NEXT PANTHERS GAMEDAY:Signing DayFebruary 3rd 2010 Buy Pitt Tickets  
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 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 August 9th, 2010 by David WhipkeyBy David Whipkey • Decorated defensive end Greg Romeus tweaked an ankle in practice on Saturday afternoon while reserve safety Andrew Taglianetti is still battling stiffness in his surgically repaired left knee. Coach Dave Wannstedt said he believes both should be back on the field in the very near future. • Romeus along with running back Dion Lewis and receiver Jonathan Baldwin were all selected as preseason candidates for several prestigious awards. • Romeus was named a candidate for the Chuck Bednarik Award which is given annually to the nation’s top defensive player. Both Lewis and Baldwin were named candidates for the Maxwell Award which honors the most outstanding overall player in college football. • Safety Dom DeCicco also got into the act by being named to the Jim Thorpe Award preseason watch list. The award is given annually to the nation’s top defensive back. • Pitt was rated no. 15 in the USA Today coaches’ poll, one spot behind former rival Penn State and nine spots ahead of conference arch-rival West Virginia. • According to Wannstedt, one of the early preseason surprises has been the play of freshman defensive tackle Aaron Donald. Though juniors Myles Caragein and Chas Alexcih are penciled in as the starters, Donald should help give the unit some depth in the middle while Brandon Lindsey is expected to do the same on the edge. 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 9th, 2009 by David WhipkeyBy David Whipkey 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. 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 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 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 26th, 2009 by David WhipkeyBy David Whipkey Big East Player of the Week awards are quickly becoming the domain of the Pitt Panthers. Junior strong safety Dom DeCicco earned another notch in the Panthers belts by garnering Big East Defensive Player of the Week award following Pitt’s 41-14 win over South Florida at Heinz Field Saturday. DeCicco, a Thomas Jefferson High School alum, grabbed 10 total tackles and was a huge factor in holding the explosive B.J. Daniels to 104 total yards rushing and passing. South Florida entered Saturday’s game averaging 407 yards per game. On Saturday, they were limited to 212 yards. DeCicco leads the Panthers in tackles with 62 and is tied for the team lead in interceptions with two. He ranks seventh in the conference in tackles per game with 7.8. Pitt’s defense ranks 21st nationally in rushing defense (102.13 ypg), 24th in scoring (18 ppg) and 26th in total defense (314.13 ypg). The Panthers are currently 16th in the Associated Press poll, 17th in the USA Today coaches poll and is 15th in the latest BCS rankings. Pitt will enjoy a bye week and return to the field Nov. 7 for a home date against Syracuse. Kickoff will be at noon and be nationally televised on ESPNU. Posted on October 18th, 2009 by David WhipkeyBy David Whipkey It may have been their biggest road win since that early December 2007 night in Morgantown, W.Va. Demons were exorcised and ghosts were busted Friday night after Pitt’s 24-17 win over Rutgers in Piscataway, N.J. The Panthers had to overcome a four-game losing streak to the Scarlet Knights, several missed opportunities to put the game away in the second-half, two costly turnovers that led to two Rutgers touchdowns and a rowdy crowd of 50,000 plus at Rutgers Stadium before securing the win. Pitt used their time-tested recipe to extract a win. The Panthers controlled the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball which was evidenced by their 223 yards rushing on offense while holding Rutgers to 38 yards total on the ground. Freshman running back Dion Lewis paced the Panthers attack by gashing a strong Rutgers defense for 180 yards on 31 carries. His 58-yard touchdown run with 5:19 left in the third quarter gave Pitt a 24-10 lead and forced the conservative Rutgers offense to play catch-up. During the four-game losing streak, Pitt was unable to establish their running game. The low point came during the 37-29 loss in 2005, a game in which Pitt was held to -11 yards rushing. In 2006, Ray Rice ripped through Pitt’s defense for 225 yards and a score during the Scarlet Knights 20-10 win at Heinz Field. Friday night saw the Panthers offensive line gain control and shove the Rutgers defensive front almost all the way to Atlantic City. The front wall nearly ended the game themselves late in the fourth quarter. With the Panthers leading by seven, Pitt ate up nearly seven minutes and held the ball for 13 plays before kicker Dan Hutchins 30-yard field goal attempt sailed wide-right. Pitt’s defense then stood strong and held on fourth down and six when cornerback Jovani Chappel stripped the ball from Rutgers receiver Mohamed Sanu at the Scarlet Knights 46 yard line. Cornerback Antwuan Reed recovered and sealed the deal for the Panthers. The Panthers defense may have turned in their best performance of the season. Both Rutgers touchdowns were courtesy of short fields created by turnovers. Pitt sacked Tom Savage three times and intercepted him once. Safety Dom DeCicco turned in a solid night of work, compiling 10 total tackles and the interception of Savage early in the second quarter. DeCicco rebounded nicely after allowing a Rutgers punt to hit him in the leg early in the first quarter that the Scarlet Knights recovered. Sanu scored for Rutgers and appeared to put Pitt in a devastating early hole, but the Panthers simply inhaled and flexed their muscles. Defensive Gus Mustakas also was an impact player on the evening. He logged three tackles, two for losses, one sack and disrupted the Scarlet Knights offensive plans all evening. Fellow linemates Mick Williams and Myles Caragein also chipped in with quarterback sacks. Although it wasn’t his best performance this season, quarterback Bill Stull held it together enough to complete 16 of 24 passes for 153 yards and one score, a seven-yard touchdown pass to tight end Dorin Dickerson in the first quarter. Rutgers applied a consistent pass rush and stuck tight to Pitt’s receivers all night. Still, Stull did not throw a costly interception. He did fumble after being sacked by Damaso Munoz in the fourth quarter. Eric LeGrand recovered near midfield and put Rutgers in position to pull within seven points. But they would get no closer as Pitt displayed their mettle and refused to lose, improving their record to 6-1 overall, 3-0 in the Big East and setting themselves up for a possible conference title push as the season rolls on. Pitt coach Dave Wannstedt would not have it any other way. Posted on October 3rd, 2009 by David WhipkeyBy David Whipkey And now, Panther Nation can take a deep breath and step back from the ledge. Pitt overcame several penalties and missed opportunities to subdue Louisville 35-10 Friday night at Papa Johns Stadium in the Big East opener for both squads. Panthers quarterback Bill Stull continues to impress this season. The senior finished with 16 completions in 23 attempts for 242 yards and three scoring passes. Stull’s main target was super sophomore receiver Jonathan Baldwin. The Beaver County product scorched Louisville’s secondary for 105 yards receiving on four catches. His 71 yard touchdown catch of a Stull pass midway through the third quarter helped put the Cardinals away. Tight end Dorin Dickerson finished with five catches for 50 yards. The senior gathered in Stull’s perfectly thrown rainbow for a 37-yard touchdown pass and a 14-10 lead early in the third quarter. Dickerson also started the scoring for Pitt in the first quarter when he pulled in a tipped pass in the end zone for a five-yard touchdown reception. Pitt’s running game also kicked it into high gear. The freshman duo of Dion Lewis and Ray Graham combined for 162 yards on 33 carries. Graham’s five yard scoring run with 8:47 remaining in the contest gave Pitt a 28-10 advantage. Fullback Henry Hynoski , who spent most of the evening plowing holes for Panther running backs or assisting in pass protection, finished the scoring for Pitt with a three-yard touchdown run late in the game. After permitting 500 plus total yards and 38 points in last week’s loss at North Carolina State, the Pitt defense clamped down and applied a vice to the Cardinals offense. The Panthers permitted only 101 yards rushing on 37 carries, a 2.2 yard per carry average. Pitt’s defense also got after quarterback Adam Froman, who was starting in place of an injured Justin Burke. Froman finished with 18 completions on 30 attempts for 166 yards. Defensive end Greg Romeus enjoyed a monster night in the trenches. The junior announced his presence by sacking Froman three times. Pitt finished with six sacks on the night, giving them 22 sacks in four games. Safety Dom DeCicco finished with eight total tackles and one pass break up. Defensive tackle Gus Mustakas recovered a Froman fumble on the Pitt 29 early in the third quarter, which set the stage for Stull’s 71-yard scoring strike to Baldwin on the next play. Louisville (1-3, 0-1) got off to a good start before a sellout home crowd. Fullback Joe Tronzo capped an eight-play 73 yard drive with a one-yard scoring plunge. The Cardinals took a 10-7 halftime lead when kicker Ryan Payne made a 32-yard field goal, which climaxed a 69-yard march. But the Panthers came out of the halftime locker room and took over the contest with 28 straight points. The Panthers return home next week for a Saturday date with Connecticut at Heinz Field. |
 
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