West Virginia to retire jersey numbers for Major Harris, Darryl Talley

By: Paul Schofield
Friday, July 2, 2021 | 3:11 PM

Major Harris was an electric quarterback and linebacker Darryl Talley was a dominant defender at West Virginia.

The two superstars will have their jersey numbers retired during the 2021 season by the West Virginia athletic department.

Harris’ No. 9 will be retired during the Oklahoma State game Nov. 6, and Talley’s No. 90 will be at the Texas Tech game Oct. 2.

Harris was one of college football’s most exciting performers in the late 1980s. The Pittsburgh native and Brashear grad led the Mountaineers to the doorstep of a national championship in 1989.

Harris was inducted into the WVU Sports Hall of Fame in 1999, the College Football Hall of Fame in 2009, and a year later, was a 2010 inductee into the The Legends of the Sun Bowl. Harris was an inaugural member of the Mountaineer Legends Society in 2016.

Senior receiver Isaiah Esdale currently wears No. 9 for the Mountaineers, and he will finish his career in that number before it goes in permanent retirement.

Talley was one of the most prolific defenders in Mountaineer and Buffalo Bills history. During his four years at WVU, Talley amassed 484 career tackles, which were the most by any WVU player when his playing career ended in 1982.

The four-year starter led West Virginia to the 1981 Peach Bowl and the 1982 Gator Bowl. He was a consensus All-American.

Talley is a member of WVU’s All-Time Football Team and was inducted into the WVU Sports Hall of Fame in 1996.

Sophomore defensive lineman Akheem Mesidor currently wears No. 90 for the Mountaineers, and he will finish his career in that number before it goes into permanent retirement.

Other WVU football players to have their numbers retired are Sam Huff’s No. 75, Ira “Rat” Rodgers No. 21 and Bruce Bosley’s No. 77.

Paul Schofield is a TribLive reporter covering high school and college sports and local golf. He joined the Trib in 1995 after spending 15 years at the Daily Courier in Connellsville, where he served as sports editor for 14 years. He can be reached at pschofield@triblive.com.

Tags: Brashear