Everything From Georgia Tech Defensive End Kevin Harris After Tuesday's Practice
![Oct 11, 2014; Atlanta, GA, USA; Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets helmet on the bench against the Duke Blue Devils in the first quarter at Bobby Dodd Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports Oct 11, 2014; Atlanta, GA, USA; Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets helmet on the bench against the Duke Blue Devils in the first quarter at Bobby Dodd Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_crop,w_3888,h_2187,x_0,y_0/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/images/ImagnImages/mmsport/all_yellow_jackets/01j4mnndzsmtgk3dxqdm.jpg)
Fall Camp rolled on today for Georgia Tech and after practice, more players and coaches met with the media. Today, it was the defensive side of the ball and edge/outside linebackers coach Kyle Pope and defensive ends Kevin Harris, Romello Height and Sylvain Yondjouen met with the media after practice. Here is everything that Harris had to say.
1. On his relationship with Coach Pope...
"Coach Pope, he's still the same guy every day. He's hard on this. And I enjoy the energy he brings to the room, and I feel like that drives us every day. Like, we drive ourselves. But Coach Pope is like, if we see him down, we know we can get on him, vice versa. So it's like a two -way streak, you know. We got to keep each other accountable. And I think we've been doing good, doing that, and getting those things done."
2. On being on the Freaks list a couple of years ago and Jordan van den Berg being on there this year...
"Well, me and Berg, we work out in the same rack, so I see it every day. Yeah, he pushes me to my limit. I mean, it's just like just another thing. If you're strong, you're strong. I mean, it's genetics. I mean, if you got it, you got it. But, yeah, I mean, it's cool and all. But that's not really the main focus on me in the weight room. You know, we just lifting so we can be consistent and be better, be stronger, whatever we're doing. So it doesn't mean anything. We just continue to work and try and get stronger, better, faster, whatever that is, you know."
3. On his goals...
"My goal is to be the best player I can for this team and to lead us to a championship. I also want to win the ACC. I want to have plenty sacks, TFLs, everything that that encompasses goals. I want to go to NFL. I also want to see more guys get drafted out of Georgia Tech. I think we have too much talent here for guys not to be getting drafted and getting more looks, and I think that starts with winning. I think that starts up front, and I think that feeds all throughout the building when we're doing what we need to do up front. So that's one of my goals to make sure we're going down the right path. We've seen it done. We know how to get the stuff done. So like we just got to do it. We got to find a way to make this thing get up and just go. We're going to keep doing like this. So that's the goal."
4. On having Sylvain back from injury...
"I think it's very inspiring. Just watching him, staying in good spirits, the type of person he is every day, it never changes. Like, you come in, you see him doing what he does. It's like you have to take a look in the mirror every day and make sure that you're giving it all you've got. Because we've got guys like that all over the building, just pushing it no matter what, no matter how they're feeling, you know. So it's good for the young guys to see, and it's good for the older guys to see too. We have no excuses here, And we just keep on going. And I'm very proud of him. He's, like, one of my best friends. And I just can't wait to see him just reach that level where he's just bawling and doing what he used to do, man. Like, I can't wait to see that version of Sylvain back. And I think he's doing that. And, yeah, I mean, he's an inspiration. Like, I don't know what else. No, I know any other way to put it. So, yeah, he's my guy. Great leader."
5. On the depth they have on the defensive line...
"You know it. You know it. It's definitely going to open up a lot of things. This is the best line we've had.And I think that's just goes to show how hard these guys have been working. And the work we put in just On the field, off the field, just trying to be a better team, you know, a better, a better foundation for the rest of our team. We take it on ourselves. The -D -line, you know, just the intensity of practice and all that stuff starts with us up front. And I think we got to really lean back into that and just continue to do that so we can keep on climbing and just being ready for adversity, you know, showing, showing the right characteristics of a mean defensive line. So I think that's who we are right now."
6. On if he considers himself one of the leaders on the D-Line...
"es, sir. They've definitely put a lot on my plate as far as being the leader, just because just automatically I've been here. I've seen the downs, I've seen the ups. I've known the people in this building. I know what the thing is supposed to look like. And we have a bunch of young guys who need to have that leadership in order to keep this thing going well after I'm going. The one thing I want for this team is to continue to keep getting better year after year, staying consistent, just being consistent. As far as me as being the leader, Yes, I mean, I take on myself every day, like I take everything personal, you know, as far as that. So, yes, I'm embracing it. Like, I enjoy, I enjoy my job. I enjoy coming here every day. Like, this is, this is like, this is what drives me every day, being in a building with the guys I'm with. And I'm pouring into them wherever I can because I know I needed that when I was younger. And I think that makes all the difference as far as development, You know, it's not, so sometimes it's not the coaches that makes things click. Sometimes it's just looking at the guys around, you just seeing how things are done. And I think that's what we're doing here right now."