NEXT PANTHERS GAMEDAY:Signing DayFebruary 3rd 2010 Buy Pitt Tickets  
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 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 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 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 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. 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. 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 24th, 2009 by David WhipkeyBy David Whipkey In what was their most complete performance of the season, the Pitt Panthers demolished South Florida 41-14 Saturday afternoon at Heinz Field. Pitt’s offense rolled up 486 yards against a Bulls defense that appeared deflated after last week’s loss to No. 5 Cincinnati. The Panthers scored on all five of their first half possessions and were never seriously threatened all afternoon long. Panthers quarterback Bill Stull had another fine performance. The senior completed 18 of 25 throws for 245 yards and two touchdowns and one interception. He completed his first 11 throws and was not sacked. Freshman Dion Lewis spearheaded a ground game that consumed 214 yards of real estate. Lewis rushed for 111 yards on 23 carries. Fellow freshman Ray Graham added 88 yards on 11 totes. Sophomore receiver Jonathan Baldwin continues to improve on a weekly basis. His six catch, 144-yard, one touchdown performance thrilled the Homecoming crowd. Tight end Dorin Dickerson notched his ninth touchdown of the season, a five-yard toss from backup quarterback Tino Sunseri, in the fourth quarter. Pitt’s defense picked up five sacks of South Florida quarterbacks. B.J. Daniels was dumped to the turf twice while backup signal caller Evan Landi was sacked three times in the fourth quarter. Aaron Berry, Elijah Fields and Antwuan Reed each had interceptions. The Panthers struck first when Stull ended an 80-yard march with a two-yard scoring toss to tight end Mike Cruz. Pitt made it 14-0 in the first quarter when Stull found Baldwin for a 40-yard scoring strike. South Florida responded in the second when Daniels engineered an 80-yard drive that was capped by Mike Ford’s four-yard touchdown run which cut Pitt’s lead to 14-7. But it was all Panthers from the midway point of the second quarter. Lewis ended a five-play, 68-yard drive with his first one-yard touchdown on the day, pushing Pitt’s lead to 21-7 midway through the second. Dan Hutchins’ 36-yard field goal added three points and the rout was on. Pitt’s next possession ended in another score. Lewis capped the 54-yard march with his second one-yard touchdown plunge, increasing the Panthers lead to 31-7. Hutchins added a 32-yard field goal late in the third before Sunseri hooked up with Dickerson for a nine-yard score in the fourth quarter. South Florida added a window-dressing touchdown late in the game when Landi found Dontavia Bogan in the end zone from 20-yards out. Pitt is off until a Nov. 7 home contest against Syracuse. Pitt’s win gave the Panthers their first 7-1 start since the 1982 season and also clinched a bowl berth for the second year in a row. 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 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 October 3rd, 2009 by David WhipkeyBy David Whipkey And now, Panther Nation can take a deep breath and step back from the ledge. Pitt overcame several penalties and missed opportunities to subdue Louisville 35-10 Friday night at Papa Johns Stadium in the Big East opener for both squads. Panthers quarterback Bill Stull continues to impress this season. The senior finished with 16 completions in 23 attempts for 242 yards and three scoring passes. Stull’s main target was super sophomore receiver Jonathan Baldwin. The Beaver County product scorched Louisville’s secondary for 105 yards receiving on four catches. His 71 yard touchdown catch of a Stull pass midway through the third quarter helped put the Cardinals away. Tight end Dorin Dickerson finished with five catches for 50 yards. The senior gathered in Stull’s perfectly thrown rainbow for a 37-yard touchdown pass and a 14-10 lead early in the third quarter. Dickerson also started the scoring for Pitt in the first quarter when he pulled in a tipped pass in the end zone for a five-yard touchdown reception. Pitt’s running game also kicked it into high gear. The freshman duo of Dion Lewis and Ray Graham combined for 162 yards on 33 carries. Graham’s five yard scoring run with 8:47 remaining in the contest gave Pitt a 28-10 advantage. Fullback Henry Hynoski , who spent most of the evening plowing holes for Panther running backs or assisting in pass protection, finished the scoring for Pitt with a three-yard touchdown run late in the game. After permitting 500 plus total yards and 38 points in last week’s loss at North Carolina State, the Pitt defense clamped down and applied a vice to the Cardinals offense. The Panthers permitted only 101 yards rushing on 37 carries, a 2.2 yard per carry average. Pitt’s defense also got after quarterback Adam Froman, who was starting in place of an injured Justin Burke. Froman finished with 18 completions on 30 attempts for 166 yards. Defensive end Greg Romeus enjoyed a monster night in the trenches. The junior announced his presence by sacking Froman three times. Pitt finished with six sacks on the night, giving them 22 sacks in four games. Safety Dom DeCicco finished with eight total tackles and one pass break up. Defensive tackle Gus Mustakas recovered a Froman fumble on the Pitt 29 early in the third quarter, which set the stage for Stull’s 71-yard scoring strike to Baldwin on the next play. Louisville (1-3, 0-1) got off to a good start before a sellout home crowd. Fullback Joe Tronzo capped an eight-play 73 yard drive with a one-yard scoring plunge. The Cardinals took a 10-7 halftime lead when kicker Ryan Payne made a 32-yard field goal, which climaxed a 69-yard march. But the Panthers came out of the halftime locker room and took over the contest with 28 straight points. The Panthers return home next week for a Saturday date with Connecticut at Heinz Field. |
 
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