Two years ago, a lanky 17-year-old from Fresno, Calif., stood up and addressed his teammates for the first time.
“My name is Cliff Harris, and I’m here to lock shit down,” the newest addition to the Oregon secondary said. Harris then immediately returned to his seat without uttering another word.
Some of the older players scoffed at the remark initially, before they recognized the newcomer’s incredible talent on the football field.
Now, two years after that preliminary meeting, Harris is one of the most well-liked members of the Oregon football team.
His flamboyant personality off the field and nose for the end zone on it has Harris pinned as the Oregon’s next defensive star.
Recruited as the top cover corner in the country, Harris has shown his knack for big plays, having found the end zone three times in 2010.
His two punt returns for touchdowns in the season-opener against New Mexico set the Oregon record for most return touchdowns in a single season.
His 76-yard interception return for a touchdown in front of more than 102,000 people at Tennessee just reiterated what defensive backs coach John Neal already knew.
“There’s no question he’s going to intercept that ball and score,” Neal said reflecting back on the play. “And that’s his mind-set — that’s special. I think Walter (Thurmond) had that. Jairus Byrd had that. Pretty exceptional players here.
“You’ve got to be pretty much a step higher than the normal guy to have all that going for you.”
For Harris, being a step ahead of his opponents, both figuratively and literally, began at an early age when his older brother, Mike, was playing high school football.
Harris took it upon himself to compete and train the same way his older sibling did.
“He was a football star,” Harris said. “So I always used to just hang around him every time he worked out. I started at a younger age.”
A six-year age difference separates Harris from his older brother, which made playing with peers his own age less of a challenge growing up.
Harris developed into one of the top athletes in the state of California during his prep career at Edison High School, recording 15 interceptions and four defensive/special teams touchdowns during his junior and senior seasons.
For his efforts, Harris received scholarship offers from Arizona, Colorado, Fresno State, USC and Utah, before deciding to head north and see what Oregon was all about. In the end, the Ducks just had to much to offer.
“My relationship with the coaches and that it’s close to home,” Harris said of his final decision. “Not too far, but not too close. Just everything about Oregon — I love the green.”
Now that he is fully immersed in the Oregon program, words like confident, flamboyant and fearless are commonly used to describe Harris’ performance.
“He’s got a lot of talent and he just loves this game,” senior cornerback Talmadge Jackson III said. “Anytime he goes out on the field, he tries to make a big play.”
Harris’ personality and energetic nature has caught a lot of attention during his short time with the Ducks. His ability to back up the talk and two-step the walk has already begun paying off on the field.
Harris is not listed as a starter at any position on the depth chart, but his talent has made it hard to keep him on the sidelines.
When Oregon lost both Thurmond and Willie Glasper to season-ending knee injuries last fall, Harris’ number was called and he hasn’t looked back since.
“They helped me out tremendously,” Harris said of Thurmond and Glasper. “You know, they coached me throughout the whole year just like Coach Neal. They took me under their wing, and I’m thankful for that.”
It’s relationships like those that keep Harris in such high spirits.
“I’m a team player,” Harris said. “I play for the dudes I work out with, you know, that I’m on the grind with.”
[email protected]