Walt Harris

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For the San Francisco 49ers player, see Walt Harris (football player)

Walt Harris

Date of birth	November 9, 1946
Place of birth	South San Francisco, California
Sport	Football
College	Stanford
Title	Head Coach
Record with Team	6-17
Overall Record	69-83
Awards	1997, 2004 Big East coach of the year 2002 AFCA Region I coach of the year
Coaching Stats	College Football DataWarehouse
School as a player
1964-65 1966-67	College of San Mateo Pacific
Position	Defensive back
Schools as a coach
1989-1991 1997-2004 2005-2006	Pacific Pittsburgh Stanford

Walt Harris (born November 9, 1946 in South San Francisco, California) is a college football coach.

Most recently, Harris was the head coach of the football team at Stanford University. In his first season as head coach there he posted a record of 5-6. In his second season as head coach he posted a 1-11 record, the school's worst since going 0-10 in 1960. He was fired on December 4, 2006, two days after Stanford's regular season ended.

Before coming to Stanford, Harris was the head coach of the University of Pittsburgh Panthers for eight seasons (1997-2004). Harris resurrected a falling Pitt program that had won only 15 games in the previous five seasons. Harris took Pitt to bowl games in six of his eight seasons, including five consecutive bowl games from 2000 through 2004. Harris led Pittsburgh to the Big East Conference championship in 2004. Harris was named the Big East Conference coach of the year in 1997 and 2004, and he was the AFCA Region I coach of the year in 2002. Harris compiled an overall record of 52-44 at Pitt.

Before coaching in Pittsburgh, Harris had an extensive coaching resume. Harris coached at Ohio State University (QB coach, 1995-96), the New York Jets (QB coach, 1992-94), the University of the Pacific (head coach, 1989-91), the University of Tennessee (offensive coordinator, 1983-88), the University of Illinois (QB coach, 1980-82), Michigan State University (linebacker coach, 1978-79), the United States Air Force Academy (secondary coach, spring 1978), the University of California, Berkeley (linebacker coach, 1974-77), the University of the Pacific (secondary, 1971-73), and El Camino High School in South San Francisco, California (1970).

Harris has a reputation as a good coach of quarterbacks and the passing game. As a college coach, Harris has coached 14 quarterbacks who went on to the NFL. Harris coached two wide receivers at Pitt who won the Fred Biletnikoff Award as the best receiver in the nation -- Antonio Bryant (2000) and Larry Fitzgerald (2003). Harris was the QB coach for Ohio State when Terry Glenn won the Biletnikoff Award (1995). Harris also coached Boomer Esiason to a Pro Bowl season with the New York Jets in 1993. According to Esiason, "Walt Harris is right up there with the best. There's nobody better." ^{[citation needed]}

While his football prowess is unquestioned, Harris has been viewed by many player to be overbearing and difficult to work with. One article about his departure from Stanford called him a "disciplinarian" and reported that a player briefly quit the team in protest of his coaching style. [1] Bryant claimed that one of the main reasons for not returning for a senior year at Pittsburgh was due to the fact that he would have to deal with Harris once again. USC Head Coach Pete Carroll's son, Brennan, played for Harris and commonly uses stories of Harris' coaching style to lure recruits away from Harris at his current position at Pac-10 rival Stanford. However, when Harris left The University of Pittsburgh, quarterback Tyler Palko was one of several players very outspoken about their desire to keep Harris in their program.

Harris received a bachelor's degree (1968) and a master's degree (1969) from the University of the Pacific, where he played college football. Harris attended El Camino High School in South San Francisco.

[edit] References

Stanford Official Bio
ESPN Article detailing Stanford Firing
Stanford Daily article about Harris's firing

Pitt Panthers Head Football Coaches
Harrold • Linn • Hoskins • Trenchard • Robinson • Jackson • Hockensmith • Crolius • Mosse • Wingard • Moorhead • Thompson • Duff • Warner • Sutherland • Bowser • Shaughnessy • Fesler • Milligan • Casanova • Hamilton • Dawson • Michelosen • Hart • DePasqua • Majors • Sherrill • Fazio • Gottfried • Hackett • Sunseri • Harris • Wannstedt

Stanford Cardinal Head Football Coaches
Camp • Bliss • Camp • Cross • Brooke • Cross • Chamberlain • Yost • Fickert • Clemans • Lanagan • Presley • Brown • Wylie • Evans • Powell • Van Gent • Kerr • Warner • Thornhill • Shaughnessy • Schwarz • Taylor • Curtice • Ralston • Christiansen • Walsh • Dowhower • Wiggin • Elway • Green • Walsh • Willingham • Teevens • Harris

Preceded by Bob Cope	Pacific Football Coaches 1989–1992	Succeeded by Chuck Shelton
Preceded by Johnny Majors	University of Pittsburgh Football Coaches 1997–2004	Succeeded by Dave Wannstedt
Preceded by Buddy Teevens	Stanford University Football Coaches 2005–2006	Succeeded by Vacant