RAM NOTES : Harris Chosen as Offensive Coordinator

Chick Harris, who groomed Jerome Bettis as the Rams’ tailback of the future last season, was named the team’s offensive coordinator Wednesday.

Harris, the Rams’ running backs coach the last two seasons, replaces Ernie Zampese, who left last week to replace Norv Turner as the Dallas Cowboys’ offensive coordinator.

Harris, who recently received a two-year contract extension as running backs coach, will continue in that capacity.

The Rams are in the process of giving two-year contract extensions to its current assistant coaches, indicating that the team plans to honor the final two seasons of head coach Chuck Knox’s four-year contract.

Harris’ promotion fills one of four vacancies on the staff, with the quarterback, receivers and special teams positions still open.

The team is expected early next week to hire Steve Moore, former Seattle offensive coordinator, to the offensive staff, as well as promote offensive assistant Mike Martz, who coaches the tight ends. And defensive assistant coach Greg Gaines is the leading candidate to replace Howard Tippett as special teams coach.

Harris’ philosophy will fit perfectly into Knox’s ground-oriented offense, although Harris promises a balanced attack.

“As far as our offense is concerned, we’re not going to be Ground Chuck or Ground Chick,” Harris said. “We’re going to take the best of what has been accomplished here under Ernie and what we have done on the ground the last two years.”

Harris, 47, joined Knox’s staff in Buffalo in 1981. He coached the offensive backfield under Knox in Seattle from 1983 to 1991 before joining the Rams in 1992.

Harris, a graduate of Long Beach Poly, lettered in football and track at Northern Arizona. He was an assistant coach at Colorado State and Long Beach State before coaching the secondary for six seasons at the University of Washington.

Martz joined the Rams in 1992 as a volunteer assistant and was an offensive assistant in charge of tight ends last season.

Moore was the offensive coordinator under Knox in Seattle from 1986 to 1988, and Gaines played linebacker with the Seahawks from 1981 to 1988 and has been a member of the Rams’ staff for the past two seasons.

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Ram defensive tackle Sean Gilbert was sentenced to one year probation Jan. 27 after pleading guilty to lesser charges for his involvement in an altercation with an off-duty police officer March 24 in Pittsburgh.

Gilbert, 23, pleaded guilty to simple assault and resisting arrest. He was originally charged with aggravated assault, resisting arrest, disorderly conduct and obstructing a passageway.

A spokesperson for the Pittsburgh district attorney’s office said the aggravated assault charge--a first-degree felony--carried a maximum penalty of 10 to 20 years imprisonment and a $25,000 fine.

According to Pittsburgh police, Gilbert and University of Pittsburgh football players Reuben Brown and Jonathon McCray blocked a woman from leaving a restaurant. Gilbert and the players then scuffled with off-duty police officer David Proctor, who was hired as a security guard at the restaurant, police said. Proctor was hospitalized with a back injury.

Times staff writer T.J. Simers contributed to this story.