By: Lloydrica Hudson, Sports Editor

Before Hezekiah “Champ” Harris ever led a college offense, he knew he wanted to play quarterback.

 He talks about being a toddler and going through incidents where family would block the tv and he would lean over so he could view the game.

Years later, that remains at the heart of how Harris plays at Valdosta State University.

“I just want to win with my team and want to see those guys be happy,” Harris said. “I want to put smiles on my teammates’ faces, my coaches’ faces.”

His father gave him the nickname Champ as a child. There was no big story behind it — the name simply stuck. But as Harris has grown into a college quarterback, he has found his own way of giving it meaning, through his commitment to teammates and the example he hopes to leave behind.

His path to VSU was not the one he initially imagined. It became a place he chose with his father’s guidance, his faith and a growing connection with head coach Graham Craig.

Harris entered the transfer portal after playing at Southern Arkansas University, hoping to pursue opportunities at the Division I level. When Craig contacted him early in the process, Harris was honest about wanting to explore those options.

Craig understood and stayed in touch.

When those opportunities fell through, Harris had another conversation with Craig and arranged a visit. He and his father drove six hours from Miami to see what VSU could offer.

Harris liked the facilities and enjoyed touring the campus. His connection with Craig gave him another reason to consider becoming a Blazer.

By the drive home, he felt ready to make a decision.

His father encouraged him to pray about it first. Harris prayed that night, again the next morning and once more that afternoon. Each time, he felt the same way.

He called Craig and committed.

His father’s role in that decision reflected a relationship built through years of football and conversations away from the field.

Harris said he began playing tackle football at 3, with his father coaching him. Although his father had not played quarterback, he learned the position to help his son, watching instructional videos and reading books.

As Harris developed, his father became more than the person helping him understand the game. He became the person Harris trusted to help him understand himself.

Harris describes his father as his best friend and the wisest person he knows. He seeks his advice even when he suspects the answer will be something he does not want to hear.

“I tell him the whole truth,” Harris said. “So I get the proper advice.”

That willingness to listen has carried into his work with Craig.

As Harris has become more comfortable in VSU’s offense, one of his biggest areas of improvement has been his footwork. He said he sometimes shortened his drops, moving through his reads too quickly and feeling the need to run before a play had time to develop.

Craig talked to him about taking the proper steps and reaching the right depth in the pocket. Harris focused on matching his footwork to the timing of the routes.

The work has helped him move through his reads more clearly and become more consistent.

“I think there’s another level I can take it to, for sure,” Harris said.

Reaching that level also requires understanding what happens before the ball leaves his hand.

Harris studies defensive fronts and coverages, looking for how an opponent’s alignment might connect to a blitz or create an opportunity for the offense. He studies individual defenders, too, considering where a matchup might favor one of his teammates.

It is detailed work, but it appeals to a side of Harris that extends beyond football.

Away from the field, he enjoys solving Rubik’s Cubes and working on jigsaw puzzles with his mother. He plays Sudoku on his phone during trips and works through logic puzzles with his family.

Studying a defense gives him a similar challenge.

“I enjoy it, though,” Harris said. “It’s like solving a big puzzle for me.”

On the field, the answers must come quickly. Harris has to connect what he sees with the timing of the play, deciding whether to deliver a pass, move to another receiver or use his legs.

He said practice helps him understand which chances he can take. Anticipation and confidence matter, but so does delivering the ball on time.

When the offense struggles to establish a rhythm, Harris looks for ways to help it settle. A scramble can create momentum. A completion can give a teammate an opportunity to make a play.

Sometimes, the adjustment begins with acknowledging his own mistakes.

“I might be the reason the offense is not in rhythm,” Harris said.

He focuses on staying composed and encouraging teammates to handle their responsibilities. His leadership can come through a conversation or through the next play.

“When everybody does their job, that’s when we have success,” he said.

The relationships he has built at VSU have made that responsibility meaningful. Harris credits teammate Julius Pascal with helping him feel comfortable after arriving in the spring. Their friendship helped him get to know the team and find his place within it.

He describes a close group whose members enjoy spending time together, giving him people to play for as well as people to play alongside.

His goal is to win a national championship with them. Personal recognition holds less importance than what they could accomplish together.

“I don’t really care about the personal stats and the personal accolades,” Harris said.

He wants the school and community to feel proud of the team. But when asked what he hopes people remember about him after his time at VSU, his answer began with the kind of person he wants to be.

He hopes to be remembered as a good teammate and someone who helped his team win. He also wants to leave a positive impression on the people he meets, following his father’s advice about sharing his light with others.

For Harris, living up to Champ means continuing to give the people around him a reason to smile.