All of the adversity and negative energy that has worked against the Pitt Panthers the first few weeks of this season can be greatly alleviated by a big win Thursday night at home against a former conference rival.

The No. 19 Miami Hurricanes will blow into Heinz Field Thursday evening for a 7:30 kickoff before ESPN cameras against a perceived fragile Panthers outfit that has lost their All-American defensive end to injury and starting inside linebacker to off-field actions.

Pitt will face the Hurricanes without defensive Greg Romeus, who is recovering from back surgery and possibly sophomore linebacker Dan Mason. The Penn Hills native was demoted by coach Dave Wannstedt due to reports of poor classroom work and questionable actions off the field.

Adding to the load were the recent arrests of freshman running back Jason Douglas and offensive lineman Keith Coleman. Douglas faces charges of driving under the influence of alcohol while Coleman allegedly assaulted a male student on campus.

“It does bother me,” said coach Wannstedt during a recent press conference. “There is nobody that is affected more than me when it comes to involving this football program. I like to believe that because of playing here, coaching here and everything that we have invested in the program, you look at these kids as your own. You care about these kids. That is why you do what you do in this profession. Otherwise you get out.”

But there is a light at the end of the tunnel and it comes in the form of another opportunity of smacking pads with a highly-regarded opponent at home.

Pitt has not played Miami since the Hurricanes left the Big East in 2004 for the Atlantic Coast Conference. Miami handled Pitt in late November 2003 at a chilly Heinz Field with the conference title on the line.

This is not a revenge game for Pitt, it is simply a chance for the Panthers to get a boost into Big East play and elevate their profile nationally in the process.

One of Miami’s biggest weapons is quarterback Jacory Harris. Though he tossed four interceptions in a Sept. 21 loss at Ohio State, the junior has the full attention of the Pitt coaching staff.

“As we evaluate quarterbacks every week, there will be about four or five of them that can make the big time throws and he is one of those guys,” said Wannstedt.

Wannstedt added the Panthers will have to deal with Miami’s legendary team speed.

“We’re going to need to make tackles in the open field and that may be oversimplifying it,” said the coach. “They have good athletes and they’ve got good blocking schemes. I’m not making light of that.”

The Pitt Panthers ended their spring football season with the annual Blue-Gold Game on a blustery Saturday afternoon before approximately 6,500 hearty souls at Heinz Field. Pitt’s defense, which comprised the Blue squad, had their way with the Gold side as they romped to a 62-24 win.

As was expected, the defense showed they were well ahead of the offense. But that is to be expected this time of the year, since the coaching staff did not install much of an offensive game plan for both quarterbacks Tino Sunseri and Pat Bostick.

Sunseri, a redshirt sophomore, appears to have a firm grip on the starting job heading into the fall. He finished the day with nine completions in 17 attempts for 82 yards and one rushing touchdown. The Pittsburgh Central Catholic product displayed a strong arm and escapability from the rush.

Bostick, a redshirt junior, completed six of 13 throws for 59 yards. He was sacked twice and threw one ugly interception to second team safety and former quarterback Kolby Gray. Bostick clearly is the team’s second option behind center but does have game experience with wins over West Virginia and Notre Dame in 2007 and 2008 respectively.

Jonathan Baldwin made one highlight reel catch, an 11-yard one-handed grab of a poorly thrown Susneri pass in the first quarter. He led all receivers with four catches for 37 yards. The junior also took advantage of some coaching from former Panther and current Pro Bowl receiver Larry Fitzgerald, who returned to Heinz Field to take in some of the action.

Fitzgerald was one of many former Panthers on hand Saturday afternoon. He stayed all day and chatted with several recruits in the hallway next to the Panthers locker room.

Offensive tackle Jason Pinkston had a solid afternoon, walling off all-Big East defensive end Greg Romeus much of the day. Pinkston could take comfort in his performance, knowing if he could handle Romeus, he should overpower all other defensive ends he will face this year.

Pitt’s linebackers showed they have big play capability. Sophomores Manny Williams and Dan Mason were all over the field. Williams made five tackles and one interception while Mason spent much of the day in the offensive backfield.

Converted quarterback Greg Cross and tight end Mike Cruz showed they could add to the receiving weapons for Sunseri this season. Cross seems to have gained confidence playing the position as was evidenced by a nice 15-yard grab of a Bostick floater in the second period while Cruz hauled in a 20-yard bullet from Sunseri in the third.

Sophomore running back Dion Lewis broke off a 52-yard run in the first quarter, showing he is ready to make a run at 2,000 yards this season. He finished with 74 yards on five totes.

But the day belonged to the defense. Pitt’s defensive line garnered five sacks and controlled play all day, putting a large smile on defensive line coach Greg Gattuso’s face much of the afternoon.

Notes: Romeus was named to the watch list for the 2010 Lott Trophy, which is presented annually to the best defensive player in college football. Last season, he garnered 8 sacks and 43 tackles, 11.5 of which were for a loss. He was named Big East co-Defensive Player of the Year along with teammate Mick Williams.

Pitt’s season opening contest at Utah will take place at 8:30 p.m. on Sept. 2. It will be broadcast nationally on Versus.

No, it wasn’t a win in a BCS bowl game, but the Pitt Panthers did indeed have their finest season since 1981.

Pitt’s hard-fought 19-17 win over North Carolina in the Meineke Car Care Bowl in Charlotte gave the Panthers a 10-3 record, their best since Ronald Regan was in the Oval Office. Although the elusive Big East championship slipped through their fingers in a heart-wrenching 45-44 loss at home against Cincinnati earlier this month, the season was saved but a gutsy effort against a game Tar Heels squad geared to play the same smash-mouth style of football Pitt coach Dave Wannstedt enjoys.

“We really got down to business,” said Wannstedt. “I don’t think people really understand what 10-3 says about a program, even though nine wins is outstanding. Ten wins separates you and I don’t think that these guys know what they have accomplished here tonight and probably won’t for a few weeks or a month or however long.”

The usual suspects were at work for the Panthers against the Tar Heels. Freshman Dion Lewis again showed the nation he will be a force to be reckoned with in the future. Lewis gashed the nation’s No. 6 defense for 159 yards on 28 carries and one score. Wannstedt said he was surprised his prized running back did not get the ball even more.

“Compared to last time (a 47-carry, 194-yard performance against Cincinnati), he took the day off,” Wannstedt said jokingly. “He is clearly a difference maker.”

Pitt’s final drive was vintage smash-mouth football. The Panthers took nearly nine minutes to travel 79 yards. Of the drive’s 17 plays, Lewis carried the ball on 12 of them for 62 yards.

“That last series, there was no question that a lot of the yards he made were not easy,” said Wannstedt. “Every inch counts and that made the difference in the game today.”

Lewis, the game’s Most Valuable Player, said he was quite pleased with the coaching staff’s faith in him, even with a lost fumble in the first quarter.

“It’s great to know that the coaches trust me like that,” said Lewis. “They trust me in a tough situation to get me the ball. I just want to make them happy. My teammates trust me and everyone trusts me so I just have to go out there and go to work.”

Pitt’s defense, somewhat maligned after the loss to Cincinnati, stepped up large Saturday night.

The pass rush was consistent all night. Co-Defensive Big East Player of the Year Mick Williams notched two sacks. Defensive end Jabaal Sheard notched the team’s third of the night while his cohort Greg Romeus, the other half of the Big East Defensive Player of the Year tandem; was a disruptive force all night.

With the three sacks, Pitt notched 47 sacks for the season, good for No. 1 in the nation.

Freshman linebacker Dan Mason stopped one Tar Heels drive with an interception while Jarred Holley and Max Gruder teamed up for force another North Carolina turnover in the first quarter.

The formula Pitt used to win games this season, ball-control offense and opportunistic defense; was on display on Saturday night. It is a formula that has brought the Panthers back to prominence and will surely be used as a springboard for greater things in 2010.

A chance to salvage a good season is still possible for the Pitt Panthers should they take care of business in the Meineke Car Care Bowl against a strong ACC squad playing in their home state.

The North Carolina Tar Heels (8-4) will surely benefit from playing this game on the day after Christmas in front of a baby blue clad crowd in Charlotte’s Bank of America Stadium. Pitt was relegated to this bowl game after falling to Cincinnati 45-44 in the Big East title tilt at Heinz Field earlier this month.

Although it will not be a BCS venue, the Panthers are still playing for more than pride. Coach Dave Wannstedt has the Panthers (9-3) in a position to win 10 games in a season for the first time since 1981.

Wannstedt and UNC head coach Butch Davis are more than familiar with one another. They both coached together under Jimmy Johnson at Oklahoma State and Miami in college and with the Dallas Cowboys in the NFL.

“Dave Wannstedt is a guy I have known for many, many years since 1979 on Jimmy Johnson’s staff (at Oklahoma State),” said Davis earlier this week. “He is an outstanding coach. His teams are extraordinarily well coached and he has an excellent coaching staff – guys that have a lot of experience and some which have been with Dave for many years.”

Davis said he is impressed with the physical nature the Panthers display on a weekly basis.

“They are always a very physical football team. This year, they lead the nation in sacks. They have one of the nation’s premier running backs,” said Davis. “They are a very good football team. A nine-win team, like ourselves; smarting from the last game of the season and would certainly like to end the season on a positive note.”

Like the Panthers, the Tar Heels like to establish the running game on offense. UNC averages nearly 138 yards on the ground per game. Their rushing attack is paced by tailbacks Ryan Houston and Shaun Draughn. The duo has combined for 1,226 yards rushing and 10 scores.

Quarterback Tyler Yates has had an up and down season. He has completed 60 percent of his throws for 1,953 yards and 12 scores. But he has also tossed 14 interceptions on the season. This will be an opportunity for players such as Aaron Berry and Jarred Holley to make big plays in Pitt’s secondary.

Greg Little is the Tar Heels leading receiver with 637 yards receiving on 55 receptions. Freshman Jheranie Boyd is UNC’s big play threat with 22 yards per catch and four touchdowns.

But the Tar Heels calling card is a defense that can be destructive.

Defensive ends Robert Quinn and E.J. Wilson are disruptive forces on the defensive line. Quinn has 11 sacks to go with a team leading 19 tackles for loss while Wilson checks in with 11 tackles for loss.

Linebacker Quan Sturdivant leads the unit with 75 total tackles. He also has 12 tackles for loss. Safety Deunta Williams paces the pass defense with six interceptions.

The Tar Heels defense has terrorized offenses to the tune of 31 sacks and 19 interceptions. They also allow only 92.8 yards rushing per game.

No doubt the Tar Heels will serve as a mountainous challenge for Pitt in Charlotte.

Another prospect from western Pennsylvania has verbally pledged his services to Pitt.

Penn Hills receiver/defensive back Brandon Ifill said Monday night he will play for coach Dave Wannstedt’s Panthers. Ifill chose Pitt over West Virginia, Michigan, Cincinnati, Boston College and Rutgers.

Ifill is a three-star recruit according to Rivals.com and is the 25th ranked athlete in the state of Pennsylvania.

The six-foot, 174-pound athlete caught 22 passes for 253 yards for the Indians this season. He will most likely play either cornerback or safety when he arrives on campus next fall.

Ifill said his comfort with the Pitt coaching staff, campus and academic atmosphere is what made him choose his hometown school.

Three Panthers recently received top Big East player awards for their performance on the field this season.

Freshman running back Dion Lewis was named Big East Offensive Player of the Year and Rookie of the Year while junior defensive end Greg Romeus and senior defensive tackle Mick Williams shared the Big East Defensive Player of the Year award.

Lewis set the conference ablaze with 1,640 yards rushing to go with 17 touchdowns. He leads the Big East and is third nationally in rushing yards per game (136.67 avg.). The Albany, N.Y. native is the most prolific freshman ground gainer in conference history. He stands 46 yards shy of Tony Dorsett’s 1973 mark of 1,686 yards rushing. Lewis’ 102 points is the new record for points scored by a freshman, overtaking LeSean McCoy’s 90 points set just two years ago.

Former Pitt receiver and current Arizona Cardinals star Larry Fitzgerald earned the conference’s offensive player of the year award in 2003.

Romeus led Pitt’s fierce defensive line with 40 stops, including 10.5 tackles for loss and eight quarterback sacks. The Coral Springs, Fla. native also has two forced fumbles, an interception, a fumble recovery and one blocked kick.

Williams was a dominant force in the middle. The senior from Monessen is second in the conference in tackles for loss with 15. He also has three sacks and three forced fumbles to with his 39 total tackles.

Former Pitt linebackers H.B. Blades (2006) and Scott McKillop (2008) also garnered conference defensive player of the year awards.

The Panthers also had 10 first-team all Big East selections overall. In addition to the unanimous selections of Lewis, Romeus and Williams, other Panthers included on the first team were sophomore receiver Jonathan Baldwin, senior cornerback Aaron Berry, senior tight end Dorin Dickerson, senior linebacker Adam Gunn, senior offensive guard John Malecki, junior offensive tackle Jason Pinkston and senior quarterback Bill Stull.

Second team all-Big East included senior tight end Nate Byham, junior safety Dom DeCicco, junior placekicker Dan Hutchins and senior defensive tackle Gus Mustakas.

Notes: Three members of Pitt’s coaching staff were selected as finalists for the FootballScoop.com Coaches of the Year award. They are offensive coordinator Frank Cignetti, offensive line coach Tony Wise and Director of Football Operations Chris LaSala.

Another quarterback prospect has chosen to play for Pitt. This one has come from a dominant high school program in Northeast Ohio.

Cleveland St. Ignatius senior signal-caller Mark Myers verbally pledged his services to the Pitt coaching staff late Tuesday evening.

Myers is the pro-style pocket passer Panthers coach Dave Wannstedt wants to run his offense. His 6-foot-4, 220 pound frame make him a prized prospect.

Mid-American Conference schools Toledo and Ball State officially offered Myers, but other schools such as Cincinnati, Ohio State, Notre Dame and Iowa also showed interest. This is Myers first season as a full-time starter for the powerhouse St. Ignatius squad.

Myers is the second quarterback from this class to commit to Pitt. Bethlehem Liberty quarterback Anthony Gonzalez verbally committed to the Panthers earlier this season

It appears a full-fledged, no-holds-barred quarterback derby could be brewing for Dave Wannstedt’s Pitt squad in 2010.

Wednesday’s verbal commitment by Bethlehem Liberty senior signal caller Anthony Gonzalez will give the Panthers four scholarship quarterbacks next year. Filling out the roster will include veterans Pat Bostick, Central Catholic’s Tino Sunseri and Kolby Gray.

Many pundits and fans have been calling for the coaching staff to upgrade the position. The howls grew louder and louder last season as current starter Bill Stull performed inconsistently throughout the year. The nadir came in the 2008 Brut Sun Bowl, a 3-0 Panthers loss to Oregon State of the Pac-10. Stull’s 7-for-24, 52 yard day on New Year’s Eve was a performance that created questions amongst legions of Panther followers.

Stull supporters will point to solid performances against South Florida, Navy, Louisville and the first half against Rutgers as evidence the senior from Seton-LaSalle High School can perform at the Division I level.

A concussion late in the third quarter of a 54-34 loss to the Scarlet Knights at Heinz Field ended Stull’s day and may be a factor in his erratic performance down the stretch last year.

So far, Stull has shown he can manage Pitt’s attack in the early part of this season. His five touchdown passes combined against Youngstown State and Buffalo are more than half of the nine total scores he threw for last year.

But tougher tests lurk in the future for Stull as defenses from N.C. State, Notre Dame, South Florida and West Virginia await.

At least Pitt has the luxury of having a quarterback with a year’s worth of starting experience in 2009. That luxury will not be available come September 2010.

Even with the signing of Gonzalez and the coaching staff’s seemingly increasing infatuation with the local product Sunseri, Bostick should have the inside track on the starting job next year.

Remember, Bostick was the most heralded Pitt quarterback recruit since Rod Rutherford. Schools such as Tennessee, Penn State and others courted the Manheim Township product and for good reason.  Bostick was selected as 2006 Gatorade Pennsylvania Player of the Year. His 7,259 yards passing is good for fifth all time in the annals of Pennsylvania high school football.

As a freshman, Bostick took over for an injured Stull and ineffective Kevan Smith. Though there were growing pains along the way and questions about his mobility and arm strength, Bostick engineered wins over ranked teams such as Cincinnati and West Virginia. Last year, he helped guide Pitt to a four-overtime win over Notre Dame in South Bend.

Both Wannstedt and offensive coordinator Frank Cignetti Jr. have raved in the past about Bostick’s desire to improve and his work ethic. But that does not guarantee he will take the reins next year.

Sunseri took his fair share of first-team reps this summer and appears to have a good grasp of the offense according to published reports. Coaches said they are also impressed with Gray’s athleticism and potential. But an arm injury forced the staff to bestow upon him a medical redshirt.

Added into the mix is the intriguing Anthony Gonzalez. Western Pennsylvania high school football fans should know him well. As a junior, Gonzalez put his Liberty squad on his shoulders and led them to a PIAA Class AAAA title game win over Bethel Park. Gonzalez received offers from powers Penn State, Florida State, Oregon, Missouri and Maryland before deciding to call Pittsburgh home for the next three to four years.

Gonzalez’  athleticism and talent is tantalizing. He also played defensive back in high school and was recruited by the Nittany Lions to play in their defensive backfield. If longtime Penn State defensive coordinator Tom Bradley believes you can play his secondary, you are a tremendous athlete.

Give Wannstedt and his staff credit. There will be legitimate options for the Panthers at the quarterback position in 2010, and for the first time since Tyler Palko was leading Pitt to a Big East title in 2004, the future is bright behind center.

Head Coach

Dave Wannstedt

Assistant Head Coach/Defensive Line

Greg Gattuso

Offensive Coordinator

Frank Cignetti Jr.

Defensive Coordinator

Phil Bennett

Tight Ends

Brian Angelichio

Wide Receivers

Bryan Bossard

Secondary

Jeff Hafley

Linebackers

Joe Tumpkin

Running Backs

David Walker

Offensive Line

Tony Wise

Offensive Graduate Assistant

Scott Turner

Defensive Graduate Assistant

Rod Rutherford

Assistant Athletic Director/Football Operations

Chris LaSala

Assistant Director of Football Operations

Mike Antonoplos

Director of Football Relations & Program Enhancement

Bob Junko

]]> http://PittPanthersGameday.com/coaching-staff/2009-pitt-football-coaching-staff/feed 0 http://PittPanthersGameday.com/david-whipkey/pitt-panthers-post-script-buffalo http://PittPanthersGameday.com/david-whipkey/pitt-panthers-post-script-buffalo#comments Mon, 14 Sep 2009 22:58:12 +0000 Admin http://PittPanthersGameday.com/?p=239 By David Whipkey | Pitt Panthers Gameday Corespondent

A contest appeared to be on paper a low-scoring defensive struggle between Pitt and Buffalo became a back-and-forth shootout. Pitt’s 54-27 win may have exposed some defensive flaws, but also was encouraging on multiple levels. Here are some points of interest:

• Callers to talk shows and some pundits themselves have expressed that the Bulls passing attack may have shown some chinks in the armor of the Pitt defense. Making his second start, Buffalo quarterback threw for 400 yards and generally looked comfortable throughout the contest. Many of his throws were of the quick variety, as well as on the move.
• Pitt’s secondary should be taken to task. However, Buffalo receivers Naaman Roosevelt (six catches, 157 yards, two scores) and Brett Hamlin (12 grabs, 149 yards) could play for any other BCS-level program in the country. Think Terrelle Pryor would like to have those two targets at Ohio State, if only he could get the ball to them.
• Andrew Taglianetti’s season-ending knee injury is a huge blow to both Pitt’s defense and kick coverage units. Taglianetti was enjoying a Troy Polamalu-like performance in the first quarter Saturday with five tackles and a fumble recovery. Replacing Taglianetti will be the much-ballyhooed Elijah Fields, who at times looked lost early. But he recovered in time to make a key interception late in the fourth quarter.
• Much was expected from Fields since his 2006 recruitment to Pitt. Many personnel experts believe he has NFL-quality athleticism. He will need to live up to those expectations if the Panthers are to field a quality defense this season.
• Senior Adam Gunn appears to becoming a force at middle linebacker. He was named Big East Defensive Player of the Week following a three sack, 11 tackle performance at Buffalo. Gunn, who is replacing All-America Scott McKillop, has displayed a level of speed and athleticism that is expected from the coaching staff.
• Pitt may have a weapon in kickoff returner Cameron Saddler. The redshirt freshman totaled 80 yards on three returns and appeared to be one-step away from taking one all the way for a score. Ask any Pitt follower the last time the Panthers possessed such a weapon and they would be hard-pressed to remember such a player.
• The offensive seems to have three players that can create match-up issues for a defense.  Freshman running back Dion Lewis (190 yards rushing, two touchdowns) is on his way to becoming a star. The Albany, NY native has shown a penchant for not only making defenders miss and breaking a long-gainer at any moment, but for also finishing his runs. Too often Lesean McCoy tried hitting the long ball instead of taking what is there. Lewis has a patience and instinct that coaches just cannot teach.
• This was clearly Dorin Dickerson’s coming out party. The senior from West Allegheny High School was courted by college programs such as Florida, Southern California and Penn State. After three plus years, he seems to have a home at the tight end/H-back position. No linebacker can cover him and he can overpower defensive backs. His eight catch, 71-yard, three score day may be the tip of the iceberg.
• Sophomore receiver Jonathan Baldwin kick started Pitt’s opening march with two first-down receptions. Although he only finished with four catches for 44 yards, the 6’5 receiver will serve not only as a big, inviting target, but take two defenders downfield, opening the field for Lewis and Dickerson.
• Finally, quarterback Bill Stull performed well as a game-manager. His downfield attempts were less than good, but as long as he gets the ball to Lewis, Dickerson and Baldwin in some capacity, the offense will move and score points. If Stull can play point-guard, all will be well.
• The offensive line allowed no sacks and paved the way for 210 yards on the ground, two stats that should provide a smile on Coach Dave Wannstedt’s face.