NEXT PANTHERS GAMEDAY:Signing DayFebruary 3rd 2010 Buy Pitt Tickets  
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 Posted on September 22nd, 2010 by David WhipkeyBy David Whipkey 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.” Posted on August 28th, 2010 by David WhipkeyBy David Whipkey The most anticipated season in the Dave Wannstedt era of Pitt football is inching closer and closer by the day. Training camp is over and the two-deep roster is set as the nationally ranked Panthers are preparing for a trip to Salt Lake City, Utah for a battle with Mountain West Conference heavyweight Utah. The Utes hammered Pitt in the 2005 Fiesta Bowl by a 35-7 count. Utah sacked then Pitt quarterback Tyler Palko nine times as Utes coach Urban Meyer put the finishing touches on an undefeated season before heading east to lead the Florida Gators to prominence. Both squads are much different this year from New Year’s Night 2005. Wannstedt had accepted the Pitt job days before the game while Kyle Whittingham was getting ready to take over the reigns from Meyer. This year, Pitt appears to have the slightly better roster and higher expectations. But question marks at several key spots along with an ambitious schedule could put a damper on what is thought to be a breakthrough year for the Panthers. Pitt brings back many key performers from last year’s 10-3 squad that earned a tough victory over ACC heavyweight North Carolina in the Meineke Car Care Bowl. Sophomore running back Dion Lewis (1,799 yards rushing, 17 touchdowns) is believed to be a Heisman Trophy candidate while Jon Baldwin (57 receptions, 1,111 yards, eight scores) is the next great Pitt receiving threat. Bookend defensive ends Greg Romeus and Jabaal Sheard lead a unit that garnered 47 sacks last year, tops in the nation. Safeties Dom DeCicco and Jared Holley are also expected to help solidify the secondary. But personnel losses need to be addressed, spots such as right tackle, center and the all important quarterback position need to be filled on offense. Sophomore Tino Sunseri will start at quarterback. He has shown a strong arm and ability to escape, but has little experience. But if offensive coordinator Frank Cignetti can do with Sunseri as he did with last year’s starter; Bill Stull, the offense will move. Senior Alex Karabin and junior Greg Gaskins are expected to start at center and right guard respectively. Chris Jacobson started the bowl game last December at left guard and acquitted himself nicely. No drop-off is expected at that position. Replacing Gus Mustakas and Mick Williams at defensive tackle will be hard. But Myles Careagin and Chas Alecxih received valuable playing time as part of line coach Greg Gattuso’s rotation. They are expected to fill in nicely. Freshman Aaron Donald from Penn Hills could also be part of the rotation. Fellow Penn Hills Indian Dan Mason will start at middle linebacker and is seen as an athletic upgrade over the graduated Adam Gunn, though the former Kiski Area Cavalier was a keen leader in the middle for the Panthers last year. Rick Gary and Antwuan Reed will man the corners, taking over from the departed Aaron Berry and Jovanni Chappel. Both Gary and Reed had strong camps this summer. The Panthers also face one of the more daunting schedules this season. After beginning the season at Utah, Pitt will face Miami at home and travel to Notre Dame. Big East foes Rutgers and West Virginia visit Heinz Field, while road tests at Connecticut and South Florida await. A Big East title and BCS berth is there for the taking, whether or not these Panthers can cash in is yet to be seen. Posted on April 18th, 2010 by David WhipkeyBy David Whipkey 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. Posted on January 8th, 2010 by David WhipkeyBy David Whipkey Pitt enjoyed their finest football season in nearly 30 years with a 10-win campaign that was capped by a 19-17 win over North Carolina in the Meineke Car Care Bowl last month. Their achievements were rewarded with a No. 15 ranking in both the Associated Press and USA Today polls that were released Friday morning after Alabama’s 37-21 win over Texas in the BCS National Championship Game. The Panthers final ranking is their highest since the end of the 1982 season, when Pitt finished in the Top 10 in both major polls. Their 10-win season was the most in a campaign since an 11-1 mark was achieved in 1981. Pitt’s 19 combined wins in 2008 and 2009 are the program’s most since the 1981-82 seasons. The Panthers three losses were by a combined 11 points, an average of just 3.6 points per game. Although coach Dave Wannstedt must replace multiple seniors, the Panthers will bring back several top-notch performers that should not only keep Pitt in contention in the improving Big East conference but for possible national honors as well. Freshman running back Dion Lewis will return to Pitt’s backfield. Lewis compiled 1,799 yards rushing and scored 18 touchdowns. The nation took notice by virtue of his conference offensive Player of the Year and Rookie of the Year awards along with his National Freshman of the Year Award from The Sporting News and CBSSports.com. Junior receiver Jonathan Baldwin will draw the attention of defensive backs in 2010. Baldwin had 57 catches for 1,111 yards and eight scores. The Aliquippa, Pa. native also garnered all conference awards this season. Defensive end Greg Romeus is expected to return and terrorize quarterbacks next season. Romeus was named Co-Big East Defensive Player of the Year with teammate Mick Williams. Romeus logged 11.5 tackles for loss, eight sacks, three forced fumbles, an interception and a blocked kick. His running mate at defensive end, Jabaal Sheard; will also return. Safety Dom DeCicco, offensive tackle Jason Pinkston and place kicker Dan Hutchins were also all-Big East performers. All will be returning seniors in the fall. Burgeoning players such as receiver Mike Shanahan, linebackers Dan Mason and Elijah Fields, offensive guard Chris Jacobson, safety Andrew Taglianetti, safety/cornerback Jarred Holley and fullback Henry Hynoski are all expected to take on larger roles and help take the program to the next step. The Panthers will take on a daunting schedule in 2010. Non-conference games include trips to Utah and Notre Dame along with a home game against former Big East rival Miami (Fla.). Pitt will host conference foes Louisville, Rutgers and West Virginia and visit Cincinnati, Connecticut, South Florida and Syracuse. Posted on December 27th, 2009 by David WhipkeyBy David Whipkey 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. Posted on December 27th, 2009 by David WhipkeyBy David Whipkey It may not have completely washed away the bad taste of the loss to Big East champion Cincinnati earlier this month, but it did help put a nice bow on the most successful Pitt football season in nearly 30 years. Dan Hutchins’ 33-yard field goal with 52 seconds remaining provided the No. 17 Panthers the winning margin in a thrilling 19-17 win over North Carolina in the Meineke Car Care Bowl Saturday evening in Charlotte. The victory gave Pitt a 10-3 record, their best season since an 11-1 campaign in 1981 that ended when Dan Marino’s touchdown pass to John Brown beat Georgia in the Sugar Bowl at the end of that year. “I think that people know that we are back as a program and you have to go out and prove it,” said Pitt coach Dave Wannstedt after the game. “You have to show up and you have to win games like this.” Plenty of Pitt players showed up and put on a stout performance in the Tar Heels’ backyard. Freshman sensation running back Dion Lewis gained 159 yards on 28 carries against the nation’s No. 6 defense. Quarterback Bill Stull had yet another efficient performance, completing 17 of 24 passes for 163 yards and no interceptions. Stull’s favorite target was freshman receiver Mike Shanahan, who hauled in five receptions for 83 yards. Pitt’s defense acquitted itself nicely after the fourth-quarter collapse against Cincinnati earlier this month. The Panthers sacked Tar Heel quarterback T.J. Yates three times, intercepted him once and recovered one fumble. The unit held on fourth-and-10 near midfield late in the contest to seal the win. “We knew we were going to be in a 15-round fight,” said Pitt linebacker and Charlotte native Max Gruder. “We didn’t expect anything other than that.” Gruder led Pitt’s defense with 11 tackles and recovered an Erik Highsmith fumble that helped set up Hutchins’ 31-yard field goal in the second quarter. The Tar Heels (8-5) got on the board first on their opening drive when Yates hooked up with Greg Little on a 15-yard touchdown pass. Little then inexplicably punted the ball in the Bank of America Stadium bleachers and forced the Tar Heels to kick off from their own 15 due to his unsportsmanlike conduct penalty. Pitt appeared poised to even the score on their next possession, but Lewis fumbled the ball through the end zone after North Carolina defensive end E.J. Wilson punched the ball free, giving the Heels the ball on their own 20. The Panthers got back into the contest when Hutchins booted a 31-yard field goal early in the second quarter. The kick was set up when safety Jarred Holley stripped Highsmith of the football and Gruder recovered near the North Carolina 40. Lewis made up for his earlier fumble (the first and only one he lost this year) by capping a 45-yard drive in the second quarter with an 11-yard scoring run. Hutchins’ kick was true and Pitt led 10-7 early in the second quarter. North Carolina then went on a 14-play, 58-yard drive that looked to either give the Tar Heels the lead or at least tie the score. But Pitt’s Dan Mason made a huge play when he intercepted Yates on the Pitt two-yard line. The Heels eventually tied the score with 1:05 left in the first half when Casey Barth drilled a 37-yard field goal. But Pitt responded when Stull engineered a 46-yard scoring drive that culminated with Hutchins’ 31-yard field goal which gave the Panthers a 13-10 halftime lead. Hutchins’ third field goal, a 42-yard boot ending Pitt’s opening drive of the second-half, extended Pitt’s lead to 16-10 early in the third quarter. But Yates and the Tar Heels snatched momentum for their own on their next possession. North Carolina marched 70 yards in 11 plays. Yates capped the drive with a 14-yard strike to Little midway through the third quarter. Barth’s kick was good and the Heels were up 17-16. Yates finished with 183 yards passing on 19 completions. Little grabbed seven passes for 87 yards. Ryan Houston paced North Carolina’s ground game with 83 yards on 24 carries. But Pitt was able to summon additional strength and finished the game in winning style. North Carolina was in position to put the Pitt away midway through the fourth quarter. The Tar Heels had the ball at the Pitt 29. But sacks by Jabaal Sheard and Mick Williams pushed North Carolina out of field goal range. With a little more than nine minutes remaining, Pitt took possession of the ball at their own five-yard line following a North Carolina punt. The Panthers were able to march deep into Tar Heels real estate thanks to Lewis’ 58 yards rushing on the drive and the conversion of a fourth and inches play on their own 30. Pitt reached the North Carolina 30 with 1:56 remaining. The Panthers were lined up for a 47-yard field goal on fourth and two, but the Tar Heels jumped offside and gave Pitt an important first down. “They were jumping the gun a little bit, so we told our center to take his time adjusting the ball,” said Wannstedt. “If they didn’t jump offside, we were going to kick the field goal. The extra 20 yards sure did help.” Pitt advanced to the North Carolina 16 and set the stage for Hutchins’ clutch kick. “I had a weird feeling with a strong defensive team that I would be kicking a lot today,” said Hutchins. “I am excited.” Pitt held on for the win when Yates fourth and 10 pass from midfield fell incomplete, giving the Panthers a much-needed bowl win and boost into next season. “They are a good football team,” said North Carolina coach Butch Davis. “There is a reason that they were 35 seconds away from going to a BCS bowl as Big East champions. We have a lot of respect for Pitt and their football team.” Notes: Lewis’ 159-yard day gave him 1,799 yards rushing this season, good for second all-time at Pitt behind Tony Dorsett’s 2,150-yard Heisman Trophy campaign in 1976. His second-quarter touchdown gave him 17 rushing scores on the year and 19 total, both freshman records. Lewis also has ten 100-yard rushing days this season, tying him with Dorsett’s 1973 campaign for first in school history. Hutchins’ four field goals in a bowl game is a school record. Posted on December 6th, 2009 by David WhipkeyBy David Whipkey Contrary to what many esteemed football experts based in Western Pennsylvania may say, the Pitt Panthers still have much to play for this season. Yes, the Panthers are heading to the Meineke Car Care Bowl in Charlotte later this month against North Carolina on the heels of two painful losses by a combined four points against West Virginia and Cincinnati. Yes, a BCS berth in the Sugar Bowl was taken from them by Mardy Gilyard, Tony Pike and the rest of the Bearcats on Saturday. And yes, it is well known that Pitt’s fan base may very well not make itself known in Charlotte the day after Christmas this season. But this season still has some life and can still be deemed a success if the Panthers beat the Tar Heels in front of what will assuredly be a pro-North Carolina crowd in Charlotte. Pitt has won nine games for the second consecutive season for the first time since the early 1980s. Coach Dave Wannstedt has the program on its feet and running in the right direction. Critics will say they still have no signature win in the Wannstedt era. But this program has won 18 of its past 24 games and is established as a Big East contender for years to come. Recruiting is at an all-time high and as a result; an improved talent base is in place. BCS berths and big wins are closer to the program more so than they were in the dark ages of the 1990s and early 2000s. Pitt’s defensive line established itself as one of the premiere units in the nation. The Panthers racked up 45 sacks this season, 36 of which came from the defensive front. Seniors Mick Williams and Gus Mustakas will move on following the bowl game. But ends Greg Romeus and Jabaal Sheard are juniors and will probably return. Talented tackles Myles Caragein and Chas Alecxih along with ends Brandon Lindsey and Shayne Hale are also slated to return. Linebackers Greg Williams and Max Gruder made strides this season. Talented Dan Mason will take over for departing senior Adam Gunn. No drop off will be expected from the linebackers. The secondary will lose corners Aaron Berry and Jovani Chappel. Safety Jarred Holley may shift back over to corner to assist with man coverage. Safeties Dom DeCicco and Elijah Fields each notched three interceptions and both will return. Fellow safety Andrew Taglianetti is slated to return following his knee injury. Antwuan Reed, Buddy Jackson and Ricky Gary will fight over the open cornerback positions. Pitt will miss the services of quarterback Bill Stull. The fifth-year senior threw for 2,470 yards with 21 touchdowns. He had a marvelous season following an erratic 2008 performance. Now offensive coordinator Frank Cignetti has the chance to mold Pat Bostick or Tino Sunseri into a similar, if not better player in 2010. Who ever gets to start at quarterback will get to throw to the sensational Jonathan Baldwin. The sophomore nabbed 54 receptions for 1,080 yards and eight scores. Although seniors Cedric McGee, Oderick Turner, Nate Byham and Dorin Dickerson all move on, players such as Mike Shanahan, Cameron Saddler and Aundre Wright will have a chance to step up in 2010. Pitt does lose three starters along the offensive line in guards John Malecki, Joe Thomas and Robb Houser. Tackles Jason Pinkston and Lucas Nix will return. Reworking the offensive line will be a priority after the bowl game and in the spring. The Panthers do return their biggest weapon in running back Dion Lewis. As a freshman, Lewis shattered school records for rushing and scoring with 1,640 yards on the ground and 16 touchdowns. His 47 carry, 195 yard, three touchdown performance against Cincinnati was simply remarkable. The explosive Ray Graham will also return and spell Lewis. He could start for any other team in the conference or across the country. Fullback Henry Hynoski will also be back clearing the way. Not all is lost for Pitt this season. A win over the Tar Heels would give the Panthers 10 wins for the first time since 1981. Ask any Pitt fan in August if they would accept a 10-win season as a success, most likely they would say yes. With the returning roster in 2010, another similar season could be in the offing, making the future of Pitt football still very bright. 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 19th, 2009 by David WhipkeyBy David Whipkey Yet another Pitt football player has earned a Big East Conference Player of the Week honor. True freshman running back Dion Lewis is making many Pitt fans believe another great ball carrier is toting the rock for the Panthers. His 180-yard, two touchdown performance in Pitt’s 24-17 win at Rutgers Friday night made the college football-watching nation take notice. Lewis’ 58-yard scoring burst gave the Panthers a two-touchdown cushion late in the third quarter. All of his damage was done to a defense that led the conference in rushing defense and was sixth nationally (65.2 yards per game entering Friday night’s game). Lewis’ 918 yards rushing is good for second in the country behind Fresno State’s Ryan Matthews. His Friday night performance also garnered him the Rivals.com National Freshman Player of the Week. Lewis joins fellow Panthers Adam Gunn, Dan Mason, Bill Stull and Dan Hutchins as conference players of the week this season. Posted on October 12th, 2009 by David WhipkeyBy David Whipkey Yet another Panther has earned a Big East Player of the Week award. Pitt placekicker/punter Dan Hutchins won the conference’s Special Teams Player of the Week award by virtue of his clutch play in Saturday’s pulsating 24-21 comeback win against Connecticut at Heinz Field. Hutchins booted an 18-yard field goal as time expired, giving the Panthers their first lead since the first quarter of the contest. The junior from Williamsport also made field goals of 42 and 19 yards. He averaged 43 yards on three punts, downing two of the kicks inside the Huskies 20 and one another inside their 10-yard line. Hutchins has made all seven of his field goal attempts and is averaging 41.5 yards per punt. He joins quarterback Bill Stull, running back Dion Lewis and linebackers Dan Mason and Adam Gunn as Pitt players who have won Big East Players of The Week honors this season. |
 
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