There appears to be only one at the moment. Walt Harris and Stanford. Even there, it is really unknown.
Despite published reports, USC offensive coordinator Norm Chow said Thursday that he has not heard from anyone interested in hiring him as a head coach and does not have an interview lined up for Sunday with Stanford.
The Cardinal program has already interviewed Pittsburgh coach Walt Harris, according to published reports.
Of course there are no published reports saying any such thing. The most that has been said is something like this:
Stanford made arrangements Wednesday to interview its top choice, Pittsburgh coach Walt Harris, for its vacant coaching position.
Harris might be interviewed after the Cardinal interview Norm Chow either Sunday or Monday. Former New York Giants coach Jim Fassel also is a candidate, along with former Stanford wide receiver James Lofton, currently an assistant with the San Diego Chargers.
It would be a physical/time-space continum impossibility for Stanford to have already interviewed Harris. They only fired their head coach on Monday or Tuesday. Harris is in the middle of preparations for the game tomorrow. I’m willing to ascribe a sloppy reading of stories to the writer of the story.
The Stanford job is not exactly a high paying job. The former Stanford coach, Buddy Teevens, was only getting about $400,000/year. Coach Harris is making around $600,000 and is definitely looking for a bigger bump. No question Stanford can pay the money for a coach. The question becomes, will they right away? Are they willing to?
An interesting aside comment in a piece mainly about the stupidity of Indiana University, “Pitt coach Walt Harris is going to be somebody’s fallback hire when they don’t get their top choice.” I believe that could be the most accurate statement regarding Harris and other jobs. I just have my doubts for some reason about the Stanford job and Harris. Harris may be a lot of schools second or third choice if they can’t get their pick.
P-G beat reporter Paul Zeise returns with his Q&A and weighs in about the Harris situation with Pitt.
Q: How dumb would it look if Pitt fired Walt Harris coming off a BCS berth and him winning the coach of the year award?
ZEISE: There is always more to any of these situations than just wins and losses. If it were just about wins and losses, it would look really dumb. But sometimes relationships grow sour and beyond repair. Sometimes there are more factors than what is seen. People just need to find a comfort level with the people they work with and it isn’t always possible. It is no different than in the business world – you can be good at your job and lose it, or be asked to move on for whatever reason. Some of the most successful people I know have been fired several times because they wouldn’t toe the company line or kiss up to the right people. I’m not saying that is the case in this situation, but there is more here than meets the eye. Like I’ve said all along, I think Walt Harris should be offered what he wants – an extension, a raise and even a raise for his assistant coaches. He has earned that. But I also know a case could be made that maybe it is time for both parties to move forward. I’m not going to make it because it is not my call.
If Pitt is prepared to let Harris go with only a token/PR attempt to keep him, they better be able to move quickly, better be sure of their guy, better be sure he will accept, and — most importantly — better be right.
