Saturday, July 14, 2012

49 Chris Haering

Hometown: Pueblo, CO
Career: 1986-1989
Record: 29-17-1, Bowl Record: 0-3
One of the best defenders on the 1988 undefeated regular season team was Chris Haering. He would break into the starting lineup early in his career, starting as a sophomore. He was a tackling machine, racking up 416 tackles, good enough for 7th on WVU’s all-time leader board. His play was recognized in 1988 with a 1st Team All-America selection. Since his time in Morgantown, Haering has helped coach up young players, being a head coach at Mt. Lebanon High School. After winning a championship at the AAAA High School level, Haering garnered interest from colleges. Unfortunately for WVU fans, Haering is now the linebacker coach at Pitt. Good luck Chris, except when you play West Virginia.
Memorable Game: The 1989 season was a little bit of a letdown for the Mountaineers. Coming off arguably the best season in school history, the Mountaineers were expecting another outstanding season. They had begun the season with a 6-2-1 record and were needing to win out to improve their chances of making a decent bowl game. Fortunately for West Virginia, the Rutgers Scarlet Knights were in town. The game was far too close for comfort. The Mountaineer offense coughed up the football three times, keeping Rutgers in the game. Chris Haering did his part to keep West Virginia in the game, making 10 tackles and recovering a fumble. The Mountaineers would survive a close call, winning 21-20.
Competition: Haering was the most notable of the #49s. He had the best stats and name recognition in the whole group. Other players to note include: Anthony Green, Larry Krutko, and Josh Bailey.
Teaser: Tomorrow’s wide receiver was one of the most prolific offensive talents to play at West Virginia. Mountaineers fans could literally debate who was better: this New Jersey native or Tavon Austin. He was just that good. I argue that you could not go wrong with either. It’s like debating which trilogy is better: Star Wars or Lord of the Rings. Roll the Kevin Smith movie footage…

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