2008 Pitt Panthers - Recruiting Class

Pitt Panthers 2008 Head Coach: Dave Wannstedt

Pitt Panthers

2008 Recruiting Class

Star of the Class

Shayne Hale, LB, 6-4, 240, Monroeville, Pa., Gateway
Earned status as one of the country’s top defensive players during his highly accomplished career at Gateway…first team All-USA selection by USA Today…SuperPrep All-American…PrepStar “Dream Team”…Scout.com All-American…rated one of the nation’s top 50 overall prospects by SuperPrep (No. 21), Scout (No. 38) and PrepStar (No. 44)…rated the nation’s No. 2 linebacker prospect by SuperPrep and No. 3 defensive end prospect by Scout…selected to play in the 2008 U.S. Army All-American Bowl, where he announced his decision to attend Pitt during NBC’s live telecast…two-time first-team selection to The Associated Press Pennsylvania Class AAAA All-State Team…rated Pennsylvania’s No. 3 overall prospect by SuperPrep, No.4 by Scout, No. 5 by Keystone Recruiting …rated No. 7 on Scout’s East Top 100 list…three-year starter at Gateway…played defensive end and linebacker his senior season and compiled 114 tackles, 25 tackles for losses, nine sacks, three forced fumbles and three pass breakups…was also a devastating blocker at fullback…led Gateway to a 24-11 mark (.686) during his career, including three WPIAL Class AAAA playoff berths…the Gators went 11-2 his senior season, capturing the “Big East” Conference championship and advancing to the WPIAL title game…Pittsburgh Post-Gazette “Fabulous 22”…Pittsburgh Tribune-Review “Terrific 25”…Harrisburg Patriot-News “Platinum 33”…played under Coach Terry Smith…selected to play in the Big 33 Football Classic…one of two Gateway products to sign with Pitt in 2008, joining receiver Cameron Saddler…they will join two other Gateway graduates at Pitt, sophomore linebacker Dan Loheyde and redshirt freshman receiver Aaron Smith.

Potential Instant Impact Players

Jonathan Baldwin, WR, 6-5, 220, Aliquippa, Pa., Aliquippa
One of the country’s elite receiver prospects and multi-sport stars…selected to play in the 2008 U.S. Army All-American Bowl…SuperPrep All-American and Northeast Offensive Player of the Year…PrepStar “Dream Team”…Scout.com All-American…rated one of the country’s top 40 overall prospects by SuperPrep (No. 14), Scout (No. 20) and PrepStar (No. 38)…among national receiver prospects, was rated No. 3 by SuperPrep, No. 6 by Scout…named to The Associated Press Pennsylvania Class AA All-State Team (first team)…rated the No. 2 prospect in Pennsylvania by SuperPrep, Scout and Keystone Recruiting…rated No. 3 on Scout’s East Top 100 list…had 41 receptions for 613 yards (14.9 avg.) and nine touchdowns as a senior…compiled 62 catches for 1,083 yards (17.5 avg.) and 14 touchdowns his final two years…helped team to a combined 19-4 record (.826) as a junior and senior, including berths in the WPIAL Class AA playoffs each season…Pittsburgh Post-Gazette “Fabulous 22”…Pittsburgh Tribune-Review “Terrific 25”… Harrisburg Patriot-News “Platinum 33”…played under Coach Mike Zmijanac…selected to play in the Big 33 Football Classic…in addition to being a national football recruit, also had several Division I scholarship offers in basketball, including Marquette…Pittsburgh Post-Gazette “Fabulous Five” and Pittsburgh Tribune-Review “Terrific 10” honoree in basketball…was averaging more than 24 points per game through January of his senior year…averaged more than 21 points per game as a junior…an AAU basketball teammate of fellow Pitt recruit Mike Shanahan…in his first year of competing in track as a junior, finished third in the 100-meter dash at the PIAA Class AA championship meet, clocking in at 11.03 seconds…also was a member of the Quips’ PIAA champion 400-meter relay team

Greg Cross, QB, 6-2, 215, Brunswick, Ga., Glynn Academy, Fort Scott C.C. (Ks.)
Rated one of the country’s top 50 JUCO prospects overall by SuperPrep….joined Pitt in January with junior eligibility and will participate in spring drills…two-time All-Jayhawk Conference selection…was named the 2007 Jayhawk Conference Offensive Player of the Year and NJCAA Region VI Offensive MVP…rated the No. 2 player overall in the region…Honorable Mention NJCAA All-American…paced the Jayhawk Conference in passing yards (2,127) and total offense (2,529)…accounted for 23 touchdowns (17 passing and six rushing)…ranked third nationally in total offense in the JUCO ranks, averaging 233 yards per game…Cross led a rejuvenation of Fort Scott’s football program…prior to his arrival, Fort Scott lost its prior 24 contests…in his two seasons as the team’s starting quarterback, Fort Scott went 16-8, won two conference titles and advanced to two bowl games… Fort Scott went 9-3 in 2007, the program’s best record since 1973, and played in the Valley of the Sun Bowl, where Cross threw two touchdowns and ran for an 85-yard score

Rest of the Class

Jonathan Baldwin	WR	6-5	220	Aliquippa, Pa., Aliquippa
Chris Burns	RB	5-11	190	New Wilmington, Pa., Wilmington Area
Greg Cross	QB	6-2	215	Brunswick, Ga., Glynn Academy, Fort Scott C.C. (Ks.)
Mike Cruz	TE	6-5	270	Johnstown, Pa., Bishop McCort
Shayne Hale	LB	6-4	240	Monroeville, Pa., Gateway
Kevin Harper	PK	5-10	170	Mentor, Ohio, Mentor
Ronald Hobby	DB	5-10	175	Fort Washington, Md., Gwynn Park
Jarred Holley	DB	5-10	170	Easton, Pa., Easton Area
Robb Houser	OL	6-2	285	Chico, Calif., Durham H.S., Butte College (Calif.)
Lucas Nix	OL	6-6	300	Jefferson Hills, Pa., Thomas Jefferson
Antwuan Reed	DB	5-10	180	Johnstown, Pa., Greater Johnstown
Cameron Saddler	WR	5-7	170	Monroeville, Pa., Gateway
Mike Shanahan	WR	6-5	220	North Huntingdon, Pa., Norwin
Tino Sunseri	QB	6-0	200	Pittsburgh, Pa., Pittsburgh Central Catholic
Andrew Taglianetti	DB	5-11	175	Bridgeville, Pa., Pittsburgh Central Catholic
Joe Trebitz	LB	6-3	200	Boca Raton, Fla., West Boca Raton
Ryan Turnley	OL	6-6	300	Aliquippa, Pa., Hopewell
Justin Virbitsky	TE	6-4	240	Jermyn, Pa., Lakeland
Manny Williams	LB	6-1	205	Clairton, Pa., Clairton

- 2007 Pitt Season
- 2007 Pitt Preview
- 2006 Pitt Season

2007 Schedule
CFN Prediction: 9-3
2007 Record: 5-7

Sept. 1 Eastern Mich W 27-3
Sept. 8 Grambling W 34-10
Sept. 13 at Michigan St L 17-13
Sept. 22 Connecticut L 34-14
Sept. 29 at Virginia L 44-14
Oct. 10 Navy L 48-45 2OT
Oct. 20 Cincinnati W 24-17
Oct. 27 at Louisville L 24-17
Nov. 3 Syracuse W 20-17
Nov. 17 at Rutgers L 20-16
Nov. 24 South Florida L 48-37
Dec. 1 at West Virginia W 13-9

2008 Early Lookahead
Why to get excited: 13-9. Talk about jump-starting a program, Pitt was slogging along in the midst of yet another mediocre season under Dave Wannstedt, and then it screwed up West Virginia's otherwise terrific year with the most important upset in a year of upsets. Now the expectations have skyrocketed with RB LeSean McCoy returning along with most of the key players on both sides of the ball to make this the Big East's "it" team going into 2008. Four of the seven losses were by four points or fewer with all very, very winnable.
Why to be grouchy: 13-9. The win in Morgantown glossed over a slew of major issue that made the Panthers disappointing in the first place. Can Pat Bostick consistently throw? Can the offense score on a consistent basis? Will McCoy have holes to run through with three starters, including possible NFL first round pick Jeff Otah, gone off the line? Can the pass protection improve? Outside of the West Virginia game, Wannstedt hasn't proven he can get his team to play up to its capability. 
The number one thing to work on is: The quarterback situation. Bostick was a big recruit a few years ago and has potential, but he'll have to hold off Bill Stull, who was supposed to be the main man before hurting his thumb, Kevan Smith, and JUCO transfers Greg Cross and Robb Houser. They're not all going to be there by the start of the year with at least one certain to transfer. Handing off to McCoy will only go so far; someone has to improve the passing game.
Biggest offensive loss: OT Jeff Otah
Biggest defensive loss: DE Joe Clermond
Best returning offensive player: RB LeSean McCoy, Soph.
Best returning defensive player: LB Scott McKillop, Sr.

2007 Recap
Recap: If not for a spate of injuries, the past fall might have become the breakthrough season that Dave Wannstedt has been craving since returning to his alma mater.  Despite finishing out of the bowl picture for the third consecutive year, Pittsburgh will remember 2007 as the year it broke the seal on franchise RB LeSean McCoy, and ruined rival West Virginia’s season in a one-for-the-ages Backyard Brawl.  The defense, ranked No. 7 nationally, kept the Panthers in plenty of games, but could have used a lot more help from an offense that sputtered too often in the red zone.           

Offensive Player of the Year: RB LeSean McCoy

Defensive Player of the Year: LB Scott McKillop

Biggest Surprise: Stunning No. 2 West Virginia, 13-9, in the regular season capper as a four-touchdown underdog.  Even in a zany season that was marked by upsets, no one could have seen this bombshell coming.  The Panthers got enough from the defense and the running game to throw the BCS into its familiar state of chaos as the year came to a close. 

Biggest Disappointment: Some poor officiating got in the way of Pitt’s upset bid at Rutgers on Nov. 17.  On the brink of evening its record at 5-5, Panther WR Oderick Turner got flagged for a questionable pass interference after catching the apparent game-winning touchdown with 16 seconds remaining.  The loss dropped Pitt to 4-6, crushing any hopes for a bowl game.

Looking Ahead: Okay, we’ve heard this before, but this really could be the year Pittsburgh challenges for the Big East championship.  All signs point to a promising 2008 for the program if it can find a playmaker at quarterback out of injured veteran Bill Stull and sporadic rookie Pat Bostick.

Dec. 1
Pitt 13 ... West Virginia 9
In an all-time stunner that ruined West Virginia's national title dream, Pitt got two Conor Lee field goals and a one-yard Pat Bostick touchdown run for all the points it would need. The defense held the high powered Mountaineer attack to 183 yards and just 104 on the ground. Pat White suffered a dislocated thumb, was in street clothes for a little while, and then came back into the game late. The Mountaineers had their chances, but two missed field goals early, and a throw out of the end zone on a desperation fourth down on their final play, helped the Panthers pull it off. Pitt held on to the ball for 36:19.
Player of the game: Pitt RB LeSean McCoy ran 38 times for 148 yards
Stat Leaders: West Virginia - Passing: Pat White, 5-10, 50 yds
Rushing: Pat White, 14-41. Receiving: Darius Reynaud, 3-46
Pitt - Passing: Pat Bostick, 10-19, 67 yds, 2 INT
Rushing: LeSean McCoy, 38-148. Receiving: Oderick Turner, 3-29
Whoopty doo. What does it all mean, Basil? ... The defense turned the intensity up a few notches against West Virginia with the type of game that'll set the tone for 2008, but will also leaves everyone wondering where this defense was all season long. The Mountaineers might have been painfully tight, but the Panthers also made things happen by not missing any tackles and making almost every right read. The offense was hardly special, but it also got hosed on two bad holding calls that would've led to big plays. LeSean McCoy is a superstar to build a team around; he'll be the league's hot new playmaker going into next year.

Nov. 24
South Florida 48 ... Pitt 37
South Florida got an 80-yard touchdown run from Matt Grothe and two interception returns four touchdowns as part of a 34 points second half to pull away from the Panthers. Pitt got three scoring runs from LeSean McCoy and two Pat Bostick touchdown passes, but they weren't nearly enough to overcome a 37-yard Nate Allen pick six in the third and a 21-yard Trae Williams interception for a touchdown in the fourth. USF's Tyrone McKenzie and Pitt's Scott McKillop each made 18 tackles.
Player of the game: South Florida QB Matt Grothe completed 17 of 23 passes for 159 yards and ran 12 times for 67 yards and a touchdown.
Stat Leaders: South Florida - Passing: Matt Grothe, 17-23, 159 yds
Rushing: Matt Grothe, 12-67, 1 TD. Receiving: Carlton Mitchell, 5-32
Pitt - Passing: Pat Bostick, 24-37, 298 yds, 2 TD, 3 INT
Rushing: LeSean McCoy, 18-55, 3 TD. Receiving: T.J. Porter, 7-74
Whoopty doo. What does it all mean, Basil? ... The offense has to stop turning the ball over in key situations. Pat Bostick has struggled with interceptions at the worst possible moments over the past few weeks while the defense didn't do enough this week to get South Florida off the field. The team still lacks the know-how to make plays to win. It's been in positions to come up with one or two plays to turn games around, and it can't seem to do it. Now comes the biggest challenge against West Virginia with a chance to ruin a national title dream. To have any prayer, the linebacking corps has to do a better job of being in the right position while the offense has to be mistake-free.

Nov. 17
Rutgers 20 ... Pitt 16
Rutgers got a 30-yard Jeremy Ito field goal, his second of the game, midway through the fourth quarter, and it turned out to make all the different as Pitt had a chance late, but Pat Bostick was picked off by Devin McCourty in the end zone. Mike Teel connected with Kenny Britt for a 53-yard touchdown in the first quarter, and Ray Rice ran for a 28-yard score in the second for 17-10 Rutgers lead with Pitt only managing two of Conor Lee's three field goals in the second half. The two teams combined for eight sacks.
Player of the game: In the loss, Pitt LB Scott McKillop made 16 tackles, 1.5 sacks, 2. 5 tackles for loss, one forced fumble, two fumble recoveries, an interception and two broken up passes.
Stat Leaders: Rutgers - Passing: Mike Teel, 3-9, 98 yds, 1 TD, 2 INT
Rushing: Ray Rice, 26-112, 1 TD. Receiving: Kenny Britt, 3-82, 1 TD
Pitt - Passing: Kevan Smith, 7-11, 81 yds
Rushing: LeSean McCoy, 22-60. Receiving: T.J. Porter, 4-44
Whoopty doo. What does it all mean, Basil? ... The Pitt offensive line couldn't keep the quarterbacks from getting popped by Rutgers all game long. LeSean McCoy was all but erased from the gameplan, Pitt didn't do enough to crank out touchdowns instead of field goals, and now all bowl dreams are realistically gone even with two games remaining. On the plus side, the defense was terrific with an all-timer of a game from LB Scott McKillop. Outside of about three key plays, Pitt shut the Scarlet Knights down.

Nov. 3
Pitt 20 ... Syracuse 17
Pitt broke open a 10-10 tie with a one-yard LeSean McCoy touchdown run and a 32-yard Conor Lee field goal in the fourth, and then had to hang on, as Mike Williams caught a three-yard touchdown pass with 1:46 to play. After stopping McCoy on a fourth and one, SU got the ball to midfield in the final minute, but a fourth down pass was incomplete. The two teams combined for just 559 yards and converted just six of 30 third down conversion chances.
Player of the game: Pitt RB LeSean McCoy ran 31 times for 140 yards and a touchdown, and caught five passes for 12 yards
Stat Leaders: Syracuse - Passing: Cameron Dantley, 15-27, 189 yds, 2 TD
Rushing: Max Suter, 6-27. Receiving: Mike Williams, 8-81, 1 TD
Pitt - Passing: Pat Bostick, 21-30, 153 yds, 1 TD
Rushing: LeSean McCoy, 31-140, 1 TD. Receiving: Oderick Turner, 5-54, 1 TD
Whoopty doo. What does it all mean, Basil? ... It might not have been pretty, but Pitt needed the win over Syracuse no matter how it looked. The defense did a terrific job against the run, led by big days from Scott McKillop and Joe Clermond, but Pat Bostick struggled with his passes on third downs and the offense wasn't consistent. There's still time to pull out a bowl eligible season, needing to win two of the final three games. However, to beat Rutgers, South Florida and/or West Virginia, there needs to be far more pop to the attack outside of LeSean McCoy.

Oct. 27
Louisville 24 ... Pitt 17
Louisville got two first half Brian Brohm touchdown passes, but needed a one-yard Brock Bolen scoring run in the final two minutes, and a goal line stand, to hang on. Pitt hung around with a 27-yard LeSean McCoy scoring play in the first half, and a seven-yard touchdown run in the second. Despite his huge game, McCoy fumbled on first and goal from the one in the final minute with the Panthers down seven, and the Cardinal hung on. The two teams combined to convert six of 24 third down chances.
Player of the game: Louisville QB Brian Brohm completed 21 of 30 passes for 236 yards and two touchdowns with an interception.
Stat Leaders: Louisville - Passing: Brian Brohm, 21-30, 236 yds, 2 TD, 1 INT
Rushing: Brock Bolen, 11-52, 1 TD. Receiving: Harry Douglas, 6-63, 1 TD
Pitt - Passing: Pat Bostick, 10-20, 136 yds
Rushing: LeSean McCoy, 26-120, 1 TD. Receiving: LeSean McCoy, 3-60, 1 TD
Whoopty doo. What does it all mean, Basil? ... LeSean McCoy has become Pitt's offense. Pat Bostick isn't getting to open it up at all, while it's all about getting the ball to the franchise back and letting him work. The defense did a solid job against Louisville, but not good enough early on. Now comes the desperately-needed easy game against Syracuse before a tough finishing kick, and now there's little margin for error if the Panthers have any hope for a bowl bid. To get it, Bostick needs to do more.

Oct. 20
Pitt 24 ... Cincinnati 17
Pitt ran for 260 yards, with LeSean McCoy and LaRod Stephens each going over 100 yards, with Stephens running for a one-yard touchdown with just over five minutes to play to take the lead for good. Conor Lee added field goals from 41, 25 and 27 yards out. Cincy appeared on the way to an easy win early on with a quick 10-0 lead helped by a Ben Mauk one-yard touchdown run and a field goal off a missed fourth and one call deep in Pitt territory. But the Panthers would bounce back, tying it up with a four-yard Darrell Strong touchdown catch, and dominating in the second half. Scott McKillop made 16 tackles for the Panthers.
Player of the game: Pitt RBs LeSean McCoy and LaRod Stephens combined for 237 yards and a touchdown on 38 carries
Stat Leaders: Cincinnati - Passing: Ben Mauk, 21-32, 237 yds, 1 INT
Rushing: Ben Mauk, 10-94, 1 TD. Receiving: Marshawn Gilyard, 5-45
Pitt - Passing: Pat Bostick, 18-29, 167 yds, 1 TD, 1 INT
Rushing: LeSean McCoy, 25-137. Receiving: T.J. Porter, 7-85
Whoopty doo. What does it all mean, Basil? ... Just when you think you know Pitt, it comes out and runs all over a good team like Cincinnati. Considering how down the team was after the loss to Navy, give the coaching staff credit for bouncing back and stuffing the Bearcat offense cold in the second half, while getting a good, efficient games from all the parts of the offense. There were too many field goals off promising drives, but at this point, it was a good win to break the four-game losing streak nd get back in the hunt for a bowl game.

Oct. 10
Navy 48 ... Pitt 45 2OT
Down three in the second overtime on the Navy two, Pitt chose to go for it on fourth down, and missed, as Pat Bostick's throw on a fade pattern got broken up. In a wild game, Navy had a chance to win in regulation, but Joey Bullen's 49-yard kick fell way short as time expired. Bostick ran for a one-yard score to put Pitt up in the first overtime, and Navy responded on its first play with a Reggie Campbell 25-yard touchdown catch. Bullen nailed a 29-yard field goal in the second overtime. LeSean McCoy ran for three touchdowns for the Panthers, while Navy got three Campbell scores, along with short touchdown runs from Adam Ballard, Shun White and Kaipo Noa Kaheaku-Enhada in the see-saw battle. The two teams combined for 558 rushing yards.
Player of the game: Navy QB Kaipo Noa Kaheaku-Enhada ran 25 times for 122 yards and a touchdown, and completed nine of 12 passes for 166 yards and two scores
Stat Leaders: Pitt - Passing: Pat Bostick, 20-28, 191 yds, 1 TD, 1 INT
Rushing: LeSean McCoy, 32-165, 3 TD. Receiving: Oderick Turner, 6-74, 1 TD
Navy - Passing: Kaipo Noa Kaheaku-Enhada, 9-12, 166 yds, 2 TD
Rushing: Kaipo Noa Kaheaku-Enhada, 25-122, 1 TD. Receiving: Tyree Barnes, 3-58
Whoopty doo. What does it all mean, Basil? ... Against Navy, Pitt had the ball third and goal from two in the second overtime. LeSean McCoy had been running wild all night, and the Navy defensive line had been beaten down by the far bigger Panther O line. Instead of pounding it with McCoy twice, Dave Wannstedt and his staff called a pass, it missed, and then instead of kicking the field goal for a third overtime, and instead of running it, threw a risky fade pattern that was easily broken up. That sums up the Panthers. They weren't physical enough on defense, never adjusted in time, and couldn't handle Navy's passing game. This is supposed to be a defensive-minded coaching staff, and it didn't have any answers.

Sept. 29
Virginia 44 ... Pitt 14
Virginia scored the first 30 points of the game, all in the first half, as Jameel Sewell connected with Jonathan Stupar, Tom Santi, and Rashawn Jackson for touchdowns, and Cedric Peerman got the first of his two touchdown runs. Pitt pushed its way into the game with a LeSean McCoy one-yard touchdown run and a two-yard Oderick Turner two-yard scoring grab, but Peerman scored from 13 yards out and Vic Hall put it well out of reach with a four-yard scoring dash.
Player of the game: Virginia RB Cedric Peerman ran 24 times for 87 yards and two scores and caught four passes for 44 yards
Stat Leaders: Virginia - Passing: Jameel Sewell, 16-31-169 yds, 3 TD
Rushing: Cedric Peerman, 24-87, 2 TD. Receiving: Cedric Peerman, 4-44
Pitt - Passing: Pat Bostick, 18-31, 181 yds, 1 TD, 1 INT
Rushing: LeSean McCoy, 19-86, 1 TD. Receiving: T.J. Porter, 5-55
Whoopty doo. What does it all mean, Basil? ... The wheels have completely come off defensively. It's not like the D is giving up a ton of yards, but it's not coming up with a clutch stop, and it's not doing anything to change games. Connecticut and Virginia aren't offensive juggernauts, but they had little problem scoring points on the Panthers to put their respective games away. The running game isn't working, with no one respecting the passing game, and there haven't been any home runs or long drives. If the O isn't getting good field position, there's a problem. With 11 penalties for 139 yards, there are focus issues.

Sept. 22
Connecticut 34 ... Pitt 14
Connecticut's offense wasn't sharp, but it didn't have to be, with the defense forcing six turnovers highlighted by a 51-yard Lawrence Wilson interception return for a touchdown early in the fourth quarter.  Danny Lansanah came up with an interception on the third play of the game, and Lou Allen cashed it in with a one-yard touchdown run as part of a 10-0 first quarter lead. Pitt's main highlight came on a 19-yard LeSean McCoy touchdown run early in the second quarter, but the UConn offense went on its two best drives of the day, with Allen and Donald Brown running for short scores, with Allen's one-yard dash coming with 32 seconds to play. A sack forced a fumble, and UConn converted with a 39-yard Tony Ciaravino field goal with no time left on the clock. In the second half, Pitt only managed a 21-yard Oderick Turner touchdown catch late in the fourth quarter.
Player of the game: Connecticut LB Lawrence Wilson made 11 tackles, a tackle for loss, and picked off a pass for a 51-yard touchdown
Stat Leaders: Connecticut - Passing: Tyler Lorenzen, 12-25, 174 yds
Rushing: Donald Brown, 18-53, 1 TD. Receiving: D.J. Hernandez, 3-50
Pitt - Passing: Pat Bostick, 27-41, 230 yds, 1 TD, 3 INT
Rushing: LeSean McCoy, 11-70, 1 TD. Receiving: Darrell Strong, 6-73
Whoopty doo. What does it all mean, Basil? ... Pitt needs to be able to hang its hat on something offensively. Six turnovers and an inability to keep things moving on third downs allowed Connecticut to get poor play from the offense, but win with ease. Pat Bostick came up with some good throws, but the three interceptions proved costly, and Kevan Smith didn't move the team. Right now, the attack has to be centered around the running game. That's easier said than done if the Panthers get down early, but LeSean McCoy is the one to get the ball to until the passing attack comes around.

Sept. 15
Michigan State 17 ... Pitt 13
Pitt had one last gasp, but a bomb into the end zone fell incomplete to allow Michigan State a chance to finally exhale. The Spartans got a two-yard Jehuu Caulcrick touchdown run and a 31-yard interception return for a score in the second quarter, but could only manage a 23-yard Brett Swenson field goal the rest of the way. Pitt got a 64-yard LeSean McCoy touchdown dash in the second quarter, but could only manage to Conor Lee field goals the rest of the way.
Player of the game: Michigan State DE Jonal Saint-Dic had five tackles, three tackles for loss, two sacks and a pair of forced fumbles.
Stat Leaders: Pittsburgh - Passing: Kevan Smith, 9-18, 85 yds, 2 INTs
Rushing: LeSean McCoy, 25-172, 1 TD. Receiving: Marcel Pestano, 3-30
Michigan State - Passing: Brian Hoyer, 14-28, 183 yds
Rushing: Javon Ringer, 20-92. Receiving: Devin Thomas, 3-53
Whoopty doo. What does it all mean, Basil? ... Considering all the injury issues, and a new starting quarterback, Pitt did an impressive job of staying with Michigan State until the end. The Panthers always seem to have good young running backs, but LeSean McCoy appears to be special. He's a sorely needed playmaker to revolve the offense around until Kevan Smith figures out what he's doing. The passing attack was abysmal, and the offense was 0-for-12 on third downs.

Sept. 8
Pitt 34 ... Grambling State 10
Pitt rolled past Grambling State thanks to three first quarter touchdown runs from LeSean McCoy and an efficient day from new starting quarterback Kevan Smith. GSU crept back into it with a 29-yard Clyde Edwards touchdown catch and a 35-yard field goal, but Pitt scored the final 13 points of the game on two Conor Lee field goals and a 50-yard Nate Byham scoring grab.
Player of the game ... Pitt RB LeSean McCoy ran 19 times for 107 yards and three touchdowns.
Stat Leaders: Grambling State - Passing: Brandon Landers, 19-40, 155 yds, 1 TD, 3 INT
Rushing: Cornelius Walker, 12-54 Receiving: Clyde Edwards, 5-59, 1 TD
Pittsburgh - Passing: Kevan Smith, 15-22, 202 yds, 1 TD, 1 INT
Rushing: LeSean McCoy, 19-107, 3 TD  Receiving: Oderick Turner, 4-74
Whoopty doo. What does it all mean, Basil? ... It was only a blowout win over Grambling State, but Pitt needed a good game out of QB Kevan Smith, in place of the injured Bill Stull, and got it. The running game was the story early on, as GSU penalties were the major problem over the course of the game, but Pitt did what it was supposed to do considering there were some big concerns. Now, the running game has to be better for a full sixty minutes, and the run defense has to stiffen with a trop to Michigan State coming up. Smith will have to be even more efficient.

Sept. 1
Pitt 27 ... Eastern Michigan 3
Pitt had few problems with Eastern Michigan, but it took a quarter. The Eagles struck first on a 27-yard Sean Dutcher field goal, and then Pitt reeled off 27 unanswered points as Shane Brooks ran for two one-yard scores, Bill Stull hit Oderick Turner on a 21-yard touchdown pass, and Conor Lee nailed two fourth quarter field goals. The defense held EMU to just eight first downs and 145 yards of total offense, while the Panther attack held on to the ball for close to 22 minutes of the second half.
Player of the game ... Pitt QB Bill Stull went 14-of-20 for 177 yards and a touchdown before leaving the game injured.
Stat Leaders: Eastern Michigan Passing: Andy Schmitt, 16-27, 106 yds, 1 INT
Rushing: Pierre Walker, 11-30  Receiving: Travis Lewis, 5-52
Pittsburgh - Passing: Bill Stull, 14-20, 177 yds, 1 TD
Rushing: LeSean McCoy, 10-68  Receiving: Marcel Pestano, 3-72
Whoopty doo. What does it all mean, Basil? ... Pitt might have beaten Eastern Michigan, but it suffered a big blow with QB Bill Stull suffering a thumb injury that'll require surgery. That's not a big deal for next week with Grambling coming up, but the rest of the team will have to step up their play if he's not back against Michigan State and Connecticut. Against the Eagles, the defense stifling and Dave Brytus had a huge day punting the ball. He bailed the Panthers out of a few jams. The combination of LeSean McCoy and LaRod Stephens-Howling was solid with 135 yards on just 26 carries.