| Former Miami head coach named coordinator at Akron |
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| Written by Dave Ruthenberg |
| Thursday, February 19 2009 |
Shane Montgomery
Former Miami football head coach Shane Montgomery, who resigned at the end of the 2008 season after four years as head coach of the RedHawks, has been named as the University of Akron's new offensive coordinator. The Zips also named former Stanford and Pitt head coach Walt Harris as quarterbacks coach.
Montgomery compiled a 17-31 mark in four seasons as head coach at Miami which included a share of the MAC East title in 2005 and a berth in the MAC championship game in 2007. However, after a disappointing 2-10 campaign in 2008, Montgomery stepped down as head coach following the RedHawks' final game of the season.
Prior to taking over the head coaching duties at Miami, Montgomery served as the RedHawks' offensive coordinator from 2001-2004, a stint that included mentoring future Super Bowl champion, quarterback Ben Roethlisberger.
I always had great respect for Shanes offenses, Akron head coach J.D. Brookhart said in a prepared statement announcing Montgomery's hiring. His teams have been extremely explosive and he is exciting to watch running the show. He really manipulates the game really well and I look forward to him calling the shots."
Meanwhile another coach with significant head coaching experience was added to the Zips staff as Brookhart also announced that longtime head coach Walt Harris, who gave Brookhart his coaching start as an assistant at Pitt, was named the ZIps' quarterback coach.
Harris, who had head coaching stints at Stanford (2005-2006) and Pitt (1997-2004) brings over 40 years of sideline experience to the Zips. While head coach at Pitt, Harris guided the Panthers into postseason bowl play six times in eight years and was twice named Big East Coach of the Year. He later moved on to Stanford but was not successful, compiling a two-year mark of 6-17, including a 1-11 campaign in 2006.
Walt is the most detail-oriented and best prepared coaches with whom I have ever been associated, Brookhart said. In terms of coaching the quarterback position, I do not know anyone better. We are very fortunate to have him come in a mentor those guys and refine our passing game."
The Zips finished the 2008 campaign with a 5-7 mark and were third in the MAC in scoring offense, averaging 30 points per game, including a passing attack that put up 231.5 yards per game which ranked seventh in the conference.
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