Pittsburgh’s Harris Hired by Stanford

Pittsburgh’s Walt Harris was hired as Stanford’s coach Sunday, giving the Cardinal the offensive-minded leader it sought to replace Buddy Teevens.

A Stanford spokesman said Harris accepted the job Sunday, and the school planned an official announcement today.

Harris, 58, reportedly was meeting with his Pittsburgh team Sunday and is expected to coach the 19th-ranked Panthers in the Fiesta Bowl against Utah on Jan. 1 before assuming his new job.

Harris interviewed on campus Friday, two days after USC offensive coordinator Norm Chow visited to interview. Athletic Director Ted Leland offered Harris the job Saturday.

Harris met last week with Pittsburgh Athletic Director Jeff Long, but the school didn’t offer him an extension for more than the nearly $600,000 he was earning.

Harris has plenty of connections to the Bay Area. He grew up in South San Francisco and attended college at Pacific in Stockton, where he also began his college coaching career.