2009 Pittsburgh Panthers football team
Encyclopedia
The 2009 Pittsburgh Panthers football team represented the University of Pittsburgh
in the 2009 NCAA Division I FBS football season
. The season was the fifth under head coach
Dave Wannstedt
. The 2009 season marked the team's ninth at Heinz Field
and the University's 120th season overall. The 2009 season saw the introduction of a new offensive coordinator, Frank Cignetti, Jr. Pitt got off to a 9-1 start with impressive wins over Navy, Notre Dame for the second consecutive year, and Rutgers for the first time since 2004. Pitt was ranked number 9 in the AP and BCS polls and was off to its best start since 1982. However, Pitt lost the final two regular season games, including a last second loss by a field goal at West Virginia and a one-point loss at home for the Big East championship to undefeated Cincinnati, to finish the regular season at 9-3 (5-2 Big East) for the second consecutive year. The Panthers rebounded by winning the Meineke Car Care Bowl
over North Carolina, 19-17, to achieve its first ten-win season since 1981. Pitt ranked number fifteen in the final 2009 AP rankings with a 10-3 record. In addition, Pitt players garnered many post-season accolades in 2009, including Big East Offensive Player and Rookie of the Year in Dion Lewis
, and Big East Co-Defensive Players of the Year in Mick Williams and Greg Romeus
.
, their first preseason ranking since 2003
. However, the Panthers lost their opening game at home to a lowly-regarded Bowling Green team
that finished 2008 with a 6–6 record and without a bowl
invitation and saw their coach fired the day after their last game. However, the Panthers seemed unfazed by their opening-game defeat and went on to win five straight games, including a home win against Iowa
and a road win on a Thursday night at then-#10 South Florida
, who later finished the regular season 7–5 and unranked. The win at South Florida vaulted the Panthers back into the polls, but their stay was short-lived when, two weeks later, they lost at home to a then-1–5 Rutgers team
, whose win over the Panthers was the beginning of a run that saw the Scarlet Knights finish 8–5. Quarterback Bill Stull
suffered a concussion in the Rutgers loss was forced to sit out the Panthers next game, a 36–33 road win over Notre Dame
in which the Panthers, led by quarterback Pat Bostick and running back LeSean McCoy
, came back from a 17–3 halftime deficit. The Panthers followed up their victory over Notre Dame with a 41–7 victory over Louisville
. The Panthers lost their next game on the road to league-leading #19 Cincinnati
, who indeed went on to win their first Big East championship in football. The Panthers closed out the regular season with two victories, a 19–15 win at home against West Virginia
and a 34–10 road victory over Connecticut
. Immediately following the Panthers' victory over the Huskies, bowl officials were on hand to invite the Panthers to the 2008 Sun Bowl
, where the Panthers faced Oregon State
in El Paso
on December 31. Both teams struggled offensively in the game, and the Panthers were shut out for the first time in 12 years, falling to the Beavers 3–0.
, it was made public that offensive coordinator
Matt Cavanaugh
would be leaving the Panthers to again pursue a career in the NFL
. Cavanaugh's move to the Jets to become their new quarterbacks coach
was not officially announced until February 9. The Panthers took only two weeks to find their new offensive coordinator, Frank Cignetti, Jr. Cignetti took a pay cut by accepting the offer from Pitt, but he cited the local cost of living and proximity to his own and his wife's families as major reasons for leaving California
for Pitt. Cignetti has a reputation for developing quarterbacks and will be expected to do the same at Pitt where senior Bill Stull, Pitt's returning starter, and the passing game increasingly struggled down the stretch last season. The other primary candidates for the Panthers' offensive coordinator position were former Panthers head coach Walt Harris
and New York Jets
wide receivers coach
Noel Mazzone
.
Linebacker Adam Gunn was granted a sixth year of eligibility by the NCAA and will play in 2009, medical clearance pending. He was injured in the 3rd quarter of the 2008 season opener against Bowling Green when he collided with fellow linebacker Scott McKillop. Shane Murray, who was injured during the preseason in August 2008 and started at linebacker along with Gunn in 2007, will also be back with the Panthers in 2009. The returns of Gunn and Murray from injuries and Greg Williams, who started in place of Gunn in 2008, give the Panthers a stable of experienced linebackers headed into the 2009 season.
The NCAA
released the 2009 Academic Progress Rate
(APR) scores, which measure "a school's ability to retain its athletes and keep them eligible from semester to semester," on May 7. The 2009 scores are data from the 2004–05 to 2007–08 academic years. The Panthers football team finished with the fifth best APR scores in the 8-team Big East, with a score of 944 out of a possible 1,000.
on national signing day. The Panthers also added one player who is not designated as a recruit, tight end Andrew Devlin, who transferred to Pitt in May and had been recruited by Coaches Wannstedt and Gattuso two years earlier in 2007 when had initially decided to play for the Virginia Cavaliers
. He chose to transfer to Pitt after a change in offensive scheme would have forced him to change position to defensive with the Cavaliers.
Half of the Panthers new signees played high school football in Pennsylvania
, and nine of those ten players were first-team all-state selections in 2008. The Panthers were expected to bring in players to add depth to the team – not necessarily an instant impact in 2009 – because the Panthers are no longer a struggling team in need of immediate performers. After signing day this class was not rated as a star-studded class that would be expected to provide an instant impact, but many of the players are viewed as players able to significantly contribute in the future. The players most expected to make an impact in the future are wide receiver
Todd Thomas, tight end
Brock DeCicco, running back
Raymond Graham and linebacker
s Shane Gordon and Dan Mason. As of February 5, the 2009 recruiting class was ranked as the 47th best class nationally by Rivals.com
– much lower than previous Wannstedt recruiting classes – and 28th best by Scout.com
. Dave Wannstedt dismissed the criticism of his recruiting class as the low reviews of his class were a result of the low number of scholarships that the Panthers were able to offer due to the low number of graduating Pitt seniors in 2008 as well as a down year for high school seniors in western Pennsylvania
.
The annual Blue-Gold game, the final scrimmage of spring camp, was played at Heinz Field on April 11. The University wanted to make it into a more appealing event for families and casual fans. As a result, they created various programs at the game, which was titled the "Pitt Spring Football Festival" in order to emphasize the various activities, which included a series of 20-minute "chalk talks" with coaches Wannstedt, Cignetti, and Bennett; an autograph session with former Panthers who went on to the NFL
; and on-field drills with current players. Total attendance for the event was announced at 6,160.
As expected, the defense controlled most of the play throughout, defeating the offense 54–23, using a modified scoring system. The offense scored only one touchdown, a 54-yard, play-action pass from Bill Stull to Jonathan Baldwin
. Bill Stull was the most effective of all the quarterbacks, going 12 of 17 for 132 yards with the touchdown and an interception. Freshman Dion Lewis
, who enrolled early in January 2009, led the offense on the ground with thirty-four yards on twelve attempts. The defense, after allowing a touchdown and a field goal on the offense's first and second possessions, respectively, finished with three interceptions and six sacks the rest of the way and didn't allow the offense to score again. The defense held the offense to a net of sixteen rushing yards on thirty-seven carries. The game was broadcast live locally on WPCW
in Pittsburgh and was replayed nationally on April 18 on the NFL Network
.
The Ed Conway Award, which is given to the most improved players of the spring, was co-awarded to quarterback Pat Bostick and linebacker Max Gruder prior to the Blue-Gold Game.
and driving while intoxicated
, his second DWI in under ten months. According to a statement issued by coach Wannstedt, both Porter and Duhart plan to transfer
elsewhere.
A criminal complaint was filed against sophomore wide receiver and Aliquippa native Jonathan Baldwin on April 19, a day after the incident, in which Baldwin was charged with "indecent assault, harassment and disorderly conduct" following an incident with a female on a university-owned bus. Later in a non-jury trial in January, 2010, Baldwin was found not guilty on all charges.
Sixth year senior Adam Gunn, who only weeks earlier had been granted a sixth year of eligibility by the NCAA, was arrested in an incident that also involved former Panther Austin Ransom following an incident outside of a Pittsburgh night club. As a result of the charges against him – "misdemeanor charges of resisting arrest and failure to disperse, as well as summary offenses of disorderly conduct and public drunkenness" – Gunn was suspended from the team indefinitely pending the result of his hearing. All charges against Gunn were withdrawn at his preliminary hearing on June 16. According to Gunn's attorney, all charges were withdrawn due to the fact that "he employed no weapons, assaulted nobody and simply attempted to flee the scene".
:
Mackey Award:
Jim Thorpe Award
:
ranked the Panthers at #23. The Sporting News picked the Panthers to win the conference, but Athlon Sports, who left the Panthers out of their early rankings, project the them to finish in fourth place. The Congrove Computer Rankings, a computer program that determines a team's ranking based upon projected regular season results, ranked the Panthers at #12 and predicted an 11–1 regular season record. The Panthers began the season unranked and just outside of the Top 25 in both the AP Poll
and Coaches Poll
.
The Panthers found themselves in the "others receiving votes" category of the major polls throughout the first half of the season, and they officially moved into the Top 25 rankings in all four of the major polls following their October 16 victory at Rutgers. The Panthers climbed several move positions in each poll the following week as a result of their victory over South Florida.
Notes
, Connecticut
, South Florida
, and Syracuse
; the away games include West Virginia
, Louisville
, and Rutgers
. The Panthers nonconference games had been scheduled well in advance of the 2009 season, but the conference games took longer to schedule due to the difficulty some Big East teams had when trying to schedule their own nonconference opponents. The scheduled times for Pitt's first three games of the season were announced on July 7. A month later, on August 7, it was announced that the game against NC State
was scheduled for 3:30 pm and to be broadcast nationally by ESPNU
.
On October 26, the Syracuse game was announced as a noon kickoff for ESPNU, and on November 2, the Notre Dame
game was announced as an 8:00 p.m. prime time
telecast on ABC
.
Television broadcast notes
to take on the Bulls
, who were coming off a 23–17 Week 1 win at UTEP
, in a game that was both the Panthers' first-ever trip to Buffalo and first road game of the season. The Panthers defeated the Bulls 54–27 and took advantage of four Bulls turnovers, which led to 27 Panther points, with linebacker Greg Williams returning one fumble 50 yards for a touchdown. The Panther offense gained 381 yards and committed no turnovers. Dion Lewis had his second straight 100-yard rushing game, gaining 236 total yards and scoring two touchdowns, including an 85-yard touchdown run, and Dorin Dickerson finished with eight catches for 71 yards and three touchdowns. The Panthers' 54 points was the highest offensive output during Dave Wannstedt's tenure at Pitt, which began in 2005; it was Pitt's highest output since scoring 55 points against Temple
in 1999. However, the Bulls gained 500 yards of total offense on the day, and Buffalo quarterback Zach Maynard, who was making only his second career start, threw for 400 yards, a Buffalo record dating back to their re-ascension to Division I-A/FBS in 1999, and four touchdowns, which tied a Buffalo record during the same time, connecting with wide receiver Naaman Roosevelt
on touchdowns of 67 and 54 yards. Pitt was penalized 11 times for 119 yards. Panthers starting free safety Andrew Taglianetti, who recovered a fumble in the first quarter, left the game with a torn ACL
in his left knee and is taking a medical redshirt
for the season.
in 2008
and the Midshipmen winning 48–45 in overtime in Pittsburgh in 2007
. The 2009 meeting was much lower scoring, the Panthers coming out on top 27–14. The win saw the Panthers improve their record to 3–0, the team's best start since 2000
. The Midshipmen were expected to pass the ball with greater effectiveness under new quarterback Ricky Dobbs
, but Navy was held to 89 passing yards. Navy led the nation in rushing yards per game during the previous four seasons as well as through the first three weeks of 2009, but were held to only 129 rushing yards against the Panthers, significantly lower than their 240-yard average coming into the game. The Pitt offense was much more effective than the Midshipmen, outgaining them 369–218.
Bill Stull, who saw limited action in the second half, finished the day 17-for-24 with 245 yards through the air, including 20 to himself when he caught his own tipped pass out of the air and scrambled downfield, almost scoring a touchdown; he almost scored a touchdown on the play but turned the ball over when he fumbled and Navy recovered at their own one yard line. Stull was 12-for-14 with 189 yards and one touchdown in the first half. Dion Lewis didn't quite have the same strong statistical performance, compiling 79 yards and one touchdown on the ground, but Navy linebacker Ross Pospisil complimented Lewis after the game, saying that he "thought Dion Lewis was almost as a good as McCoy", referring to LeSean McCoy
's 156-yard, three-touchdown game against Navy in 2008. True freshman middle linebacker Dan Mason made his first start and made 11 tackles, including two sacks, which earned him Big East Defensive Player of the Week honors.
was the Panthers' first trip to Raleigh
since 1988 when the Panthers lost to the Wolfpack
, 14–3, and the first overall matchup between the schools since the 2001 Tangerine Bowl
, where the Panthers defeated the Wolfpack 34–19. Coming into the game, Pitt held a 5–2–1 advantage over NC State, dating back to the schools' first matchup in 1952.
The Panthers seized an early advantage in the game, jumping out to a 10–0 lead within the first six minutes of the game. The Panthers received the opening kickoff and were set up just across midfield after a Cameron Saddler return; the Panthers then scored the opening touchdown after only a four-play drive that was aided by a 15-yard personal foul penalty against NC State. The Wolfpack went three-and-out, and the Panthers second possession ended with a 35 yard field goal by Dan Hutchins. Going forward through the third quarter, both teams moved the ball on offense with relative ease and at which point the Panthers offense would fail to continue to produce. The teams ultimately combined for 830 total yards by the end of the game. NC State's Russell Wilson
led the way, throwing for 322 yards and four touchdowns while also rushing for 91 yards. Wilson came into the game holding the NCAA record for pass attempts without an interception, and he increased his record by not throwing an interception against the Panthers.
The Panthers had built a 14-point lead near the end of the third quarter after Bill Stull connected with Jonathan Baldwin for a 79 yard pass, but the Panthers never scored again as NC State scored three consecutive touchdowns for the 38–31 win. The Wolfpack's come-from-behind scores came on drives of 45, 83, and 71 yards.
, and the Panthers were seeking their first 7–1 start since 1982. The game was expected to be close and competitive, but the Panthers dominated throughout, winning 41–14. Pitt jumped out to a 31–7 lead by the end of the first half, in which Pitt scored on all five of its offensive possessions – four touchdowns and one field goal. Bill Stull, who finished 18 of 25 for 245 yards and two touchdown passes, wasn't sacked on the day and completed his first 11 passes of the game. Following the game, Stull gave the credit for the team's success on offense to his teammates, citing their ability to both block Bulls defenders as well as get open for passes.
Dion Lewis continued his strong freshman campaign by adding yards and two touchdowns, topping 1,000 for the season in the process.
will win the Big East Conference
and earn the conference berth in the Bowl Championship Series
, while a Pitt loss could drop the team to third in the conference if West Virginia defeats Rutgers. Pitt leads the all-time series against Cincinnati, 7–1, with the Bearcats first win coming in 2008.
of Florida
. Offensive line coach Tony Wise was also named the Offensive Line Coach of the Year by FootballScoop.com.
by the Football Writers Association of America
and CBS Sports
. Dickerson was the third All-American from Pitt in four seasons and the first All-American tight end from Pitt since Mike Ditka
in 1960
. CBS Sports also named Dion Lewis as their Freshman of the Year and a second-team All-American. Dickerson and several other teammates were also named to various other All-America teams.
of Virginia Tech
in 1999. Additionally, voting for the conference's Defensive Player of the Year award finished in a tie between the Panther duo of Mick Williams and Greg Romeus, who shared the award.
The Panthers on the all-Big East first and second teams are:
University of Pittsburgh
The University of Pittsburgh, commonly referred to as Pitt, is a state-related research university located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States. Founded as Pittsburgh Academy in 1787 on what was then the American frontier, Pitt is one of the oldest continuously chartered institutions of...
in the 2009 NCAA Division I FBS football season
2009 NCAA Division I FBS football season
The 2009 NCAA Division I FBS football season, or the college football season, began on September 2, 2009, progressed through the regular season and bowl season, and concluded with the Bowl Championship Series National Championship Game in Pasadena, California on January 7, 2010, featuring the...
. The season was the fifth under head coach
Head coach
A head coach, senior coach or manager is a professional at training and developing athletes. They typically hold a more public profile and are paid more than other coaches...
Dave Wannstedt
Dave Wannstedt
Dave Wannstedt is current Assistant Head Coach/Inside Linebackers Coach for the Buffalo Bills in the National Football League. He was most recently head coach of the University of Pittsburgh football team, a position he held for six seasons. Wannstedt is also the former head coach of the Miami...
. The 2009 season marked the team's ninth at Heinz Field
Heinz Field
Heinz Field is a stadium located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It primarily serves as the home to the Pittsburgh Steelers and University of Pittsburgh Panthers American football teams, members of the National Football League and National Collegiate Athletic Association respectively...
and the University's 120th season overall. The 2009 season saw the introduction of a new offensive coordinator, Frank Cignetti, Jr. Pitt got off to a 9-1 start with impressive wins over Navy, Notre Dame for the second consecutive year, and Rutgers for the first time since 2004. Pitt was ranked number 9 in the AP and BCS polls and was off to its best start since 1982. However, Pitt lost the final two regular season games, including a last second loss by a field goal at West Virginia and a one-point loss at home for the Big East championship to undefeated Cincinnati, to finish the regular season at 9-3 (5-2 Big East) for the second consecutive year. The Panthers rebounded by winning the Meineke Car Care Bowl
2009 Meineke Car Care Bowl
The 2009 Meineke Car Care Bowl was the eighth edition of the college football bowl game, and was played at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, North Carolina. The game started at 4:30 PM US EST on Saturday, December 26, 2009 and was telecasted on ESPN and ESPN360...
over North Carolina, 19-17, to achieve its first ten-win season since 1981. Pitt ranked number fifteen in the final 2009 AP rankings with a 10-3 record. In addition, Pitt players garnered many post-season accolades in 2009, including Big East Offensive Player and Rookie of the Year in Dion Lewis
Dion Lewis
Dion John Lewis is an American football running back for the Philadelphia Eagles of the National Football League . He was drafted by the Eagles in the fifth round of the 2011 NFL Draft...
, and Big East Co-Defensive Players of the Year in Mick Williams and Greg Romeus
Greg Romeus
Greg Romeus is an American football defensive end for the New Orleans Saints of the National Football League. He played as a defensive end for the Pittsburgh Panthers at the University of Pittsburgh. Romeus played football for just one year before entering college...
.
Previous season
The 2008 season saw the Panthers begin the year in the rankings, #25 in the AP PollAP Poll
The Associated Press College Poll refers to weekly rankings of the top 25 NCAA teams in one of three Division I college sports: football, men's basketball and women's basketball. The rankings are compiled by polling sportswriters across the nation...
, their first preseason ranking since 2003
2003 Pittsburgh Panthers football team
The 2003 Pittsburgh Panthers football team represented the University of Pittsburgh in the 2003 college football season.-Schedule:-Team Players drafted into in the NFL:...
. However, the Panthers lost their opening game at home to a lowly-regarded Bowling Green team
2008 Bowling Green Falcons football team
The 2008 Bowling Green Falcons football team represents Bowling Green State University, which will celebrate its 90th season of collegiate football in the 2008 season. The team's head football coach is Gregg Brandon...
that finished 2008 with a 6–6 record and without a bowl
Bowl game
In North America, a bowl game is commonly considered to refer to one of a number of post-season college football games. Prior to 2002, bowl game statistics were not included in players' career totals and the games were mostly considered to be exhibition games involving a payout to participating...
invitation and saw their coach fired the day after their last game. However, the Panthers seemed unfazed by their opening-game defeat and went on to win five straight games, including a home win against Iowa
2008 Iowa Hawkeyes football team
The 2008 Iowa Hawkeyes football team represented the University of Iowa and the Iowa Hawkeyes football program in the 2008 college football season. Coached by Kirk Ferentz, the Hawkeyes played their seven home games in Kinnick Stadium.-Previous season:...
and a road win on a Thursday night at then-#10 South Florida
2008 South Florida Bulls football team
The 2008 South Florida Bulls football team will represent the University of South Florida in the 2008 college football season. Their head coach is Jim Leavitt, and the USF Bulls will play all of their home games at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, FL. The 2008 college football season is only the...
, who later finished the regular season 7–5 and unranked. The win at South Florida vaulted the Panthers back into the polls, but their stay was short-lived when, two weeks later, they lost at home to a then-1–5 Rutgers team
2008 Rutgers Scarlet Knights football team
After losing star halfback Ray Rice to the NFL Draft, Rutgers faced a rebuilding season. Senior Mike Teel was forced to step up his game at quarterback without being able to rely on Rice so frequently. Rutgers started off very slowly, dropping 5 of the first 6 games, including two to Big East...
, whose win over the Panthers was the beginning of a run that saw the Scarlet Knights finish 8–5. Quarterback Bill Stull
Bill Stull
William Thomas "Bill" Stull is an American football quarterback with the Pittsburgh Power of the Arena Football League. He played college football with the University of Pittsburgh Panthers.-Early years:...
suffered a concussion in the Rutgers loss was forced to sit out the Panthers next game, a 36–33 road win over Notre Dame
2008 Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team
The 2008 Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team represented the University of Notre Dame in the 2008 college football season. The team's head football coach is Charlie Weis. The Irish play their home games at Notre Dame Stadium in Notre Dame, Indiana...
in which the Panthers, led by quarterback Pat Bostick and running back LeSean McCoy
LeSean McCoy
-Philadelphia Eagles:McCoy was drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles in the second round of the 2009 NFL Draft. He signed a four-year contract with the team on June 29, 2009....
, came back from a 17–3 halftime deficit. The Panthers followed up their victory over Notre Dame with a 41–7 victory over Louisville
2008 Louisville Cardinals football team
The 2008 Louisville Cardinals football team represents the University of Louisville in the 2008 college football season. The team, led by Steve Kragthorpe in his second year at the school, plays their home games in Papa John's Cardinal Stadium and are in their fourth year in the Big East...
. The Panthers lost their next game on the road to league-leading #19 Cincinnati
2008 Cincinnati Bearcats football team
The 2008 Cincinnati Bearcats football team represents the University of Cincinnati in the college football season of 2008–2009. The team, coached by Brian Kelly, plays its homes game in Nippert Stadium. Kelly is in his second full season with the Bearcats after coaching them to a 31–21 win...
, who indeed went on to win their first Big East championship in football. The Panthers closed out the regular season with two victories, a 19–15 win at home against West Virginia
2008 West Virginia Mountaineers football team
The 2008 West Virginia Mountaineers football team competed on behalf of West Virginia University during the 2008 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The team was coached by Bill Stewart, who took over after he led the Mountaineers to a 2008 Fiesta Bowl victory over the #3 Oklahoma Sooners as the...
and a 34–10 road victory over Connecticut
2008 Connecticut Huskies football team
The 2008 Connecticut Huskies football team represents the University of Connecticut in the 2008 college football season as a member of the Big East Conference...
. Immediately following the Panthers' victory over the Huskies, bowl officials were on hand to invite the Panthers to the 2008 Sun Bowl
2008 Sun Bowl
The 2008 Brut Sun Bowl, part of the 2008–09 NCAA Division I FBS bowl season, was played on December 31, 2008 at the stadium of the same name on the campus of the University of Texas at El Paso in El Paso, Texas. The 75th annual contest pitted the Pittsburgh Panthers and the Oregon State Beavers....
, where the Panthers faced Oregon State
2008 Oregon State Beavers football team
The 2008 Oregon State Beavers football team represents Oregon State University in the college football season of 2008-2009. The team's head coach is Mike Riley...
in El Paso
El Paso, Texas
El Paso, is a city in and the county seat of El Paso County, Texas, United States, and lies in far West Texas. In the 2010 census, the city had a population of 649,121. It is the sixth largest city in Texas and the 19th largest city in the United States...
on December 31. Both teams struggled offensively in the game, and the Panthers were shut out for the first time in 12 years, falling to the Beavers 3–0.
Preseason
On February 5, 2009, the day after National Signing DayNational Signing Day
National Signing Day most commonly refers to a day in February, usually on the first Wednesday of that month, which is the first day that a high school senior can sign a binding National Letter of Intent for college football with a school that is a member of the NCAA, the main governing body for...
, it was made public that offensive coordinator
Offensive coordinator
An offensive coordinator is a member of the coaching staff of a gridiron football team who is in charge of the offense. Generally, along with his defensive counterpart, he represents the second level of command structure after the head coach...
Matt Cavanaugh
Matt Cavanaugh
Matthew Andrew Cavanaugh is a former American football quarterback in the NFL who played from 1978 to 1991. In the course of his career as a professional football player, he earned two Super Bowl rings...
would be leaving the Panthers to again pursue a career in the NFL
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
. Cavanaugh's move to the Jets to become their new quarterbacks coach
Quarterbacks coach
A quarterbacks coach is a coach in charge of the quarterbacks in gridiron football. The quarterbacks coach typically operates under the offensive coordinator on a team's coaching staff....
was not officially announced until February 9. The Panthers took only two weeks to find their new offensive coordinator, Frank Cignetti, Jr. Cignetti took a pay cut by accepting the offer from Pitt, but he cited the local cost of living and proximity to his own and his wife's families as major reasons for leaving California
California Golden Bears football
The California Golden Bears football team is the college football team of the University of California. The team plays its home games at California Memorial Stadium, however the team played at San Francisco's AT&T Park in 2011 while Memorial Stadium was being renovated, the team will return to...
for Pitt. Cignetti has a reputation for developing quarterbacks and will be expected to do the same at Pitt where senior Bill Stull, Pitt's returning starter, and the passing game increasingly struggled down the stretch last season. The other primary candidates for the Panthers' offensive coordinator position were former Panthers head coach Walt Harris
Walt Harris
Walt Harris is a former American football player and coach in the United States. Harris served as the head football coach at the University of the Pacific in Stockton, California from 1989 to 1991, the University of Pittsburgh from 1997 to 2004, and at Stanford University from 2005 to 2006,...
and New York Jets
New York Jets
The New York Jets are a professional football team headquartered in Florham Park, New Jersey, representing the New York metropolitan area. The team is a member of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
wide receivers coach
Wide receivers coach
A wide receivers coach is a coach in charge of the wide receivers in gridiron football. The wide receivers coach typically operates under a team's offensive coordinator. This coach also typically resides in the coach's box on gameday, often accompanied by or in place of the offensive coordinator....
Noel Mazzone
Noel Mazzone
Noel Mazzone is an American football coach and former player in the United States. He is currently the offensive coordinator at Arizona State University, a position he had held since the 2010 season.-Early life and playing career:...
.
Linebacker Adam Gunn was granted a sixth year of eligibility by the NCAA and will play in 2009, medical clearance pending. He was injured in the 3rd quarter of the 2008 season opener against Bowling Green when he collided with fellow linebacker Scott McKillop. Shane Murray, who was injured during the preseason in August 2008 and started at linebacker along with Gunn in 2007, will also be back with the Panthers in 2009. The returns of Gunn and Murray from injuries and Greg Williams, who started in place of Gunn in 2008, give the Panthers a stable of experienced linebackers headed into the 2009 season.
The NCAA
National Collegiate Athletic Association
The National Collegiate Athletic Association is a semi-voluntary association of 1,281 institutions, conferences, organizations and individuals that organizes the athletic programs of many colleges and universities in the United States...
released the 2009 Academic Progress Rate
Academic Progress Rate
The Academic Progress Rate, sometimes also known as Academic Performance Rating and generally abbreviated as APR, is a metric established by the NCAA to indicate the success of collegiate athletic teams in moving student athletes towards graduation . It was instituted in February of 2005...
(APR) scores, which measure "a school's ability to retain its athletes and keep them eligible from semester to semester," on May 7. The 2009 scores are data from the 2004–05 to 2007–08 academic years. The Panthers football team finished with the fifth best APR scores in the 8-team Big East, with a score of 944 out of a possible 1,000.
Recruiting
All players who signed with Pitt had verbally committed to the University within the year prior to signing a binding National Letter of IntentNational Letter of Intent
The National Letter of Intent is a document used to indicate a student athlete's commitment to participating NCAA colleges and universities in the United States. The NCAA Eligibility Center manages the daily operations of the NLI program while the Collegiate Commissioners Association provides...
on national signing day. The Panthers also added one player who is not designated as a recruit, tight end Andrew Devlin, who transferred to Pitt in May and had been recruited by Coaches Wannstedt and Gattuso two years earlier in 2007 when had initially decided to play for the Virginia Cavaliers
Virginia Cavaliers football
Virginia Cavaliers football is a college football program that competes in the NCAA Division I-FBS and the Coastal Division of the Atlantic Coast Conference...
. He chose to transfer to Pitt after a change in offensive scheme would have forced him to change position to defensive with the Cavaliers.
Half of the Panthers new signees played high school football in Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association
The Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association, Inc. is one of the governing bodies of high school and junior high school sports for the state of Pennsylvania, United States....
, and nine of those ten players were first-team all-state selections in 2008. The Panthers were expected to bring in players to add depth to the team – not necessarily an instant impact in 2009 – because the Panthers are no longer a struggling team in need of immediate performers. After signing day this class was not rated as a star-studded class that would be expected to provide an instant impact, but many of the players are viewed as players able to significantly contribute in the future. The players most expected to make an impact in the future are wide receiver
Wide receiver
A wide receiver is an offensive position in American and Canadian football, and is the key player in most of the passing plays. Only players in the backfield or the ends on the line are eligible to catch a forward pass. The two players who begin play at the ends of the offensive line are eligible...
Todd Thomas, tight end
Tight end
The tight end is a position in American football on the offense. The tight end is often seen as a hybrid position with the characteristics and roles of both an offensive lineman and a wide receiver. Like offensive linemen, they are usually lined up on the offensive line and are large enough to be...
Brock DeCicco, running back
Running back
A running back is a gridiron football position, who is typically lined up in the offensive backfield. The primary roles of a running back are to receive handoffs from the quarterback for a rushing play, to catch passes from out of the backfield, and to block.There are usually one or two running...
Raymond Graham and linebacker
Linebacker
A linebacker is a position in American football that was invented by football coach Fielding H. Yost of the University of Michigan. Linebackers are members of the defensive team, and line up approximately three to five yards behind the line of scrimmage, behind the defensive linemen...
s Shane Gordon and Dan Mason. As of February 5, the 2009 recruiting class was ranked as the 47th best class nationally by Rivals.com
Rivals.com
Rivals.com is a network of websites that focus mainly on college football and basketball recruiting. The network was started in 1996 and currently employs more than 300 personnel.-Schools:The individual collegiate sites can be found...
– much lower than previous Wannstedt recruiting classes – and 28th best by Scout.com
Scout.com
Scout.com is an integrated sports publishing company that produces both an Internet and print product. Scout has more than 2.1 million visitors...
. Dave Wannstedt dismissed the criticism of his recruiting class as the low reviews of his class were a result of the low number of scholarships that the Panthers were able to offer due to the low number of graduating Pitt seniors in 2008 as well as a down year for high school seniors in western Pennsylvania
Western Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic League
The Western Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic League is an interscholastic athletic association in Western Pennsylvania. It is District 7 of the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association. The league is colloquially known as "WIP-ee-al"...
.
Spring practices
Spring camp opened for the Panthers on March 19. Coach Wannstedt outlined his priorities heading into camp as determining the starters at running back and quarterback as well as the lineup at the various linebacker positions, most importantly in the middle.The annual Blue-Gold game, the final scrimmage of spring camp, was played at Heinz Field on April 11. The University wanted to make it into a more appealing event for families and casual fans. As a result, they created various programs at the game, which was titled the "Pitt Spring Football Festival" in order to emphasize the various activities, which included a series of 20-minute "chalk talks" with coaches Wannstedt, Cignetti, and Bennett; an autograph session with former Panthers who went on to the NFL
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
; and on-field drills with current players. Total attendance for the event was announced at 6,160.
As expected, the defense controlled most of the play throughout, defeating the offense 54–23, using a modified scoring system. The offense scored only one touchdown, a 54-yard, play-action pass from Bill Stull to Jonathan Baldwin
Jonathan Baldwin
Jonathan Dupree Baldwin is an American football wide receiver for the Kansas City Chiefs.-College career:Baldwin played for the University of Pittsburgh...
. Bill Stull was the most effective of all the quarterbacks, going 12 of 17 for 132 yards with the touchdown and an interception. Freshman Dion Lewis
Dion Lewis
Dion John Lewis is an American football running back for the Philadelphia Eagles of the National Football League . He was drafted by the Eagles in the fifth round of the 2011 NFL Draft...
, who enrolled early in January 2009, led the offense on the ground with thirty-four yards on twelve attempts. The defense, after allowing a touchdown and a field goal on the offense's first and second possessions, respectively, finished with three interceptions and six sacks the rest of the way and didn't allow the offense to score again. The defense held the offense to a net of sixteen rushing yards on thirty-seven carries. The game was broadcast live locally on WPCW
WPCW
WPCW is a The CW-affiliated television station for Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania that is licensed to Jeannette. WPCW is owned by the CBS Corporation and serves as an affiliate of The CW Television Network for the television market...
in Pittsburgh and was replayed nationally on April 18 on the NFL Network
NFL Network
NFL Network is an American television specialty channel owned and operated by the National Football League . It was launched November 4, 2003, only eight months after the league's 32 team owners voted unanimously to approve its formation...
.
The Ed Conway Award, which is given to the most improved players of the spring, was co-awarded to quarterback Pat Bostick and linebacker Max Gruder prior to the Blue-Gold Game.
Off-field issues
Seniors T.J. Porter, a wide receiver, and Tommie Duhart, a defensive lineman, officially left Pitt's football team at the end of the spring semester; both had been suspended from spring practices and did not participate. Duhart, along with senior cornerback Aaron Berry and sophomore offensive lineman Wayne Jones, was suspended on April 7 from the remainder of spring practices as well as the Blue-Gold game due to an unspecified "violation of team policy". Porter had been suspended from the team indefinitely after being cited for driving on a suspended driver's licenseDriver's license in the United States
In the United States, nearly all driver's licenses are issued by individual states , rather than the federal government. Drivers are normally required to obtain a license from their state of residence, and all states recognize each other's licenses for temporary visitors subject to normal age...
and driving while intoxicated
Drunk driving (United States)
Drunk driving is the act of operating and/or driving a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs to the degree that mental and motor skills are impaired...
, his second DWI in under ten months. According to a statement issued by coach Wannstedt, both Porter and Duhart plan to transfer
College transfer
College transfer is the movement of students from one higher education institution to another and the process by which academic credits are accepted or not accepted by a receiving institution.-Background:...
elsewhere.
A criminal complaint was filed against sophomore wide receiver and Aliquippa native Jonathan Baldwin on April 19, a day after the incident, in which Baldwin was charged with "indecent assault, harassment and disorderly conduct" following an incident with a female on a university-owned bus. Later in a non-jury trial in January, 2010, Baldwin was found not guilty on all charges.
Sixth year senior Adam Gunn, who only weeks earlier had been granted a sixth year of eligibility by the NCAA, was arrested in an incident that also involved former Panther Austin Ransom following an incident outside of a Pittsburgh night club. As a result of the charges against him – "misdemeanor charges of resisting arrest and failure to disperse, as well as summary offenses of disorderly conduct and public drunkenness" – Gunn was suspended from the team indefinitely pending the result of his hearing. All charges against Gunn were withdrawn at his preliminary hearing on June 16. According to Gunn's attorney, all charges were withdrawn due to the fact that "he employed no weapons, assaulted nobody and simply attempted to flee the scene".
Award watchlists
Lombardi AwardLombardi Award
The Rotary Lombardi Award is awarded annually to the best college football lineman or linebacker. The Lombardi Award program was approved by the Rotary Club in Houston in 1970 shortly after the death of Vince Lombardi. The committee outlined the criteria for eligibility for the award, which...
:
- Nate Byham, TE, Senior
Mackey Award:
- Nate Byham, Senior
Jim Thorpe Award
Jim Thorpe Award
The Jim Thorpe Award, named in memory of multi-sport legend Jim Thorpe, has been awarded to the top defensive back in college football since 1986...
:
- Aaron Berry, Senior
Roster
| 2009 Pittsburgh Panthers roster | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Quarterbacks
Tailbacks
Fullbacks
Wide Receivers
Tight Ends
|
Offensive Linemen
 Jason Pinkston Jason R. Pinkston is an American football offensive tackle for the Cleveland Browns of the National Football League. He is the cousin of Todd Pinkston, a former NFL wide receiver.-Collegiate career:... , RS Jr Defensive Linemen
|
Linebackers
Brandon Lindsey Brandon Anthony Lindsey is an American football linebacker for the Pittsburgh Panthers. He is considered one of the best linebacker prospects for the 2012 NFL Draft.-Early years:... , RS So Defensive Backs
|
Special Teams
Classes Key: Fr – Freshman; first year player. So Sophomore Sophomore is a term used in the United States to describe a student in the second year of study at high school or university.The word is also used as a synonym for "second", for the second album or EP released by a musician or group, the second movie of a director, or the second season of a... – Sophomore; second year player. Jr Junior (education) "Junior" is a term used in the United States to describe a student in their 3rd year of study . A Junior is considered an upperclassman... – Junior; third year player. Sr Senior (education) Senior is a term used in the United States to describe a student in the 4th year of study .-High school:... – Senior; fourth year player. RS Redshirt (college sports) Redshirt is a term used in American college athletics that refers to a delay or suspension of an athlete's participation in order to lengthen his or her period of eligibility... – Previously used a redshirt Redshirt (college sports) Redshirt is a term used in American college athletics that refers to a delay or suspension of an athlete's participation in order to lengthen his or her period of eligibility... . 2009 NCAA Division I FBS football season The 2009 NCAA Division I FBS football season, or the college football season, began on September 2, 2009, progressed through the regular season and bowl season, and concluded with the Bowl Championship Series National Championship Game in Pasadena, California on January 7, 2010, featuring the... .  and is eligible for a medical redshirt. † – 6th year of eligibility Roster |
|||
Rankings
The official preseason rankings are normally released in August of the same season, but various publications annually release early projections throughout the spring and summer. The Panthers have received mixed reviews from such publications. Phil SteelePhil Steele
Phil Steele is an American sportswriter and analyst who focuses exclusively on college and professional football. He currently writes a column for the Orlando Sentinel, and is considered a "highly respected prognosticator" within the sports media...
ranked the Panthers at #23. The Sporting News picked the Panthers to win the conference, but Athlon Sports, who left the Panthers out of their early rankings, project the them to finish in fourth place. The Congrove Computer Rankings, a computer program that determines a team's ranking based upon projected regular season results, ranked the Panthers at #12 and predicted an 11–1 regular season record. The Panthers began the season unranked and just outside of the Top 25 in both the AP Poll
AP Poll
The Associated Press College Poll refers to weekly rankings of the top 25 NCAA teams in one of three Division I college sports: football, men's basketball and women's basketball. The rankings are compiled by polling sportswriters across the nation...
and Coaches Poll
Coaches Poll
The USA Today Coaches' Poll is the current name for a weekly ranking of the top 25 NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision college football and Division I college basketball teams....
.
The Panthers found themselves in the "others receiving votes" category of the major polls throughout the first half of the season, and they officially moved into the Top 25 rankings in all four of the major polls following their October 16 victory at Rutgers. The Panthers climbed several move positions in each poll the following week as a result of their victory over South Florida.
| Poll | Pre | Wk 1 | Wk 2 | Wk 3 | Wk 4 | Wk 5 | Wk 6 | Wk 7 | Wk 8 | Wk 9 | Wk 10 | Wk 11 | Wk 12 | Wk 13 | Wk 14 | Final |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AP AP Poll The Associated Press College Poll refers to weekly rankings of the top 25 NCAA teams in one of three Division I college sports: football, men's basketball and women's basketball. The rankings are compiled by polling sportswriters across the nation... |
rv | rv | rv | rv | -- | rv | rv | 20 | 16 | 14 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 14 | 17 | 15 |
| Coaches | rv | rv | rv | rv | -- | rv | rv | 19 | 17 | 14 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 15 | 16 | 15 |
| Harris Harris Interactive College Football Poll The Harris Interactive College Football Poll is a weekly ranking of the top 25 NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision college football teams. The rankings are compiled by Harris Interactive, a market research company that specializes in Internet research.... |
Not releasedA | rv | rv | rv | 20 | 17 | 15 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 15 | 16 | ||||
| BCS Bowl Championship Series The Bowl Championship Series is a selection system that creates five bowl match-ups involving ten of the top ranked teams in the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision , including an opportunity for the top two to compete in the BCS National Championship Game.The BCS relies on a combination of... |
Not releasedB | 20 | 15 | 13 | 12 | 9 | 9 | 15 | 17 | |||||||
Notes
- A The first Harris Interactive Poll was released after the fourth week of games, and the final version will be released at the conclusion of the regular season but prior to the bowl season2009–10 NCAA football bowl gamesThe 2009–10 NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision College Football Post-Season followed the 2009 NCAA Division I FBS football season. It comprises 34 team-competitive bowl games, and three all-star games. The games began play on December 19, 2009 and included the 2010 BCS National Championship...
. - B The first BCS Ranking was released after the sixth week of games, and the final ranking will be released at the conclusion of the regular season but prior to the bowl season.
Schedule
The official Big East schedule was released on March 6, and the Panthers' schedule includes five nationally televised games. The times of the two weeknight games on the schedule, at Louisville and at Rutgers, were announced with the initial release schedule. The Panthers' home intraconference games include CincinnatiCincinnati Bearcats football
The Cincinnati Bearcats football program represents the University of Cincinnati in a college football. They compete at the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision level as members of the Big East Conference. The Bearcat football program is one of the nation's oldest, having fielded a team as...
, Connecticut
Connecticut Huskies football
The Connecticut Huskies football team is a collegiate football team that competes in NCAA Division I-A and the Big East Conference. Connecticut first fielded a team in 1896, and participated in Division I-AA until 1999. The Huskies began their two-year Division I-A transition period in 2000, and...
, South Florida
South Florida Bulls football
The South Florida Bulls are a Division I FBS college football program that plays its home games in Tampa, Florida. The team began playing in 1997, holding its first team meeting under a shade tree as the school had no proper football facilities on campus...
, and Syracuse
Syracuse Orange football
The Syracuse Orange football program is a college football team that represents Syracuse University. The team is a member of the Big East Conference, which is a National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I conference that is part of the Football Bowl Subdivision...
; the away games include West Virginia
West Virginia Mountaineers football
The West Virginia Mountaineers football team represents West Virginia University in the NCAA FBS division of college football. Dana Holgorsen is the team's 33rd head coach. He has held the position since he was promoted in June 2011 after the resignation of Bill Stewart. The Mountaineers play their...
, Louisville
Louisville Cardinals football
The Louisville Cardinals football team represents the University of Louisville in college football as a member of the Big East Conference. Howard Schnellenberger started the program's rise to relevancy after winning the Miami Hurricanes' first national championship...
, and Rutgers
Rutgers Scarlet Knights football
The Rutgers Scarlet Knights football team represents Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey in National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Football Bowl Subdivision play...
. The Panthers nonconference games had been scheduled well in advance of the 2009 season, but the conference games took longer to schedule due to the difficulty some Big East teams had when trying to schedule their own nonconference opponents. The scheduled times for Pitt's first three games of the season were announced on July 7. A month later, on August 7, it was announced that the game against NC State
NC State Wolfpack football
The NC State Wolfpack football team represents North Carolina State University in NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision competition. The Wolfpack currently compete in the Atlantic Coast Conference....
was scheduled for 3:30 pm and to be broadcast nationally by ESPNU
ESPNU
ESPNU is a television channel that specializes in college sports, and is produced by, affiliated with and owned by parent network ESPN. ESPNU originates out of ESPN Regional Television's ESPNU (often referred to as The U) is a television channel that specializes in college sports, and is produced...
.
On October 26, the Syracuse game was announced as a noon kickoff for ESPNU, and on November 2, the Notre Dame
Notre Dame Fighting Irish football
Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team is the football team of the University of Notre Dame. The team is currently coached by Brian Kelly.Notre Dame competes as an Independent at the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision level, and is a founding member of the Bowl Championship Series coalition. It is an...
game was announced as an 8:00 p.m. prime time
Prime time
Prime time or primetime is the block of broadcast programming during the middle of the evening for television programing.The term prime time is often defined in terms of a fixed time period—for example, from 19:00 to 22:00 or 20:00 to 23:00 Prime time or primetime is the block of broadcast...
telecast on ABC
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
.
Television broadcast notes
Youngstown State
The 2009 season opener against Youngstown State was the Penguins' first trip to Pittsburgh since 2005, when they were defeated by the Panthers by a score of 41–0 in the first-ever meeting between the schools. In this, the second matchup between the schools, the Panthers again won handily, this time by a score of 38–3. The Panthers were led by true freshman running back Dion Lewis, who had fifteen carries for 132 yards in the first half. Their Panthers played both of their top two quarterbacks. Bill Stull, a fifth‑year senior and the returning starter, played for the entire first half and a portion of the third quarter and was booed by the home fans on several occasions, likely because of his on‑field struggles dating back to the previous season. Redshirt freshman Tino Sunseri played the remainder of the game. The Panthers outgained the Penguins on the day.Buffalo
The Panthers traveled to BuffaloBuffalo, New York
Buffalo is the second most populous city in the state of New York, after New York City. Located in Western New York on the eastern shores of Lake Erie and at the head of the Niagara River across from Fort Erie, Ontario, Buffalo is the seat of Erie County and the principal city of the...
to take on the Bulls
2009 Buffalo Bulls football team
The 2009 Buffalo Bulls football team represented the University at Buffalo in the 2009 NCAA Division I FBS college football season.-Notable players:* Naaman Roosevelt, Wide Receiver, 2008 First Team all-MAC....
, who were coming off a 23–17 Week 1 win at UTEP
2009 UTEP Miners football team
The 2009 UTEP Miners football team represented the University of Texas at El Paso in the college football season of 2009-2010. The team's head football coach was Mike Price. The Miners played their home games at the Sun Bowl Stadium in El Paso, Texas...
, in a game that was both the Panthers' first-ever trip to Buffalo and first road game of the season. The Panthers defeated the Bulls 54–27 and took advantage of four Bulls turnovers, which led to 27 Panther points, with linebacker Greg Williams returning one fumble 50 yards for a touchdown. The Panther offense gained 381 yards and committed no turnovers. Dion Lewis had his second straight 100-yard rushing game, gaining 236 total yards and scoring two touchdowns, including an 85-yard touchdown run, and Dorin Dickerson finished with eight catches for 71 yards and three touchdowns. The Panthers' 54 points was the highest offensive output during Dave Wannstedt's tenure at Pitt, which began in 2005; it was Pitt's highest output since scoring 55 points against Temple
Temple Owls football
The Temple Owls football team participates in the NCAA's Division I Football Bowl Subdivision as a member of the East Division of the Mid-American Conference...
in 1999. However, the Bulls gained 500 yards of total offense on the day, and Buffalo quarterback Zach Maynard, who was making only his second career start, threw for 400 yards, a Buffalo record dating back to their re-ascension to Division I-A/FBS in 1999, and four touchdowns, which tied a Buffalo record during the same time, connecting with wide receiver Naaman Roosevelt
Naaman Roosevelt
Naaman Roosevelt is an American football wide receiver with the Buffalo Bills of the National Football League...
on touchdowns of 67 and 54 yards. Pitt was penalized 11 times for 119 yards. Panthers starting free safety Andrew Taglianetti, who recovered a fumble in the first quarter, left the game with a torn ACL
Anterior cruciate ligament
The anterior cruciate ligament is a cruciate ligament which is one of the four major ligaments of the human knee. In the quadruped stifle , based on its anatomical position, it is referred to as the cranial cruciate ligament.The ACL originates from deep within the notch of the distal femur...
in his left knee and is taking a medical redshirt
Redshirt (college sports)
Redshirt is a term used in American college athletics that refers to a delay or suspension of an athlete's participation in order to lengthen his or her period of eligibility...
for the season.
Navy
The Panthers and Midshipmen face one another for the third consecutive season and have traded road victories over the previous two meetings, the Panthers winning 42–21 in AnnapolisAnnapolis, Maryland
Annapolis is the capital of the U.S. state of Maryland, as well as the county seat of Anne Arundel County. It had a population of 38,394 at the 2010 census and is situated on the Chesapeake Bay at the mouth of the Severn River, south of Baltimore and about east of Washington, D.C. Annapolis is...
in 2008
2008 NCAA Division I FBS football season
The 2008 NCAA Division I FBS football season, or the college football season, began on August 28, 2008, progressing through the regular season and bowl season, and concluded with the Bowl Championship Series National Championship Game in Miami Gardens, Florida on January 8, 2009, where the #2...
and the Midshipmen winning 48–45 in overtime in Pittsburgh in 2007
2007 NCAA Division I FBS football season
The 2007 NCAA Division I FBS football season, or the college football season, began on August 30, 2007, progressed through the regular season and bowl season, and concluded with the Bowl Championship Series National Championship Game in New Orleans, Louisiana on January 7, 2008, where the top...
. The 2009 meeting was much lower scoring, the Panthers coming out on top 27–14. The win saw the Panthers improve their record to 3–0, the team's best start since 2000
2000 Pittsburgh Panthers football team
The 2000 Pittsburgh Panthers football team represented the University of Pittsburgh in the 2000 college football season.- Regular season:The previous season saw Pitt miss the post season by finishing 5-6. For 2000, Pitt looked to find a replacement at defensive back for NFL drafted Hank Poteat.The...
. The Midshipmen were expected to pass the ball with greater effectiveness under new quarterback Ricky Dobbs
Ricky Dobbs
Ricky Dobbs is a United States Navy officer and former college football quarterback for the United States Naval Academy. During the 2009 season he broke the single season college football record for most rushing touchdowns by a quarterback with 27.-High school:Dobbs was known as "the Mayor" by...
, but Navy was held to 89 passing yards. Navy led the nation in rushing yards per game during the previous four seasons as well as through the first three weeks of 2009, but were held to only 129 rushing yards against the Panthers, significantly lower than their 240-yard average coming into the game. The Pitt offense was much more effective than the Midshipmen, outgaining them 369–218.
Bill Stull, who saw limited action in the second half, finished the day 17-for-24 with 245 yards through the air, including 20 to himself when he caught his own tipped pass out of the air and scrambled downfield, almost scoring a touchdown; he almost scored a touchdown on the play but turned the ball over when he fumbled and Navy recovered at their own one yard line. Stull was 12-for-14 with 189 yards and one touchdown in the first half. Dion Lewis didn't quite have the same strong statistical performance, compiling 79 yards and one touchdown on the ground, but Navy linebacker Ross Pospisil complimented Lewis after the game, saying that he "thought Dion Lewis was almost as a good as McCoy", referring to LeSean McCoy
LeSean McCoy
-Philadelphia Eagles:McCoy was drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles in the second round of the 2009 NFL Draft. He signed a four-year contract with the team on June 29, 2009....
's 156-yard, three-touchdown game against Navy in 2008. True freshman middle linebacker Dan Mason made his first start and made 11 tackles, including two sacks, which earned him Big East Defensive Player of the Week honors.
NC State
Pitt's trip to NC StateNorth Carolina State University
North Carolina State University at Raleigh is a public, coeducational, extensive research university located in Raleigh, North Carolina, United States. Commonly known as NC State, the university is part of the University of North Carolina system and is a land, sea, and space grant institution...
was the Panthers' first trip to Raleigh
Raleigh, North Carolina
Raleigh is the capital and the second largest city in the state of North Carolina as well as the seat of Wake County. Raleigh is known as the "City of Oaks" for its many oak trees. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the city's 2010 population was 403,892, over an area of , making Raleigh...
since 1988 when the Panthers lost to the Wolfpack
NC State Wolfpack football
The NC State Wolfpack football team represents North Carolina State University in NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision competition. The Wolfpack currently compete in the Atlantic Coast Conference....
, 14–3, and the first overall matchup between the schools since the 2001 Tangerine Bowl
2001 Tangerine Bowl
The 2001 Visit Florida Tangerine Bowl was the 12th edition to the college football bowl game, successing the MicronPC.com bowl. It featured the NC State Wolfpack and the Pittsburgh Panthers...
, where the Panthers defeated the Wolfpack 34–19. Coming into the game, Pitt held a 5–2–1 advantage over NC State, dating back to the schools' first matchup in 1952.
The Panthers seized an early advantage in the game, jumping out to a 10–0 lead within the first six minutes of the game. The Panthers received the opening kickoff and were set up just across midfield after a Cameron Saddler return; the Panthers then scored the opening touchdown after only a four-play drive that was aided by a 15-yard personal foul penalty against NC State. The Wolfpack went three-and-out, and the Panthers second possession ended with a 35 yard field goal by Dan Hutchins. Going forward through the third quarter, both teams moved the ball on offense with relative ease and at which point the Panthers offense would fail to continue to produce. The teams ultimately combined for 830 total yards by the end of the game. NC State's Russell Wilson
Russell Wilson
Russell Wilson is a quarterback for the Wisconsin Badgers football team. Wilson formerly played for the NC State Wolfpack football and baseball teams before transferring for his final season of eligibility in 2011...
led the way, throwing for 322 yards and four touchdowns while also rushing for 91 yards. Wilson came into the game holding the NCAA record for pass attempts without an interception, and he increased his record by not throwing an interception against the Panthers.
The Panthers had built a 14-point lead near the end of the third quarter after Bill Stull connected with Jonathan Baldwin for a 79 yard pass, but the Panthers never scored again as NC State scored three consecutive touchdowns for the 38–31 win. The Wolfpack's come-from-behind scores came on drives of 45, 83, and 71 yards.
Louisville
Connecticut
Rutgers
South Florida
The October 24 game against South Florida was Pitt's homecomingHomecoming
Homecoming is the tradition of welcoming back alumni of a school. It most commonly refers to a tradition in many universities, colleges and high schools in North America...
, and the Panthers were seeking their first 7–1 start since 1982. The game was expected to be close and competitive, but the Panthers dominated throughout, winning 41–14. Pitt jumped out to a 31–7 lead by the end of the first half, in which Pitt scored on all five of its offensive possessions – four touchdowns and one field goal. Bill Stull, who finished 18 of 25 for 245 yards and two touchdown passes, wasn't sacked on the day and completed his first 11 passes of the game. Following the game, Stull gave the credit for the team's success on offense to his teammates, citing their ability to both block Bulls defenders as well as get open for passes.
Dion Lewis continued his strong freshman campaign by adding yards and two touchdowns, topping 1,000 for the season in the process.
Syracuse
Notre Dame
West Virginia
Cincinnati
The winner of the 2009 River City RivalryRiver City Rivalry
The River City Rivalry is an annual game played between Big East rivals University of Pittsburgh and University of Cincinnati. The rivalry itself is relatively new, played regularly only since 2005, during which season the rivalry trophy was introduced. Before the rivalry was titled, the two teams...
will win the Big East Conference
Big East Conference
The Big East Conference is a collegiate athletics conference consisting of sixteen universities in the eastern half of the United States. The conference's 17 members participate in 24 NCAA sports...
and earn the conference berth in the Bowl Championship Series
Bowl Championship Series
The Bowl Championship Series is a selection system that creates five bowl match-ups involving ten of the top ranked teams in the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision , including an opportunity for the top two to compete in the BCS National Championship Game.The BCS relies on a combination of...
, while a Pitt loss could drop the team to third in the conference if West Virginia defeats Rutgers. Pitt leads the all-time series against Cincinnati, 7–1, with the Bearcats first win coming in 2008.
North Carolina
Awards
Several Panthers earned accolades following the close of the regular season with ten players earning first- or second-team honors in the Big East Conference. Additionally, tight end Dorin Dickerson was one of three finalists for the Mackey Award, which was won by Aaron HernandezAaron Hernandez
-New England Patriots:Hernandez was drafted by the New England Patriots in the fourth round of the 2010 NFL Draft. Shortly after he was drafted, The Boston Globe reported Hernandez had admitted to marijuana use and had failed multiple drug tests while in college, causing his draft stock to drop...
of Florida
2009 Florida Gators football team
The 2009 Florida Gators football team represented the University of Florida in the sport of American football during the 2009 college football season...
. Offensive line coach Tony Wise was also named the Offensive Line Coach of the Year by FootballScoop.com.
All-Americans
Dickerson was also named as a first team 2009 College Football All-American2009 College Football All-America Team
An All-American team is an honorary sports team for a specific season composed of the best amateur players at each position—who in turn are given the honorific "All-America" and typically referred to as "All-American athletes", or simply "All-Americans". Although the honorees generally do not...
by the Football Writers Association of America
Football Writers Association of America
The Football Writers Association of America is one of the organizations whose College Football All-America Team is recognized by the NCAA...
and CBS Sports
CBS Sports
CBS Sports is a division of CBS Broadcasting which airs sporting events on the American television network. Its headquarters are in the CBS Building on West 52nd Street in midtown Manhattan, New York City, with programs produced out of Studio 43 at the CBS Broadcast Center on West 57th Street.CBS...
. Dickerson was the third All-American from Pitt in four seasons and the first All-American tight end from Pitt since Mike Ditka
Mike Ditka
Michael Keller Ditka, Jr. is a former American football NFL player, television commentator, and coach. Ditka coached the Chicago Bears for 11 years and New Orleans Saints for three years. Ditka and Tom Flores are the only two people to win Super Bowls as a player, an assistant coach, and a head...
in 1960
1960 college football season
The 1960 college football season marked the last time that the University of Minnesota was a national champion on the gridiron. Murray Warmath's Minnesota Gophers were not in the Top 20 in preseason polling, but received the AP Trophy at the end of the regular season...
. CBS Sports also named Dion Lewis as their Freshman of the Year and a second-team All-American. Dickerson and several other teammates were also named to various other All-America teams.
| Athlete | Position | All-American accolades |
| Jonathan Baldwin Jonathan Baldwin Jonathan Dupree Baldwin is an American football wide receiver for the Kansas City Chiefs.-College career:Baldwin played for the University of Pittsburgh... |
Wide receiver | Third team: Rivals.com Honorable mention: Sports Illustrated |
| Dorin Dickerson Dorin Dickerson During his off season he spends his time in Pittsburgh, and is an avid karaoke participant. He also enjoys playing softball and tennis.-External links:*... |
Tight end | First team: FWAA, CBS Sports Second team: Sporting News, Walter Camp Walter Camp Football Foundation The Walter Camp Football Foundation is one of the organizations whose College Football All-America Team is recognized by the NCAA. The organization also presents various awards.-Awards:*Walter Camp Player of the Year*CT Player of the Year... Third team: Associated Press Honorable mention: Sports Illustrated |
| Dion Lewis Dion Lewis Dion John Lewis is an American football running back for the Philadelphia Eagles of the National Football League . He was drafted by the Eagles in the fifth round of the 2011 NFL Draft... |
Running back | Second team: Associated Press, CBS Sports, Rivals.com, Scout.com, Sporting News, Sports Illustrated |
| Jason Pinkston Jason Pinkston Jason R. Pinkston is an American football offensive tackle for the Cleveland Browns of the National Football League. He is the cousin of Todd Pinkston, a former NFL wide receiver.-Collegiate career:... |
Offensive tackle | Second team: Rivals.com, Sports Illustrated |
| Greg Romeus Greg Romeus Greg Romeus is an American football defensive end for the New Orleans Saints of the National Football League. He played as a defensive end for the Pittsburgh Panthers at the University of Pittsburgh. Romeus played football for just one year before entering college... |
Defensive end | Third team: Rivals.com, Sporting News Honorable mention: Sports Illustrated |
Big East Conference awards
The Big East Conference awards were awarded by vote among conference coaches and were announced on December 9. True freshman Dion Lewis won two major conference awards, Offensive Player of the Year and Rookie of the Year, the first player to win two Big East awards since Michael VickMichael Vick
Michael Dwayne Vick is an American football quarterback for the Philadelphia Eagles of the National Football League...
of Virginia Tech
Virginia Tech Hokies football
The Virginia Tech Hokies football team is a college football program that competes in NCAA Division I-FBS, in the Coastal Division of the Atlantic Coast Conference. They have more wins in team history than any other program in the ACC. Their home games are played at Lane Stadium which seats over...
in 1999. Additionally, voting for the conference's Defensive Player of the Year award finished in a tie between the Panther duo of Mick Williams and Greg Romeus, who shared the award.
The Panthers on the all-Big East first and second teams are:
| First team | Second team |
| QB – Bill Stull (tied with Tony Pike Tony Pike Anthony Steven "Tony" Pike is an American football quarterback who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the Carolina Panthers in the sixth round of the 2010 NFL Draft... ) RB – Dion Lewis † TE – Dorin Dickerson WR – Jonathan Baldwin OT – Jason Pinkston OG – John Malecki DE – Greg Romeus † DT – Mick Williams LB – Adam Gunn CB – Aaron Berry |
TE – Nate Byham OT – Gus Mustakas FS – Dom DeCicco PK – Dan Hutchins |
| † – indicates a unanimous selection. | |
See also
- University of PittsburghUniversity of PittsburghThe University of Pittsburgh, commonly referred to as Pitt, is a state-related research university located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States. Founded as Pittsburgh Academy in 1787 on what was then the American frontier, Pitt is one of the oldest continuously chartered institutions of...
- Pittsburgh Panthers
- Pittsburgh Panthers footballPittsburgh Panthers footballPittsburgh Panthers football is the intercollegiate football team of the University of Pittsburgh, often referred to as "Pitt", located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Traditionally the most popular sport at the university, Pitt football has played at the highest level of American college football...
- 2009 Big East Conference football season2009 Big East Conference football seasonThe 2009 Big East football season was an NCAA football season that was played from September 5, 2009, to January 2, 2010. The Big East Conference consists of 8 football members: Cincinnati, Connecticut, Louisville, Pittsburgh, Rutgers, South Florida, Syracuse, and West Virginia...
- 2009 NCAA Division I FBS football season2009 NCAA Division I FBS football seasonThe 2009 NCAA Division I FBS football season, or the college football season, began on September 2, 2009, progressed through the regular season and bowl season, and concluded with the Bowl Championship Series National Championship Game in Pasadena, California on January 7, 2010, featuring the...