The first rule of Pitt football is to love the game. The second rule of Pitt football is to love the school. Just ask Rushel Shell. This week when Shell asked to be reinstated to the program after a change of heart coach Paul Chryst and his staff decided they no longer needed him. Shell, a Pittsburgh native, requested a transfer to UCLA only to change his mind to stay close to family. The words Pitt Panther football and mediocre are one in the same. Over the past decade, the Panthers have ... Read More
Thomas Mayo embracing new opportunity in the NFL
Last season, Thomas Mayo had an opportunity to go from Cal U and make the Oakland Raiders' squad. Unfortunately he was released when the preseason came. After a brief stint in the Arena Football League, Mayo, again, finds himself on an NFL roster, this time with the New York Jets. Mayo was picked up by the Jets back in March, but was waived by the team in the beginning of May. Five days later, he was re-signed and has been working out with the team all summer. On his Twitter handle, Mayo ... 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
What’s next for Rushel Shell?
A year ago at this time, the future looked so bright for then Pitt freshman running back Rushel Shell. In the last calendar year though, very few would have predicted Shell's fall from grace from can't miss prospect to a player that's currently simply looking for a place to play next season. In the past two days, we have found out that UCLA is no longer an option for Shell and the door he hoped would be open for a return to Pitt was slammed shut in his face. That begs the question of what's ... 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
Bill O’Brien’s pay raise is justifiable
For a little over a year now, Penn State University has been under heavy scrutiny after the Jerry Sandusky child sex-abuse scandal. People were withholding information, most notably, legendary head coach, Joe Paterno, who passed away in early 2012. Somebody had to take the reins after Paterno was at the helm for 46 seasons. That somebody was Bill O’Brien who just got a pay raise of close to $1 million. O’Brien’s deal could be worth $3.2 million dollars after compensation from all the radio ... 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
Washington & Jefferson, Waynesburg featured in Top 25 Preseason Poll
The Sporting News College Football has released its 2013 Division III College Football Preseason Poll and two of our local football squads have found their way on it. Washington & Jefferson landed the number 19 spot on the list. Last season the President's finished 8-3 and took home a share of the PAC title. They earned an automatic bid into the NCAA tournament but fell early in the first round. W&J is returning some big players, including wideout Alex Baroffio. Baroffio had 78 ... Read More