Everything From Georgia Tech Safety Tae Harris After Wednesday's Fall Practice

Tae Harris talks embracing leadership, goals at the end of fall camp, and his versatility

Georgia Tech Safety Tae Harris | Photo Via Najeh Wilkins- Ga Tech On SI

Georgia Tech's rising star in the defensive backfield, Tae Harris, talked to the media on Wednesday after fall camp. Here is everything he had to say.

On responsibilities if being one of the older guys in the defensive back room… 

“Coach Vinnie (Sunseri) expects a lot of us guys that has played at least some snaps before in college football.  Anything I can do to help out the young guys because I've been there before.  just been trying to be a shoulder to lean on, you know, because I'm understanding the scheme just a little bit more than I was last year. So, yeah, just trying to be a shoulder to lean on.  I think Coach Vinny expects a lot from me individually.  So just trying to just trying to be that guy and just trying to understand from a standpoint of where Coach Vinny would say it. Trying to learn his language to help out, know, some of the other guys that came in maybe in the summer and spring also.” 

On how much his relationship has grown with Coach Sunseri… 

“The relationship really has grown. You know, I didn't understand a lot of the stuff he did at first.  So, you know, we've had those talks and, I definitely understand where he comes from. His philosophy part of it, just trying to, just trying to be the guy that he, that he wants me to be, you know, just trying to be one of the leaders in the room, you know, along with a couple of older guys in front of me. So it's grown a lot. Like I said, just understanding his language, where he comes from, his background, stuff like that. So it's been a journey, but I like the direction we're going as a group.” 

On where his game is and where he wants it to be at the end of fall camp… 

“I feel like I'm progressing every day, getting better. Just trying to take the right steps and to be in the best player I can be for the team.  But yes, I think I'm at a very high level right now. I'm playing at a high level. Seeing the ball more, catching the ball more. Just trying to get my hands on as many balls as I can. Just trying to be more lenient in the coverage game too. Trying to be, because I know I can help in the run support. So just trying to be an all-around dimensional player; I think it's growing every day. He's just getting better every day. Just leaning on Coach Sunseri's teaching, so.” 

On the emphasis of creating turnovers… 

“It's a big emphasis actually.  He doesn't go a day without saying it. So we've been getting our hands on a lot more balls in the camp. I think one of our biggest problems in the spring was catching football. So we dropped a lot of balls in the spring.  I think we're catching it. We're starting to understand the scheme, the schematic part of it. What coach Boogie (Coach Jason Semore) wants us to do in this certain call, show this call, and then we got to do this off of it. So I think it's growing and yes, it's a big emphasis. So we've been taking heat of that emphasis every day, just trying to at least never go out a day without punching the ball out or getting an interception. So it's definitely a big emphasis and I think we'll take that huge job actually.” 

On chemistry between Alberto Mendoza and wide receivers… 

“I think those guys are on another level right now. Especially with Dalen (Penson) coming in that room.  I think Coach Godsey is seeing the type of players we have,  and he's getting the ball to them. So I think those dudes are on another level right now. Berto is connecting with a lot of people.  So you're not just gonna see one guy catching the ball whole game. I got a lot of people can go in that room. So I think they're growing every day too though.  So I think young guys are stepping up.  I think the older guys are helping.  So I think it's a hard offense to understand, because it's an NFL style offense.  But I think those guys are stepping up and they're catching a lot of footballs, they're catching a lot of hard balls, you know, so think they're taking the right steps.” 

On going against Jordan Allen, Isaiah Fuhrmann, and Dalen Penson…. 

“It's definitely competitive. You're playing against, or you're practicing against different body types. So like Isaiah, 6'4'' dude. He can run, catch the ball, contested ball catcher. Then you got to go against Jordan Allen, a guy who can do everything. Then you got to go against Dalen Penson,  straight-line speed, routes. So you're seeing a lot of different looks. You're getting a lot of different, getting a lot of different routes. So it's definitely preparing us for who we're going to go against and stuff like that. But I think that we'll make each other better. We talk about, what'd you see right here?  Well, I should have done this, such a thing like that. So I think that definitely makes us better. And I think we're, you know, we're trying our best to make them better. So I can definitely see that from a standpoint every day in practice.” 

On who is the fastest on the team… 

“Those guys can run, but at the end of the day I think I got him in 100 meters so no doubt about that.” 

On his versatility and playing nickel in the spring… 

“Yeah, it helped me a lot. Like I said, just trying to understand his philosophy part about it. Just he wants guys to not just be able to play one position. He wants us all to be able to play all three plus the outside guys, the corners; they got that, but he wants us to be able to play star, you know, the strong safety, the free safety, a lot of stuff that he had to do when he was at Bama. So he always tells us. You're not going to be going with the same people every day. So you've got to learn this position just in case this guy, you know, may catch a cramp, something like that. So he definitely wants us to be versatile. But I think it's helped my game out a lot.

As I said, from a coverage standpoint,  I can definitely see jumps on film from the cover standpoint, seeing the ball, just seeing what kind of routes I'm getting, just understanding the concept more.  So it's definitely helped me out a lot. The run support part is, you know, it's always come along, especially from last year. was just a guy that, you know, just guarded the slot, guarded the two receivers and stacks and stuff like that.  So being a little bit more in the box down low has helped me out a lot. Just seeing the run support, not just going to tackle the dude with the ball, just seeing where the blocks are lining up and then going to play off of it. So it's helped me a lot.”