Pitt bumbles way to loss against Western Michigan
Pat Narduzzi and Kenny Pickett offered the obligatory praise for Western Michigan, and it was undeniably well deserved. Yet, on this day, it was not the point. Not even close. After Pitt (2-1) stumbled to a 44-41 loss Saturday before an announced crowd of 40,581 at Heinz Field, some of...
Former Pitt coach, Steelers assistant Carl DePasqua dies at 93
Carl A. DePasqua, who scouted Joe Greene for the Pittsburgh Steelers, recruited Dave Wannstedt to Pitt and coached the Panthers for four years before the arrival of Johnny Majors, died Wednesday in Mt. Lebanon. He was 93. Born in Williamsport, DePasqua was a three-sport athlete at Williamsport High School (football,...
Pitt Take 5: Panthers hold a pair of 8s as they prepare for Western Michigan
Western Michigan coach Tim Lester wants to know what’s up with the No. 8 in Pittsburgh. Every time he flipped on the video machine to prepare for his team’s game against Pitt on Saturday at Heinz Field, No. 8 jerseys were going in both directions — quarterback Kenny Pickett throwing...
Pitt basketball set to open ACC play Dec. 3 at Virginia
After seven nonconference games, Pitt will open its ninth season in the ACC on Dec. 3 at Virginia. The entire Pitt men’s basketball schedule was released Thursday night on the ACC Network. The Panthers’ final home game March 1 will be a historic event — Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski’s final...
New Ken resident, Shady Side Academy grad Moore eager for return to Pittsburgh with W. Michigan
Skyy Moore found out early in his freshman year at Western Michigan that the Broncos would be making the trip to Pittsburgh to play Pitt at Heinz Field. “I was super excited to know I was going home to play,” said Moore, a New Kensington native and 2019 Shady Side...
Pat Narduzzi interviewed Western Michigan coach Tim Lester for Pitt offensive coordinator job in 2017
The conversation started as a job interview, but it ended with two coaches “talking ball,” according to Western Michigan coach Tim Lester. Pitt was looking for an offensive coordinator when Matt Canada left after the 2016 season, and one of the candidates to replace him was Lester, then the quarterbacks...
‘U mad, bro?’: Steelers fans want more faith; Pitt fans want more coverage; Pirates fans want more wins
The Steelers season is just starting. The Pirates season is finally ending. Pitt’s fan base is starting to wake up. And the emotions from all sides are equally raw. That’s abundantly clear in this week’s “U mad, bro?”. After their win Sunday over the Buffalo Bills, this Twitter follower remained...
First Call: Kevin Colbert may be scouting QB prospect; ex-Steeler signs with Bengals; Dan Marino’s milestone
The Steelers may already be scouting a quarterback for next year’s draft. The Bengals have signed a former Steelers free agent. The Raiders Maxx Crosby raised eyebrows with his performance Monday night against the Baltimore Ravens. And we celebrate a Pitt football legend’s birthday. All of this in today’s First...
Ex-Pitt players Therran Coleman, Bricen Garner switch sides as Western Michigan comes to town
Therran Coleman and Bricen Garner are in agreement. They won’t walk onto the grass in Heinz Field’s south end zone (the one in front of Pitt’s student section) and try to relive history, even in their minds. “We’re past that,” Coleman said. “I’m looking to make new moments.” “I’m going...
Strong bonds, improving numbers part of Pitt receiver Taysir Mack’s seasonVideo
Prioritizing the importance of blocking for a teammate is one way position coach Brennan Marion builds solidarity among Pitt’s wide receivers. “If you love the guy, you’ll fight for him,” Marion, a Greensburg Salem graduate, told reporters Wednesday after the second day of practice in preparation for Saturday’s game against...
Thanks to parents’ Army background, Pitt linebacker SirVocea Dennis grows into leader
A year ago, SirVocea Dennis survived his sophomore season at Pitt — conquered it, really — recording 14½ tackles for a loss while earning third-team All-ACC honors at outside linebacker. Then, coaches came to him and said, “‘OK, you showed you can handle the outside. Now, we’re moving you to...
Pitt’s Pat Narduzzi hopes lack of traditional TV coverage will increase attendance Saturday at Heinz Field
Among those concerns giving Pat Narduzzi the most angst this week, the lack of traditional TV coverage for Pitt’s game against Western Michigan on Saturday is far down the list. But he did use the occasion to make a plea for a bigger crowd at Heinz Field. The old excuse,...
Do Pitt’s signs of maturity in 2-0 start signal success for 2021?
Midway through a four-game nonconference season that looked soft enough for Pitt to handle, the Panthers are handling it. But what does it mean? Pitt has scored 92 points, tied with the 2009 and 2014 teams for the largest offensive output in the first two games since 1988. That year,...
Kenny Pickett, Pitt win critical moments, game at Tennessee
After Pitt’s 41-34 victory against Tennessee, Pat Narduzzi looked to the heavens. Maybe he knew that what happened Saturday in front of 82,203 people in Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tenn., was based nearly as much on good fortune as good football. But — make no mistake — there was plenty...
Pitt basketball assistant Milan Brown promoted to associate head coach
With his three top assistants returning to Pitt for a fourth consecutive season, coach Jeff Capel on Friday announced that Milan Brown has been promoted to associate head coach. Brown has more than 25 years of coaching experience, including 12 seasons as a head coach at Holy Cross (2010-15) and...
Pitt Take 5: Can one game in September set tone for the season?
There is an argument to be made that Pitt’s game Saturday at Tennessee could set the tone for the season. A victory, even against a second-tier SEC team, might get people talking and cause them to pay attention to the events at Heinz Field when Pitt is playing. A loss...
Ex-Pitt tackle Brian O’Neill reaches out to Pat Narduzzi after signing $92.5M contractVideo
Pat Narduzzi’s check list for Saturday’s game against Tennessee in Knoxville, Tenn., included: • Helping his players deal with the expected noise from nearly 100,000 people at Neyland Stadium so Pitt can run its offense properly and no snaps will sail over the unsuspecting quarterback’s head. • Handling the speed...
ACC wide open after league’s disappointing opening week
The Atlantic Coast Conference crown seems up for grabs after the league’s disappointing opening week performance. Its three preseason ranked teams all lost as the league went 7-7, a dent to a conference eager to show that it’s more than just Clemson at the top. The Tigers, who started at...
Former Pitt linebacker Troy Benson remembers the day his roommate tackled Reggie White
Linebacker Troy Benson said he recorded a barely believable 23 tackles in Pitt’s 13-3 victory against Tennessee in 1983. But it was a tackle — of sorts — a Pitt offensive lineman made that remains one of Benson’s most vivid memories of that game, the last between Pitt and Tennessee...
Former Pitt coach Jackie Sherrill eager to return to Tennessee’s noisy Neyland Stadium
In a football sense, Jackie Sherrill grew up at the knee of Bear Bryant. His cradle was the SEC. He played fullback and linebacker from 1962-65, before serving as a graduate assistant for the legendary Alabama coach in 1966. When Sherrill walks into Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tenn., on Saturday...
Linebacker Phil Campbell III says Pitt keeping egos in check
Back in Kendall Park, N.J., Phil Campbell III compiled a long list of honors that demand too much time and space to chronicle here. MSG New Jersey Player of the Year was just one. Campbell rushed for 848 yards and 14 touchdowns and recorded 110 tackles during his senior season...
Tim Benz: Twitter shame-police are making me defend Notre Dame’s Brian Kelly
So it’s come to this. Twitter has fallen so deep into the ninth circle of hell that it has forced me to side with the head coach of Notre Dame football. And, yes, that head coach is still Brian Kelly. I need a shower and I haven’t even gotten to...
Pitt notebook: Pat Narduzzi seeks more consistency from kicking game
Walk-on Sam Scarton was awarded the first opportunity to kick field goals and extra points, and Ben Sauls handled kickoffs in the opener. But it doesn’t appear Pitt coach Pat Narduzzi is satisfied with his kicking game. “Ben Sauls did a good job. First one he knocks out (for a...
Despite the big victory, Pitt has plenty of work to doVideo
When speaking to reporters and his team this week, Pat Narduzzi will choose his words carefully. He wants everyone to know more good news than bad surfaced after video review of Pitt’s 51-7 victory last Saturday against a weak UMass team, but he also doesn’t want to give the impression...
Pitt notebook: John Petrishen carves out spot on defense by combining skills of linebacker, safety
John Petrishen put Pitt’s 51-7 victory against UMass into terms anyone locked inside training camp for a month can appreciate. “We were waiting to hit somebody else,” he said. After Pitt players collided only with teammates almost every day since early August, there was a game to play Saturday and...
