NEXT PANTHERS GAMEDAY:Signing DayFebruary 3rd 2010 Buy Pitt Tickets  
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 Posted on January 2nd, 2010 by Admin
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| Date | Game | Time (Eastern) |
| Sat, Sept. 5 | Pittsburgh 38 – Youngstown State 3 | W |
| Sat, Sept. 12 | Pittsburgh 54 – Buffalo 27 | W |
| Sat, Sept. 19 | Pittsburgh 27 – Navy 14 | W |
| Sat, Sept. 26 | N.C. State 38 – Pittsburgh 31 | W |
| Fri, Oct. 2 | Pittsburgh 35 – Louisville 10 | W |
| Sat, Oct. 10 | Pittsburgh 24 – UConn 21 | W |
| Fri, Oct. 16 | Pitt 24, Rutgers 17 | W |
| Sat, Oct. 24 | Pitt 41, USF 14 | W |
| Sat, Nov. 7 | Pitt 37, Syracuse 10 | W |
| Sat, Nov. 14 | Pitt 27, Notre Dame 22 | W |
| Fri, Nov. 27 | West Virginia 19, Pitt 16 | L |
| Sat. Dec 5 | Cincinnati 45, Pitt 44 | L |
| Sat. Dec 26 | Meineke Car Care Bowl – Pitt 19, UNC 16 | W |
Posted on December 14th, 2009 by David WhipkeyCourtesy www.pittsburghpanthers.com
Pitt senior tight end Dorin Dickerson has been named to the 25-player All-America Team selected by the Football Writers Association of America (FWAA).
Dickerson is the first Pitt tight end to earn this prestigious designation since the legendary Mike Ditka was honored in 1960.
This is the third time in the past four years a Pitt player has been selected to the FWAA All-America Team.
Current NFL linebackers H.B. Blades (2006) and Scott McKillop (2008) were previously honored by the organization.
For more than six decades the FWAA has selected an All-America Team with the help of its members and an All-America Committee, which represents all the regions in the country. It is the second-longest continuously published All-America team in major college football, originating in 1944.
Dickerson, a native of Imperial, Pa., and graduate of West Allegheny High, was named an All-American after catching 45 passes for 508 yards (11.3 avg.) and 10 touchdowns.
His 10 TDs are a single-season record for a Pitt tight end.
Among the country’s tight ends, Dickerson’s 10 scores rank second. He caught at least one touchdown in seven different games this year, including a career-high three at Buffalo.
In addition to his All-America honor, Dickerson was a finalist for the 2009 John Mackey Award, annually presented to the country’s top tight end, and selected first-team All-Big East Conference.
“Coming out of West Allegheny, Dorin Dickerson could’ve played college football anywhere in the country,” Pitt coach Dave Wannstedt said. “He chose to stay home and build something special at the University of Pittsburgh. When our future players walk past his plaque on the Pitt All-America Wall, we can point to him as being not only an outstanding football player, but also as a person who was tremendously committed to both Pitt and Pittsburgh.”
“It is an incredible and humbling honor to be chosen an All-American by the Football Writers Association,” Dickerson said. “I am very fortunate to have great coaches and teammates who made this recognition possible. This is just as much their honor as it is mine.”
Dickerson and the Panthers are preparing for the 2009 Meineke Car Care Bowl. Pitt (9-3, 5-2 Big East) will play North Carolina (8-4, 4-4 Atlantic Coast Conference) on December 26 in Charlotte, N.C. The game will be a national ESPN telecast at 4:30 p.m.
Posted on December 8th, 2009 by David WhipkeyBy David Whipkey
Larry Fitzgerald: Cardinals receiver: Fitzgerald dominated Sunday night’s contest against the powerful Minnesota Vikings with an eight catch, 143 yard, one score performance. Arizona thumped Minnesota 30-17 and brought the Cards one step closer to their second consecutive NFC West title.
Clint Session: Colts linebacker: Session’s breakthrough season continued Sunday against the red-hot Tennessee Titans. Session led the Colts defense with 13 tackles and one forced fumble in Indianapolis’ 27-17 win over the Titans.
Jeff Otah: Panthers right tackle: Otah dominated the right side of the offensive line as he paved the way for Carolina’s ground game against Tampa Bay. The Panthers rushed for 157 yards in their 16-6 win over the Bucs.
Andy Lee: 49ers punter: Lee’s push for a Pro Bowl spot continues. He averaged 43 yards per punt and launched one kick 56 yards in the Niners 20-17 loss at Seattle.
Darrelle Revis: Jets cornerback: Revis held Buffalo’s Terrell Owens to three catches for 31 yards Thursday night in the Jets 19-13 win over Buffalo.
Antonio Bryant: Buccaneers receiver: Bryant was Tampa Bay’s lone offensive bright spot Sunday with a five catch, 116 yard performance against Carolina.
Posted on October 29th, 2009 by David WhipkeyBy David Whipkey
This is a bye week that the Pitt Panthers surely deserved.
The Panthers are in the throes of enjoying their best start since 1982 and are staring at a golden opportunity square in the face.
At 7-1 overall and in possession of a sterling 4-0 Big East mark, Pitt has a shot of making large waves on a national scale. The Panthers have defeated five bowl game participants from last year (Buffalo, Navy, Connecticut, Rutgers and South Florida). But the meat of the schedule remains as home games against Syracuse, Notre Dame and Cincinnati along with the annual grudge match at West Virginia await.
No two people involved in the Panthers football operations should feel more accomplished at this point of the season than Coach Dave Wannstedt and quarterback Bill Stull.
About three months ago, questions were swirling around both the coach and quarterback regarding the Panthers reaching another level of success. Many of those questions were answered.
Stull was named the starter by Wannstedt during the early stages of fall camp. This did not sit well with a large faction of Panthers fans that remembered his uneven play down the stretch in 2008 and horrific performance during a 3-0 loss to Oregon State in the Sun Bowl.
He was even booed during the Panthers season-opening win over Youngstown State. However, the fifth-year senior has responded by having a huge year. Stull has completed nearly 68 percent of his passes for 1,654 yards, 16 touchdowns and only four interceptions. His performance this season earned him a spot on the midseason watch list for the Manning Award earlier this season. Earlier this week, Stull was again recognized when he was named as a semifinalist for the Davey O’Brien Award.
Finalists for the O’Brien Award, which is awarded to the best quarterback in the NCAA via a panel of writers, broadcasters and former winners, will be named Nov. 23. The winner will be named during the Home Depot ESPNU College Football Awards Show on Dec. 10.
The fact that Stull is even mentioned for these awards is an accomplishment in itself. Stull has overcome a season-ending thumb injury in early 2007, a concussion against Rutgers in 2008 and never-ending criticism from the fans and media in Pittsburgh.
All Stull has done this season is win ball games and become the most efficient passer in the conference this season. No question, this young man deserves everything that comes his way, especially if he can help navigate Pitt through the treacherous rough waters of this late season.
Wannstedt also deserves all the accolades that are being heaped onto the program this season.
The former NFL coach was named to the Paul “Bear” Bryant Coach of the Year watch list by virtue of the Panthers scintillating start.
Thanks to his patience and the ability to build the program in a steady way, Pitt has won 17 of their past 22 games; a far cry from the disasters of 2005, 2006 and most of 2007.
It is an undeniable fact that Pitt’s talent base has expanded exponentially. When Wannstedt returned to Pittsburgh, he declared he would build a fence around western Pennsylvania and target areas such as Florida for players.
Ten of Pitt’s 22 starters hail from the Western Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic League. They include Stull, receiver Jonathan Baldwin, tight end Dorin Dickerson, offensive tackles Jason Pinkston and Lucas Nix offensive guard John Malecki, defensive tackle Mick Williams, linebacker Adam Gunn, and safeties Elijah Fields and Dom DeCicco. Up and comers including receiver Mike Shanahan, kick returner Cam Saddler, defensive end Brandon Lindsey and linebacker Dan Mason also hail from western Pennsylvania.
But Wannstedt knows Pitt cannot win on local talent alone. He fetched defensive linemen Greg Romeus, Jabaal Sheard and Gus Mustakas along with receiver Cedric McGee from Florida; running backs Dion Lewis and Ray Graham hail from football-rich New Jersey, while fullback Henry Hynoski was recruited from eastern Pennsylvania.
Wannstedt clearly knows talent and knows how to bring it to Heinz Field. Now his labor is bearing a bountiful collection of fruit.
Many laughed as they watched Pitt’s undermanned defense get blowtorched by West Virginia’s Steve Slaton and Pat White during a 2005 game in Morgantown. Wannstedt said during a halftime interview that his players simply had to run faster. Deep down, he knew that was impossible at the time.
Now, he has a team that outran a lightning fast South Florida squad and outhit Rutgers and Connecticut when it counted earlier this season.
No one is laughing now.
Posted on October 20th, 2009 by David WhipkeyBy David Whipkey
Larry Fitzgerald: Cardinals Receiver: The sixth-year receiver is displaying the abilities that make him a weapon defenses must account for every game. Fitzgerald scorched Seattle for 100 yards receiving on 13 catches Sunday. His two-yard touchdown reception kick-started the Cardinals on their way to a 27-3 road win over the Seahawks.
Jeff Otah: Panthers Left Tackle: Otah spearheaded a Carolina offensive line that gashed Tampa Bay’s defense for 267 yards rushing. The Panthers ground out a 28-21 Sunday at Tampa.
Antonio Bryant: Buccaneers Receiver: Bryant caught two passes for 37 yards in Tampa Bay’s 28-21 loss to Carolina.
Darrelle Revis: Jets Cornerback: Revis finished with five tackles in the Jets 16-13 overtime loss at home to Buffalo. Revis led a secondary that held the Bills to 116 yards passing.
Gerald Hayes: Cardinals Linebacker: Hayes notched three tackles in the Cardinals 27-3 blowout win at Seattle.
LeSean McCoy: Eagles Running Back: McCoy rushed five times for 13 yards in Philadelphia’s 13-9 loss at Oakland.
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.
Posted on October 7th, 2009 by Admin
2009 PITT PANTHERS
Football Schedule
| Date | Game | Time (Eastern) |
| Sat, Sept. 5 | Pittsburgh 38 – Youngstown State 3 | W |
| Sat, Sept. 12 | Pittsburgh 54 – Buffalo 27 | W |
| Sat, Sept. 19 | Pittsburgh 27 – Navy 14 | W |
| Sat, Sept. 26 | N.C. State 38 – Pittsburgh 31 | W |
| Fri, Oct. 2 | Pittsburgh 35 – Louisville 10 | W |
| Sat, Oct. 10 | Connecticut at Pitt | 3:30 pm – ABC Regional |
| Fri, Oct. 16 | Pitt at Rutgers | 8 pm ET – ESPN |
| Sat, Oct. 24 | USF at Pitt | TBA |
| Sat, Nov. 7 | Syracuse at Pitt | TBA |
| Sat, Nov. 14 | Notre Dame at Pitt | TBA – ABC, ESPN or ESPN2 |
| Fri, Nov. 27 | Pitt at West Virginia | TBA – ABC or ESPN |
| Dec 5 | Cincinnati at Pitt | TBA – ABC, ESPN or ESPN2 |
Posted on October 5th, 2009 by David WhipkeyAntonio Bryant: Buccaneers receiver: After being slowed by a knee injury the first three weeks of the season, Bryant made an impact Sunday. Bryant finished with four receptions for 44 yards. His 8-yard touchdown catch put Tampa Bay in the lead early, but Washington prevailed 16-13.
Darrelle Revis: Jets cornerback: Although the Jets suffered their first loss of the season on Sunday, a 24-10 decision to the New Orleans Saints, Revis again shined brightly. Revis held Saints ace receiver Marques Colston to two catches for 33 yards.
Lousaka Polite: Dolphins fullback: The former Dallas Cowboy helped pave the way for Miami’s ground game as the Dolphins rolled to their first win, a 38-10 destruction of the Buffalo Bills. Miami rushed for 250 yards in the game.
Andy Lee: 49ers punter: Lee continues to display the skills that are helping the Niners to their first place perch atop the NFC West. Lee averaged 39 yards on seven punts, but five of those boots were downed inside the 20 yard line, which was a key factor in San Francisco’s 35-0 win over St. Louis.
Posted on October 4th, 2009 by panther- Good article on the Pitt D-line and the promise they made to the offense after Buffalo and NC State. http://mtbi.xrt.me #
- Pitt – UCONN will have a 3:30 pm start time next week and will be a ABC regional telecast. #
Posted on October 1st, 2009 by David WhipkeyBy David Whipkey
This was not the defense that many followers of Pitt’s football team expected this year.
However, there is plenty of time for said unit to come up big for the Panthers and help get the squad where it needs to go.
Those who watched Buffalo quarterback Zach Maynard and N.C. State signal-caller Russell Wilson torch the Panthers defense for a combined 736 yards and seven scores in two games are probably not encouraged by direction the unit is heading.
But there are several factors that could alleviate the concerned.
Pitt has a chance to rectify their defensive breakdowns and shortcomings on a national stage Friday night when they open Big East play on the road at Louisville for an 8 p.m. ESPN2 telecast. Even with the ugly loss at N.C. State, the Panthers can still earn the conference’s BCS berth.
There is no better way to begin that quest than with a win before a hostile crowd on the road.
Also, there is precedence for Pitt to get things right in a short period of time.
Last season, a highly-regarded Pitt defense was ripped apart by Rutgers quarterback Mike Teel in an October contest at Heinz Field. Teel threw for 369 yards and four scores in a 54-34 Scarlet Knights win.
Things looked even bleaker with a road game the following week against Jimmy Clausen, Golden Tate, Michael Floyd and the rest of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish. Pitt’s defense responded by holding the potent Irish passing attack to 271 yards in a 36-33 four-overtime win. The Panthers played solid defense down the stretch and stood firm in a 3-0 Sun Bowl loss to end the season.
According to Coach Dave Wannstedt, many of the issues that are plaguing the Panthers on the defensive side of the ball are correctable.
“I think every coach and player is very disappointed,” said the coach earlier this week. “Very disappointed with how we’ve played defense the first part of the season. Now, I do think everything is correctable. The guys have the right attitude. We’ve got to get on it and come back.”
Having new players such as linebackers Dan Mason, Max Gruder and safety Elijah Fields in the lineup also may have contributed to the inconsistent performance of the defense so far this year.
“We’re really young at the linebacker position,” said Wannstedt. “We had some mistakes that we shouldn’t have had. The inexperience did show up in some areas.”
Players such as Mason, Gruder and Fields are being counted on to step up their games. There is no reason to believe they cannot. Mason earned Big East Defensive Player of the Week two weeks ago and both Gruder and Fields were highly regarded defensive prospects coming out of high school.
Also, middle linebacker Adam Gunn was out with an injury the past two contests. His leadership and ability were sorely missed and will be a welcome sight if he is able to take the field Friday night against the Cardinals.
Pitt’s biggest defensive strength is their pass rush. Ends Greg Romeus and Jabaal Sheard along with tackles Mick Williams and Gus Mustakas have put ample pressure on opposing quarterbacks. The defense has compiled six sacks this season. Although they only got to Wilson once, they did apply pressure. Unfortunately, the mobile quarterback was able to escape and rush for 91 yards.
There is a good chance Pitt’s defense will not see a quarterback with his ability to both move and complete throws downfield, although Cincinnati’s Tony Pike could give the Panthers fits in the Dec. 5 season finale.
South Florida’s P.J. Daniels and West Virginia’s Jarrett Brown are both nimble and athletic but have yet to prove they can consistently hit their targets downfield. Notre Dame’s Jimmy Clausen has a rocket for an arm and is accurate; he is not exactly John Elway-like when it comes to escapability.
There is work to be done regarding fixing the defense, but there is evidence that can and will be accomplished.
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