9 Major Harris

Hometown: Pittsburgh, PA

Career: 1987-1989

Record: 25-10-1, Bowl Record: 0-3

Major Harris is easily the most recognizable icon of West Virginia University football. Harris came to West Virginia in the late 1980s. Harris, starting quarterback at Brashear High, was originally interested in the University of Pittsburgh. Coach Mike Gottfried recruited Harris as a defensive back. Harris, firm in his commitment to being a college quarterback, decided to commit to Coach Don Nehlen. The 1980s really saw the dawn of “athletic quarterbacks.” Major Harris was a prime example of a quarterback that was just as talented rushing the ball as he was passing the ball. Harris would show the nation, and Pitt especially, that he was one of the best athletes in the nation. In 1988, Harris would pass for 1,915 yards, rush for 610 yards, and score 20 total touchdowns in leading WVU to an undefeated regular season. Harris led WVU to the Fiesta Bowl, in what was dubbed the National Championship game. Harris would follow up his phenomenal sophomore season with an even better junior season. He would amass 2,058 passing yards, 936 rushing yards, and 23 total touchdowns. Harris would finish his Mountaineer career with more than 2,000 yards rushing, finishing in the top ten of WVU’s all-time rushers. Rather than complete his senior season in Morgantown, Harris opted for the NFL draft. Coming out of school early would prove to be a terrible mistake as Harris would never play a snap in the NFL, spending his professional career primarily in arena leagues. While Harris’ pro career is forgettable at best, his collegiate career is one of the best in the history of college football. That is why, in 2009, Major Harris was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame.

 

Memorable Game: When you think of Major Harris as West Virginia icon, you inevitably think to the Dale Sparks shot (featured above) of Harris scampering into the end zone against Penn State in 1988. The game against the Nittany Lions was always circled by Mountaineer teams, primarily because they knew that the Penn State game would be difficult and usually end in defeat. Coming into the contest in 1988, Penn State had won 27 of the previous 29 (including one tie) against the Mountaineers. Major Harris, having watched Penn State edge WVU the year prior, was out to prove to the nation that his Mountaineers were not going to let Joe Pa get the best of them again. The Mountaineers, led by Harris, jumped all over Penn State in the first half, building a 31-8 lead. Harris dismantled Penn State with his legs and his arm. He ran for 58 yards and a touchdown while also throwing for 230 yards and two touchdowns. West Virginia would hold off a late Penn State rally to preserve a 51-30 win. The win is often regarded as one of, if not the, biggest win in the program’s history. The game put Coach Nehlen and the Mountaineers in the national spot light, setting WVU up for National Championship consideration in 1988.

 

Competition: Major Harris was an easy pick for #9. He is synonymous with #9 in Mountaineer Nation. Besides, there was zero chance that this selection would go to a disgrace like Pacman Jones. Don’t get me wrong, he is a fine football talent, but his off the field issues cast an ugly shadow on the West Virginia program.

Teaser: Tomorrow we honor an under-sized shifty playmaker. This player was an incredible talent, able to receive, rush, and kick return. His ability to change direction on a dime left opposing defenders with broken ankles and grasping at thin air. This Mountaineer star moved like a water bug across the field.

 

10 Steve Slaton

Hometown: Levittown, PA

Career: 2005-2007

Record: 33-5, Bowl Record: 3-0 including two BCS wins

This countdown would be remiss to not include West Virginia’s all-time leading scorer: Steve Slaton. The fact that Steve Slaton made it to West Virginia in the first place is amazing. Coming out of high school, Slaton wanted to play for Maryland and Coach Ralph Friedgen. The Fridge passed on Slaton, who would wind up in Morgantown in 2005. Slaton entered the season as the fourth string running back behind Jason Gwaltney, Jason Colson, and Pernell Williams. To say that Rich Rod overlooked Slaton’s talents would be a tremendous understatement. Slaton was easily the quickest, shiftiest, and toughest rusher of the group. Slaton would not get a chance to shine until the Virginia Tech game where he ran for 90 yards against one of the nation’s best defenses. He would become an instant star two games later, rushing for 6 touchdowns against Louisville. The rest is history. Slaton ran for 1,128 yards and 17 touchdowns in half a freshman season, including a Sugar Bowl record 204 yards rushing and two touchdowns. As a sophomore, Slaton only upped his game, rushing for 1,744 yards and 16 touchdowns. Slaton’s junior season coincided with Noel Devine’s freshman season, taking carries away from Slaton and reducing his statistics marginally. Slaton was still able to amass 1,051 yards and 17 touchdowns. After winning two BCS games in three seasons, Slaton declared for the NFL draft. WVU success during this time is due in large part to Slaton’s rushing ability. Without the threat of Slaton in the zone read rushing offense, Pat White and Owen Schmitt would not have been able to put up the numbers that they did. Slaton’s 55 career touchdowns (50 rushing, 5 receiving) stand as the West Virginia career scoring record. With WVU’s heavy reliance on the pass under Coach Holgorsen, I highly doubt there will be another running back of this caliber in Morgantown for quite some time.

 

Memorable Game: Many people are probably expecting to see the 2005 Louisville or 2006 Georgia game featured here. While both games are quite impressive, many people forget the tremendous performance he gave during the 2006 Maryland game. Slaton did not get to rush against Maryland as a freshman, so this game marked the first time that he would get the opportunity to show the Fridge the errors of his recruiting strategy. Slaton was focused on embarrassing the Terrapins, and he did just that. Slaton demolished, I mean absolutely pummeled, the Maryland defensive front in the first quarter as he rushed for 149 yards and two touchdowns: in the first quarter alone! West Virginia, behind the rushing of Slaton, jumped all over Maryland to lead the game 28-0 after one quarter of play. Slaton and the Mountaineers went on cruise control for the rest of the game, easily beating the Terps 45-24. Slaton finished with 195 yards and two touchdowns.

 

Competition: This was far and away the toughest selection to make. Marc Bulger is one of the best quarterbacks in school history, having held multiple passing records until Geno Smith broke them all this past season. Bulger is also a member of the WVU Sports Hall of Fame. Some other notables at #10 include Adam Lehnortt, Tony Reda, and Greg Hertzog. Current freshman Jordan Thompson wears #10 and looks like another fantastic receiver in the making.

Teaser: Tomorrow we honor one of the most iconic Mountaineers in the program’s history. This player was an incredible dual threat athlete for WVU and was a major pain to opposing teams.

11 Fred Wyant

Hometown: Weston, WV

Career: 1952-1955

Record: 31-7, Bowl Record: 0-1

Fred Wyant was at the helm of the West Virginia Mountaineers during the Golden Era of WVU football. As a freshman, Wyant would take control of Coach Pappy Lewis’ offense. Once Wyant became the starter in 1952, he would be the starting quarterback for the rest of his career. Wyant was a capable rusher as well as a passer in Coach Lewis’ option offense. He also had a knack for playing defensive back, collecting 5 interceptions for his career. Wyant was an impressive offensive player, giving opposing defenses problems. For his career, he totaled 3,426 all-purpose yards and 33 touchdowns. Wyant also is the only West Virginia quarterback to beat Penn State three times (WVU only has 9 total wins against Penn State). Fred Wyant was also an adept learner, earning Academic All-American honors in 1953, 1954, and 1955. Following graduation, Wyant would play one year in the NFL and one year in the CFL before becoming an official. His most notable game officiated was the 1981 AFC playoff game between the Dolphins and Chargers, known as the “Epic in Miami.” Wyant was inducted into the WVU Sports Hall of Fame in 1994.

Memorable Game: Fred Wyant showed his ability to take over games in the 1954 contest against the South Carolina Gamecocks. The road game was West Virginia’s season opener on October 2. The original opener against Washington & Lee was canceled after W&L de-emphasized football. West Virginia traveled to Columbia in search of a big win over a good Gamecocks squad. The Mountaineers offense, powered by Fred Wyant, outgained USC on the ground by a 446-94 margin. Wyant accounted for two rushing touchdowns and a passing touchdown to dominate the Gamecocks defense. West Virginia coasted to an impressive season opening win over South Carolina by a final score of 26-6.

Competition: There are plenty of notable Mountaineers to have worn #11. Just a sampling of some of the notables: Bruce Irvin, Sidney Glover, Adam Bednarik, Dick Longfellow, and Gary Thompkins.

Teaser: The choice for #10 is a very difficult one. On one hand, we have the school’s second all-time passing leader and on the other, the school’s all-time leading scorer. While the decision was the most difficult one of the countdown, we have arrived at a selection. This player was super and the offense was focused on his special talents. For this writer, it’s all about Steve.

12 Geno Smith

Hometown: Miramar, FL

Career: 2009-Present

Record: 28-11, Bowl Record: 1-2 including a BCS win

No other Mountaineer has received as much preseason hype as quarterback Geno Smith. He was named the preseason Big XII Offensive Player of the Year and is widely regarded as a dark horse candidate for the Heisman Trophy. Smith has received all the love from the media due in large part to his break out junior campaign. Geno flourished in Coach Dana Holgorsen’s air raid offense after spending two seasons playing in Coach Bill Stewart’s pro-style offense. Those first two seasons, Geno completed 64.8% of his passes for 3,072 yards, 25 touchdowns, and 8 interceptions. Those statistics pale in comparison to this past season in which Geno completed 65.8% of his passes for 4,385 yards, 31 touchdowns, and 7 interceptions. Geno’s junior season earned him a second straight All-Big East selection. Geno was also named the Most Outstanding Player of the Orange Bowl (an honor that probably should have gone to Tavon Austin). Geno Smith also set WVU records for passing in 2011, with most pass attempts in a season, most pass completions in a season, and passing yards in a season. When you look at the fact that Geno will have his top three wide receivers back this season, he could be poised to have the greatest passing season in school history, even better than his record setting 2011 season.

Memorable Game: Geno Smith had so many great performances last season, it was difficult to pin point just one. The game that really stands out though (and this may be a surprise) is the home match with Connecticut. The Mountaineers were riding high coming into the game with a 4-1 record on the season. UConn was still trying to figure out what their team identity was in the post-Edsall era. The Mountaineers offense started the game a little slow, only leading the Huskies by a score of 10-6 at half time. Geno Smith would air it out in the second half, leading the Mountaineers on three scoring drives in the third quarter. Smith would throw a fourth touchdown pass in the fourth quarter to salt away the blow out of the Huskies. Geno completed 27 of 45 passes for 450 yards and 4 touchdowns in WVU’s 43-16 win.

Competition: This was a tough selection process. West Virginia is known for two tremendous quarterbacks at #12: Geno Smith and Oliver Luck. The current AD, Oliver Luck, is a member of the WVU Sports Hall of Fame and has some impressive statistics. Geno got the nod at #12 due to his incredible statistics this past season and the expectations of a monumental 2012 season that should cement Geno’s future inclusion in the WVU Sports Hall of Fame.

Teaser: Tomorrow we honor another tremendous Mountaineer quarterback. This player was a key member of West Virginia’s success in the golden era of Mountaineer football. He was a dual threat passer and rusher that terrorized opposing defenses. There are surely some defenders who still have nightmares about this player. He may not be Freddy, but if you are a defensive back, he is certainly a nightmare.

13 Mike Vanderjagt

Hometown: Oakville, ON

Career: 1991-1992

Record: 11-9-2, Bowl Record: 0-0

Mike Vanderjagt took a long an interesting road to Morgantown, WV. He initially began his college career in 1988 at Michigan State, originally playing as a quarterback and place kicker. Vanderjagt was not going to win the starting quarterback job for the Spartans, so he transferred to Allan Hancock Community College. After playing a year of lower level football, chasing his quarterbacking dream, he decided to focus on punting and kicking. Coach Nehlen plucked up the talented kicker in 1991. He would play the 1991 season as a punter and then as a place kicker in 1992. That 1992 season, Vanderjagt would make 15 of 20 field goals. His conversion rate was decent, yet not noteworthy. The NFL would pass on Vanderjagt for the next 6 seasons. He would find work in the CFL and AFL for the next six seasons, honing his accuracy. He would get his chance to play in the NFL with the Indianapolis Colts in 1998. While with the Colts, Vanderjagt would become widely known as the most accurate kicker in the league. He was one of the most reliable scorers in the NFL up until that fateful 2005 playoff game against the Pittsburgh Steelers where he missed an easy field goal that would have sent the game to overtime. From that point on, Vanderjagt’s career would take a nose dive. While Vanderjagt may not ever make the Pro Football Hall of Fame (or any other kicker for that matter besides Jan Stenerud), he should have a decent chance at the WVU Sports Hall of Fame. Time will tell.

Memorable Game: Mike Vanderjagt was a key scorer for the 1992 Mountaineers. He flexed his scoring muscle in an early season match-up with the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs. The Mountaineers ran all over the Bulldogs, but had a difficult time punching the ball into the endzone. Vanderjagt stepped up to the plate for the Mountaineers, converting three field goals. Once the Mountaineers were able to get into the endzone, he would add a pair of extra points to bring his scoring total to 11 points for the afternoon.  Vanderjagt’s scoring alone was enough to put away the Bulldogs, as WVU easily won 23-3.

Competition: Again, I understand that some people don’t think too highly of kickers, especially one that did not always play for WVU. There is something to be said though for being the alma mater of one of the most accurate kickers in NFL history. Perhaps this selection was made more on the total career merit (pro and college) than just his collegiate accolades, but I think it is important to remember the careers of your famous alumni, even if they are just a kicker.

Teaser: Fortunately for all you readers out there, I have no more kickers in line for this countdown. The remaining dozen are all high profile, extremely talented players. Tomorrow, the pick at #12 is a tremendously talented quarterback. The only question is, which quarterback is it? Luck? Smith? Maybe Sowards? I guess you’ll have to tune in tomorrow to see who makes the cut at #12. No matter who I pick, it is sure to start a Mountaineers family fued, like that of Mr. and Mrs. Smith.

14 Mike Sherwood

Hometown: Bellaire, OH

Career: 1968-1970

Record: 25-7, Bowl Record: 1-0

Mike Sherwood came to Morgantown following in his family’s footsteps. Sherwood would get a chance to start for Coach Carlen’s Mountaineers squad in 1968 as a sophomore. During the 1968 season, he would dazzle WVU coaches, earning the starting spot at quarterback for the rest of his career. Sherwood would power the Mountaineers to a 7-3 record as a sophomore, following that up with a 10-1 record as a junior (including a Peach Bowl victory). As a senior, Sherwood would have his most impressive statistical year, completing 60.6% of his passes for 1,550 yards, 15 touchdowns, and 8 interceptions. Sherwood would stay on at WVU after graduation to complete a Master’s degree and serve as an assistant to Coach Carlen and Coach Bowden. Sherwood’s career would be honored in 1997 with induction into the WVU Sports Hall of Fame.

Memorable Game: Mike Sherwood proved his talents to the Mountaineers coaching staff in only his second start in 1968, against the Pitt Panthers. Sherwood led the Mountaineers into Pittsburgh, seeking a big road victory early in the season. The Mountaineers offense, anchored by Sherwood’s play, dominated the Panthers defense. Sherwood completed 73% of his passes against the Panthers secondary for 416 yards and a pair of touchdowns. He added a pair of rushing touchdowns, giving the Panthers defense a multi-dimensional attack that they could not handle. West Virginia cruised to a 38-15 victory over Pitt. The win showcased Sherwood’s talents, setting him up to become the starting quarterback for years to come.

Competition: Sherwood is the only WVU Sports Hall of Famer at #14. He had the statistics and the name recognition necessary to blow the other candidates out of the water. Other distant competitors for #14 include Brad Lewis, Darren Studstill, and Brad Starks.

Teaser: Tomorrow we honor the most accurate kicker of all-time in the NFL, that is until he turned into a head-case. This player held it all together in college, giving WVU an accurate, big leg. It wasn’t until this kicker got to playing for the Colts that he lost his mind. Speaking of losing your mind, you should watch Psycho.

15 Jeff Hostetler

Hometown: Hollsople, PA

Career: 1982-1983

Record: 18-6, Bowl Record: 1-1

During his time in Morgantown, Coach Don Nehlen was very adept at recruiting transfer players for the Mountaineers. One of those transfers was quarterback Jeff Hostetler. The Hollsople, PA native originally selected Penn State coming out of high school. Hostetler would start two games for Coach Joe Paterno, before Joe-Pa decided to make Todd Blackledge the starting quarterback. Down, but not out, Hostetler decided to transfer to a school where he could show Joe-Pa the error he had made. Hostetler decided to come to Morgantown in the spring of 1981. After sitting out the 1981 season due to transfer rules, Hostetler was given the task of leading the Mountaineers in a huge road game against Oklahoma. That game would show that Hostetler was the real deal and launched his successful Mountaineers career. In his two seasons in Morgantown, Hostetler would complete 51.6% his passes for 4,261 yards, 26 touchdowns, and 18 interceptions. Hostetler’s impressive statistics underscored his importance to the Mountaineers program. He propelled the Mountaineers to two bowl games and was key player in elevating the national perception of West Virginia. His success in Morgantown led to a long pro career in the NFL, playing for the Giants, Raiders, and Redskins. During his NFL career, Hostetler would win two Super Bowls, starring in SB XXV in a nail-biter against the Buffalo Bills. While he will never make the Pro Football Hall of Fame, he did make the WVU Sports Hall of Fame.

Memorable Game: Hostetler’s most impressive performance for the Mountaineers was his first, in a road game against Oklahoma. The game in Norman, OK was the 1982 season opener and came 4 years after the Mountaineers were embarrassed their by a score of 52-10. Coach Nehlen’s squad was looking for a monumental upset of the 9^th ranked Sooners. Oklahoma, under Coach Barry Switzer, was expected to be in the mix for the National Championship while the Mountaineers were expected to be a middle of the road team. The heat that day played a factor in West Virginia falling behind early, 14-0. Hostetler led the Mountaineers on late scoring drives in the first half to take a 20-14 lead into halftime. Early in the second half, Oklahoma would block a punt for a touchdown to knot the game at 27-27. The fourth quarter would belong to the Hostetler. He would engineer two touchdown drives to help the Mountaineers pull away from the Sooners. The Mountaineers defense would clamp down on Oklahoma, preserving a 41-27 victory for WVU. The win is regarded as one of the biggest upsets in West Virginia football history.

Competition: While Hostetler was the choice for this spot on the countdown, there was one other stellar #15 available: James Jett. He was a talented receiver that had the goods to play in the NFL. A couple other notables to wear #15 include Charles Pugh and Sedrick King.

Teaser: Tomorrow we honor the career of another Mountaineer legend. He made his career taking wins from big programs and gave the Mountaineers many more wins. His exploits were like that of Robin Hood in Sherwood Forest (if Robin Hood were a quarterback that is).