Pitt’s ascending football program will be well-represented in two college football all-star games that will take place later this month and serve as a showcase for prospective NFL talent.

Three performers from the Panthers 10-3 squad will participate in the East-West Shrine Game and the Senior Bowl.

Cornerback Aaron Berry and tight end Nate Byham will play in the East-West Shrine Game this Saturday in Orlando, Fla. Kickoff is slated for 3 p.m. and will be televised on ESPN2.

All-American Tight End Dorin Dickerson will participate in the Senior Bowl in Mobile, Ala. Kickoff for the Senior Bowl is Saturday, January 30 at 4 p.m. The game will be televised by the NFL Network.

Berry, Byham and Dickerson were integral parts to Pitt’s solid 2009 season. Berry notched 31 tackles, 10 pass break-ups and an interception during his 2009 campaign. He was selected to the all-Big East squad for the second time in his career following this season.

Byham was also named all-Big East this year, also his second for his career. Although his 10 catches for 108 yards were not eye-popping statistically, he was a devastating blocker and helped provide the platform for Pitt’s conference-leading ground attack (180.3 yards rushing per game).

Dickerson emerged as a big-play threat in 2009. His 10 touchdown receptions set a new school record for scoring grabs in a season. The senior from Imperial, Pa. finished the year with 49 catches for 528 yards. He was named to the 25-player All-American Team selected by the Football Writers Association of America. Dickerson is the first Pitt tight end to earn All-American status since Mike Ditka did so in 1960. He was also a finalist for the John Mackey Award and named all-Big East this season.

The Panthers finished no. 15 in both the Associated Press and USA Today Coaches polls. Pitt ended their season with a dramatic 19-17 win over North Carolina in the Meineke Car Care Bowl.

Pittsburgh senior Dorin Dickerson has been named a finalist for the prestigious John Mackey Award, annually presented to the nation’s top tight end by the Nassau County Sports Commission.

Dickerson (Imperial, Pa./West Allegheny) was one of three finalists selected by a vote of the John Mackey Selection Committee. The other finalists include Florida junior Aaron Hernandez and Brigham Young senior Dennis Pitta.

The winner will be announced on Dec. 10 during the Home Depot ESPNU College Football Awards Show.
On the year, Dickerson has 43 receptions for 496 yards (11.5 avg.) and 10 touchdowns. His 10 TDs established a new single-season Pitt record for a tight end, eclipsing the prior mark of nine set by Kris Wilson in 2003.
Wilson, now of the San Diego Chargers, was also a John Mackey Award finalist in 2003 and earned Associated Press All-America honors.

For additional information on the John Mackey Award, please visit www.johnmackeyaward.org or www.nassausports.org.

Ranked No. 8 by The Associated Press and No. 9 in the USA Today coaches’ poll, Pitt has its highest November rankings since 1982. The Panthers are ninth in this week’s Bowl Championship Series ratings, their highest BCS listing ever.

Pitt achieved its lofty rankings after winning six consecutive games to improve to 9-1 on the year, its best start since the 1982 Panthers, led by quarterback Dan Marino, also started 9-1.

The Panthers will put their undefeated Big East record (5-0) on the line at West Virginia (7-3, 3-2) this Friday, Nov. 27, at 7 p.m. The game will be a national ESPN2 telecast.

Pitt will conclude its regular season against Cincinnati (10-0, 6-0) at Heinz Field on Dec. 5. The game will have a noon kickoff and decide the winner of the 2009 Big East championship and resultant Bowl Championship Series berth.

Less than 5,000 seats remain for the Pitt-Cincinnati game. To purchase tickets, log on to www.PittsburghPanthers.com or call the Pitt Ticket Office at (800) 643-PITT.

Pitt freshman tailback Dion Lewis has been named one of 15 “Players to Watch” for the 2009 Walter Camp Player of the Year Award, it was announced today by the Walter Camp Football Foundation.

Lewis is the only freshman on the Walter Camp list and one of just four running backs. The list will be pared down to five finalists on December 2, with the 2009 winner announced on December 10 during the 6 p.m. edition of ESPN SportsCenter.

Pitt boasts three previous winners of the Walter Camp Player of the Year Award, including running back Tony Dorsett (1976), defensive end Hugh Green (1980) and receiver Larry Fitzgerald (2003).

This is the latest recognition for Lewis (Albany, N.Y./Blair Academy [N.J.]), who is also a semifinalist for the Doak Walker Award (nation’s top running back) and Maxwell College Football Player of the Year Award.

The 5-foot-8, 195-pound freshman is also poised to become the first player since Virginia Tech quarterback Michael Vick in 1999 to be selected the Big East’s Offensive Player of the Year and Rookie of the Year in the same season.

Lewis is first in the Big East and sixth nationally in rushing yards per game (129.1 avg.). Overall he has 1,291 rushing yards and 13 touchdowns on 224 carries (5.8 avg.). He has scored 14 total TDs on the year.

Lewis needed just eight games to reach 1,000 yards, matching Dorsett’s Pitt freshman record set in 1973. With three games remaining, he trails Dorsett’s Pitt freshman rushing record of 1,686 by only 395 yards.

“I love watching the kid,” said Dorsett. “It brings back a lot of memories for me. I’m really happy for him that he has been able to excel. What I like most is he has no ego. He just runs the ball.”

Lewis is also ready to become the most prolific freshman rusher in Big East history. He is just 37 yards away from matching former Pitt tailback LeSean McCoy’s Big East frosh mark of 1,328 yards set in 2007.

Ranked No. 8 by The Associated Press and No. 9 in the USA Today coaches poll, Pitt has its highest November rankings since 1982. The Panthers moved up to ninth in this week’s Bowl Championship Series ratings, their highest BCS listing ever.

Pitt achieved its lofty rankings after winning six consecutive games to improve to 9-1 on the year, its best start since the 1982 Panthers, led by quarterback Dan Marino, also started 9-1.

The Panthers have a bye this week before putting their undefeated Big East record (5-0) on the line at West Virginia (7-3, 3-2) on Nov. 27 at 7 p.m. on ESPN2. Pitt will conclude its regular season against Cincinnati (10-0, 6-0) at Heinz Field on Dec. 5. Kickoff for the de facto Big East title game will be at noon and be televised nationally on ABC.

Pitt fans should feel very good about themselves this week. In fact, they should feel almost 10-feet tall and bulletproof.

The Panthers made a large statement Saturday night at Heinz Field by virtue of their 27-22 win over Notre Dame in front of more than 65,000 patrons and a national television audience. Pitt controlled the flow of the game for three-plus quarters until the Fighting Irish made it interesting in the end.

Now, the squad heads into their second bye week before traveling south on Interstate 79 to take on rival West Virginia in what will most certainly be the most hostile environment they will see this season.

But that is nearly two weeks away. Panther Nation has plenty of time to bask in the glow of what has been a special season. Certainly, their reason for puffing their chests out can be understood.

Once again, the Panthers are showing that they are not the flashy but flimsy squads that were taking the field earlier this decade. Yes, then coach Walt Harris took a pass-happy team to five consecutive bowls, but they were never a serious contender for anything but a mid-level post-season game each year. They did win the Big East title in 2004. But that was mostly due to West Virginia and Boston College imploding down the stretch.

In many instances, when the Panthers were punched in the face, they tended to back down. Offensive lines from Notre Dame, West Virginia, Virginia Tech and Miami ran roughshod over Pitt’s defense while quarterbacks Tyler Palko and Rod Rutherford were seen running for their lives.

Those days appear to be over. Coach Dave Wannstedt has instilled a sense of toughness and physicality that was a Pitt trademark a generation and a half ago. That has been apparent all year long and was on full display Saturday against a talented Notre Dame squad.

Pitt ran the ball to the tune of 193 yards against the Fighting Irish. More impressively, they averaged six yards per rush. Dion Lewis did his best Tony Dorsett impression Saturday with his 152-yard, one touchdown performance. His running mate Ray Graham added an electrifying 53-yard dash in the third quarter which also set up his two-yard touchdown run late in the third period. Pitt fans are salivating at the fact both of these backs will be in the Panthers backfield for at least two more years following this season.

The offensive line along with fullback Henry Hynoski imposed their will all night long. Hynoski cleared the way on both scoring runs and was regularly seen clearing Notre Dame linebackers from the point of attack. Quarterback Bill Stull was not sacked and given the time to pass for 236 yards to go with his 36-yard touchdown toss to the superb Jonathan Baldwin.

Baldwin also had a coming out party against the Irish. Not only did he snag five catches for 142 yards, he was simply the star of offensive stars. Baldwin’s 51-yard catch along the sideline over Notre Dame’s Darrin Walls could easily have been compared to Steelers legend Lynn Swann’s levitating leap against the Dallas Cowboys in Super Bowl X.

Pitt’s defensive front made life miserable for Irish quarterback Jimmy Clausen. The Panthers sacked him three times, forced one interception and harassed him throughout the night. Defensive end Greg Romeus made the play of the night when he strip-sacked Clausen on third down and 16 late in the fourth quarter.

This is all heady stuff for a fan base that has not seen such play by the Panthers since the early 1980s. They should be even more encouraged that the best may very well be yet to come.

Notes: Tight end Dorin Dickerson was named a semifinalist for the John Mackey Award. He leads the nation with 10 touchdown receptions on the season.

The Pitt-West Virginia game slated for Friday, November 27 will be televised nationally on ESPN2 at 7 p.m.

Football Schedule

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.

Football Schedule

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Football Schedule