Swamp Foxes Receive 'Major' Assignment

Published on February 13, 2003 under arenafootball2 (af2)
Charleston Swamp Foxes News Release


NORTH CHARLESTON, SC – Offense in Arena Football centers around one crucial position – the quarterback. Coaches look for the QB to be the leader on the field, the proverbial field general. The Charleston Swamp Foxes arenafootball2 team, however, will look to a "field Major" for leadership under center. The Swamp Foxes' were assigned former West Virginia University and Arena Football League standout, Major Harris, from the af2 league offices.

Harris was billed as one of college football's most exciting players ever while at WVU in Morganton, WV in the late-1980s. He compiled quite an impressive resume, including Kodak and Playboy All-America selections, and he was twice named a finalist for the coveted Heisman Trophy. He completed his three years at WVU with a career quarterback rating of 142.8, established a new West Virginia record with 7,334 total yards, and currently ranks eighth on the school's all-time rushing list. He tossed 41 career touchdown passes, second on the school's all-time list, while adding 18 scores on the ground. Harris started every game for three consecutive seasons for the Mountaineers, passing for 5,137 yards and rushing for 2,161 more during that span. He became one of only four players in NCAA history to surpass the 2,000/4,000 yards-combined plateau and is one of two quarterbacks to surpass the 2,000/5,000 yard marks in a career.

In 1988, Harris led the Mountaineers to the school's only undefeated, untied regular-season record and a match-up with top-ranked Notre Dame in the Fiesta Bowl for the national championship. He finished fifth in the voting for the Heisman Trophy behind winner Barry Sanders from Oklahoma State and finalists Rodney Peete from Southern California and Troy Aikman from UCLA. Harris completed 105 of 186 passes for 1,915 yards and 10 touchdowns in '88. He followed up that showing in 1989 with 2,058 yards on 142-of-245 passing, this time earning third place in the Heisman voting. He finished behind winner Andre Ware from the University of Houston and Indiana University's Anthony Thompson. Harris tossed 17 touchdown passes en route to earning his second consecutive East Coast Athletic Conference (ECAC) Player of the Year award.

In 1990, Harris decided to conclude his brilliant collegiate career, forgo his senior season, and enter the National Football League. He was drafted in the 12th round by the Los Angles Raiders, but was released from his contract in late 1990. He was offered a contract with the AFL's Tampa Bay Storm but opted to try his luck north of the border with the Canadian Football League's British Columbia Lions. He played there for a season, completing 18-of-42 passes (30 percent) for 300 yards and three touchdowns while rushing for 145 yards on only 19 carries (7.6 yards per carry). After one year in Canada, Harris threw his proverbial hat into the ring – or more appropriately, the Arena. He spent parts of the next five seasons playing in the AFL for the Columbus and Cleveland Thunderbolts. In his rookie AFL campaign in1991, Harris set a current league record for rushing yards in a single season with 424 on the second-most rushing attempts, 88 carries (4.8 yards per carry). Harris also holds the AFL career record for rushing average (4.9 yards per carry) and ranks fifth on the all-time career-rushing list with 832 yards gained.

Since leaving the Thunderbolts, Harris has held several coaching positions around the various indoor football leagues. In 2001, he was in the NFL's Cincinnati Bengals camp competing with Akili Smith for the quarterback position and last year, he was in several AFL team camps. "Major (Harris) is a big piece of the puzzle that we've been searching for in terms of a veteran who can be a mentor to the young talented quarterbacks we already have," said first-year head coach Rik Richards on the assignment of Harris to the Lowcountry. "Major is not only a premier quarterback in Arena Football, but also one of the most popular players in all of the AFL and af2. The coaching staff, as well as the City of Charleston, should enjoy having Major don another blue and gold jersey."

Harris joins another Arena Football League legend, Leonard Conley from the University of Miami (FL), on the Charleston Swamp Foxes' roster. Combined, Conley and Harris have 12 years of AFL experience. Season tickets for the 2003 campaign, which officially kicks off on April 5, are on sale now. For more information about the recent assignments or tickets, please contact the Swamp Foxes' office at (843) 554-4321 or visit us online at www.goswampfoxes.com.

Quotes:

Head coach Rik Richards:

"Major (Harris) is a big piece of the puzzle that we've been searching for in terms of a veteran who can be a mentor to the young talented quarterbacks we already have. He has a lot of tread left on his tires. Just last year he was competing with Akili Smith of the Bengals for the QB job, so I know not only is he a top tier athlete, but also lead us to where we intend to be and that's the Championship."

"Major is not only a premier quarterback in Arena Football, but also one of the most popular players in all of the AFL, and af2. The coaching staff, as well as the City of Charleston should enjoy having Major don another blue and gold jersey."

"Look at some of the most successful players in the AFL right now – they're all about 35 years old. Two of the top quarterbacks – Sherdrick Bonner (Arizona) and Jay Gruden (Orlando) – are the same age as Harris, so we shouldn't doubt his ability."

Offensive Coordinator Tony Wells:

"Many critics will say that Major (Harris) is getting old, but the ones who say that never had to play with or against him. At his level of performance, half of Major Harris is better than 90 percent of the other guys in this league."

"With the competitive nature of this game, today's coaches have to win now as opposed to building for the future because there might not be a tomorrow. I think Major can come in and help the Swamp Foxes win now."

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