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 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 February 9th, 2010 by Admin2008 Pittsburgh Panthers – Notre Dame HighlightsNovember 1, 2008 | Pitt 36, Notre Dame 33 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 January 2nd, 2010 by Admin
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| Date | Game | Time (Eastern) |
| Sat, Sept. 5 | Pittsburgh 38 – Youngstown State 3 | W |
| Sat, Sept. 12 | Pittsburgh 54 – Buffalo 27 | W |
| Sat, Sept. 19 | Pittsburgh 27 – Navy 14 | W |
| Sat, Sept. 26 | N.C. State 38 – Pittsburgh 31 | W |
| Fri, Oct. 2 | Pittsburgh 35 – Louisville 10 | W |
| Sat, Oct. 10 | Pittsburgh 24 – UConn 21 | W |
| Fri, Oct. 16 | Pitt 24, Rutgers 17 | W |
| Sat, Oct. 24 | Pitt 41, USF 14 | W |
| Sat, Nov. 7 | Pitt 37, Syracuse 10 | W |
| Sat, Nov. 14 | Pitt 27, Notre Dame 22 | W |
| Fri, Nov. 27 | West Virginia 19, Pitt 16 | L |
| Sat. Dec 5 | Cincinnati 45, Pitt 44 | L |
| Sat. Dec 26 | Meineke Car Care Bowl – Pitt 19, UNC 16 | W |
Posted on December 17th, 2009 by David WhipkeyBy David Whipkey
Talk of expanding one of the nation’s premiere collegiate athletic conferences may include the inclusion of the Pitt Panthers in their fold.
Big Ten officials admitted to the media earlier this week that the conference is looking into adding a 12th member and in the process, creating a conference title game that could become an economic bonanza for all involved.
Rutgers, Syracuse, Notre Dame, Missouri and Nebraska along with Pitt have been mentioned by speculators as possible candidates as the conference’s newest addition.
Notre Dame was offered an invite in 1999 and would likely turn it down again due to having NBC as its medium for promoting the program for three-plus hours on fall Saturday afternoons from South Bend.
Rutgers and Syracuse are attractive due to both school’s proximity to the coveted New York City television market. Rutgers becomes more of a tantalizing entre due to recent success in football, a large student population and the school’s reputation as a fine research institution.
But for my money, Pitt is a more than attractive option for the Big Ten honchos.
If Pitt is invited in the near future, they should not only listen, they should accept with the glee of a high-school aged girl being asked to the prom by the school’s star quarterback.
The Panthers were one of the Big East’s charter members in both basketball and football. They are one of the burgeoning conference flagships in football while their basketball program is firmly entrenched as a conference power on the basis of their performance this decade.
An additional upside is having two ready-made rivalries at hand should the Panthers be included at the Big Ten table.
Pitt fans would salivate at the prospect of playing Penn State and Ohio State each and every year. Both schools are less than three-hours away from Pittsburgh and would no doubt bring plenty of fans to Heinz Field on Saturday afternoons.
Add Michigan, Michigan State, Iowa and Wisconsin to the menu and you have quite an impressive schedule in the works each and every year in both football and basketball.
Plus, Heinz Field could be used every so many years as a site for the conference title game. Even without Pitt as a title game participant, Ohio State and Penn State or even Michigan fans would fill the stadium and bring much needed tourism driven dollars to the region.
Yes, Pitt could and probably would keep West Virginia on both the football and basketball schedules. I do not think the Backyard Brawl would be affected more than moving it on the schedule.
However, this is all merely speculation. The Big Ten has admitted that the matter is merely under investigation and that action will not be taken any time soon.
But if the Big Ten wants to talk, Pitt Chancellor Mark Nordenberg and his associates better listen and act accordingly.
Posted on November 17th, 2009 by David WhipkeyBy David Whipkey
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.
Posted on November 16th, 2009 by David WhipkeyCourtesy www.pittsburghpanthers.com
Pitt sophomore wide receiver Jonathan Baldwin has been named the Big East Offensive Player of the Week for his performance in the Panthers’ 27-22 victory over Notre Dame this past Saturday.
Baldwin (Aliquippa, Pa./Aliquippa) thrilled a sold-out Heinz Field and national ABC television audience with high-leaping grabs and spectacular circus catches to lift Pitt past the visiting Irish. He averaged 28.4 yards per catch, finishing with 142 receiving yards on just five receptions.
Baldwin’s diving 36-yard touchdown catch gave Pitt a 10-3 halftime lead it would never relinquish. He also made an acrobatic 51-yard grab in which he jumped over a defender to come up with the catch, ultimately setting up a Pitt field goal.
On the year, Baldwin has 40 receptions for 840 yards (21.0 avg.) and five touchdowns. The Notre Dame contest marked his fifth 100-yard receiving game of the year.
Baldwin is part of a Pitt offense that averages 33.80 points per game, which ranks 15th nationally and second in the Big East.
Wrote Matt Hayes in this morning’s Sporting News Today, “(Pitt’s) trifecta on offense –QB Bill Stull, TB Dion Lewis, WR Jonathan Baldwin–is the best in the nation.”
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. Pitt will conclude its regular-season against Cincinnati (10-0, 6-0) at Heinz Field on Dec. 5.
The game against the Bearcats, rated fifth in this week’s BCS standings, will decide the winner of the 2009 Big East championship and resultant Bowl Championship Series berth.
Posted on November 15th, 2009 by David WhipkeyBy David Whipkey
All the elements were there for a special Saturday night at Heinz Field for the Pitt Panthers.
A sell-out crowd of 65,374 walked through the turnstiles, more than 100 recruits were on hand, temperatures hovered around 50 plus degrees, ABC’s Brent Musburger and Kirk Herbstreit were on hand to call the action and Notre Dame was the opponent; presenting a stiff challenge for the Panthers.
Consider this test aced.
Pitt controlled both sides of the line of scrimmage and held on for a scintillating 27-22 win over Notre Dame Saturday night, pushing the Panthers record to 9-1 overall. The Panthers have a week off before their annual grudge match against West Virginia in Morgantown on the Friday after Thanksgiving.
The Panthers defense was strong all night, holding the Irish to 66 yards rushing and sacking Notre Dame quarterback Jimmy Clausen three times. Pitt defensive end Greg Romeus stripped Clausen on a third and 16 play late in the fourth quarter, sealing Pitt’s third win against the Fighting Irish in their last four meetings.
Pitt’s offense was efficient, outgaining Notre Dame in total yardage 429-349. Freshman running back Dion Lewis showcased his talents to a national television audience. The Albany, N.Y. native gashed Notre Dame for 152 yards on 21 carries. His 50-yard touchdown run early in the fourth quarter gave Pitt a seemingly comfortable 27-9 lead.
Notre Dame roared back courtesy of Clausen’s right arm and receiver Golden Tate’s legs and hands. Clausen capped an 11-play, 71-yard drive with an 18-yard scoring pass to Tate, slicing Pitt’s lead to 27-16 midway through the final quarter.
Pitt was forced to punt on their next possession and Tate made them pay, returning Dan Hutchins’ punt 87 yards for a touchdown. The two-point pass failed, but the Irish were very much alive trailing by five late in the contest.
Notre Dame got the ball back on their own 20 with 3:39 remaining. But Romeus came through on third and long to strip Clausen and essentially ending the game.
Pitt quarterback Bill Stull enjoyed another solid performance. The fifth-year senior completed 15 of 27 passes for 236 yards and a touchdown. Stull’s scoring strike came courtesy of a 36-yard hook up late in the first half with sophomore receiver Jonathan Baldwin, who dived to snare the pass in the end zone behind Irish cornerback Darrin Walls. The play capped six-play, 80 yard drive and gave the host Panthers a 10-3 lead at halftime.
Baldwin struck again the third quarter when he made a circus-like 51-yard catch that set up Hutchins’ 38-yard field goal, giving the Panthers a 13-3 lead. Baldwin finished with five catches for 142 yards and his one score.
Lewis’ understudy, freshman Ray Graham, got his chance to shine on Pitt’s next possession. Graham ran and spun through the Notre Dame defense for a 53-yard run to the Irish 2. On the next play, Graham bulled into the end zone and gave the Panthers a commanding 20-3 lead.
Notre Dame finally got into the end zone early in the fourth when Clausen climaxed an 11-play, 80 yard drive with a one-yard sneak.
Clausen and his receivers kept the Irish in the game. He completed 27 of 42 passes for 283 yards. Tate finished with 113 yards on nine receptions while his partner Michael Floyd contributed seven catches for 107 yards.
Panther safety Jarred Holley intercepted Clausen in the second quarter.
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