NEXT PANTHERS GAMEDAY:Signing DayFebruary 3rd 2010 Buy Pitt Tickets  
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 Posted on January 8th, 2010 by David WhipkeyCourtesy The University of Pittsburgh Pitt true freshman tailback Dion Lewis added to his impressive list of honors earlier this week by being selected to the 2009 Football Writers Association of America (FWAA) Freshman All-America Team. The 28-player team was selected by an 11-person panel of nationally prominent college football writers led by Mike Griffith of the Knoxville News Sentinel. True freshmen and redshirt freshmen are both eligible for the team. This is the latest honor for Lewis, the most decorated freshman in all of college football in 2009. His other noteworthy honors include: Selection as the Big East Offensive Player of the Year and Rookie of the Year, the first time a player has won both awards in the same season since Virginia Tech quarterback Michael Vick in 1999. Lewis was also named Unanimous First Team All-Big East, the first Pitt freshman to accomplish that feat since 2002 when receiver Larry Fitzgerald, now a perennial Pro Bowler with the Arizona Cardinals, earned the honor. · Recognition on no fewer than seven All-America teams, including The Associated Press, Sporting News, CBSSports.com, SI.com, Phil Steele, Rivals.com and Scout.com. · Unanimous Freshman All-America status. · Most Valuable Player honors for the 2009 Meineke Car Care Bowl after he rushed for 159 yards and a touchdown in Pitt’s 19-17 victory over North Carolina. · Selection as the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) Rookie of the Year. Lewis (Albany, N.Y./Blair Academy [N.J.]) rushed for a Pitt freshman-record 1,799 yards on 325 carries (5.5 avg.), surpassing the 36-year-old mark held by the legendary Tony Dorsett (1,686 in 1973). Overall, Lewis’ total is the second-highest single-season rushing mark in Pitt history, trailing only Dorsett’s 2,150 yards in 1976, the same year he won the Heisman Trophy and the Panthers won the national championship with a 12-0 record. Lewis additionally totaled 18 touchdowns (17 rushing) for a Pitt freshman-record 108 points, breaking the prior frosh record of 90 points set in 2007 by tailback LeSean McCoy, now of the Philadelphia Eagles. With its bowl victory over North Carolina, the Panthers finished with a 10-3 record, their winningest campaign since 1981. Posted on October 9th, 2009 by David WhipkeyBy David Whipkey Preseason reports of the potential demise of Pitt’s running game have been dashed after five weeks into the 2009 season. One of the biggest question marks surrounding the Panthers was who was going to replace LeSean McCoy after he was drafted in the second round of the NFL Draft by the Philadelphia Eagles. It appears the Panthers have multiple bodies that can fill the void. Freshmen running backs Dion Lewis and Ray Graham have kept the running game at full throttle as Pitt heads into a Big East clash with visiting Connecticut this Saturday afternoon. Both are averaging more than five yards per carry and have combined for 10 scores. Lewis has averaged 116 yards per game this season, good for sixth overall nationally and second in the Big East behind West Virginia’s Noel Devine (135 yards rushing per game). The pair was equally devastating last week against Louisville, combining for 162 yards on 33 carries. Graham, who finished with a career high75 yards on 12 carries, landed the knockout blow in the fourth quarter when he scored from five yards out to give Pitt a 28-10 lead. “Up until last week’s game, it was all about potential, what we saw in practice and what we think he might be able to do,” said Pitt coach Dave Wannstedt in reference to Graham. “I think last week was really a big boost of confidence, not necessarily how he played, just from the standpoint that he his capable of going into a game. The coaches trust him. His teammates trust him and if called upon, he will be ready to play.” Having freshmen running backs carry the load for the Panthers is nothing new. In 2007, McCoy rushed for 1,328 yards and 14 touchdowns. Perhaps the greatest Panther of them all, Tony Dorsett, set the NCAA on fire when he rushed for 1,686 yards and 13 scores. More impressively, he averaged nearly six yards per carry during the 1973 season. Three years later, the Panthers finished an undefeated National Championship season. Both Lewis and Graham are in heady company. With how the offensive line and fullback Henry Hynoski continue to clear gaping holes, Pitt’s ground game should continue to flourish. Hynoski may be the most underappreciated aspect of the ground attack. The redshirt sophomore can be found leading the way for both Lewis and Graham on a regular basis. Nowhere was that more evident last week as he eliminated Cardinal linebackers from the point of attack, clearing the way for Graham’s big second half. The 260-pounder also has shown some nimble feet. Hynoski closed the scoring with a three-yard plunge in the game’s waning moments last week. He is also averaging nearly seven yards per tote on six carries. As the weather begins to turn colder and the weather more harsh, it is expected that the Pitt offense will shift to more of a ground-based attack. It also appears that the ground game is in very capable hands, even with McCoy playing at the next level. Posted on September 20th, 2009 by AdminBy David Whipkey | Pitt Panthers Gameday Correspondent Pitt’s storied football tradition includes many players who have moved on and excelled in the National Football League. Performers such as Dan Marino, Tony Dorsett, Mike Ditka, Hugh Green and Bill Fralic dominated both on the Oakland campus and in the professional ranks. The tradition is continuing in a big way this millennium. PittPanthersGameday.com will highlight each Panther alumnus on Mondays during the NFL season. Week two’s highlights included: Darrelle Revis, New York Jets cornerback: Revis continued his stellar early 2009 season by shutting down another premium wide receiver. One week after stifling Houston’s Andre Johnson, Revis again displayed his coverage skills by limiting New England’s Randy Moss to 24 yards receiving on four receptions. Revis also contributed five tackles and one interception of Patriots quarterback Tom Brady in New York’s 16-9 win at the Meadowlands. Larry Fitzgerald, Arizona Cardinals receiver: Fitzgerald helped the Cards rebound after a disappointing season opening loss to San Francisco. The current Madden ’10 video game cover boy hauled in a 22-yard scoring pass from Kurt Warner in Arizona’s 31-17 win over host Jacksonville. Fitzgerald finished with four catches for 34 yards in the win. Gerald Hayes, Arizona Cardinals linebacker: Hayes was a stabilizing force in Arizona’s defense during their 31-17 win at Jacksonville. Hayes finished with three tackles and assisted the defense in holding the Jaguars to 92 yards rushing. LaRod Stephens-Howling, Arizona Cardinals kick returner: The rookie finished with 14 yards rushing on two carries and added 25 yards worth of kick return yardage. Shawntae Spencer, San Francisco 49ers cornerback: Spencer is fast becoming a force in San Francisco’s secondary. Spencer finished with two tackles in their 23-10 win over Seattle and helped hold the Seahawks to 224 yards passing. Andy Lee, San Francisco 49ers punter: Lee kept Seattle’s offense pinned deep all day Sunday. The sixth-year punter averaged 40 yards per punt on six boots in Sunday’s 23-10 over the Seahawks. LeSean McCoy, Philadelphia Eagles running back: Shady made things happen Sunday when he touched the ball in Philadelphia’s 48-22 loss to the New Orleans Saints. McCoy finished with 18 yards on three carries and added 37 yards receiving on four receptions. Posted on September 11th, 2009 by AdminWhen Dave Wannstedt took over the reins of the Pitt program from Walt Harris, he made it a priority to make the Panthers a more physical football team on both sides of the line of scrimmage. Five years later, the Panthers calling card can now be described as being a tough, strong squad, not the aerial circus Harris constructed that at times could be construed as soft. It is obvious that the days of watching Rod Rutherford and Tyler Palko firing 40 plus passes a game is long gone. As entertaining as the 2000-06 Panthers were to their fans, they lacked a physicality that could close games out in the fourth quarter (see the 2006 Connecticut contest, a heartbreaking 46-45 loss in double overtime). The growing pains endured by the program have been evident as Wannstedt worked to transform the Panthers into a strong and physical outfit. Offenses such as Notre Dame, West Virginia, Louisville and Michigan State routinely rolled up 250 plus yards rushing against the Panthers defense in 2005 and 2006. But the talent Wannstedt recruited along the defensive and offensive fronts began to bear fruit. Pitt’s defensive line began to take control of games in 2007 and throughout 2008. Players such as Jabaal Sheard and Greg Romeus were pillaging pass pockets from their defensive end positions while tackles Rashaad Duncan, Mick Williams and Gus Mustakas stood firm against the run. Offensive linemen such as Jeff Otah, Jason Pinkston and John Malecki paved the way for a strong ground game and helped make running back LeSean McCoy a high draft pick with the Philadelphia Eagles. Playing solid defense and using a punishing ground game is now the Panthers recipe for success. That formula helped spring back-to-back wins over the rival Mountaineers and victories over South Florida, Connecticut and Notre Dame last season. Yes, many believe Pitt’s offense may be too vanilla and the defense does not blitz enough to the liking of some. But controlling the clock on offense and pressuring the passer with only your four down linemen is how Wannstedt wants to win. It worked last year to the tune of a 1,488 yards rushing, 21 touchdown season, 33 sacks by the defense and most importantly, nine wins. More is expected this season, even with the losses of McCoy and All-American Linebacker Scott McKillop to the NFL. The culture has been established with strong fronts on both sides of the ball. Freshman running back Dion Lewis ran for 129 yards, two scores in last week’s 38-3 win over Youngstown State; has the look of a performer who can carry the load on his muscular 5-foot 8, 195 pound frame. The defense garnered six sacks and appears ready to live up to preseason expectations.  Pitt RB Dion Lewis The formula that Wannstedt and his staff developed has a proven track record. His Miami Dolphins won 30 games between 2000 and 2003 using a Ricky Williams-led offense and punishing defense. Other college teams rode the running game/defense formula to national prominence. The 1986 Penn State Nittany Lions, 1992 Alabama Crimson Tide and more recently, 2002 Ohio State Buckeyes all had great running games and rock-hard defenses. Each won national titles using this recipe against the more flashy Miami Hurricanes. There is precedent for the Panthers to follow. The transformation appears close to completion and for coach Wannstedt, the table appears to be set. Posted on July 2nd, 2009 by pantherPitt Panthers in the NFL
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