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Wednesday, December 18, 2002

By Shelly Anderson, Post-Gazette Sports Writer

Flattering? Maybe a little. But Pitt Coach Walt Harris said another F-word came to mind when his name repeatedly surfaced recently in connection to job openings at other schools.

"I'm very frustrated with it because I think it hurts us," Harris said last night after the 24th-ranked Panthers (8-4) practiced indoors on the South Side in preparation for the Insight Bowl, where they will play Oregon State (8-4) Dec. 26 in Phoenix.

"I think it puts doubts in recruits' minds. I don't think it's fair to anyone that's in this program that's been working hard all these years to try to get this program back to where we need to get it.

"It's nothing that any of us has instigated. I can't control it if someone wants to throw our name in the ring, but I think it was proven long ago that we're very committed to this place."

Harris' name first came up last month when Michigan State fired Bobby Williams. Then it was Alabama, then UCLA, then Kentucky.

For Harris, things came to a head Friday, when several sportscasters, here and in Kentucky, reported that he was in Lexington that day to meet with Kentucky Athletic Director Mitch Barnhart, who worked at Tennessee at the same time as Harris.

That day happened to be the start of an important recruiting weekend at Pitt, which was host to more than a dozen prospects.

Saturday, Harris issued a statement saying he had not been in Kentucky and was not pursuing other jobs. He labeled reports to the contrary "highly irresponsible."

"It is very disappointing because I think it hurts our recruiting," Harris said yesterday. "It feeds the enemy, so to speak, the other schools that are recruiting against us, and puts doubts in our young men's minds. It's not fair, and there's no way I can combat it."

Asked if it would have helped if he had issued public denials all along, Harris said, "If you respond to every speculation, I wouldn't have time to do my job."

Every year about this time, certain coaches become hot names around the country as coaching vacancies arise. Harris -- who is leading Pitt to its third bowl game in a row and fourth in his six seasons with the Panthers -- said his background might have gotten him some attention.

"I think some facts might be 'He's been in the NFL,' 'He's involved in the passing game,'" he said. "There's always that mystique about those two areas -- the passing game and the NFL. Plus the job that our coaches have done, our staff, and what our football players have done."

Perhaps Harris' name was tossed out by an athletic director here or a board member there during some preliminary talks about potential candidates at some of the schools.

"It could be very conceivable," he said. "I don't know how they came up with our name. I don't know. I'm not in those meetings. I'm trying to find a way to get a first down against Oregon State and keep them out of the end zone."

He said there's something nice about his or Pitt's name being thought of highly enough to be mentioned in connection with coaching searches around the country, but he believes any positives are outweighed by the negative aspects of the reports.

Harris -- who is 35-35 at Pitt, including 22-14 since 2000 -- reiterated that he intends to remain with the Panthers, especially after this team came so close to a great season. Its four losses have been by a combined 24 points. He is under contract through the 2006 season.

When Harris took over before the 1997 season, Pitt had not had a winning season since 1991, had not been to a bowl game since 1989 and was 24-53-1 in its previous seven seasons.

"We've had a lot of long days here," Harris said. "We haven't finished. We didn't finish getting this thing right, and we didn't finish games. We're committed to getting it done. I don't think I've ever said it any other way."

NOTES

With No. 3 receiver Roosevelt Bynes home in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., because of a personal matter and freshman receiver Billy Gaines out (broken foot), Pitt has moved sophomore tailback Marcus Furman and junior William "Tutu" Ferguson to receiver. Furman has fluctuated between receiver and tailback. Ferguson had been at free safety. ... Tailback Raymond Kirkley, a starter last year who tumbled down the depth chart this season, is out after having wrist surgery.