Report: Graham Harrell Joins Mike Leach as Offensive Quality Control Coach
By Josh Davis
Oct 14, 2012; Houston, TX, USA; Green Bay Packers quarterback
Graham Harrell(6) prepares for a game against the Houston Texans at Reliant Stadium. Mandatory Credit:
Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports
The Washington State Cougars are adding a Leach prodigy to the coaching fold, Graham Harrell will join the WSU program in the roll of offensive quality control coach.
Just learned that @Graham_Harrell6 has taken a job with @Coach_Leach at Washington State. Role is essentially quality control on offense.
— Chris Level (@ChrisLevel) April 14, 2014
This is a very interesting move that looks very much like insurance for the future of the staff. A quality control coach is basically an assistant to the position coaches, a team scouting coach during the season and a position coach in training. For now, Harrell will join the team and report to Mike Leach (head coach and QB’s), Jim Mastro (RB’s), Clay McGuire (OL), Dennis Simmons and David Yost (both with WR’s). As mentioned, during the season Harrell would run scouting reports and be in charge of film study for the opposing defenses WSU would face.
No word on whether or not Eric Mele is staying with the program, he was the offensive quality control assistant the past two years. It doesn’t seem like this is a position that needs two people, but perhaps there was too much work to accomplish or Leach just simply couldn’t pass up the opportunity to add Harrell to the staff. Mele could swap sides to defensive quality control as well.
Harrell of course was one of Leach’s best, having been the only quarterback to throw for multiple 5,000 yard seasons in the NCAA. He also holds the NCAA record of 134 passing touchdowns in a career. He was most recently a backup in Green Bay to Aaron Rodgers.
Obviously he won’t be taking Leach’s job as quarterback coach anytime soon, but he will be another big-time quarterback mind for the Cougar quarterbacks to bounce ideas off of. This will certainly be a bonus for senior Connor Halliday but will ultimately be even more beneficial for the younger guys, such as Tyler Bruggman and Luke Falk.
If the Cougs were to lose a coach in the future to another school, Harrell would also figure to be right in the mix to take over. Leach continues to compile a terrific staff of knowledgeable football folk.
Go Cougs!