Cook: Harris' days at Pitt should be numbered
Sunday, September 05, 2004
By Ron Cook, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Matt Freed, Post-Gazette
Walt Harris -- "This is a pro city with a pro mentality. Nothing is ever good enough. I know what goes with the territory here."
Click photo for larger image.
It seems pretty obvious that a lot of important people at Pitt are getting tired of Walt Harris. There's an unmistakable feeling around the university that he hasn't done enough with everything he has been given, including first-rate facilities. There have been no New Year's Day bowls. There were five losses last season with Pitt's best talent in years, including six players who were drafted by NFL teams. There have been too many losses at Heinz Field. To Miami and Notre Dame last season. To West Virginia and Texas A&M in 2002. To Syracuse, Miami and, almost unbelievably, South Florida in 2001.
All of that has raised the pressure on Harris, who has not handled it well.
Significant eyebrows were raised this summer when Harris called out specific players because of their injuries. No one could believe he included nose tackle Vince Crochunis, a classic overachiever who is sure to become Pitt's first three-time Academic All-American this season.
There even have been whispers about Harris' girlfriend showing up on his arm at team functions. It all goes back to the losses, of course. No one would much care what his girlfriend was wearing if Pitt had beaten Miami last season or even Notre Dame and Toledo.
It's telling that Pitt athletic director Jeff Long did not bother informing Harris about his scheduling discussions with Penn State. What kind of athletic director leaves his coach out of the loop like that? The guess here is one that doesn't see a long future with the coach.
Harris might have been fired already if the search for Ben Howland's replacement after the 2002-03 basketball season hadn't turned so sour for Pitt administrators. They were stung when Wake Forest's Skip Prosser turned down the job. But that won't save Harris forever. Sooner or later -- probably sooner -- Pitt chancellor Mark Nordenberg and top lieutenant Jerry Cochran will step back into the deep water.
But here's something else that also seems clear:
Harris doesn't care.
He sounds like a man who is just as tired of Pittsburgh as Pittsburgh is of him.
"There's so much negativity in this town," Harris was saying recently. "I've never seen anything like it. I was at Ohio State, you know. It's supposed to be bad there, but it's nothing like here."
It was pointed out to Harris that Ohio State went 22-3 during his two seasons as quarterbacks coach in 1995-96 and played in the Citrus and Rose Bowls. There might have been more negativity if the Buckeyes had lost five games in one season. As it was, former coach John Cooper probably thought it was awful in those years because two of the three losses were to Michigan.
It also was suggested to Harris that maybe he call Ron Zook at Florida, where there's been a FireRonZook.com Web site since he took the job. Or Mike Shula at Alabama, where the locals don't care who his daddy is, they're just sure the kid is no Bear Bryant. Or his old boss Steve Pederson at Nebraska, where Pederson fired Frank Solich after a 9-3 season last year.
On second thought, maybe Harris shouldn't call Pederson. That wouldn't be much of a conversation.
They didn't part well when Pederson left for Nebraska. Harris would have been fired long ago if Pederson had stayed at Pitt.
"This is a pro city with a pro mentality," Harris said, not backing down. "Nothing is ever good enough. I know that goes with the territory here. That's our challenge. I'm not complaining. I'm just telling you how it is."
Harris is right about one thing: 8-5 last season wasn't good enough. Not with the team's talent, especially on offense. Not in his seventh season.
"I felt horrible about that," Harris said. "But it's over. Let it go. You can hammer at it if you want -- and I'm sure you will -- but it's behind us."
That was spoken like a coach who is weary of getting beaten up.
It's funny, the expectations for Pitt this season are much lower. The defense, which was a sieve last season, is much better, but the offense should struggle. Quarterback Tyler Palko will make his first start Saturday night against Ohio University.
He'll be lining up behind an inexperienced line and throwing to inexperienced receivers. It could be a long year, although the schedule is relatively weak because of the diminished Big East Conference.
But not even six or seven wins might be enough to save Harris' job.
"Do I feel pressure? No," Harris said. "The only pressure I feel is trying to get this team ready. I owe that to the team and the school and the coaches and the people who care about us. I don't worry about what the other people think. I know I can't please you guys. I can't please all of the people. I'm just going to keep doing what I'm capable of doing ...
"I'm not worried about my job. I know there's always going to be a job out there for me."
Not in Pittsburgh, maybe.
Not much longer.
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article: Harris' days @ Pitt should be numbered
