and the potential of a player like Noreel White being a freshman?

TRE HARRIS: It’s incredible having that many guys in your room. You know, it’s good to have that much depth as well. You’ve got guys like Juice Wells, Jordan Watkins, Cayden Lee, Ayden Williams and Noreel White, as well. I can keep naming guys, as well. And it’s good to have guys that can come in and support you and come in and get reps, meaningful reps. It’s really huge going into this season for sure.

Q. Tre, for you, new rebel in Chris ‘Pooh’ Paul. What have you seen out of Pooh since he got to Oxford and how have you been building a relationship with him?

TRE HARRIS: He sits two lockers over from me so we see each other every day. We always talk. Excited for him, excited to see him play sideline to sideline. He’s been learning coach’s defense nonstop, always seeing him get some type of walk through or doing something. He’s almost taken a leadership role as well. It’s going to be exciting to see him and guys like T.J. Dudley as well, going out there making physical hard nosed plays. Excited to see him this season.

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Q. Just talk about Jaxson. What does he bring as a leader, as a quarterback? How huge is it to have him back for another season?

TRE HARRIS: It’s monumental, to be completely honest with you. The biggest thing I’ve taken from him personally is his work ethic. The amount of work he puts in is really incredible. He doesn’t stop working. We’ve been to LA few times already just getting the chemistry together and other receivers with the young guys just bringing the young guys together to do off the field activity as well. He’s definitely taken the leadership role to a maximum. Goes in each and every day with the standard on his mind, that this is the standard that we must live up to and that we must perform at. And I can’t be any more excited for the season and more excited for him to be my QB and be my leader as well.

Q. Oklahoma’s going to make its first trip to Oxford this season. What can Oklahoma fans and Oklahoma’s football team expect in their first trip?

TRE HARRIS: Definitely a great time, for sure. High intensity football game. A lot of loud fans, for sure. Definitely going to be packed out. I’m excited for them to come to the conference, great games as well.

Q. Just to add to the previous question back here, you guys had a lot of returners this season. How huge is that, especially when there’s a lot of talent that could have gone pro or somewhere else?

TRE HARRIS: It’s really great to have guys who you’ve been to battle with and guys been through the ups and downs of the football games. Football is definitely a momentum sport. To have guys see the momentum up and down and having the same perseverance is huge, having the same veterans, it’s huge to have those guys come back and only increases our chemistry with each other.

Q. What needs to be done against the top echelon teams from your side of the football? What makes it so much fun in a Lane Kiffin offensive system?

TRE HARRIS: First and foremost, we just have to perform at the ability we know we can perform at, go out there and execute our coaching game plans and going out there and do what we’re supposed to do.

It’s incredible to be in Coach Kiffin’s offense. Every single day he’s always finding ways to get us playmakers the ball, and to be in that type of offense and have that type of opportunity is huge and allows us to showcase our abilities and skills. Nothing but thankful for them, for sure.

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Q. I know Dayton was hurt that he wasn’t going to be in this EA football game, getting those contested catch ratings right. I know you had some pretty great catches last year yourself. Did you talk about that going back and forth, who will have the crazy catch today?

TRE HARRIS: We didn’t talk about it too much. But once we got to the end of the season, we looked back at the end of the season, seeing the crazy catches, yeah, we’re going crazy this year.

Our main goal, especially last year, even going into this year as the receiving room is going out there and making our mark on the game and setting the tone. That’s one thing we always go into each game with setting the tone first from the jump. We go into the season with the same mindset trying to be the most dominant unit on the floor and dominant players on the field, no matter whether it’s special teams, offense, no matter what it is.

Q. What do you remember going to Georgia, the atmosphere that was there last year now, you guys get to return the favor. What’s it going to be like for them coming into Oxford, what’s the atmosphere going to be there?

TRE HARRIS: Definitely returning the favor, for sure. I remember the atmosphere being an extreme atmosphere. A lot of fans talking crazy. It’s something you get used to once you get to this level.

My expectation going into next year whenever they come into Ole Miss is, give the same thing back to them. I know our fans will do what they’re supposed to do and they’ll come out and support us with as much as possible and they’re going to do what they’re supposed to do.

Q. Oklahoma and Texas are bringing a very storied rivalry into the conference. But this is a conference with a lot of rivalries. Can you talk to me a little bit about the Egg Bowl, what that rivalry is like and what those fans at OU and Texas can expect out of this rivalry?

TRE HARRIS: That Egg Bowl rivalry is definitely something serious. To be honest, when I first got here I didn’t understand it until I played in the game. To be honest with you, it’s a different type of hate. I’m excited for that game as well.

OU and Texas they’ll have rivalries amongst themselves and with other teams as well. As long as everybody goes out there, plays a clean game, everybody will have a rivalry. The SEC, it’s a real competitive league.

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Q. Playing for Coach Kiffin, you see a different Lane Kiffin than I think folks who are watching him on TV or following on social media. What are some things about Coach Kiffin that might surprise people that you get to see as a player?

TRE HARRIS: There’s not much that will surprise people. He’s a real chill guy. Always looking for a way to make it easier for guys. Always trying to make it easier for players, make sure their schedule’s working out for them and things like that.

One thing that impresses me is his ability to flip a switch whenever it’s time for us to play a game. One thing he harps on before the games is for us to conserve the energy as much as possible and just really relax and be as calm as possible, but once that game starts, it’s time to flip that switch and turn into a monster.

Q. Having an opportunity to be on the 2024 Reese’s Senior Bowl Watchlist, what’s that mean to you and to maybe play your last college game in Mobile, Alabama?

TRE HARRIS: It’s huge to have that type of accolade and have that opportunity in front of me is something that a lot of people dream of and a lot of people want to accomplish. And I’m glad I’m able to have that opportunity ahead of me.