Harrison Bumps Zeller a Notch in Master’s Shuffle

Even though it usually isn’t shocking news when a college administration fires a baseball or basketball coach and hires a replacement, it is unusual when the former coach is retained as an assistant in the new regime. But at The Master’s College--a place even administrators describe as “unusual”--coaching flip-flops have become the rage.

For the second time in a month at the Christian school in Newhall, a Mustang head coach has gone the way of all the earth and been replaced--but then resurrected as an assistant--by what Athletic Director Geoff Zahn calls “a high-caliber coach.”

This week, Zahn announced that Pat Harrison, a longtime friend, has replaced John Zeller as head baseball coach. Zeller, who in his second season led the Mustangs to a 25-20 record in 1987, promptly said he was pleased to help out by stepping down. He said it was an opportunity for him to learn more about baseball and watch a heretofore weak program flourish.

“I initiated this move,” Zahn said, “but John sees it as a positive step. This is the same situation as when we hired Mel Hankinson as basketball coach. We saw an opportunity to get someone of his caliber, so . . . “

So Zeller was asked to take a back seat. A month ago, Master’s head basketball Coach Randy Stem was demoted to an assistant coach when Zahn hired the more experienced Hankinson, who has a record of 255-194 in 16 years as a college coach, to take over the program. Stem said he was pleased with the move. In fact, he said the demotion was his idea. In Zeller’s case, Zahn made it clear to him before the 1987 season started that if Harrison was interested in the position, a change would be made.

“Geoff mentioned it to me during the winter,” said Zeller, who in his first season had a 20-32 record. “I said, ‘Fine.’ ”

Two weeks ago, Zahn informed Zeller that Harrison was interested and that new-and-improved record notwithstanding, Harrison would be hired.

Zeller’s new-and-improved response?

“I told him I thought it would be a great thing,” Zeller said. “Pat is a very qualified coach. I go wholeheartedly with Geoff. There’s no question he’ll help take this program farther. My main goal is to win. I’m happy here. Obviously, Pat Harrison can take a program and go with it.”

Even when pressed, Zeller showed no signs of remorse at the decision. His career path at Master’s has taken a straight and narrow path downhill. Two years ago, he was hired away from Tennessee Temple, a Baptist school in Chattanooga, Tenn., and ordained at Master’s not only as baseball coach but also as athletic director. A year ago, he was dumped as athletic director when John MacArthur, the school’s president and an evangelist, hired Zahn, a former Dodgers and Angels pitcher, to take over the athletic department.

Zeller kept his job as baseball coach and was named sports information director. Now, he will stay on as sports information director and assist in baseball.

“What can I say?” he said. “I’m not on an ego trip.” Which in itself, some would say, makes him unique among coaches and athletic directors, past and present.

Like Hankinson in basketball, Harrison has a better resume than his new assistant. He was a two-time All-American second baseman at USC. After playing three minor-league seasons in the Dodgers organization, he went on to work as an assistant coach first at USC, then Oral Roberts and later Washington State.

Under normal circumstances, it might be difficult for an NAIA school to hire a coach such as Harrison, but echoing his announcements of a month ago when Hankinson replaced Stem, Zahn said the new head coach came to Master’s “because of the ministry.”

Said Harrison: “The Master’s College commitment to Christ is the same as my commitment to Christ. This commitment will be the foundation for the program.”

Moreover, Master’s administrators hope Harrison will teach Mustang players to drive hell out of both the world and the ball.

Zahn and MacArthur say they have wanted all along to get prominent Christian coaches in place at the school so Master’s could reap the benefits of national exposure through athletics.

Zahn said that tennis player Stan Smith has visited the campus and helped design a future tennis facility. He denied, however, that Smith would be named tennis coach anytime soon. For the time being, at least, the athletic director said he has finished hiring new coaches.

But then he added: “When we have an opportunity to get someone, we will. We’re talking to Bo Schembechler right now.”

That, presumably, would take more than a prayer.