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Chick Harris Running Backs Coach 29th NFL season 8th with Texans |
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Chick Harris enters his eighth season as running backs coach for the Texans. Harris boasts 28 years of NFL coaching experience. Along with special teams coordinator Joe Marciano, Harris is one of two coaches to have been with the Texans since the team's inception.
Harris has turned in an impressive coaching performance in each of the last three years, producing a solid rushing attack in the face of a slew of injuries at running back. In 2008, opening-day starter Ahman Green missed eight games with injuries. Under Harris' tutelage, rookie running back Steve Slaton wound up winning the NFL rookie rushing title with a franchise-record 1,282 rushing yards, averaging 4.8 yards per carry and scoring 10 total touchdowns.
In 2007, Green missed 10 games with a knee injury and rushed for just 260 yards. Harris leaned on 2006 leading rusher Ron Dayne, who produced a team- and career-high 773 yards and six touchdowns. Rookie undrafted free agent Darius Walker came on late in the year and ran for 264 yards over the last four games.
In 2006, after losing projected starter Domanick Williams early in training camp, Harris turned to a running back by committee approach to carry the load on the ground. Houston was one of three teams to have three different players rush for at least 90 yards in a game, and the Texans were the only team that had a pair of rookies each top the 90-yard mark in a game.
Dayne, the 1999 Heisman Trophy winner, came on late in the year and led the team with 612 yards and five touchdowns, including a career-high 153 yards and two touchdowns to lead Houston to its first-ever win over Indianapolis.
Harris helped Williams earn the 2003 Diet Pepsi Rookie of the Year award and develop into a two-time 1,000-yard rusher. Williams, drafted in the fourth round in 2003, is the franchise’s all-time leading rusher with 3,195 career yards, and his 28 career touchdowns are the most in team history. He holds 27 team records, including the single-season records for rushing yards, with 1,188 in 2004, and rushing yards by a rookie, with 1,031 in 2003.
During Harris’ seven-year tenure with the Panthers, injuries forced the club to suit up a bevy of running backs, from Tshimanga Biakabutuka to Richard Huntley to Brad Hoover to Fred Lane to Anthony Johnson to Derrick Moore. Harris helped Carolina set an expansion record with seven wins in 1995 and also helped the Panthers reach the NFC Championship Game the following season.
Harris launched his NFL coaching career with the Buffalo Bills in 1981, coaching two seasons. He entered the coaching profession at Colorado State in 1970, coaching three seasons before heading to Long Beach State. After one season at Long Beach, Harris joined the Detroit Wheels of the World Football League in 1974. He then moved on to the University of Washington, where he spent six seasons, helping the Huskies to two bowl wins, including a Rose Bowl triumph over Michigan.
Harris lettered in football and track at Northern Arizona, where he is a member of the Lumberjacks’ athletic hall of fame.
Born in Durham, N.C., Harris attended Long Beach (Calif.) Poly High School. He has a son, Tyler, and a daughter, Tarana. Harris and his wife, Karen, have a daughter, Kara. The family lives in Sugar Land.
HARRIS’ COACHING LEDGER
2002-09: Running Backs, Houston Texans
1995-01: Running Backs, Carolina Panthers
1994: Offensive Coordinator, Los Angeles Rams
1992-93: Running Backs, Los Angeles Rams
1983-91: Offensive Backfield, Seattle Seahawks
1981-82: Running Backs, Buffalo Bills
1975-80: Defensive Backs, University of Washington
1974: Wide Receivers, Detroit Wheels (World Football League)
1973: Wide Receivers, Long Beach State
1970-72: Wide Receivers, Colorado State
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