Billy Watkins

The Clarion-Ledger

Seven-year-old Tanner Harris wasn't concerned about arriving a few minutes late for his fall baseball game Sunday afternoon.

He needed to finish a letter and get it in the mail.

Dear Laquon,

You are my favorite Ole Miss football player. I enjoy watching you every week. For Christmas I am asking Santa to bring me a #1 jersey. I'm so sorry you hurt your leg and ankle. I hope you get better soon.

Your #1 fan

Tanner Harris

Some 17 hours earlier, Tanner Harris watched on television as his real-life super hero — Ole Miss wide receiver Laquon Treadwell — appeared to score the go-ahead touchdown on a 20-yard catch-and-run against Auburn with 90 seconds remaining.

Tanner's parents and Ole Miss alums, Josh and Karen Harris of Oxford, jumped off the couch and began screaming with joy. An extra point would put the Rebels ahead 38-35 in arguably the most important game ever played at Ole Miss' Vaught-Hemingway Stadium.

While his parents continued to celebrate, Tanner stared at the television.

"Daddy, Laquon's not getting up."

Then came the gruesome replays of Auburn's 6-foot-2, 234-pound Kris Frost desperately trying to drag down the 6-foot-2, 229-pound Treadwell, the receiver's left leg getting pinned beneath the weight of the sliding linebacker at the 1-yard line, and the football falling from Treadwell's grasp inches before crossing the goal line.

"Tanner ... it looks like he fumbled," Josh Harris said.

"No, Daddy, no."

Suddenly, Josh Harris had his hands full, trying to answer texts from friends — Was it a fumble? Is it his knee or ankle? — and attempting to distract his weeping son by giving him a detailed explanation on why it wasn't an illegal horse-collar tackle.

Josh was still emotional Monday after watching his son "seem to melt away in tears" as Treadwell rode from the field on a cart.

The loss hurt as much as any Josh can remember in his 36 years as an Ole Miss fan who was born and raised in Oxford. But the pain of watching his son try and digest the loss and the sickening injury trumped that.

"Tanner is a pure fan, right down to his bones," Josh said. "Yes, he's 7 years old. He's my son and, of course, I'm biased. But I think he understands much more football than most kids his age. He was asking me (Sunday) about the (national) rankings and where Ole Miss might fit in. He is as entrenched as a 7-year-old can be.

"When we go to games, he wants to get there early and doesn't want to leave until it's over, no matter what the score is."

Josh and Karen used to buy season tickets each year.

"I've gone to games all my life. I was at the game when Chucky (Mullins) was injured," he said. "But we have a daughter (Caroline, 10) and she's not interested in football. Then we had Tanner, and he's just now old enough to take him to games without wanting to go to the concession stand the whole game. We've been to most games this year."

Josh and Tanner were in Atlanta when Ole Miss opened the season with a 35-13 win over Boise State at the Georgia Dome.

"When we got back, Karen asked me, 'How did it go?' " Josh recalled. "I said, 'It was like going to a game with your best friend.' We got there early. During warmups, Tanner watched every move Laquon made. And we both were into the game the whole way. I don't even think we went to the bathroom.

"I can only imagine how that bond will grow between us in the years to come. It's a pretty cool thing to think about."

Josh isn't sure why Tanner picked Treadwell — who suffered a broken lower leg and a dislocated ankle but is expected to be recovered in time for spring practice — as his favorite.

"I'm just thankful that he did," Josh said. "We are a Christian family, and as a parent you are concerned about who your children choose to look up to. And let's face it, these football players are like Spiderman and Superman in real life to young kids. You hope they choose players that are good role models, and I know that's the case. Just watch how Treadwell presents himself, not only on the field but off. He's not a 'me' guy. Guys like Treadwell and (senior safety) Cody Prewitt — Tanner's other favorite — realize they are part of something bigger than themselves. That's rare in today's sports."

With his mom's help, Tanner addressed the letter to "Laquon Treadwell, c/o Ole Miss Athletics."

"We hope he gets it," Josh said. "We hope it will be a pick-me-up while Laquon goes through a really tough time, not being able to play these last three games."

And the part in the letter about the jersey?

"That didn't happen because of the injury," Josh said. "He had already made his Christmas list, and the first thing he wrote down was a red jersey with Treadwell's No. 1 on it.

"I kinda shake my head because the first player I became a true fan of was also a wide receiver in the late '80s named Willie Green. And he wore No. 1, too. That's pretty cool in my book."

Contact Billy Watkins at bwatkins@jackson. gannett.com or (769) 257-3079. Follow @BillyWatkins11 on Twitter.

Letters for Laquon Treadwell should be sent to: Ole Miss Football C/O Laquon Treadwell P.O. Box 1848, 1810 Manning Way University, MS 38677-1848