New Pitt head coach Pat Narduzzi addressed the crowd at a Pitt basketball game last week and promised the Panthers would be a tough team under his watch. “We will play tough and we will practice tough,” Narduzzi said. When you think about toughness, a lot of people immediately think about defense, which means that new defensive coordinator Josh Conklin is going to have the tough assignment of making this Panthers defense a very tough one to play against. Narduzzi’s decision to hire ... Read More
Pitt’s Pat Narduzzi must make quarterback depth a priority
For the Pitt football program to turn things around in the near future, one thing that new Pitt head coach Pat Narduzzi is going to have to accomplish is finding a legitimate big time quarterback. For now though Narduzzi will likely settle for any quarterback. As it stands now, the Panthers will extremely thin at the position next season behind starter Chad Voytik, after what has seemed to be a revolving door at the position the past couple of days. Alex Hornibrook de-committed from Pitt on ... Read More
Aaron Donald named PFWA Rookie of the Year
If the past calendar year is any indication, former Pitt Panthers’ defensive lineman Aaron Donald is going to need a bigger trophy case. Donald was named the Pro Football Writers of America 2014 Defensive Rookie of the Year and a member of the All-Rookie team on Tuesday. He is also the likely favorite to take home the official Defensive Rookie of the Year award from the Associated Press at the NFL honors presentation on Jan. 31. Donald led all rookies with nine sacks this past season ... Read More
Arkansas’ Jim Chaney reportedly to be named Pitt offensive coordinator
New Pitt head coach Pat Narduzzi said on Saturday that he was close to finding his offensive coordinator. According to reports he has and that man is Arkansas Razorbacks offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Jim Chaney, as according to reports he will be announced as the Panthers new OC. Narduzzi said that he is looking not only for a good football coach to lead the offense, but the right person as well. Apparently Chaney meets all of Narduzzi’s qualifications. “I’m looking ... Read More
Former Pitt OT Ruben Brown elected to College Football Hall of Fame
In the early 1990's, Ruben Brown came to the University of Pittsburgh as a defensive lineman. Who would have known back then that a switch to the offensive side of the ball would have paid off in the fashion that it did? Brown got a phone call this week from Pitt executive associate athletic director E.J. Borghetti informing him that he was part of the 2015 College Football Hall of Fame Class. “This honor goes well beyond me,” Brown said. “Everyone at Pitt shares this recognition. I’m ... Read More
Adonis Jennings to transfer from Pitt
After the Pat Narduzzi hiring, there has been a lot of positive energy surrounding the Pitt Panthers football program the past couple of weeks. However the Panthers got a bit of negative news on Friday when they found out that wide receiver Adonis Jennings is leaving the program. Jennings, a four-star recruit, and a guy who likely could have played a big role in the Panthers offense net season, announced on his Instagram account Friday night his intentions to transfer from Pitt. “I’d ... Read More
Pat Narduzzi makes first hires to coaching staff
New Pitt football head coach Pat Narduzzi said that he wanted to assemble his coaching staff rather quickly after taking over as the Panthers head man. The past few days he has made strides in assembling that staff. Narduzzi has filled the role of defensive coordinator with the hiring of Florida International defensive coordinator Josh Conklin. Conklin has been Florida International’s defensive coordinator the past two seasons and is regarded as one of the nation's brightest young ... Read More
The House That Franklin Will Rebuild
Penn State’s past as a football powerhouse may be over, but a new era is coming. After the House that Paterno built crumbled in 2012, critics and fans alike made their own conclusions about whether or not the legendary football program would or even could ever claw its way back to its former glory. The program found some stability in Bill O’Brien, but then he abruptly left at the end of 2013, just two years into his tenure, and sent the university, which was accustomed to one man holding the ... Read More
He’s Ficken Here: Penn State Kicker Ends Illustrious Career
Sam Ficken is Penn State’s man of the hour, just like he has been for the last five months. It all started with his game-winning 36-yard field goal against UCF in Dublin, Ireland, at the Croke Park Classic and it ended with his game-winning extra point attempt (after tying the game on a 44-yard field goal with 20 seconds left in regulation) against Boston College in the New Era Pinstripe bowl at Yankee Stadium. Walk-off wins, which bookended his senior season, seem to have become Ficken’s ... Read More
Pitt the bed: There’s silver lining in bowl collapse
With the Pitt Panthers holding a commanding 31-6 fourth-quarter lead in the Armed Forces Bowl against the Houston Cougars, incoming head coach Pat Narduzzi certainly had to be pleased with what he saw from the team he was set to take over. After all, the Panthers had charged out to that seemingly insurmountable lead by dominating the Cougars for three quarters, and looked assured of a win that would not only give the Panthers their second consecutive bowl win, but positive momentum to start ... Read More