Palo Alto, CA (My Sportsbook) - Walt Harris has decided to leave Pittsburgh to take the head coaching position at Stanford. He is expected to be introduced at a press conference on Monday.

The Cardinal needed to replace Buddy Teevens, who was fired last month after three straight losing seasons.

Harris, who grew up in the Bay Area, had spent the past eight years at Pittsburgh and guided the Panthers to a berth in this season's Fiesta Bowl. He will likely remain with Pittsburgh to coach against Utah on New Year's Day in Arizona.

Utah will also have a lame-duck coach in the Fiesta Bowl, as Urban Meyer will head to Florida after the contest.

The 58-year-old Harris did not see eye-to-eye on a contract extension with Pittsburgh athletic director Jeff Long, who is in just his second year with the school.

Stanford athletic director Ted Leland knows Harris well, having given him his first head coaching position at Pacific in 1989.

Harris spent three years at his alma mater, compiling a record of 11-24, then went to the pro ranks as the quarterbacks coach for three years with the New York Jets. After a two-year stint as quarterbacks coach at Ohio State, he became the Pittsburgh head coach in 1997.

The Panthers struggled in Harris' first three years, but enjoyed five straight winning seasons that culminated in an 8-3 mark this year and a BCS berth as the Big East co-champions.

Harris has a career head coaching record of 63-67, including 52-43 at Pittsburgh, and is known as an offensive-minded coach.

Stanford struggled offensively under Teevens, averaging just 22 points during a 4-7 season in 2004. The Cardinal lost their last five games and finished just 10-23 under Teevens, who took over after Tyrone Willingham left Stanford for Notre Dame.