NEXT PANTHERS GAMEDAY:Signing DayFebruary 3rd 2010 Buy Pitt Tickets  
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 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 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 26th, 2009 by David WhipkeyBy David Whipkey The Pitt Panthers appear to be on the precipice of a very special season. Pitt’s 41-14 destruction of South Florida at Heinz Field on Saturday signaled to the Big East and the rest of the country that this outfit of Panthers is loaded and ready for a BCS run. The offense scored on their first five possessions and never punted. At times, the offense resembled the Peyton Manning-led Indianapolis Colts. Quarterback Bill Stull simply dissected the Bulls defense with an 18-of-25, 245 yard, two touchdown performance. Stull spread the ball to eight different receivers and was never sacked. In fact, Pitt’s offensive line was so dominant; it appeared Stull had enough time to down a sandwich and beverage before picking out a receiver. Tackles Jason Pinkston and Lucas Nix, with help from tight end Nate Byham and fullback Henry Hynoski, shut down South Florida’s prolific defensive end duo George Selvie and Jean Pierre-Paul. The line also blasted open holes for Dion Lewis all game long. Lewis finished with 116 yards on 23 carries and two touchdowns. Lewis’ running mate Ray Graham joined the party with a solid 11-carry, 88-yard performance. Pitt rolled up 214 yards running, giving the Panthers two consecutive 200-plus rushing yard performances. Sophomore Jonathan Baldwin again displayed the skills that make him the likely heir to the wide receiver throne previously held by the likes of Antonio Bryant and Larry Fitzgerald. Baldwin abused the South Florida secondary to the tune of six catches and 144 yards with one score, a 40-yard touchdown midway through the first quarter. Tight end Dorin Dickerson contributed five receptions for 58 yards and a nine-yard score. The senior from West Allegheny High School now leads the nation with nine touchdown receptions. Pitt’s defense turned in yet another dominant performance. South Florida quarterback B.J. Daniels was held to 104 total yards. He was sacked twice and intercepted twice and was pressured all day by Pitt’s athletic front seven. But the true star that has not been recognized enough is first-year offensive coordinator Frank Cignetti. Cignetti came on board the Pitt staff in the off-season after a successful run at California. The Western Pennsylvania native came home and is the architect of perhaps the Big East’s most complete offense. He continues to show a penchant for getting the ball into his playmakers hands. Performers such as Stull, Dickerson, Baldwin and Lewis have exploded onto the scene. Others such as Byham, Graham and receivers Mike Shanahan, Oderick Turner and Cedric McGee are also more than capable to make plays and will assuredly so later this season. The offense has truly taken off and has shown more explosiveness than the days of the pass-happy Walt Harris era. That is a scary prospect for the remaining four Pitt opponents. Posted on October 3rd, 2009 by David WhipkeyBy David Whipkey Working on a short week, Pitt was able to get up off the canvas and deliver a knockout blow to Louisville and earn a 35-10 road win over the overmatched Cardinals. Friday night’s performance was a welcome sight for those who believed the Panthers were exposed last week at N.C. State. The reasons why Pitt was able to get off to a good start in Big East play were numerous: • Stull continues to display a maturity he did not show much of last year. His numbers were solid (16 for 23, 242 yards and three scores) and his management skills were on point. The senior made big throws when they were needed such as the 71-yard strike to Jonathan Baldwin that gave Pitt a 21-10 lead. • Baldwin and tight end Dorin Dickerson give the Panthers two perimeter performers other defenses will have a difficult time containing. Baldwin gives and will continue to give the Panthers a downfield threat that has not been seen in Blue and Gold since Larry Fitzgerald was carrying the Pitt offense earlier this decade, while Dickerson adds a toughness and reliability to the passing game. Both were on full display Friday night and should give Pitt an advantage on the flanks against many of their future opponents this season. • This is clearly Pitt’s best offensive line since the 1980s. Right guard John Malecki is a true mauler while tackles Jason Pinkston and sophomore Lucas Nix are standing firm. Left guard Joe Thomas appears to have found a home at left guard. The unit has only allowed two sacks this season and gave Stull an uncluttered pass pocket all evening long against the Cards. • The backfield tandem of Dion Lewis and Ray Graham were a devastating one-two punch Friday, combining for 162 yards and a score. Either one can make a man miss and break a long run. • There may not be a better fullback in the Big East than Henry Hynoski. The junior from Southern Columbia High School in central Pennsylvania is a bulldozer that eliminates linebackers at the point of attack. • Defensively, it begins and ends with the line. End Greg Romeus racked up three and a half of the team’s six sacks. Bookend Jabaal Sheard’s fourth quarter takedown of Froman ended the Cards last threat to stay in the game while tackle Mick Williams commands double teams and disrupts the middle. Posted on September 25th, 2009 by David WhipkeyBy David Whipkey North Carolina State coach Tom O’Brien knows physical football from his time coaching at Boston College. |
 
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