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I don't know why because I really did- n't know anybody in business," said Harris, who grew up in Mt. Holly, N.J. "I was heavily recruited by Cornell Uni- versity. They told me about their ho- tel school, and how hospitality is the industry of the future and you can work anywhere in the world. I said 'wow.' It so happened that Penn State had that curriculum also. So after vis- iting 10 colleges, I decided on Penn State." Freshmen were ineligible back then, but in 1969 it was obvious that soph- omores Harris and Mitchell had more talent than most of the other running backs on the roster. Harris was not happy playing behind underclass- men, and although he understood Pa- terno's loyalty to them, he admits he "tested Joe" over the next three years. By the time he graduated, he had be- come the 13th-leading rusher in school history with 2,002 yards and 24 touchdowns on 380 carries. But he may be best remembered for a high- ly publicized incident before the last game of his career – the 1972 Cotton Bowl – when he showed up three min- utes late for practice in Dallas and was demoted to the second team by Pater- no. The coach thought his decision would stimulate the team. In fact, it so- lidified the team behind Harris, and the Nittany Lions went out and upset Texas, 30-6, in what is considered one of the "turning point" games in Penn State's football history. "I was very upset with the conse- quences of not starting in the Cotton Bowl," Harris recalled. "I did get to play. I didn't have a lot of yards, but felt I had a really good game, in blocking and doing other things. Then because of that [incident] when they were talking about me being drafted, they talked about Franco being a problem kid. I called Joe about that, and he said, 'Don't worry about it. If anybody calls me, we know you're not a problem.' " Harris was the No. 1 draft choice of the Steelers, the 13th overall selection in 1972, and the only one of 442 play- ers chosen that year to eventually be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. He was an immediate star, lead- ing the team in rushing with 1,055 yards and 10 touchdowns on 188 car- ries and making the Pro Bowl. The Steelers won a division title for the first time in their history, and in their first playoff game – against Oakland at Three Rivers Stadium – Harris achieved everlasting fame. The Raiders were leading, 7-6, with 22 seconds left in the game and no timeouts. Pittsburgh's Terry Brad- shaw, under pressure from an Oak- land rush, threw a pass from the Steel- ers' 40-yard line toward alternate re- ceiver Frenchy Fuqua at the Raiders' 35, just as Raiders defensive back Jack Tatum was closing in fast. The ball hit one of them and bounced into the air. Harris, who had been blocking when the play started, had run downfield as a possible alternate receiver. He in- stinctively scooped the ball up near the ground and ran for the apparent win- ning touchdown. It took nearly 15 min- utes of discussion by the officials on the field and in the press box to deter- mine whether the ball had hit Tatum making it officially a touchdown. Sub- sequent tape years later proved that Fuqua didn't touch the ball, but the controversy continues to this day. Harris said he made the catch because of Paterno. "Joe would always [tell us] certain things about 'going to the ball,' " Harris said. "While I was at Penn State, it was like, 'Don't listen to this guy hol- lering all the time.' He'd always shout it out, 'Go to the ball, go the ball. Don't stand still. Keep moving.' On my first day of training camp with the Steelers, that entered my mind, Joe saying, 'Go to the ball.' And from that day, I ran to every ball. If a receiver caught a ball 50 yards downfield even though I'm in the backfield blocking, I would run to the spot where that receiver caught it and then run back. And every time I touched the ball in practice I would run to the end zone. It just popped into my head, 'OK, I didn't listen back then, but all of a sudden Joe seems smart.' And the [Immaculate] Reception is a result of that." Although Paterno and Penn State "have been a big part" of his life, Har- ris said he really didn't see that much of his coach after graduating. He said it was only in the last few years that he began making more contact, prima- rily because his businesses started taking him to State College. His first client for his fruit bar was the Uni- SEE FRANCO PAGE 45 W W W . B L U E W H I T E O N L I N E . C O M A U G U S T 2 1 , 2 0 1 2 41

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