October 9, 2025 • 11 mins
We have a former Oklahoma Sooner Defensive Lineman, Tommie Harris, who talked some trash before the “Red River Rivalry” game against the Texas Longhorns. He explains what the week was about and what got him and his teammates going for this game. Harris describes the intense banter between players from each school this week. He lets us know what he is doing outside of football. Plus, he explains the atmosphere of this game. You can hear it all here on “The Morning Kickoff Show!”
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Welcome back to our number two of the morning kickoff
right here on sports Radio AM thirteen hundred The Zone,
Mike Harballhart's World's Strongest Man, and WWE Hall of Famer
the Mark Henry. Right now, we are being joined by
a guy that I've known since he was a young
lad in k Town and getting it done. So I
(00:22):
wanted to be the one to make sure that we
got him on the line. His name is Tommy Harris Junior.
He's from k Town, but he's also an Oklahoma soenter,
so we'll make sure that he's over Tommy. Oh yeah,
So Tommy, what's happening to my man? Thank you for
(00:43):
waking up with us this morning. I know that you're busy, man,
but we appreciate you taking the time.
Speaker 2 (00:50):
You know. I got love you, guys. I get up
to talk football at this early in the morning. You know,
I got to be excited about some sooner in some
old football. So we got good doing.
Speaker 3 (01:05):
We're good, man, We're good.
Speaker 1 (01:06):
I wanted to ask you this because this is that
time of year and we've talked to Cale Gundhy this week.
We also talked to Alex okafor this is a big week,
no matter what the records are. I don't think it
really matters at this point. It just so happened at
Oklahoma's having a better year right now. But you've been
(01:26):
in these battles when the team wasn't always great. You've
been in these battles when the team was good. What
is it about this week that gets you going?
Speaker 2 (01:38):
I mean, this is pretty much for me. This was
the bowl game, especially coming from Texas going against my state,
this was your bowl game. So if this was the
make or break for me, and I knew I had
to go back to Texas every year, so I didn't
want to go back hearing them talk trad So this
(02:00):
became a very important game on the schedule, and not
just that, it just impacts the rest of the season.
And just like you said, anytime the teams show up there,
it doesn't matter the number one or two in the country,
the record of zero zero. So it's eager to see
the effort that the guys are going to put out
displayed tomorrow. But I know it's going to be max effort,
(02:23):
and we just expect the Sooners to keep doing what
they've been doing, bulldozing.
Speaker 4 (02:27):
So Mark, well, Tommy, I want to go on record
right now saying thank you for mentoring and helping my son.
I think that between you and Corey Redd, and I
think that Jacob got a lot of his education in
wrestling in.
Speaker 3 (02:46):
Football because of you guys.
Speaker 4 (02:50):
And you know, I don't always get the chance to
hand people their flowers, so I wanted to extend that.
And it goes beyond the Texas. Oh you related ship.
Speaker 2 (03:01):
It's the main thing.
Speaker 3 (03:03):
And you do a lot, not just in.
Speaker 4 (03:06):
The sports space, but with your faith and your spiritual spirituality.
Is there something that you're working on right now that
you know we can we can point to and say
this guy is more than football.
Speaker 2 (03:26):
Uh? Yeah, man, right now, I have some things that
we're doing. I have my second book I've been working
on called only Time would Tell. But I've just been
on the move just to encourage people to continue to endure.
I don't have anything to sell. I'm not a salesman.
I just came to encourage people and empower people to
(03:48):
continue no matter what. We're in some very tough times
and just uh my my life is just a beacon
of hope. Just what I've been there able to live,
do overcome. I just want wing people to see me,
just to know that they can do it, just to
inspire them to keep their head up to continue. I
know how hard life can be and to continue to
(04:10):
endure to fight through it. So that's pretty much my
message man, the rest of my life. It ain't changing
and booming sooner. And also, if you gonna get me,
if you're gonna get me, listen, if you gonna give
me my flowers, I want to give you a botanical.
Speaker 3 (04:25):
Garden as a father.
Speaker 2 (04:28):
And what you've done in this and your whole body
of work and entertainment and how you've inspired so many men.
I had you on my wall, So you've been great. Uh,
it's just been great to be a part of this
journey from Jacob being in high school to see him
in college and going to the right university that wanted him.
You know what I mean, you know the one that
(04:50):
wanted him and appreciate him, and you know the school
like this. I don't even see how you wear that
long horn. But we're gonna make sure I got you
as soon as hat. And I got some new uh
longhorn hats for you guys that I have for you.
I'm trying to hope they'll be made finish a getting
(05:11):
print today, so I have some for you after the victory.
Speaker 3 (05:14):
All right, I can't even know. He stroked our face
and slapped us at the same he.
Speaker 1 (05:22):
Was holding one side so it didn't move so he
could slap us. We're talking to Sooner Legend and k
Town Legend. My guy Tommy Harris. He's from the two
five four and we always represent when we see each other.
But I wanted to ask you this question because you know,
when you're in the league, you're playing with different players
(05:43):
on your squad, and I note that there was a
time that you were on the bus and your rookie
season headed to uh that weekend you were going to
a rookie Smith Simpsonium or something like that, and you
and another guy named Nathan Vasher, we're having a tough
time trying to have a conversation because it was Boomer
(06:07):
Sooner and hook him week and Uh, y'all were both
looking at each other a little side eye.
Speaker 2 (06:14):
Oh yeah, Nateva, Yeah, that's let me tell you something
that that's one of the most quiet, quietest people I've
ever met. But when it comes down to Texas, old
U week Man, I've never seen him I've never seen
Nathan Vasha ex so out of body, like the long
(06:37):
horns over there. That's that's like if when we beat y'all,
that's gonna break everything. That's all. So I hope Nate
Vash listeners like Nate, you don't even got as this
show is Nate. No.
Speaker 3 (06:56):
I just text Nate.
Speaker 2 (06:57):
I told you so, you know, like he don't even
have you know, you had to call me, you know,
yeah he was yeah, yeah, great competitor man, great teammate,
great competitor.
Speaker 3 (07:11):
Always have fun.
Speaker 2 (07:12):
And Derek Johnson, Derek can't stand me either.
Speaker 1 (07:16):
It seemed to be unified when it comes to them,
them Longhorns and Sooners, which is a great thing and
which why I wanted to make sure that we got
an opportunity to talk to you. Are running to you
on the basketball circuit all the time with our kids
playing sports, and both of them decide to go in
a different direction from which we did, which is all
(07:36):
good because we enjoy watching them grow up and what
they've been able to do. But I wanted to ask
you this as this weekend gets closer, we're just a
couple days away from the big matchup.
Speaker 3 (07:48):
What is it about this tech.
Speaker 1 (07:49):
Excuse me, Oklahoma defense that you've liked so far.
Speaker 2 (07:56):
Know it of loving the most, you can't the team
right and use it takes probably about week eight or
week nine where you can finally see it. But I
saw it from week one, how fast the guys played,
how physical they moved. In the Michigan game, they moved
on to a high level of ball, and then they
(08:17):
just continue to keep getting better. The young guys up
front the D line is playing out of their minds
and that's what this game is gonna come down to
the trench work. But just watching the guys have fun,
play fast and looking what the coaching staff has done
in Oklahoma, you can tell how quick these guys are planned.
(08:39):
That means that studying is downpack information is being displayed.
Guys are having fun in practice and it's showing out.
Speaker 3 (08:46):
It's showing on game day.
Speaker 1 (08:48):
Yeah, and that defense is something that everybody's been talking about.
But they'll truly be tested this weekend. We can't wait
for this to happen. Will be coming up tomorrow tonight. Actually,
we've been in town tonight and we'll try to hit
you up and see what's going on. Well, are you
sitting at home watching the game, or you're gonna be
on the sideline for this one.
Speaker 2 (09:11):
No, I'm going down. I like I've been in the
stands lately, so I just I'll sit up there with
my daughter. But uh I, but people don't know I'm
in there. And that's the funniest part, they just being
in there. I mean, you don't get that many chances
of sitting the stand Like Mark Henry would never sit
in the stands, But I sit in the stands, you
know what I mean, ship behind them people, and uh no,
(09:35):
apologies for my celebrity. Mark.
Speaker 3 (09:42):
You be over there by b Bo, right by Belo.
Good company.
Speaker 2 (09:52):
Mark. You want me to get your sideline pad. You know
we're gonna get you better seating on our side. Oh
you side than Texas side.
Speaker 3 (09:59):
Well, don't get your sideline passed.
Speaker 2 (10:02):
See yeah, yeah, you sit over there by Bebo.
Speaker 3 (10:08):
No, no I need security.
Speaker 2 (10:11):
Oh oh god, I got you. You're right, you're right
from that other side. You right after that victory, you
showed right.
Speaker 3 (10:22):
You gonna all.
Speaker 2 (10:25):
I appreciate I appreciate y'all.
Speaker 3 (10:27):
Man, No, we appreciate you.
Speaker 2 (10:29):
Man.
Speaker 3 (10:29):
I appreciate you getting up this morning again.
Speaker 2 (10:32):
Got a show going on down there. Yes, it's gonna
be someone.
Speaker 3 (10:35):
Yeah, we will be. We love to have you.
Speaker 1 (10:39):
We'll be at barr W tomorrow at what's the today, Thursday, Yeah,
tomorrow at starting at two o'clock.
Speaker 3 (10:49):
Yeah, we get closer and closer. Man, I played.
Speaker 1 (10:51):
Football back in the day and my head is still hurt.
So we gotta deal with.
Speaker 3 (10:54):
That, understood.
Speaker 1 (10:57):
Yeah, I'll send you the information in just a minute
to tell you where we're going to be on both days,
Friday and Saturday.
Speaker 2 (11:05):
All right, hard, all right?
Speaker 1 (11:06):
There he is Tommy Harris, former Texas or Oklahoma sooner.
Speaker 3 (11:11):
He was a man.
Speaker 1 (11:12):
He was a monster, and you should go back and
look at his high school numbers. What he did in
high school. That dude was serious about that business.
Welcome back to our number two of the morning kickoff
right here on sports Radio AM thirteen hundred The Zone,
Mike Harballhart's World's Strongest Man, and WWE Hall of Famer
the Mark Henry. Right now, we are being joined by
a guy that I've known since he was a young
lad in k Town and getting it done. So I
(00:22):
wanted to be the one to make sure that we
got him on the line. His name is Tommy Harris Junior.
He's from k Town, but he's also an Oklahoma soenter,
so we'll make sure that he's over Tommy. Oh yeah,
So Tommy, what's happening to my man? Thank you for
(00:43):
waking up with us this morning. I know that you're busy, man,
but we appreciate you taking the time.
Speaker 2 (00:50):
You know. I got love you, guys. I get up
to talk football at this early in the morning. You know,
I got to be excited about some sooner in some
old football. So we got good doing.
Speaker 3 (01:05):
We're good, man, We're good.
Speaker 1 (01:06):
I wanted to ask you this because this is that
time of year and we've talked to Cale Gundhy this week.
We also talked to Alex okafor this is a big week,
no matter what the records are. I don't think it
really matters at this point. It just so happened at
Oklahoma's having a better year right now. But you've been
(01:26):
in these battles when the team wasn't always great. You've
been in these battles when the team was good. What
is it about this week that gets you going?
Speaker 2 (01:38):
I mean, this is pretty much for me. This was
the bowl game, especially coming from Texas going against my state,
this was your bowl game. So if this was the
make or break for me, and I knew I had
to go back to Texas every year, so I didn't
want to go back hearing them talk trad So this
(02:00):
became a very important game on the schedule, and not
just that, it just impacts the rest of the season.
And just like you said, anytime the teams show up there,
it doesn't matter the number one or two in the country,
the record of zero zero. So it's eager to see
the effort that the guys are going to put out
displayed tomorrow. But I know it's going to be max effort,
(02:23):
and we just expect the Sooners to keep doing what
they've been doing, bulldozing.
Speaker 4 (02:27):
So Mark, well, Tommy, I want to go on record
right now saying thank you for mentoring and helping my son.
I think that between you and Corey Redd, and I
think that Jacob got a lot of his education in
wrestling in.
Speaker 3 (02:46):
Football because of you guys.
Speaker 4 (02:50):
And you know, I don't always get the chance to
hand people their flowers, so I wanted to extend that.
And it goes beyond the Texas. Oh you related ship.
Speaker 2 (03:01):
It's the main thing.
Speaker 3 (03:03):
And you do a lot, not just in.
Speaker 4 (03:06):
The sports space, but with your faith and your spiritual spirituality.
Is there something that you're working on right now that
you know we can we can point to and say
this guy is more than football.
Speaker 2 (03:26):
Uh? Yeah, man, right now, I have some things that
we're doing. I have my second book I've been working
on called only Time would Tell. But I've just been
on the move just to encourage people to continue to endure.
I don't have anything to sell. I'm not a salesman.
I just came to encourage people and empower people to
(03:48):
continue no matter what. We're in some very tough times
and just uh my my life is just a beacon
of hope. Just what I've been there able to live,
do overcome. I just want wing people to see me,
just to know that they can do it, just to
inspire them to keep their head up to continue. I
know how hard life can be and to continue to
(04:10):
endure to fight through it. So that's pretty much my
message man, the rest of my life. It ain't changing
and booming sooner. And also, if you gonna get me,
if you're gonna get me, listen, if you gonna give
me my flowers, I want to give you a botanical.
Speaker 3 (04:25):
Garden as a father.
Speaker 2 (04:28):
And what you've done in this and your whole body
of work and entertainment and how you've inspired so many men.
I had you on my wall, So you've been great. Uh,
it's just been great to be a part of this
journey from Jacob being in high school to see him
in college and going to the right university that wanted him.
You know what I mean, you know the one that
(04:50):
wanted him and appreciate him, and you know the school
like this. I don't even see how you wear that
long horn. But we're gonna make sure I got you
as soon as hat. And I got some new uh
longhorn hats for you guys that I have for you.
I'm trying to hope they'll be made finish a getting
(05:11):
print today, so I have some for you after the victory.
Speaker 3 (05:14):
All right, I can't even know. He stroked our face
and slapped us at the same he.
Speaker 1 (05:22):
Was holding one side so it didn't move so he
could slap us. We're talking to Sooner Legend and k
Town Legend. My guy Tommy Harris. He's from the two
five four and we always represent when we see each other.
But I wanted to ask you this question because you know,
when you're in the league, you're playing with different players
(05:43):
on your squad, and I note that there was a
time that you were on the bus and your rookie
season headed to uh that weekend you were going to
a rookie Smith Simpsonium or something like that, and you
and another guy named Nathan Vasher, we're having a tough
time trying to have a conversation because it was Boomer
(06:07):
Sooner and hook him week and Uh, y'all were both
looking at each other a little side eye.
Speaker 2 (06:14):
Oh yeah, Nateva, Yeah, that's let me tell you something
that that's one of the most quiet, quietest people I've
ever met. But when it comes down to Texas, old
U week Man, I've never seen him I've never seen
Nathan Vasha ex so out of body, like the long
(06:37):
horns over there. That's that's like if when we beat y'all,
that's gonna break everything. That's all. So I hope Nate
Vash listeners like Nate, you don't even got as this
show is Nate. No.
Speaker 3 (06:56):
I just text Nate.
Speaker 2 (06:57):
I told you so, you know, like he don't even
have you know, you had to call me, you know,
yeah he was yeah, yeah, great competitor man, great teammate,
great competitor.
Speaker 3 (07:11):
Always have fun.
Speaker 2 (07:12):
And Derek Johnson, Derek can't stand me either.
Speaker 1 (07:16):
It seemed to be unified when it comes to them,
them Longhorns and Sooners, which is a great thing and
which why I wanted to make sure that we got
an opportunity to talk to you. Are running to you
on the basketball circuit all the time with our kids
playing sports, and both of them decide to go in
a different direction from which we did, which is all
(07:36):
good because we enjoy watching them grow up and what
they've been able to do. But I wanted to ask
you this as this weekend gets closer, we're just a
couple days away from the big matchup.
Speaker 3 (07:48):
What is it about this tech.
Speaker 1 (07:49):
Excuse me, Oklahoma defense that you've liked so far.
Speaker 2 (07:56):
Know it of loving the most, you can't the team
right and use it takes probably about week eight or
week nine where you can finally see it. But I
saw it from week one, how fast the guys played,
how physical they moved. In the Michigan game, they moved
on to a high level of ball, and then they
(08:17):
just continue to keep getting better. The young guys up
front the D line is playing out of their minds
and that's what this game is gonna come down to
the trench work. But just watching the guys have fun,
play fast and looking what the coaching staff has done
in Oklahoma, you can tell how quick these guys are planned.
(08:39):
That means that studying is downpack information is being displayed.
Guys are having fun in practice and it's showing out.
Speaker 3 (08:46):
It's showing on game day.
Speaker 1 (08:48):
Yeah, and that defense is something that everybody's been talking about.
But they'll truly be tested this weekend. We can't wait
for this to happen. Will be coming up tomorrow tonight. Actually,
we've been in town tonight and we'll try to hit
you up and see what's going on. Well, are you
sitting at home watching the game, or you're gonna be
on the sideline for this one.
Speaker 2 (09:11):
No, I'm going down. I like I've been in the
stands lately, so I just I'll sit up there with
my daughter. But uh I, but people don't know I'm
in there. And that's the funniest part, they just being
in there. I mean, you don't get that many chances
of sitting the stand Like Mark Henry would never sit
in the stands, But I sit in the stands, you
know what I mean, ship behind them people, and uh no,
(09:35):
apologies for my celebrity. Mark.
Speaker 3 (09:42):
You be over there by b Bo, right by Belo.
Good company.
Speaker 2 (09:52):
Mark. You want me to get your sideline pad. You know
we're gonna get you better seating on our side. Oh
you side than Texas side.
Speaker 3 (09:59):
Well, don't get your sideline passed.
Speaker 2 (10:02):
See yeah, yeah, you sit over there by Bebo.
Speaker 3 (10:08):
No, no I need security.
Speaker 2 (10:11):
Oh oh god, I got you. You're right, you're right
from that other side. You right after that victory, you
showed right.
Speaker 3 (10:22):
You gonna all.
Speaker 2 (10:25):
I appreciate I appreciate y'all.
Speaker 3 (10:27):
Man, No, we appreciate you.
Speaker 2 (10:29):
Man.
Speaker 3 (10:29):
I appreciate you getting up this morning again.
Speaker 2 (10:32):
Got a show going on down there. Yes, it's gonna
be someone.
Speaker 3 (10:35):
Yeah, we will be. We love to have you.
Speaker 1 (10:39):
We'll be at barr W tomorrow at what's the today, Thursday, Yeah,
tomorrow at starting at two o'clock.
Speaker 3 (10:49):
Yeah, we get closer and closer. Man, I played.
Speaker 1 (10:51):
Football back in the day and my head is still hurt.
So we gotta deal with.
Speaker 3 (10:54):
That, understood.
Speaker 1 (10:57):
Yeah, I'll send you the information in just a minute
to tell you where we're going to be on both days,
Friday and Saturday.
Speaker 2 (11:05):
All right, hard, all right?
Speaker 1 (11:06):
There he is Tommy Harris, former Texas or Oklahoma sooner.
Speaker 3 (11:11):
He was a man.
Speaker 1 (11:12):
He was a monster, and you should go back and
look at his high school numbers. What he did in
high school. That dude was serious about that business.
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