The Sooners made a big splash on Monday.
They landed a commitment from Marcus Harris, a Rivals four-star wide receiver prospect in the 2025 class. Harris, the No. 16-ranked wide receiver and No. 147-ranked player overall, announced his commitment via a social media post.
Despite the Sooners not being listed in Harris' top-five list earlier this year, OU receivers coach Emmett Jones and the staff made a huge impression on him during his official visit over the weekend. In a radio interview with KREF on Monday, Harris dished on his relationship with Emmett Jones, his connection with OU coach Brent Venables and more:
(Note: The interview has been edited for length and clarity)
The official visit with Oklahoma didn't come together until very late. When did things pick back up? What made you decide to com
"I really wouldn't say things picked back up. Me and coach Jones always communicared really good. Even though Oklahoma, they were in my top 12 when I dropped it but obviously when I dropped my top five, they weren't in it. But coach Jones, me and him just always communicated even though he wasn't in my top schools. I really felt like when me and him talked, weeks and weeks go by, we just built a better relationship and I really wanted to go out there and see where things (were at)...
"I really felt like I when I talked to every coach on staff, I had a genuine conversation with him. It just felt good. I felt like I was wanted and needed. Talking with a guy like coach Venables is really exciting. He always has the most energy. He's a great coach. Really what helped me make the decision was off of Coach Jones. He's a great coach. He's always looking to develop his players. Not just him, but all the other coaches on staff want their players to become obviously better players, but better men at the end of the day. That's real big for me because I don't want to be just labeled as a football player. I wanted to be labeled as Marcus Harris. I'm not just a football player. At the end of the day, they just checked all the boxes."
How did you feel about the campus and the facilities?
"That's always a good thing to look at when looking for a school's facilities and the resources they have to help their players. But it was just good seeing that, too, seeing the city and seeing what it was like. I was able to ride around the city with coach Venables and on my official visit with Cortez Mills. He just really showed us a lot, talked to us and it just really felt genuine. It didn't feel forced or nothing. The conversation was just really good.
"Coach Jones, me and Cortez had a lot of meetings with him, one-on-ones and then us with just him, and we went through a lot of (things). We just talked ball and talked life. I just felt really comfortable around coach Jones and I really feel like he can further my game."
How much did the offensive pedigree of Oklahoma influence your decision?
"That was a big thing for me they pushed to me is that they always have the best quarterbacks. I'm not gonna have to worry about the quarterback that's throwing me the ball. Also, a big thing for me too is the O-line. I really feel like the O-line is the heart and soul of the team. Obviously you can say the quarterback is the heart, the offensive line is the soul. But you can't really do a lot of things, you can't run or pass the ball, it doesn't matter who it is, you always have to have the best linemen, and OU always has that. Two things they preached to me: having the best quarterback, the best line and also the best secondary. That can also make me better."
Who else would you like to bring with you to OU?
"I would say the guys I was on the visit (with), I'd say Elijah Melendez and Michael (Fasusi). Those are two guys that I feel like could really help our program and just make us better offensively and defensively."
What was Brent Venables' message to you?
"His message was that they can better me as a man, on and off the field. Really, just develop me, get me better. He also told me stories about him recruiting guys really early, guys like (former Clemson linebacker) Isaiah Simmons... guys that he recruited at Oklahoma and Clemson last minute, things he's done, how they got to the NFL and prevailed. He was saying how that related to me. It was good just talking to him. I felt like the whole weekend, we communicated a lot and I was able to talk to him a lot, not just two times or once. Just talking a lot. It felt real genuine."
What do you recall about your first time coming to a game in 2022?
"It was crazy. That was obviously my first game. The fans were just really passionate. They really loved their team. I was out there with a couple of my teammates, some of the fans (recognized us). We were sophomores, and they knew of us and they were calling us, talking to us... That was real good to know that they really keep up with the recruits the team is recruiting. They were really supportive. The game was just electrifying, the environment was crazy, it was loud, the whole thing was filled. I just loved it at that point."
Who was your host this weekend, and what did he have to tell you about the program?
"My host was Nic Anderson. He just told me a lot of good things about the school and coach Venables and coach Jones, what his journey was, how he's gotten so much better being there. I'm really glad they paired me with him because I think me and him have the same mentality. We're both chill guys. I really just felt getting to talk with him, getting to ask him things about how he's doing, it was really good being paired up with him."
What would you say to the OU fan base?
"I want you guys to know you're getting a player who's dedicated, loves the game. I hope not to let you guys down. I'm going to go out there and give a thousand percent every time I go out on the field, whether it's a practice or the game field. I'm gonna give a thousand percent. This upcoming 2025 class, we're going to bring a championship. I'm confident in that, for sure."
