Florida transfer Treon Harris named Tennessee State's starting quarterback

Treon Harris is again a starting quarterback.

At the conclusion of Tennessee State's final preseason scrimmage on Saturday coach Rod Reed officially named Harris the Tigers' starter.

Harris is a transfer from Florida where he started in a total of 15 games and played in 21 in his freshman (2014) and sophomore (2015) seasons. The Miami native transferred to TSU last January after sitting out the 2016 season.

"Anybody who plays football wants to start," said Harris, who was 9-6 as a starter at Florida. "It's been a long journey since I was on the field last. I've been missing it. It was tough out here at the beginning of camp — the heat, waking up, the meetings — but I got through it and it feels to come out of it as the starter."

TSU opens the season on Aug. 31 at Georgia State.

Harris went through spring practice taking most of the snaps with the first team after two-year starting quarterback O'Shay Ackerman-Carter left the team.

Michael Hughes, sophomore from Hillsboro, also got repetitions with the first unit in the spring and in preseason camp.

Harris, however, displayed better command of the offense along with a more accurate throwing arm, which moved him ahead of Hughes.

"Treon is really demanding in there; he talks to guys when they're in the huddle if the route needs to be cut off a little bit or they need to do some different things, he's always in their ear," Reed said. "And he's really positive with the guys and that's something I like. He'll be the guy that we'll go with Week 1. That's not to say that Michael Hughes will not see a lot of action because he's done a really good job in camp too. I'd really like to see both of those guys be able to play each week, but right now Treon will get the starting nod."

Harris and Hughes saw equal time in Saturday's scrimmage at Hale Stadium. Harris completed 12 of 23 passes for 146 yards. He accounted for the only touchdown when he tossed a 15-yard pass to tight end Mahlon Medley in the end zone.

Hughes was 11 of 16 for 121 yards and had the longest play of the game, a 45-yard pass to Steven Newbold down the left sideline.

Patrick Smith, TSU's leading receiver the last two seasons, had two catches for 25 yards, both from Harris.

"I feel like the chemistry has grown with Treon, it has carried over from spring into camp," Smith said. "We talk to each other in the huddle about routes, what we're going to run next, where he expects me to be. If I want the ball I'll tell him I'm going to get open for him and he'll look for me."

With Harris at quarterback Smith said TSU's passing game can be even better than it was last year when it finished second in the OVC (248.2 yards per game) with Ackerman and Ronald Butler, who replaced Ackerman after he was injured, at the helm.

"I feel like this offense is going to be a lot more explosive," Smith said. "We got a little taste of it last year with Ronald because he was explosive in the run game too as well as throwing. The difference with Ronald and Treon is that Treon looks more down the field to throw the ball after he gets pressure."

Former Stratford quarterback Josh Truehart is expected to redshirt. Truehart missed the latter part of his senior season last year with a torn ACL.

Kullen Wells, a Knoxville native who transferred from Troy in the off-season, will back up Harris and Hughes.

Reach Mike Organ at 615-259-8021 and on Twitter @MikeOrganWriter.