Those hoping that freshman quarterback Tra'Von Chapman would have a positive impact on the Pitt football team for the next four years may want to think again. Panthers' head coach Paul Chryst announced on Friday that the youngster has been dismissed from the team. Chapman was one of the prized recruits of the Class of 2013, but spent three days in jail last month after pleading guilty to an April assault on a former girlfriend in Kent, Ohio. “We believe it is in everyone's best interest ... Read More
Pitt tabs Savage as starting quarterback
The much anticipated quarterback competition that was supposed to take place during camp for the Pitt Panthers didn't turn into much of a competition after all. Tom Savage has been named the starting quarterback for the 2013 season, Pitt head coach Paul Chryst told reporters after practice Wednesday. Savage, who is in his final season of eligibility after transferring twice, beat out redshirt freshman Chad Voytik for the job and will be under center when the Panthers kickoff their ... Read More
Pitt’s Todd Thomas leaves team
The Pitt Panthers began training camp on Tuesday and it didn't take very long for the first major storyline to emerge. Pitt head coach Paul Chryst surprisingly announced on Wednesday that linebacker Todd Thomas has left the Panthers. Chryst was apparently sending a message Thomas' way on Tuesday when he made it known that redshirt freshman and Woodland Hills product Mike Caprara had begun camp ahead of Thomas, a redshirt junior, on the depth chart. If the move was to motivate Thomas, it ... Read More
Did Pitt make the right call with Rushel Shell?
Pitt head coach Paul Chryst was faced with a difficult decision on Monday when he elected to not allow former Panthers running back Rushel Shell to return to school, after Shell elected to not to transfer to UCLA. While the Shell saga is apparently now closed as it relates to the Panthers, only one question is left unanswered- did Chryst make the right decision? Naturally there are two schools of thought on this situation. The first is in regards to allowing Shell to ... Read More
Rushel Shell not allowed to return to Pitt
Apparently the crazy saga that is Rushel Shell's collegiate football career has finally come to a conclusion, at least as it regards the Pitt Panthers. Just one day after expressing his desire to return to Pitt, Shell won't get the chance as he found out today that the University has no intentions of allowing him to return. As I reported on Sunday, Shell had a change of heart and elected not to transfer to UCLA after all and expressed an interest in returning to Pitt, where he would have ... Read More
Is Rushel Shell interested in returning to Pitt?
The saga that led to former Pitt running back and Hopewell native Rushel Shell transferring from his hometown Pitt Panthers to UCLA was a bit bizarre to say the least. However if the situation was bizarre before, it just got a little more crazy. According to a couple of reports, Shell is interested in returning to Pitt. That's not a typo. Apparently the WPIAL's all-time leading rusher, the guy who was supposed to be the Panthers featured back for the next two or three years has expressed ... Read More
Panthers land 3 for class of 2014
The only way Paul Chryst and the Pitt Panthers will ever consistently compete in the ACC is to continuously improve in terms of recruiting. The Panthers came away with a very nice 2013 class and Chryst has wasted little time in beginning to assemble a nice class for the following year, by adding three nice pieces over the course of the past two days. Pitt received verbal commitments Tuesday from quarterback Adam Bertke, a two-time state champion at Marion Local (Ohio) High School, and ... Read More
Pitt Panthers Notebook: Devin Street takes on leadership role and more
With it being the slowest time of year in terms of Pitt athletics- that time of year before summer camp for the football team and before Jamie Dixon’s basketball team even thinks of getting started- now is a great time to unveil my weekly Pitt Panthers notebook, recapping the week in Pitt athletics. With that being said, let's not waste any time and look at Pitt wide receiver Devin Street, who could be taking on a new leadership role with the team this season. One problem with having Tino ... Read More
Chad Voytik, Isaac Bennett open up eyes during Pitt spring game
Many people feel that is a forgone conclusion that Tom Savage will be under center when the Pitt Panthers open up the 2013 season at Heinz Field against Florida State. Apparently Chad Voytik didn’t get the memo. Pitt head coach Paul Chryst has insisted that the quarterback battle is still wide open and if Friday night's spring game is any indication, Voytik could find himself right in the mix for the job. The redshirt freshman completed 27-of-33 passes for 358 yards and three scores ... Read More
Opportunity is knocking on the door of Pitt’s Isaac Bennett and Malcolm Crockett
It is always said that opportunities don't come that often, but when they do you have to be ready to take advantage of them. That's the case for Pitt running backs Isaac Bennett (junior) and Malcolm Crockett (redshirt sophomore), who suddenly have been presented with a golden opportunity to emerge as the feature back in Paul Chryst's offense. With the transfer of Rushel Shell, Bennett and Crockett have risen to No.1 and 2 on the current Panthers' depth chart as spring practice ... Read More