Towards the end of the first quarter, graduate quarterback Chandler Morris faced pressure, rolled out of the pocket and scrambled towards the sideline. Knowing he had to get rid of the ball, Morris fired a rocket down the field. Fortunately, senior receiver Trell Harris was there and twisted his body to make an amazing grab inside the endzone.
The crowd erupted as Virginia took a 21-7 lead, and Harris celebrated his third touchdown. For most, it takes a full game to have a shot at three touchdowns. But for Harris, it took just under 12 minutes.
“You kind of dream and pray for a half like that,” Harris said. “I’m just blessed that I was able to have that and get something that I prayed for.”
Harris’ three-touchdown performance gave the Cavaliers a momentum boost that they carried throughout the first half of the game, in which they outscored the Cardinal 28-14. As a result, Harris was named the ACC’s wide receiver of the week.
While other pass-catchers performed well, there is no denying that the first quarter of that game belonged to Harris, and a successful play with him involved felt inevitable each time the Cavaliers drove down the field in the first frame of their 48-20 win against Stanford.
It was the first time a Virginia receiver has had three touchdowns in a game since Olamide Zaccheus in 2018, and Harris did it in just 12 minutes compared to Zaccheus’ 52. Without a doubt, this was a historic day for the receiver.
Another remarkable part of Harris’ first-quarter performance was his ability to produce in different ways. While his other touchdowns came on deep passes on routes designed to push the ball down the field, Harris’ first score came on a designed screen pass from Morris.
Once Harris caught the ball, he benefited from perfect blocking from the Cavalier offensive line — and all it took was elite agility to maneuver his way into the endzone. While Harris is known as a deep threat, his versatile ability will serve the team well as the team faces increasingly difficult opponents.
“We’re trying to get [Harris] matched up on safeties as much as we could, just knowing he’s a spark and that he can blow the top off of any coverage,” Morris said. “I’m just trying to keep up with him on my arm, because he’ll get down that field pretty quick.”
As shown on his second touchdown, Harris can create incredible separation from defenders when going vertical, which allows for Morris to find him wide open for big plays. For that score, Harris broke free on a post route and racked up 25 yards after the catch, simultaneously displaying his above-average speed. In an offense that loves to pour on points, a guy like Harris fits right in.
But even after his legendary first quarter, Harris still continued to contribute. He continued to find open gaps and make plays, finishing with 145 yards. In one-on-one coverage, Harris was simply unstoppable. Saturday was his day. Although a third quarter injury ended his playing time a bit early, he said that it is nothing serious and that he should return in the near future.
“I’m feeling good,” Harris said. “It was a little cramp, I’ll be good. Just have to get some more fluids and practice.”
The ceiling of the Cavaliers is truly high, with the offense being the biggest impetus of success. With big games coming up against Florida State and Louisville, the contributions of Harris and the rest of the receiving core will be critical to pulling off an upset. Virginia is home again in their next game, with kickoff slated for 7 p.m. Friday. The game will be aired on ESPN.
Read More
Down but never out — No. 3 Virginia comes back in thriller against No. 4 Syracuse
By Casey Reims | 3 hours agoThe Cavaliers have conquered yet another powerhouse.
No. 1 Virginia women’s soccer continues its dominance in 3-0 thwarting of Syracuse
By Sam Chun | 9 hours agoThe Cavaliers are rocking an 8-0-1 record.
Virginia’s air attack axes subpar Stanford secondary en route to first ACC victory
By Theo Moll | YesterdayChandler Morris threw for 380 yards and four touchdowns, decimating the Cardinal defense.
