FIU hires prominent Miami HS coach Tim Harris Jr. as RBs coach

Miami Booker T. Washington High School head coach Tim Harris Jr. has accepted the job as Florida International’s running backs coach according to a source.

The hiring of Harris was later confirmed by the university. He succeeds former running backs coach Kerry Dixon, who left earlier this month to become Florida’s wide receivers coach.

Harris provides major Miami-area recruiting ties for Golden Panthers coach Ron Turner. This past season was Harris’ first as the head coach at Booker T. Washington, a South Florida powerhouse.

He succeeded his father and now Miami Hurricanes running backs coach, Tim Harris Sr., and led the program to a 14-0 record and third straight Class 4A state championship. The younger Harris won several coach of the year awards as his team finished second in the USA Today Super 25 Expert Rankings this past season.

Before taking over for his father, Harris was Washington High’s offensive coordinator for five seasons. He also coached quarterbacks and wide receivers during that span.

Harris was also Washington High’s track and field coach from 2010-14, winning the Class 2A state championship last year. He ran track for the Miami Hurricanes from 2005-08 and was an All-American.

Harris is Turner’s third assistant hire this month, joining new cornerbacks coach Greg Moss, formerly a defensive quality control assistant, and linebackers coach Tem Lukabu, who had coached the same position at Colgate. Turner is still looking for a replacement for former defensive line coach Randy Melvin, who left earlier this month to take the same job with the Miami Hurricanes.

Turner’s assistants have been in high demand this coaching cycle. He also lost his son, Cameron, who had been FIU’s quarterbacks and wide receivers coach, to the NFL’s Carolina Panthers as assistant wide receivers coach.

Former defensive coordinator Josh Conklin took the same job at Pittsburgh. The Golden Panthers had a 4-8 record this past season in Turner’s second at the helm and return 16 starters, including rising sophomore quarterback Alex McGough.