NEXT PANTHERS GAMEDAY:Signing DayFebruary 3rd 2010 Buy Pitt Tickets  
|
 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 September 12th, 2010 by David WhipkeyBy David Whipkey It looks like a new star has been born in the Pitt offensive backfield. Spelling a struggling Dion Lewis, sophomore running back Ray Graham rushed for 115 yards on only nine carries as the Panthers squared their record at 1-1 with a 38-16 win over FCS power New Hampshire Saturday before 50,216 at Heinz Field. Graham’s day also included scoring runs of 64 and eight yards as the Panthers eventually pulled away from a scrappy Wildcats squad. “Teams are going to key in on Dion, so when I get a chance or an opportunity to play, I want to make something happen,” said Graham. “We came out and fought today. After the game against Utah (a 27-24 loss in overtime), we could have put our heads down, but we want to get things going in the right direction as soon as possible and we did that today.” Just like the Utes, New Hampshire came out and focused their defensive attention towards Lewis. The Wildcats did hold Lewis to 27 yards rushing, but they missed the mark on Graham and quarterback Tino Sunseri, who finished with 24 completions in 34 attempts for 275 yards and two scores. His favorite target was junior wide receiver Jon Baldwin, who finished with six catches for 100 yards. “From a game standpoint, we have a lot of upside and a lot of work to do. It’s exciting to be the coach of this team,” said Pitt coach Dave Wannstedt. “We have so many young players with so much growth potential. As long as our players keep working like we have worked over the past couple of weeks, we should expect to improve week after week.” Pitt’s defense was perhaps the brightest star of the show, sacking New Hampshire quarterback R.J. Toman six times. They also held the high-powered Wildcats rushing attack to 73 yards rushing. Junior defensive tackle Chas Alecxih led the sack parade with three while backup defensive end Brandon Lindsey garnered two. Lindsey was playing in place of all-American end Greg Romeus, who was out with a back injury and did not dress for the game. “I thought our defensive line showed up today,” said Wannstedt. “They needed to show up and they did.” Pitt’s offensive line is still a work in progress. They allowed two sacks and could not open up holes for Lewis in the first half and into the third quarter. But the passing game along with the elusiveness of Graham helped stabilize the offense and get the Panthers in the win column before a Sept. 23 date at home against the Miami Hurricanes. “Now we start preparing for Miami,” said Graham. “It was great to come here and play well. I had a lot of support. I’m glad that my friends and family got to see me play well,” said Jeannot. “I give credit to QB R.J. Toman for passing the ball well and our offensive coordinator. But, it would have been nice to get a win. I would take not having any catches for winning the game. You can’t help but have that feeling whenever you lose, no matter how well you played.” 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 August 6th, 2010 by David WhipkeyBy David Whipkey And now comes the hard part. Not since the early 1980s have the Pitt Panthers entered a college football season with this level of anticipation and expectation. Coach Dave Wannstedt greeted the media Thursday to kickoff fall practice for a squad that was overwhelmingly picked by the media to win the Big East conference for the first time since 2004. “I think it is great recognition for our team and players,” said the coach. “As a coach, you want people talking about this in December. The recognition is not going to win any games for us. Our focus is now on training camp and preparing ourselves to have the chance to receive such an accolade.” The Panthers won 10 games last season, including a 19-16 win over North Carolina in the Meineke Car Care Bowl. But it could have been so much more. Pitt saw the Big East title slip from their grasp last December when Cincinnati came from behind and took the championship with a 45-44 win before a packed Heinz Field. All off season, the Panthers stewed and prepared themselves for another run at the top spot in the conference and the prize it brings; a coveted BCS bowl berth and national recognition. Now, this star-studded lineup that includes 2009 Big East offensive player of the year running back Dion Lewis, wide receiver Jonathan Baldwin and conference defensive player of the year defensive end Greg Romeus, is primed to take what eluded them last year. “We have good guys that know what it takes to win and they don’t take anything for granted,” said Wannstedt. “It is a team game and we’re only as good as our team is.” One of Pitt’s other key performers, starting defensive end Jabaal Sheard, did find himself in hot water as the off-season wound to c lose. Sheard was charged with assault along with other charges after he allegedly threw a man through a glass door during a fight on Pittsburgh’s South Side in late July. He was suspended indefinitely but reinstated after he pleaded guilty to disorderly conduct. Coach Wannstedt said the matter will now be handled internally. “After gathering all the information and our legal system took its curse, we are very comfortable with the decision we have made concerning Jabaal,” said Wannstedt. “You all know that we have had players in the past, as every school does, whether they are reasons on or off the field where it has not worked out. However, my responsibility to this university and to these kids is to be consistent and fair with the facts and handle it accordingly.” With the Sheard issue resolved, the Panthers staff now can focus on getting the squad ready, especially quarterback Tino Sunseri, who will take over for the graduated Bill Stull. “This is Tino’s time,” said Wannstedt. “He has the arm to make all the throws that we need to make. He’s more athletic on his feet than what people give him credit for. He’s very intelligent. He understands the big picture of what we’re trying to do from an offensive standpoint and I think that is very important.” Pitt officially opens fall practice Saturday August 7 at the UPMC South Side Complex. 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 March 30th, 2010 by David WhipkeyBy David Whipkey It has taken nearly five years, but Pitt Coach Dave Wannstedt has established a program that is more than capable of contending for Big East championships and berths in BCS bowl games. For that hard work that just two-plus years ago, was bearing no fruit; the Pitt administration bestowed a two-year contract extension to Wannstedt. The extension was announced during a Tuesday afternoon press conference. It will also ensure Wannstedt will roam the sidelines at Heinz Field through at least 2014. “I greatly appreciate the confidence that Chancellor Mark Nordenberg, (Athletic Director) Steve Peterson and the entire administration have in what we are building and accomplishing,” the coach said Tuesday. “While we are all proud of the strides we have made, we look forward to even greater accomplishments in the future.” Those strides include 19 wins in two years. Last season saw the Panthers achieve heights they have not reached since the early 1980s. The Panthers finished 10-3 and capped the season with a hard-fought 19-16 win over North Carolina in the Meineke Car Care Bowl in Charlotte. With several retuning starters such as running back Dion Lewis, fullback Henry Hynoski; receivers Jonathan Baldwin and Mike Shanahan; defensive ends Greg Romeus and Jabaal Sheard; and offensive tackles Lucas Nix and Jason Pinkston; the Panthers are expected to field a deep squad that should be favored to win the Big East. This is all heady stuff that seemed light-years away in mid-2007. The Panthers were foundering along and sputtering towards their third consecutive non-winning season under Wannstedt. Although plenty of young talented players populated the roster at the time, wins were hard to come by. Then came December 1, 2007. The seemingly undermanned Panthers marched into Morgantown, W.Va. and outhit West Virginia beat the Mountaineers and knocked them out of a spot in the National Championship Game. Since then, the Panthers have knocked off the likes of South Florida, Notre Dame, West Virginia and Iowa. Pitt now boasts a devastating ground game thanks to the likes of Lewis and the departed LeSean McCoy along with a defense that has feature the likes of Romeus, Sheard, and former players Scott McKillop, Mick Williams, Aaron Berry and Adam Gunn. Pitt appears poised to make the next step and earn that coveted BCS berth and a chance against a true college football heavyweight. The administration has done the right thing and will allow Wannstedt to have the security of an extended contract, giving him the opportunity to build the program even stronger. “We have always believed that when you have the right person, you should give them the time and support to accomplish all the goals they have for our program,” said Pederson. “Dave has done an outstanding job leading our football program.” 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 15th, 2009 by David WhipkeyCourtesy www.pittsburghpanthers.com The Pitt football team continues to garner impressive individual honors during the postseason. Freshman tailback Dion Lewis’ status as the top newcomer in college football continues to be solidified with his growing list of honors. Lewis (Albany, N.Y./Blair Academy [N.J.]) was the only true freshman named to The Associated Press All-America Team that was announced today. He was a second-team All-America selection by the AP as well as by Sporting News, CBSSports.com, SI.com, Rivals.com and Scout.com. Lewis has also been named the National Freshman of the Year by CBSSports.com and the Offensive Freshman of the Year by CollegeFootballNews.com. The 5-foot-8, 195-pound Lewis enters the Meineke Car Care Bowl against North Carolina as the country’s third-leading rusher (136.67 yards/game). His 1,640 total rushing yards are the most ever for a Big East freshman. One of the players who helped open holes for Lewis, junior offensive tackle Jason Pinkston, also has garnered national accolades. Pinkston (Pittsburgh, Pa./Baldwin) was named a second-team selection on the SI.com and Rivals.com All-America teams. Senior tight end Dorin Dickerson (Imperial, Pa./West Allegheny) last week was named to the Football Writers’ 25-player All-America Team after catching 45 passes for 508 yards and 10 touchdowns. He additionally has been named a first-team All-America selection by CBSSports.com and is a second-team honoree by the Walter Camp Football Foundation and Sporting News. Sophomore Jonathan Baldwin gained recognition with his 1,000-yard receiving season (1,080 yards, 20.0 yards per catch) and was named a third team All-American by Rivals.com. On the other side of the ball, junior defensive end Greg Romeus was named a third team All-American by Sporting News and Rivals.com. Romeus has compiled 40 tackles, 10.5 TFLs and eight sacks. He additionally has an interception, a fumble recovery, a blocked PAT and two forced fumbles. |
 
 |
|
PittPanthersGameday.com is NOT affiliated with the Pittsburgh Panthers, the Big East or the NCAA |
||
