Major Harris is 48 ..I think I'm getting old
- Thread starter WESTBGVA
- Start date
One of my favorite memories involving Major Harris (and I've told this story before, but it bears repeating)...
I was living in Boston and WVU was playing BC one beautiful fall weekend at
"The Heights" in Chestnut Hill. We all know they are a wine and cheese crowd so I collected my crew which consisted of a budding chef and, of course, a few rowdies. We wanted to "out-wine-and-cheese" them. That's another story.
For a rare occurrence, BC had a sell-out stadium. It was 3rd quarter, I think, and WVU had the ball on 4th down and behind by 3. We were at our own 40 yard line with 15 yards to go. Major takes the snap and rolls out to pass only to find everyone covered so he runs. ...and he runs, runs, runs in his seemingly awkward and peculiar style but very effective. All, The, Way... 60 yards for a touchdown! The crowd was stunned and silenced. Moments later a flag was thrown and the play called back for holding. The crowd went wild.
Replay 4th down.... Major takes the snap and again can't find a receiver. He literally duplicates the same moves as before and rushes for, this time, a bona-fide touchdown. The crowd is now more stunned than before but this time, the BC crowd erupts in cheers for the Major and gives him a standing ovation. What a beautiful play and total guts on his effort and a better than expected reception by that most hated BC crowd. Great day, great food, great friends and a very great win.
Note: I may have mis-remembered some of the specifics but the real event did occur in some similar fashion.
So down 3 in the 3rd Quarter on our own 40, we went for it on 4th & 15, and again on 4th & 20?
LOL, sounds like you were having a great time my friend.
Well I was... we all were... and like I said in my "qualifier" some of the specifics might be a little off but he did scramble for 60+ yards twice in a row on almost the exact same (broken) play. He was a superman that day... and many others, but he shut that BC crowd down and turned them into Major fans.
I will add that in that era Doug Flutie was a similar and remarkable star QB. He took the field against WVU 4 times and never beat us.
I'm not hating. I spin similar tales about watching Pat White while a student and young graduate.
If you loved Pat White... and he is clearly one of my two favorite QB's, you would also have loved Major. Two different styles on a micro basis but similar in their individual arsenals and skill sets... just executed a bit differently. Major was a tough "sum bitch" with deceptive moves and a brutal running style. Pat was equally or more deceptive but more fluid and, perhaps, faster once open. Love them both.
I attended the PSU away game as a young college student (1987) where Major scrambled for what seemed like a minute (4th quarter) and fired a deep pass down the field...only to be called back for illegal man down field. We would have won the game on that play but the momentum quickly went back to PSU.
Does anyone have video of that amazing play? Probably 1987 season?
Does anyone have video of that amazing play? Probably 1987 season?
There might be some archived videos on YouTube... just be aware... you go there and may not emerge for many hours... lot's of stuff and old games to watch...!
At 48 years old, I bet the Penn State defense STILL can't put a hand on him.[WVU]
Correction..................Major Harris is only 28 years old. It seems like only yesterday that he lit up Penn State and many more teams. Bring on The Major!
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