 When disparaging remarks about the program were made by his agent, Harris' contract negotiations with the school stalled.This led to an announcement prior to the Fiesta Bowl in 2004 that Harris was leaving Pitt to become head coach at Stanford.Dave Wannstedt, a Pittsburgh area native and former Pitt player, graduate, and graduate assistant coach (1975–78), who had recently resigned as head coach of the NFL's Miami Dolphins, succeeded Harris as Pitt's head coach on December 23, 2004.