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 Posted on December 2nd, 2009 by David WhipkeyCourtesy www.pittsburghpanthers.com Junior Greg Romeus has been named a finalist for the prestigious Ted Hendricks Defensive End of the Year Award, it was announced today by the Ted Hendricks Foundation. Romeus (Coral Springs, Fla./Coral Glades) is one of seven finalists selected by a vote of the Hendricks Award selection committee. The winner will be announced on Dec. 9. For more information on the award and the Ted Hendricks Foundation, go to www.TedHendricks.com. Romeus is the second Pitt player to be named a finalist for a national award. Last week, senior tight end Dorin Dickerson was named one of three finalists for the John Mackey Award. The 6-foot-6, 270-pound Romeus is having an outstanding season for Pitt’s nationally ranked defensive unit, compiling 38 tackles, 10.5 tackles for loss and eight sacks. One of the country’s most disruptive defensive linemen, Romeus also has two forced fumbles, an interception, a fumble recovery and a blocked PAT. His eight sacks pace a Pitt defensive unit that leads the entire country in that category. The Panthers have a national-best 42 sacks, their highest total since 1988. The Panthers (9-2, 5-1 Big East) are ranked as high as No. 14 this week heading into their regular-season finale at Heinz Field against the undefeated Cincinnati Bearcats (11-0, 6-0), ranked No. 5 nationally. The game, a noon national ABC telecast, will decide the 2009 Big East championship and the league’s BCS bowl entrant. Posted on November 28th, 2009 by David WhipkeyBy David Whipkey There will be no three-game winning streak for the Pitt Panthers in the Backyard Brawl. West Virginia used a big-play by running back Noel Devine, stout defense and the clutch leg of kick Tyler Bitancurt to overtake Pitt 19-16 Friday night before a less-than-sellout crowd at Milan Puskar Stadium in Morgantown. Bitancurt’s 43-yard field goal with three seconds left in the fourth quarter gave the Mountaineers (8-3, 4-2) the hard-fought win. His kick capped a 10-play; 52-yard drive in the game’s waning moments. Devine led the Mountaineers with 134 yards rushing on 17 carries. His 88-yard touchdown run midway through the third quarter sent the Panthers normally staunch defense reeling. Quarterback Jarrett Brown completed 19 of 31 throws for 164 yards. Although he was sacked twice and pressured most of the evening, he did not throw an interception. The same could not be said for the Big East’s leading passer Bill Stull. Stull was under siege from the Mountaineers pass rush most of the night. West Virginia sacked him twice and hounded him into numerous misfires. The fifth-year senior completed 16 of 30 passes for 179 yards. Stull also threw two costly interceptions. Mountaineer safety Keith Tandy intercepted Stull right before the end of the first half, helping to set up Bitancurt’s game-tying 20-yard field goal. Cornerback Robert Sands pilfered a Stull pass in the fourth-quarter to snuff out another Pitt drive and create a scoring opportunity for the Mountaineers. The Panthers (9-2, 5-1)started out the contest in fine fashion. The defense forced a three-and-out series on West Virginia’s first possession. After a Mountaineer punt, Pitt marched down to the WVU 29-yard line. However, Dan Hutchins missed his 46-yard field goal attempt. Both squads were locked in a defensive battle for much of the first half. Pitt managed to cobble together a 54-yard scoring drive late in the half that was capped by Hutchins’ 37-yard field goal. West Virginia took a 6-3 lead early in the third period when Bitancurt climaxed a 48-yard drive with a 47-yard field goal. Pitt responded with an eight-play, 46-yard drive that was highlighted by Dion Lewis’ 30-yard run on fourth and 1 at midfield. Hutchins’ 30-yard field goal knotted the score at six apiece late in the third. But Devine struck back for the Mountaineers. The junior running back juked Pitt safety Dom DeCicco and out ran the rest of the Panthers for a tide-turning 88-yard touchdown run. The play effectively swung the momentum in favor of the Mountaineers and forced the Panthers to play catch-up the rest of the night. West Virginia took advantage of Sands’ interception near midfield in the fourth quarter and turned it into points. Bitancurt’s 39-yard boot gave West Virginia a seemingly insurmountable 10-point lead. But Pitt rose from the deck and decided not to go quietly. The Panthers moved 33 yards in seven plays, setting up Hutchins’ 36-yard field goal midway through the final quarter, slicing West Virginia’s lead to 16-9. After Pitt’s defense held, Stull and his mates went to work. The Panthers moved 75 yards in three-plays, all of which were pass completions. Stull ended the march with a gorgeous 50-yard touchdown strike to Jonathan Baldwin. The connection tied the game at 16 apiece late in the fourth-quarter. Both Baldwin and Lewis enjoyed productive evenings. Baldwin finished with eight catches for 127 yards while Lewis added 155 yards rushing on 26 attempts. But the Mountaineers had nearly three minutes to work with. Brown used this time to lead his offense on a methodical 52-yard drive that led to Bitancurt’s heroics. Notes: Pitt still has a chance to win the Big East title with a win over undefeated Cincinnati next Saturday at Heinz Field. Kickoff is at noon and will be televised nationally on ABC. Posted on November 18th, 2009 by David WhipkeyCourtesy www.pittsburghpanthers.com Pitt freshman tailback Dion Lewis has been named one of 15 “Players to Watch” for the 2009 Walter Camp Player of the Year Award, it was announced today by the Walter Camp Football Foundation. Lewis is the only freshman on the Walter Camp list and one of just four running backs. The list will be pared down to five finalists on December 2, with the 2009 winner announced on December 10 during the 6 p.m. edition of ESPN SportsCenter. Pitt boasts three previous winners of the Walter Camp Player of the Year Award, including running back Tony Dorsett (1976), defensive end Hugh Green (1980) and receiver Larry Fitzgerald (2003). This is the latest recognition for Lewis (Albany, N.Y./Blair Academy [N.J.]), who is also a semifinalist for the Doak Walker Award (nation’s top running back) and Maxwell College Football Player of the Year Award. The 5-foot-8, 195-pound freshman is also poised to become the first player since Virginia Tech quarterback Michael Vick in 1999 to be selected the Big East’s Offensive Player of the Year and Rookie of the Year in the same season. Lewis is first in the Big East and sixth nationally in rushing yards per game (129.1 avg.). Overall he has 1,291 rushing yards and 13 touchdowns on 224 carries (5.8 avg.). He has scored 14 total TDs on the year. Lewis needed just eight games to reach 1,000 yards, matching Dorsett’s Pitt freshman record set in 1973. With three games remaining, he trails Dorsett’s Pitt freshman rushing record of 1,686 by only 395 yards. “I love watching the kid,” said Dorsett. “It brings back a lot of memories for me. I’m really happy for him that he has been able to excel. What I like most is he has no ego. He just runs the ball.” Lewis is also ready to become the most prolific freshman rusher in Big East history. He is just 37 yards away from matching former Pitt tailback LeSean McCoy’s Big East frosh mark of 1,328 yards set in 2007. Ranked No. 8 by The Associated Press and No. 9 in the USA Today coaches poll, Pitt has its highest November rankings since 1982. The Panthers moved up to ninth in this week’s Bowl Championship Series ratings, their highest BCS listing ever. Pitt achieved its lofty rankings after winning six consecutive games to improve to 9-1 on the year, its best start since the 1982 Panthers, led by quarterback Dan Marino, also started 9-1. The Panthers have a bye this week before putting their undefeated Big East record (5-0) on the line at West Virginia (7-3, 3-2) on Nov. 27 at 7 p.m. on ESPN2. Pitt will conclude its regular season against Cincinnati (10-0, 6-0) at Heinz Field on Dec. 5. Kickoff for the de facto Big East title game will be at noon and be televised nationally on ABC. Posted on November 16th, 2009 by David WhipkeyCourtesy www.pittsburghpanthers.com Pitt sophomore wide receiver Jonathan Baldwin has been named the Big East Offensive Player of the Week for his performance in the Panthers’ 27-22 victory over Notre Dame this past Saturday. Baldwin (Aliquippa, Pa./Aliquippa) thrilled a sold-out Heinz Field and national ABC television audience with high-leaping grabs and spectacular circus catches to lift Pitt past the visiting Irish. He averaged 28.4 yards per catch, finishing with 142 receiving yards on just five receptions. On the year, Baldwin has 40 receptions for 840 yards (21.0 avg.) and five touchdowns. The Notre Dame contest marked his fifth 100-yard receiving game of the year. Baldwin is part of a Pitt offense that averages 33.80 points per game, which ranks 15th nationally and second in the Big East. Wrote Matt Hayes in this morning’s Sporting News Today, “(Pitt’s) trifecta on offense –QB Bill Stull, TB Dion Lewis, WR Jonathan Baldwin–is the best in the nation.” Pitt achieved its lofty rankings after winning six consecutive games to improve to 9-1 on the year, its best start since the 1982 Panthers, led by quarterback Dan Marino, also started 9-1. The Panthers have a bye this week before putting their undefeated Big East record (5-0) on the line at West Virginia (7-3, 3-2) on Nov. 27. Pitt will conclude its regular-season against Cincinnati (10-0, 6-0) at Heinz Field on Dec. 5. The game against the Bearcats, rated fifth in this week’s BCS standings, will decide the winner of the 2009 Big East championship and resultant Bowl Championship Series berth. Posted on November 15th, 2009 by David WhipkeyBy David Whipkey All the elements were there for a special Saturday night at Heinz Field for the Pitt Panthers. A sell-out crowd of 65,374 walked through the turnstiles, more than 100 recruits were on hand, temperatures hovered around 50 plus degrees, ABC’s Brent Musburger and Kirk Herbstreit were on hand to call the action and Notre Dame was the opponent; presenting a stiff challenge for the Panthers. Consider this test aced. Pitt controlled both sides of the line of scrimmage and held on for a scintillating 27-22 win over Notre Dame Saturday night, pushing the Panthers record to 9-1 overall. The Panthers have a week off before their annual grudge match against West Virginia in Morgantown on the Friday after Thanksgiving. The Panthers defense was strong all night, holding the Irish to 66 yards rushing and sacking Notre Dame quarterback Jimmy Clausen three times. Pitt defensive end Greg Romeus stripped Clausen on a third and 16 play late in the fourth quarter, sealing Pitt’s third win against the Fighting Irish in their last four meetings. Pitt’s offense was efficient, outgaining Notre Dame in total yardage 429-349. Freshman running back Dion Lewis showcased his talents to a national television audience. The Albany, N.Y. native gashed Notre Dame for 152 yards on 21 carries. His 50-yard touchdown run early in the fourth quarter gave Pitt a seemingly comfortable 27-9 lead. Notre Dame roared back courtesy of Clausen’s right arm and receiver Golden Tate’s legs and hands. Clausen capped an 11-play, 71-yard drive with an 18-yard scoring pass to Tate, slicing Pitt’s lead to 27-16 midway through the final quarter. Pitt was forced to punt on their next possession and Tate made them pay, returning Dan Hutchins’ punt 87 yards for a touchdown. The two-point pass failed, but the Irish were very much alive trailing by five late in the contest. Pitt quarterback Bill Stull enjoyed another solid performance. The fifth-year senior completed 15 of 27 passes for 236 yards and a touchdown. Stull’s scoring strike came courtesy of a 36-yard hook up late in the first half with sophomore receiver Jonathan Baldwin, who dived to snare the pass in the end zone behind Irish cornerback Darrin Walls. The play capped six-play, 80 yard drive and gave the host Panthers a 10-3 lead at halftime. Baldwin struck again the third quarter when he made a circus-like 51-yard catch that set up Hutchins’ 38-yard field goal, giving the Panthers a 13-3 lead. Baldwin finished with five catches for 142 yards and his one score. Lewis’ understudy, freshman Ray Graham, got his chance to shine on Pitt’s next possession. Graham ran and spun through the Notre Dame defense for a 53-yard run to the Irish 2. On the next play, Graham bulled into the end zone and gave the Panthers a commanding 20-3 lead. Notre Dame finally got into the end zone early in the fourth when Clausen climaxed an 11-play, 80 yard drive with a one-yard sneak. Clausen and his receivers kept the Irish in the game. He completed 27 of 42 passes for 283 yards. Tate finished with 113 yards on nine receptions while his partner Michael Floyd contributed seven catches for 107 yards. Panther safety Jarred Holley intercepted Clausen in the second quarter. Posted on November 12th, 2009 by David WhipkeyBy David Whipkey The Notre Dame-Pitt series has provided the football world with some of the most vivid memories and best players to ever step foot on the gridiron. Coaches such as Knute Rockne, Elmer Layden, Frank Leahy, Ara Parseghian, Dan Devine and Lou Holtz have led the Irish into battle against the Panthers while Pitt coaches Jock Sutherland, Johnny Majors, Jackie Sherrill, Foge Fazio, Walt Harris and Dave Wannstedt have prowled the sidelines in contests against Notre Dame. Players such as Joe Montana, Jerome Bettis, Paul Hornung, Johnny Lujak, Daryle Lamonica, Raghib Ismail, and Ricky Watters along with other Irish legends have squared off against Panthers such as Dan Marino, Tony Dorsett, Bill Fralic, and Larry Fitzgerald Notre Dame holds a decisive 44-19-1 series lead over Pitt. However, the Panthers have won two of the past three contests. Here is a brief synopsis of the rivalry’s modern history. November 15, 1975: Panthers running back Tony Dorsett basically beat the Irish by himself on a crisp fall day at Pitt Stadium. Then a junior, Dorsett torched the Irish for 303 yards on the ground in a 34-20 win. September 11, 1976: Pitt kick-started their national championship season with an impressive 31-10 win over the Irish in South Bend. Dorsett, the eventual Heisman Trophy winner, ran for 181 yards in the win. ABC moved the game, which was previously scheduled in the middle of the season to week one. Legend has it the Notre Dame grounds crew allowed the natural playing surface to grow higher than usual in an effort to slow down the fleet Dorsett. September 10, 1977: The Joe Montana-quarterbacked Irish spoiled Pitt’s home opener with a come-from-behind 19-9 win. Notre Dame’s fierce defense knocked Panther quarterback Matt Cavanaugh from the contest. The Irish used the win as a spring board to a national championship. November 6, 1982: Dan Marino and his Panthers entered the showdown with the Irish at Pitt Stadium ranked Number 1 in the country and had visions of winning a national title. But the Gerry Faust-coached Irish hung tough all day and upset Pitt 31-16 before an overflow crowd. Notre Dame running back Allen Pinkett helped salt the game away midway through the fourth quarter with a 76-yard touchdown run. October 10, 1987: Notre Dame entered the 1987 game at Pitt Stadium undefeated and with a roster that included players such as receiver and eventual Heisman Trophy winner Tim Brown and quarterback Tony Rice. But Pitt running back Craig “Ironhead” Heyward was unstoppable in a 30-22 win over coach Lou Holtz and his Irish. November 13, 1999: The Panthers sent Pitt Stadium out in grand style with a pulsating 37-27 win before an overflow crowd of 60,190. Pitt quarterback John Turman tossed two touchdown passes to Antonio Bryant and running back Kevan Barlow scored twice. The Pitt student section took the field and the goal posts with nine seconds remaining on the clock. Approximately 300 former Pitt players were saluted in a stirring halftime tribute. October 12, 2002: The eighth-ranked Irish used defense and opportunistic offense to hold off the Panthers 14-6 at Notre Dame Stadium. Pitt outgained Notre Dame in total yardage by a margin of 402-185. But the Irish defense sacked Pitt quarterback Rod Rutherford eight times. Rutherford threw for 313 yards in the game. October 11, 2003: In their first visit to Heinz Field, Notre Dame secured a 20-14 win over Pitt. Notre Dame’s Julius Jones enjoyed a career day against Pitt’s defense, rushing for 262 yards and two scores. Pitt’s Larry Fitzgerald finished with five catches for 79 yards and two touchdowns. The Irish defense again terrorized Pitt quarterback Rod Rutherford and sacked him eight times. November 13, 2004: Pitt earned their first win over Notre Dame since 1999 by virtue of a thrilling 41-38 win at Notre Dame Stadium. Panthers quarterback Tyler Palko tossed five touchdown passes and led a game-winning drive late in the fourth quarter that culminated in Josh Cummings 32-yard field goal. Palko finished with 26 completions in 42 attempts for 334 yards. Pitt’s defense intercepted Brady Quinn twice. September 3, 2005: In a game that was the first contest along the sidelines for Notre Dame’s Charlie Weis and Pitt’s Dave Wannstedt, the Irish defeated the Panthers 42-21 at Heinz Field. Notre Dame’s offense bulldozed its way to 275 yards rushing and paved the way to victory. Brady Quinn threw for 233 yards for the Irish. November 1, 2008: Pitt outlasted Notre Dame 41-38 in four overtimes. It was the longest game in the history of Notre Dame Stadium. Panther running back LeSean McCoy ran for 169 yards on 32 carries and had one touchdown. Pitt’s Conor Lee drilled a 22-yard field goal to win the game after Notre Dame’s Brandon Walker missed a 38-yard try. Posted on November 10th, 2009 by David WhipkeyCourtesy of PittsburghPanthers.com Pittsburgh mayor Luke Ravenstahl has declared Friday in Pittsburgh “Turn it Blue Day” in anticipation of the Pitt football team’s Saturday night showdown with Notre Dame at Heinz Field. The Panthers, ranked as high as No. 8 in the country, will face the Fighting Irish in front of a soldout crowd and national ABC television audience. Pittsburghers are encouraged to wear their Pitt Blue on Friday to get ready for the game. Fans should also wear their Pitt Blue to Heinz Field Saturday night as Pitt and Pittsburgh are showcased to the rest of the country. “This weekend, let’s `Turn it Blue’ and show our support for our own hometown team as they take on the Fighting Irish of Notre Dame,” Ravenstahl said. “We’ll have the eyes of the nation watching us, and I’m confident that with the talent we have this season and with the support of Pitt fans, our team will be successful. Go Pitt!” “Pittsburgh has been named the No. 1 sports city in America for good reason and college athletics is an important part of what makes this such a great place to live and work,” Pitt athletic director Steve Pederson said. “The Mayor’s declaration of Friday as `Turn it Blue Day’ is another example of what makes Pittsburgh so special. We thank Mayor Ravenstahl and the City of Pittsburgh for getting behind our team.” “The city of Pittsburgh loves its football and we are looking forward to a great crowd Saturday night when we play Notre Dame,” Pitt coach Dave Wannstedt said. “We appreciate the support from Mayor Ravenstahl and the City of Pittsburgh. I know our city’s Pitt Pride will be on display throughout the weekend as we play one of our biggest games of the year.” Ranked No. 8 by The Associated Press and No. 9 in the USA Today coaches poll, Pitt has its highest November ranking since 1982. The Panthers are 12th in this week’s Bowl Championship Series ratings, their highest BCS listing ever. Pitt achieved its lofty rankings after winning five consecutive games to improve to 8-1 on the year, its best start since the 1982 Panthers, led by quarterback Dan Marino, also started 8-1. The Pitt-Notre Dame game is being televised as part of this week’s ABC Saturday Night Football package and will be aired locally on WTAE-TV, channel 4. Brent Musburger (play-by-play), Kirk Herbstreit (color) and Lisa Salters (sideline) form the broadcast crew. Posted on November 9th, 2009 by David WhipkeyCourtesy of PittsburghPanthers.com On the strength of five consecutive victories, the Pitt football team Sunday moved into the Top 10 of both The Associated Press and USA Today coaches polls. The Panthers (8-1, 5-0 Big East) are ranked No. 8 in the AP poll and No. 9 by the coaches. The Bowl Championship Series standings have Pitt No. 12 this week, its highest BCS rating ever. With the announcement of today’s polls, Pitt is enjoying its first Top 10 ranking in November since 1982, when the Panthers were led by senior quarterback Dan Marino. The Panthers are in the midst of one of their winningest stretches in recent memory. Dating back to its monumental victory over BCS-bound West Virginia to close the 2007 season, Pitt has won 18 of its last 23 games. Pitt returns to action this Saturday, Nov. 14, against Notre Dame at Heinz Field. The game will be an ABC national prime-time telecast and kick off at 8 p.m. Posted on November 8th, 2009 by David WhipkeyBy David Whipkey If Pitt coach Dave Wannstedt wanted to see how his players would respond to being punched in the mouth by a fired-up opponent, he got his wish. He also must have liked what he saw on a sun-soaked Saturday afternoon at Heinz Field. The Panthers fell behind 3-0 early to Syracuse, but responded with 37 unanswered points and cruised home to a comfortable 37-10 win over the Orange. Pitt improved their record to 8-1 overall and 5-0 in the Big East while the improving Orange fell to 3-6 overall and 0-4 in conference play. “I knew that this was going to be a challenge for us,” Wannstedt said following the game. “You get a week off and you win the way we won against South Florida and the players go home for the weekend and everybody is patting them on the back and talking about rankings. It’s very difficult for 18-year old kids to handle.” Syracuse, which entered Saturday’s game without the services of leading receiver Mike Williams (quit the team earlier this week) and three other players who were suspended, brought plenty of fight to Pitt early in the contest. Orange running back Delone Carter ripped off a 58-yard run on the game’s second play, setting up Ryan Lichtenstein’s 29-yard field goal that gave the Orange an early lead. Carter finished with 144 yards on 17 carries, the most permitted by Pitt’s defense this year. But the unit held strong when it needed to and kept the Orange out of the end zone until the game’s waning moments. The Panthers offense then revved up the 46,885 in attendance with a nine-play, 93-yard drive that culminated in Dan Hutchins’ 30-yard tying field goal. Pitt would not trail again, but would struggle to finish drives throughout the first half. Pitt’s offense rolled up 481 yards, 247 of which came on the ground against a defense that came into the game allowing less than 90 yards per game rushing, good for the top spot in the conference. Freshman Dion Lewis continued his stellar campaign with an 18-carry, 110-yard and one touchdown performance. He also caught two passes for 42 yards, including a 31-yard catch and run that set up his one-yard scoring plunge early in the third quarter that gave Pitt a 20-3 lead and essentially iced the game. “Dion Lewis did a good job and he had his runs,” Wannstedt said. “Billy Stull played extremely well again.” Stull’s performance was nothing less than business-like. The fifth-year senior operated offensive coordinator Frank Cignetti’s system with precision, completing 16 passes in 23 attempts for 225 yards and one score. Tight end Dorin Dickerson notched his 10th touchdown of the season when he gathered in a 14-yard scoring toss from Stull in the third quarter. Dickerson finished with seven receptions for 118 yards and appeared to be unstoppable yet again. Although the Panthers defense struggled to contain Carter at times, they did shut down the Orange most of the day. The front-wall continually pressured quarterbacks Greg Paulus and Ryan Nassib. The defense finished with six sacks and three interceptions, one of which was returned by linebacker Greg Williams for a 51-yard touchdown late in the second quarter when it appeared the Orange were threatening to score. Defensive end Brandon Lindsey and defensive tackle Chas Alecxih had two sacks while Greg Romeus added a sack and a diving interception of a tipped Paulus pass late in the third quarter. Safety Jarred Holley had an interception of a Jovani Chappel deflection early in the third and added a team-high nine total tackles. Pitt will face Notre Dame next Saturday night at Heinz Field. Kickoff against the Fighting Irish, who lost 23-21 at home to Navy on Saturday, will be at 8 p.m. and be televised nationally on ABC. “Everybody is excited about Notre Dame,” Lewis said. “Everybody is going to be fired-up and ready for this game.” Posted on October 7th, 2009 by David WhipkeyBy David Whipkey In some ways, when Pitt takes the field Saturday afternoon at Heinz Field against Connecticut, they will be looking at a mirror image of themselves. UConn coach Randy Edsall has built a solid football program in a state whose sports passion is mainly tied to the Huskies men’s and women’s basketball teams. But Connecticut’s football squad is gaining steam, earning a share of the Big East title in 2007 and a second consecutive bowl berth in 2008 (a 38-20 International Bowl win over Buffalo) . Pitt coach Dave Wannstedt knows the 2009 edition of the Huskies, owners of a 3-1 record, will present the Panthers stiff challenge in front of a large home crowd and a regional ABC-TV audience. “I would say that they are very similar to what they were a year ago and probably very similar to two years ago,” said Wannstedt. “From the standpoint that every time you look at the defensive statistics, they’re always in the top echelon. It’s no different this year. They’re leading our conference and one of the top teams in the country in stopping the run.” Connecticut’s run defense is especially stout, only allowing 68 yards rushing per game. Pitt’s run-based offense will face their toughest test this season shortly after 3:30 p.m. on Saturday. “From an offensive standpoint this will be by far, and I use the word far, our biggest offensive challenge this year,” said Wannstedt. “They are playing extremely well. They’ve got talent. They’re well-coached.” Junior linebacker Lawrence Wilson leads Connecticut’s fierce defense with 42 tackles and two forced fumbles. He is second in the team with tackles for losses with five. Defensive end Lindsey Witten is sure to spend some time in Pitt’s backfield and make acquaintances with Panthers quarterback Bill Stull. Witten has notched eight sacks this season, good for the top spot in the Big East. Connecticut has 15 quarterback sacks in their first four contests, nearly four per game. Senior cornerback Robert McClain also leads the conference in interceptions with three. Connecticut’s offense, though not flashy; can move the ball. The Huskies average 191 yards rushing per game along with nearly 29 points per game. “Their offense, even though they changed coordinators this year, they’re still committed to running the football,” said Wannstedt. “They have two running backs both averaging around five yards per carry and over 90 yards per game. Connecticut’s running game is spearheaded by the two-headed monster of Jordan Todman and Andre Dixon. Todman averages 99 yards per game rushing while his colleague averages 92 yards per game on the ground. In their biggest win this year at Baylor, a 30-22 win at Waco in September; the duo combined for 252 yards rushing in a hostile environment. “You would have thought with the graduation of Donald Brown (now of the Indianapolis Colts), who led the nation in rushing a year ago, that there would have been a drop off with their production or execution or their commitment to the running game,” said Wannstedt. “That has not been the case at all.” Huskies quarterback Cody Endres has completed 63 percent of his throws in the three games he has played. The Washington, PA native has two touchdown passes and no interceptions this season. “It does not surprise me that he earned the starting job and that he is performing well,” said Wannstedt. “He’s a good football player.” Pitt defeated Connecticut 34-10 last year at Rentschler Field in East Hartford. The Panthers used a 24-point third quarter to break open a 3-3 tie and give the Panthers their first nine-win season in more than a quarter-century. The Huskies beat the Panthers 34-14 in their last visit to Pittsburgh in 2007. Connecticut leads the all-time series 3-2. |
 
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