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Now that Walt Harris has left the Pitt football program for Stanford, the search for a new Panthers coach is focusing on men with traits that Harris was lacking.

Pitt needs a communicator, someone who can translate his passion for the game and close the deal with recruits.

It's that simple.

The WPIAL is stocked with talented football players, something that was not lost on Pitt athletic director Jeff Long at his Monday news conference to address the search.

"Recruiting is the lifeblood of any program," Long said. "We need to do a better job of local recruiting. We have some outstanding players in western Pennsylvania."

The interview process, alone, cost Pitt some of the WPIAL's top seniors this past week, when Penn Hills running back Ed Collington chose West Virginia, Upper St. Clair linebacker Sean Lee picked Penn State and Penn-Trafford tackle Jason Kacinko picked Purdue.

The new coach, whenever he is hired, has some work to do to repair relationships with WPIAL coaches and re-establish the Panthers with recruits in their own backyard.

For whatever reason, Harris was not as enamored with local prospects at the end of his eight-year tenure as he was in the beginning, when he lured plenty of players and vowed to build a figurative fence around the region.

For all of the criticisms surrounding players who didn't come to Pitt, Harris was able to lure WPIAL stars like Tyler Palko, Erik Gill, Josh Lay and Darrelle Revis, all of whom played a pivotal role in helping Pitt reach the Fiesta Bowl.

That should help the fates of those who recruited them, namely Bob Junko and leading candidate Paul Rhoads. The relationships they have with WPIAL coaches -- and, more importantly, the respect they have from them -- should be strongly considered by the administrators doing the hiring.

Thanks to them, the new coach, whoever he might be, has a handful of WPIAL recruits lined up. Moon lineman John Bachman, Burrell lineman John Brown and Aliquippa safety Tommie Campbell are committed, and Pittsburgh Central Catholic quarterback Shane Murray, tight end John Pelusi and Duquesne running back Shane Brooks are on official visits to Pitt this weekend.

The new Pitt coach should make it a priority to sign as many WPIAL stars as possible from the Class of 2005, which now will be considered a throw-away class for the new coach because of his limited recruiting time.

Pitt would be wise to get Pittsburgh Central Catholic running back Eugene Jarvis, who had his offer pulled after Greater Johnstown's LaRod Stephens committed. Landing Jarvis might help with Murray and Pelusi, as well as future PCC players.

The Panthers should go after Seton-La Salle's record-setting tandem of quarterback Bill Stull and receiver Carmen Connolly, whose first cousin is receiver Joe DelSardo. Neither player has committed and appear to be interested in the Panthers, and it could help Pitt get in the good graces of Gino Gradkowski, a 6-foot-3, 250-pound sophomore lineman at Seton-La Salle.

It wouldn't hurt to take Gateway linebacker Mike Barlak, especially considering that a Gateway grad, Curtis Bray, coaches the position. And the Gators have a handful of up-and-coming juniors in all-purpose back Aaron Smith, linebacker Dan Loheyde, offensive tackle Chris Hanna and defensive end Jordan Stevens, as well as promising sophomore receiver Jon Ditto.

And the new coach needs to find his way to perennial powers Woodland Hills and Penn Hills, respectively, where the talent pools are never shallow.

The Wolverines have big-time junior prospects in cornerback Darrin Walls, receiver Wes Lyons and linebackers Greg Webster and Delvante Thompson. Although Pitt has recruited well out of Woodland Hills, it lost Steve Breaston and Ryan Mundy to Michigan, Brian Borgoyn to Penn State and Devon Lyons to Ohio State.

Penn Hills features unsigned seniors in receiver/cornerback prospects David Harvey and Kenny Lewis, linemen James Cole and J.R. Robinson, and have a star junior in linebacker Archie Donald.

Other top juniors include Baldwin defensive lineman Jason Pinkston and linebacker Jason Hargrove, Thomas Jefferson linebackers Jason Kolodziej and Nate Nix, South Park quarterback Connor Dixon, McKeesport running back Travis McBride, PCC linebacker Nate Williams and West Allegheny multi-purpose back Dorin Dickerson.

The new Panthers coach should know these names by the time he is introduced and should contact them shortly after that. That's one way you get the WPIAL stars to come to Pitt.

You don't have to get them all, but you do have to get the best.

It's that simple.

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