A Major Celebration
October 05, 2009 02:13 PM | General
October 5, 2009
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – Major Harris has finally come out on top. Two bids for the Heisman Trophy came up short. A bid for the national championship died out in the desert in Arizona to go along with a professional career that never was.
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| Major Harris takes questions from the crowd at the Waterfront Place Hotel last Thursday afternoon.
All-Pro Photography/Dale Sparks photo |
But last spring Harris received the most pleasant of surprises when he was notified that he will be part of the newest class of College Football Hall of Fame inductees. The class of 2010 will be introduced in New York City in December and will be officially enshrined next summer.
West Virginia University celebrated Harris’ fabulous career with a luncheon at the Waterfront Place Hotel Thursday afternoon. The quarterback was also recognized between the first and second quarters of the Colorado game. Naturally, he received a thunderous ovation from Mountaineer fans appreciative of his three-year career at WVU.
“(Getting into the hall of fame) is like the icing on the cake as far as my career goes,” Harris said. “I didn’t think that I would make it into the College Football Hall of Fame because you are competing against guys that played in the NFL – guys that were in the Pro Bowl and things like that. That makes it tough on you. When they called me and told me that I got in it actually surprised me.”
Harris was in a reflective mood last Thursday night.
“It’s funny because playing 20 years ago and when I look at the highlights, it’s almost like I’m looking at another person because it’s been so long ago that I played. Now if I try to make a move like that I might pull a muscle,” he joked.
Harris was one of the most dynamic quarterbacks in NCAA history, taking a good West Virginia football program and turning it into an outstanding one. As a sophomore in 1988, Harris led the Mountaineers to a perfect 11-0 regular season and a meeting against Notre Dame in the Sunkist Fiesta Bowl for the national championship.
It was the first and only time in school history that West Virginia has played for the national championship.
“It was like a nightmare because you try and put yourself into a position to play for the national championship and then to get hurt early in the game,” said Harris, his thoughts trailing off.
Harris admits he sometimes thinks about the losses more than the wins.
“There are some games that stand out more than others like the national championship game. That game definitely stands out; the Penn State game up at Penn State,” he said. “I think more about those because of what we were trying to accomplish. Even the Pitt tie, that game stands out.”
The roots of the spread offense can be traced back to Harris’ playing days at West Virginia. Harris sometimes played out of the shotgun formation, and there were also times when he had the choice of either passing or running with the football.
Fans have often wondered what Harris could do in the offenses that teams run today. Ironically, Harris has never been a big fan of the spread.
“I kind of liked what we were doing back then to be honest,” he said.
Harris spent time down on the field during the Colorado game visiting with current and former WVU teammates. He said his age is beginning to show.
“It was funny. I was just downstairs and I saw that Reggie’s (Rembert) son is playing wide receiver,” he laughed.
Harris said he usually gets nostalgic whenever he returns to Morgantown to watch games, visit with fans and sign autographs.
“It brings up old memories. I remember getting interviewed by some of you guys. To think back on that it’s like, ‘Wow, that’s crazy.’ The thing that seems like yesterday was the (Penn State) play because everybody talks about it so much,” Harris said. “As far as everything else, it seems like it was in the distant past.
“I just enjoyed playing and the best part was winning,” Harris added. “After winning the game not only were you happy but the fans were happy – everybody was happy. You can have a big play in a game and you can look back and say, well, I did that but nobody else is really enjoying the moment. When you win, it brings everybody together.”
In many respects, Harris said he is still getting used to being a college football hall of famer.
“It’s just like when I played here. Later on down the road when you look back that’s when it sinks in,” he said. “When I played, it really didn’t sink in until five-six years later. I think with this moment it’s the same thing.
“It’s all kind of happening so quickly,” he said. “It’s a process that you are basically trying to move along with it and see what happens.”
Harris, living and working in his native Pittsburgh, says it’s always nice to return to Morgantown where he is known and appreciated.
“It’s always good to basically come back home,” he said. “I had the best times of my life when I played here.”
