[Mick]

Harris's situation is a little different than most. He was a good on-field coach at Pitt, but he wasn't getting the contract extension he wanted, and Pitt fans were coming here celebrating when it became apparent to them that he was coming here.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but weren't the Pitt fans celebrating Harris' departure because they thought (unrealistically) they would return to the Tony Dorsett days?  Remember, when Harris took over, Johnny Majors II (like Walsh II) had come to a very unsatisfactory close, when Majors I had taken Pitt from a 1-win season to an undefeated season (Dorsett's last year), beating Penn State and a bunch of other good teams.  They went 12-0, Majors returned to Tennessee (his alma mater) and they still claim national championships from 1980 and 1981.  Hackett had two of three losing seasons from 1990 to 1992, then Majors returned and did poorly.  Pitt had only won 15 games in five seasons prior to Harris' arrival.  Harris did well (six bowl games in 8 years), but they were minor bowls, and his teams never lost fewer than four games per season.

Since Harris has been booted, they had a scandal with Wannstedt, and they only bettered Harris' record in one season, when they went 10-3 in 2009.

[Mick]

Harris's situation is a little different than most. He was a good on-field coach at Pitt, but he wasn't getting the contract extension he wanted, and Pitt fans were coming here celebrating when it became apparent to them that he was coming here.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but weren't the Pitt fans celebrating Harris' departure because they thought (unrealistically) they would return to the Tony Dorsett days?  Remember, when Harris took over, Johnny Majors II (like Walsh II) had come to a very unsatisfactory close, when Majors I had taken Pitt from a 1-win season to an undefeated season (Dorsett's last year), beating Penn State and a bunch of other good teams.  They went 12-0, Majors returned to Tennessee (his alma mater) and they still claim national championships from 1980 and 1981.  Hackett had two of three losing seasons from 1990 to 1992, then Majors returned and did poorly.  Pitt had only won 15 games in five seasons prior to Harris' arrival.  Harris did well (six bowl games in 8 years), but they were minor bowls, and his teams never lost fewer than four games per season.

Since Harris has been booted, they had a scandal with Wannstedt, and they only bettered Harris' record in one season, when they went 10-3 in 2009.