Walt Harris Headed to Stanford

[USFMikeB]

http://cbs.sportsline.com/collegefootball/story/7991788

Searching for offense, Stanford goes with Pitt's Harris  

Dec. 12, 2004

SportsLine.com wire reports      

 

STANFORD, Calif. -- Pittsburgh's Walt Harris was hired as Stanford's new football coach Sunday, giving the Cardinal the offensive-minded leader they sought to replace Buddy Teevens.

Stanford spokesman Gary Migdol said Harris accepted the job Sunday, and the school planned an official announcement for Monday.

"He's accepted and will be here tomorrow," Migdol said. "He's in Pittsburgh today."

Harris, 58, reportedly was meeting with his team Sunday and is expected to coach the 19th-ranked Panthers in the Fiesta Bowl against Utah on Jan. 1 before assuming his new job.

Harris interviewed on campus Friday, two days after Southern California offensive coordinator Norm Chow visited to interview. Athletic director Ted Leland offered Harris the job Saturday, then met with university president John Hennessey and provost John Etchemendy as a formality in the hiring process.

"He interviewed very well and presented himself very well," Stanford linebacker Jon Alston told the Associated Press in a phone interview Sunday. "In my impression, he's done some really impressive things, and hopefully he can continue them at Stanford. I thought he was a coach's coach. The things he was able to accomplish at Pittsburgh speak for themselves."

Alston has watched Pitt from afar and noticed how Harris turned around the program. Alston believes Leland worked quickly to get a coach hired before the height of the recruiting season.

"I think it worked fine," Alston said of the timing.

Leland said he wouldn't spend a fortune on his football coach. Harris met last week with Pittsburgh athletic director Jeff Long, but the school didn't offer him an extension for more than the close to $600,000 he was earning. Pitt sophomore quarterback Tyler Palko campaigned for the school to keep him.

Leland went with the coach he knows -- he hired Harris to be head coach at Pacific in 1989.

Leland searched for a coach with a strong offensive background after Stanford struggled to score during Teevens' tenure. The Cardinal went 4-7 the past two seasons, losing their last five games this year. They were 0-13 down the stretch the past three seasons leading to Teevens' firing last month.

[Brad]

Isn't that soemthing?  Big East Championship, millions from Fiesta Bowl, Big East Coach of the Year and GONE!

[bulls96go]

Isn't that soemthing?  Big East Championship, millions from Fiesta Bowl, Big East Coach of the Year and GONE!

smart

and a nice screw you to pitt!

willingham should have done the same after his 10-1 season at ND