Cortez Harris feels 'like a real Hokie' after stellar debut
BLACKSBURG — Cortez Harris perfectly executed the stunt rush on his third defensive snap in a Virginia Tech uniform. The defensive end looped around defensive tackle Elhadj Fall, who absorbed blocks from VMI’s left tackle and left guard, and Harris powered through Leo Boehling’s block to sack Keydets quarterback Chandler Wilson on third down.
Harris pumped his fists into the air multiple times. Linebacker Noah Chambers and defensive end Aycen Stevens came over to celebrate with Harris. His first career sack was one to remember, and it cemented his status as an immediate contributor on Virginia Tech’s defensive line.
Virginia Tech defensive end Cortez Harris (left) blocks a punt by VMI punter Ben Shrewsbury during the second quarter that was recovered by Knahlij Harrell for the Hokies' touchdown in Saturday's game at Lane Stadium.
“It made me feel like a real Hokie,” Harris said Monday. “I ain’t going to lie to you, man. That’s what I am.”
The 6-foot-2, 253-pound Harris proved why he earned his way into the starting lineup in his first game wearing Virginia Tech’s colors. He showed burst off the edge, was disciplined against the run in VMI’s triple-option offense, and fit into position coach Sean Spencer’s rotation with Aycen Stevens, Mylachi Williams, Javion Hilson, Jason Abbey and Samuel Okunlola.
“Every day is a current battle. Positions can switch day to day. I’m earning my position every day, and there’s always somebody chasing you,” Harris said. “That’s what Coach Spence says every day, ‘There’s always somebody chasing you.’
“So Mylachi is chasing me, I’m chasing Aycen. Aycen’s chasing Mylachi. It’s all just a big ring, and we try to make it competitive. And whoever wins day to day, my brother’s happy that I’m starting and I’d be happy if my brother is starting. That’s how we go about our business in our room.”
Harris and Williams were two of the 12 players who followed James Franklin from Penn State to Virginia Tech. He announced he was transferring to Virginia Tech on Jan. 11 as the sixth former Penn State player to join the Hokies.
Harris had Virginia Tech as one of his four finalists when he was choosing schools out of Riverdale Baptist High School in Maryland.
He appeared in two games at Penn State last season and didn’t record any stats.
“That was a super quick decision. Coach Franklin is my guy. Coach Franklin always believed in me,” Harris said. “Coming out of high school, I had an ACL injury. I didn’t really think he was going to mess with me. Coach Franklin sent me letters. He said, ‘We love you, bro. We still want you.’ All of that. He did all the right things. He’s a great guy. I came up there. Didn’t end up how we wanted it to. When he came here, I knew I wanted to follow, for sure.”
It didn’t take long for Harris to prove he made the right decision in following Franklin to Blacksburg. He emerged late in training camp as a starter after battling with Williams and Abbey for a starting role alongside Stevens and defensive tackles Kemari Copeland and Elhadj Fall.
“I think Cortez is a guy who has a chance to have a really good year for us,” Franklin said late in training camp. “Is just so explosive, and football’s really, really important to him. Just how he goes about his business, he loves ball. There’s guys that like football. This guy loves football. And he’s willing to do all the things that come with it.
“Early on, he was about 235 pounds and I think he was a little resistant to putting on the weight. But he’s 252 pounds now and hasn’t lost a step and is moving really well and is physically more explosive. He’s got a chance to be one who really makes those splash, eraser-type plays for your defense.”
Harris delivered an eraser-type play on the first defensive play from scrimmage by combining with Copeland for the first of the Hokies’ 18 tackles for a loss.
“It came with being disciplined. Coach (Brent) Pry, Coach Spence, all of the defensive coaches, they harped on being disciplined and playing behind the line of scrimmage all week,” Harris said. “It got boring sometimes, but you can’t get bored of the tiny things. You’ve got to be disciplined, so we were doing take the dive, take the dive, take the dive, take the quarterback, take the quarterback, take the quarterback all practice, and that’s what we did in the game. Practice how you play.”
Harris made an impact on special teams, as well. He nearly recovered Tyson Flowers’ blocked punt after the Keydets’ first drive, and then he came through the middle and blocked a punt that Knahlij Harrell recovered in the end zone for a touchdown.
“Our special teams coaches, man, they’re awesome. I ain’t going to lie. They drew that up completely. I just followed what they drew up to the T, 100%,” Harris said. “Coach Franklin always talks about special teams and how important it is. I truly believe that, too. I’m a starter and you see I’m on special teams. I’m taking it serious. I ran through there 100% and I got through there.”
A blocked punt added to a final line of three tackles, one sack and 1.5 tackles for a loss. Harris made sure to fill up the stat sheet in his Tech debut.
“One of the biggest areas I’ve been able to develop is, one, my leadership. Coming from Penn State, I was amongst a lot of guys that had big leadership roles, and I transferred those skills here. Coming here, I knew I had to be a leader, talk more and just be more vocal, so I’d say my leadership,” Harris said. “And also with Coach Chaos, another thing that he’s helped me to develop is my pass rush. Like, I was always a decent pass rusher, a good pass rusher, but he’s definitely turned me into a great pass rusher.”
Damien Sordelett (540) 981-3124
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