2008 Pittsburgh Panthers football team
Encyclopedia
The 2008 Pittsburgh Panthers football team represented the University of Pittsburgh
in the 2008 college football season
. The season was the fourth under head coach
Dave Wannstedt
, who was looking to achieve his first winning season with the Panthers. The 2008 season marked the team's eighth at Heinz Field
and the University's 119th season.
The Panthers started the 2008 season with new defensive coordinator Phil Bennett
. Ranked in the top 25 for the second time under Wannstedt's leadership, Pitt suffered an early and surprising setback in the opening game against Bowling Green
. Pitt rebounded to defeat Buffalo
and then Iowa
by a score of 21–20. The winning continued when the Panthers upset undefeated and tenth ranked South Florida
in a game nationally televised by ESPN
. A win at Navy preceded a home upset to Rutgers, Pitt's fourth consecutive loss to the Scarlet Knights. However, Pitt rebounded the following week at Notre Dame with a 36-33 four-overtime victory over the Irish, the longest game ever for both Notre Dame and Pittsburgh. After a 41–7 rout of visiting Louisville, the Panthers improved to 7–2, were bowl-bound for the first time under Wannstedt, and were in contention for a Big East Championship and a BCS bowl bid. However, a loss at Cincinnati in the River City Rivalry
eliminated the Panthers from championship contention. Pitt rallied to defeat archrival West Virginia 19-15 on the Friday after Thanksgiving in a nationally televised game on ABC
for its second consecutive win in the Backyard Brawl. The following week the Panthers won at UConn
to improve to 9-3 and clinched a bid to the Sun Bowl
, the first bowl bid under Wannstedt. Pitt lost 3-0 to Oregon State
, a team that had previously defeated USC. It was the first time Pitt was held scoreless in twelve years.
. Rarely though does a losing record leave fans filled with satisfaction and optimism, but that was the case in 2007. It was the third season under the direction of Head Coach
Dave Wannstedt
. It was also the third consecutive season without a postseason bowl game
. The Panthers schedule included six home games and six road games. The schedule was generally viewed as unappealing, lacking any marquee matchups at home. The Panthers appeared on national television on a Wednesday night, October 10, with a 48-45 2OT loss to Navy
that ended when Pitt failed to convert on a two-point conversion
. For Homecoming
2007 Pitt hosted #23 Cincinnati
, defeating the Bearcats 24-17. The final game of the season on December 1 saw the Panthers visit #2 West Virginia
. In this game, the 100th edition of the Backyard Brawl
, the Panthers defeated the Mountaineers, 13-9, to gain their first road victory of the season and, more importantly, eliminate West Virginia from the National Championship
race in one of the most memorable games of the entire 2007 college football season
.
, his 3rd consecutive top-25 recruiting class, to kick off the 2008 football year. Although Wannstedt had been recruiting well since the beginning of his tenure at Pitt some of that 2008 recruiting power has been attributed to the Panthers' season finale win over West Virginia. The highlights of the class are projected to be WR Jonathan Baldwin, RB Chris Burns, OT Lucas Nix, LB Shayne Hale, and athlete Cameron Saddler.
Cedric McGee, and newly-converted tight end
Dorin Dickerson
, who all earned the Ed Conway Award given to Pitt's most improved players at spring practices. Other important spring performances included Bill Stull
, who re-established himself as the team's top quarterback
, and John Malecki, a two-time letterman on defense at nose tackle who earned a starting spot on the offensive line at guard
. The Blue-Gold Game was simulcast live locally in Pittsburgh on WPCW
and nationally on the NFL Network
.
Walter Camp Award
:
Outland Trophy
:
John Mackey Award
:
Bronko Nagurski Trophy
:
Lombardi Award
:
Dick Butkus Award
:
Maxwell Award
:
Chuck Bednarik Award
:
. It was the Panthers first appearance in any major polling service since 2005 and first preseason ranking since 2003.
Notes
. The Panthers, who outgained the Falcons 393-254 on the day, jumped out to an early 14-0 lead in the first half as they outgained Bowling Green 137-6 in the first quarter. After falling behind early the Falcons rallied and took advantage of four costly Pitt turnovers. The Falcons keyed on Panther tailback LeSean McCoy, who fumbled once and was held to 71 yards on 23 carries. The Panthers defense was repeatedly befuddled by some of the odd formations that the Falcons used on offense, such utilizing an imbalanced offensive line or lining up a wide receiver at the quarterback position. However, the following year, defensive coordinator Phil Bennett praised head coach Dave Wannstedt for the way he handled the defeat, saying, "I told many people this: I've seen a lot of head coaches where the whole thing would have toppled after a game like that. I thought the way he handled it – his demeanor not just with the players but with the coaches – was phenomenal." (Game report)
foe for the second straight game, withstood an early charge by the Bulls
, taking the lead in the 2nd quarter and holding off Buffalo every time they made a move. LeSean McCoy scored all three touchdowns for the Panthers, scoring on runs of three, one, and two yards. (Game report)
. Pitt men's basketball
coach Jamie Dixon
provided a motivational speech for the football team two days before the game against the Hawkeyes in which he described a potential win over Iowa as a "program-building" victory that could help put the Panthers back onto the national radar, propelling them to new heights of success. The Panthers jumped out to an early 14–3 lead when two Pitt quarterbacks, Bill Stull and Gregg Cross, each ran a called draw in for a touchdown in the first half. Greg Cross, an athletic, change-of-pace, junior college transfer quarterback, made his Panthers debut, scoring a touchdown on a 17-yard scramble in his first play as a Panther. The Panthers offense struggled greatly after taking the lead in the second quarter. However, Pitt's defensive line dominated Iowa's offensive line in the fourth quarter as the well-conditioned yet undersized Panthers outlasted the Hawkeyes. The Panthers' depth on the defensive line also played a role as they were able to rotate nine defensive linemen throughout the game. Coach Wannstedt and his staff were noticeably more aggressive in their play-calling; all three Panthers touchdowns resulted from an offensive drive that included a fourth-down conversion. Although the victory was a big one for the team, the offense still showed great inconsistency and need for improvement. Punter Dave Brytus and linkbacker Scott McKillop were named the Big East Player of the Week for special teams and defense, respectively, following their performances against Iowa. Brytus punted eight times for an average of 47.8 yards, including a longest of sixty yards, one touchback, and one downed inside the twenty. McKillop, who broke his nose on a tackle of Shonn Greene when his nose was crushed by his own facemask, finished with ten tackles, including six solo tackles, two and a half tackles for a loss of nine yards, and one sack. (Game report)
by two touchdowns, 17-3, at halftime. Conor Lee made the game-winning field goal, one of four overtime fields goals, during his perfect, 5-for-5 day to help lead the Panthers. His five field goals and 18 points are both Pitt records for a kicker; he also extended his school record of consecutive extra points without a miss to 100. LeSean McCoy lead the way on offense with 32 rushing attempts for 169 yards, his 5th straight 100-yard game, and one touchdown as he surpassed 1,000 yards rushing for the season; he also had two catches for 23 yards. The Panthers fell behind in the first half when Notre Dame controlled the clock and took advantage of poor play by Pitt on offense. Quartebacks Kevan Smith and Pat Bostick, who were playing in place of the injured started Bill Stull, who suffered a concussion in the previous game, were ineffective in the first half, and the running game couldn't get going as McCoy had only 5 yards on 3 carries. In total, the offense only had 71 yards and five first downs in the entire first half. The offense got back on track in the 2nd half as the Panthers scored 10 straight points to tie the game at 17. The Panthers first possession of the 3rd quarter went eight plays and 71 yards, including a converted fourth-and-one pass that Oderick Turner turned into a 37-yard gain. The Panthers next touchdown came on a 15-play, 70-yard drive that used 8:28 of time during the end of the 3rd and beginning of the 4th quarters. Pat Bostick, although he was intercepted three times in the game, persevered and stepped up his play in the second half, leading the Panthers on three critical scoring drives. After the game Bostick, speaking of his own performance, said, ""I came out and made some mistakes out there, forced a couple of things, made a couple of plays. We made enough plays to win though and this was a total team win... But the bottom line is we are here to win a football game and when you throw picks, it is not about you, you can't say 'Woe is me.' It is all about, 'What do I have to do on the next drive to take this team down the field to win the game?'" The Panthers defense, led again by linebacker Scott McKillop with 15 tackles, played significantly better than in the week before, allowing only one big play versus the Irish's offense, a 47-yard pass from Jimmy Clausen to Golden Tate. They also held Notre Dame to only 146 yards in the second half and all four overtimes, including just seven yards on three three-and-out possessions in the third quarter. (Game report)
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 2008 college football season
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...
. The season was the fourth 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...
, who was looking to achieve his first winning season with the Panthers. The 2008 season marked the team's eighth 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 119th season.
The Panthers started the 2008 season with new defensive coordinator Phil Bennett
Phil Bennett (American football)
-External links:*...
. Ranked in the top 25 for the second time under Wannstedt's leadership, Pitt suffered an early and surprising setback in the opening game against Bowling Green
Bowling Green Falcons football
The Bowling Green Falcons football team is the interscholastic football team at Bowling Green State University. Bowling Green competes as a member of the Mid-American Conference in the East Division. The Falcons have won ten conference championships....
. Pitt rebounded to defeat Buffalo
Buffalo Bulls football
The Buffalo Bulls football program is the intercollegiate American football team for the University at Buffalo located in the U.S. state of New York. The team competes at the NCAA Division I level in the Football Bowl Subdivision and is a member of the Mid-American Conference. Buffalo's first...
and then Iowa
Iowa Hawkeyes football
The Iowa Hawkeyes football team is the interscholastic football team at the University of Iowa in Iowa City, Iowa. The Hawkeyes have competed in the Big Ten Conference since 1900, and are currently a Division I Football Bowl Subdivision member of the National Collegiate Athletic Association...
by a score of 21–20. The winning continued when the Panthers upset undefeated and tenth ranked 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...
in a game nationally televised by ESPN
ESPN
Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
. A win at Navy preceded a home upset to Rutgers, Pitt's fourth consecutive loss to the Scarlet Knights. However, Pitt rebounded the following week at Notre Dame with a 36-33 four-overtime victory over the Irish, the longest game ever for both Notre Dame and Pittsburgh. After a 41–7 rout of visiting Louisville, the Panthers improved to 7–2, were bowl-bound for the first time under Wannstedt, and were in contention for a Big East Championship and a BCS bowl bid. However, a loss at Cincinnati in the River City Rivalry
River 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...
eliminated the Panthers from championship contention. Pitt rallied to defeat archrival West Virginia 19-15 on the Friday after Thanksgiving in a nationally televised game 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...
for its second consecutive win in the Backyard Brawl. The following week the Panthers won at UConn
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...
to improve to 9-3 and clinched a bid to the Sun Bowl
Sun Bowl
The Sun Bowl is an annual U.S. college football bowl game that is usually played at the end of December in El Paso, Texas. The Sun Bowl, along with the Sugar Bowl and the Orange Bowl are the second-oldest bowl games in the country, behind the Rose Bowl...
, the first bowl bid under Wannstedt. Pitt lost 3-0 to 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...
, a team that had previously defeated USC. It was the first time Pitt was held scoreless in twelve years.
Previous season
The Panthers finished with a disappointing 5-7 record in the 2007 season2007 Pittsburgh Panthers football team
The 2007 Pittsburgh Panthers football team represented the University of Pittsburgh in the 2007 college football season.-Schedule:-Team Players drafted into in the NFL:...
. Rarely though does a losing record leave fans filled with satisfaction and optimism, but that was the case in 2007. It was the third season under the direction of 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...
. It was also the third consecutive season without a postseason bowl game
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...
. The Panthers schedule included six home games and six road games. The schedule was generally viewed as unappealing, lacking any marquee matchups at home. The Panthers appeared on national television on a Wednesday night, October 10, with a 48-45 2OT loss to Navy
Navy Midshipmen football
The Navy Midshipmen football team represents the United States Naval Academy in NCAA Division I-A college football. They are a Division I Football Bowl Subdivision independent school and coached by Ken Niumatalolo since December 2007...
that ended when Pitt failed to convert on a two-point conversion
Two-point conversion
In American and Canadian football, a two-point conversion is a play a team attempts instead of kicking a one-point convert immediately after it scores a touchdown...
. For Homecoming
Homecoming
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...
2007 Pitt hosted #23 Cincinnati
Cincinnati 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...
, defeating the Bearcats 24-17. The final game of the season on December 1 saw the Panthers visit #2 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...
. In this game, the 100th edition of the Backyard Brawl
Backyard Brawl
The Backyard Brawl is an annual football game between the University of Pittsburgh Panthers and the West Virginia University Mountaineers. The term "Backyard Brawl" has also been used to refer to college basketball games played annually or semi-iannually and may also be used to refer to other...
, the Panthers defeated the Mountaineers, 13-9, to gain their first road victory of the season and, more importantly, eliminate West Virginia from the National Championship
2008 BCS National Championship Game
The 2008 Allstate BCS National Championship Game was played at the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana, on Monday, January 7, 2008, and featured the #1 and #2 college football teams in the United States as determined by the BCS Poll to decide the BCS National Championship for the 2007...
race in one of the most memorable games of the entire 2007 college football season
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...
.
Recruits
Head Coach Dave Wannstedt signed the top recruiting class in the Big EastBig 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...
, his 3rd consecutive top-25 recruiting class, to kick off the 2008 football year. Although Wannstedt had been recruiting well since the beginning of his tenure at Pitt some of that 2008 recruiting power has been attributed to the Panthers' season finale win over West Virginia. The highlights of the class are projected to be WR Jonathan Baldwin, RB Chris Burns, OT Lucas Nix, LB Shayne Hale, and athlete Cameron Saddler.
Spring Practices
Throughout spring practices the defense dominated the offense, but in the annual Blue-Gold Game on April 19 at Heinz Field, the offense got the better of the defense, winning 60-25 under a modified scoring system that favored the offense. The rising stars of the spring practices were defensive tackle Mick Williams, wide receiverWide 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...
Cedric McGee, and newly-converted 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...
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:*...
, who all earned the Ed Conway Award given to Pitt's most improved players at spring practices. Other important spring performances included 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:...
, who re-established himself as the team's top quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
, and John Malecki, a two-time letterman on defense at nose tackle who earned a starting spot on the offensive line at guard
Guard (American football)
In American and Canadian football, a guard is a player that lines up between the center and the tackles on the offensive line of a football team....
. The Blue-Gold Game was simulcast live locally in Pittsburgh 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...
and nationally 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...
.
Award Watchlists
Several players on the Panthers have been nominated to various award preseason watchlists.Walter Camp Award
Walter Camp Award
The Walter Camp Player of the Year Award is given annually to the collegiate American football Player of the Year, as decided by a group of National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I-A head coaches and sports information directors under the auspices of the Walter Camp Football Foundation;...
:
-
- LeSean McCoy, RB, Sophomore
- Scott McKillop, LB, Senior
Outland Trophy
Outland Trophy
The Outland Trophy is awarded to the best United States college football interior lineman by the Football Writers Association of America. It is named after John H. Outland. One of only a few players ever to be named All-America at two positions, Outland garnered consensus All-America honors in...
:
-
- Gus Mustakas, DT, Senior
John Mackey Award
John Mackey Award
The John Mackey Award is presented annually to college football's most outstanding tight end.The award is given to the collegiate tight end who best exemplifies the play, sportsmanship, academics, and community values of NFL Hall of Fame tight end John Mackey....
:
-
- Nate Byham, Junior
Bronko Nagurski Trophy
Bronko Nagurski Trophy
The Bronko Nagurski Trophy has been awarded annually since 1993 to the collegiate American football player adjudged by the membership of the Football Writers Association of America to be the best defensively in the National Collegiate Athletic Association; the award is presented by the Charlotte...
:
-
- Scott McKillop, LB, Senior
Lombardi Award
Lombardi 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...
:
-
- Scott McKillop, LB, Senior
Dick Butkus Award
Dick Butkus Award
The Butkus Award, instituted in 1985, is given annually to the top linebackers at the high school, collegiate and professional levels of football...
:
-
- Scott McKillop, LB, Senior
Maxwell Award
Maxwell Award
The Maxwell Award is presented annually to the collegiate American football player judged by a panel of sportscasters, sportswriters, and National Collegiate Athletic Association head coaches and the membership of the Maxwell Football Club to be the best football player in the United States. The...
:
-
- Derek Kinder, WR, Senior
- LeSean McCoy, RB, Sophomore
Chuck Bednarik Award
Chuck Bednarik Award
The Chuck Bednarik Award is presented annually to the defensive collegiate football player adjudged by the Maxwell Football Club to be the best in the United States...
:
-
- Scott McKillop, LB, Senior
Roster
| 2008 Pittsburgh Panthers Roster | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Quarterbacks: 4 Andrew Janocko – RS Fr 11 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:... – RS Jr 12 Kevan Smith – RS Jr 14 Greg Cross – Jr 16 Tino Sunseri –  19 Pat Bostick – So Tailbacks: 24 Kevin Collier – RS So 25 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.... – So 29 Chris Burns – 34 LaRod Stephens-Howling LaRod Stephens-Howling LaRod Stephens-Howling is an American football running back and kickoff returner for the Arizona Cardinals of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Cardinals in the seventh round of the 2009 NFL Draft... – Sr 43 Shariff Harris – RS Fr Fullbacks: 6 Chris Bova – RS Jr 27 Henry Hynoski – RS Fr 30 Conredge Collins – Sr Wide Receivers: 1 Cedric McGee – RS Jr 3 Aaron Smith – RS Fr 5  9 Tamarcus "T.J." Porter – Jr 10 Aundre Wright – RS Fr 81 Derek Kinder Derek Kinder Derek Kinder is an American football wide receiver.He attended the University of Pittsburgh, but missed the 2007 season due to a knee injury. He was drafted in the seventh round of the 2009 NFL Draft by the Chicago Bears, the sixth last player to be selected. On August 31, 2009 he was released by... – RS Sr 82 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... – Fr 85 Francis Johns – RS So 85 Samson Horne – RS So 87 Mike Shanahan – 88 Oderick Turner – RS Jr Tight Ends: 2 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:*... – Jr 80 Nate Byham Nate Byham -External links:**... – Jr 83 John Pelusi – RS Jr 85 Mike Cruz – 92 Justin Virbitsky – |
Offensive Line: 52 Lucas Nix G – Fr 53 Alex Karabin C – RS So 54 Chris Jacobson G – RS Fr 55 C. J. Davis C. J. Davis Emmanuel "C.J." F. Davis, Jr. is an American football guard for the Carolina Panthers of the National Football League . He was signed by the Panthers as an undrafted free agent in 2010. He played college football at Pittsburgh... G/C – Sr 56 Joe Thomas Joe Thomas -Cleveland Browns:Thomas signed a 6-year contract worth $43 million, $23 million guaranteed, including a voidable year, with the Browns. Thomas won the starting left tackle job, with previous Browns left tackle Kevin Shaffer moving to right tackle. He made his NFL debut versus the Pittsburgh... T – Jr 59 Mark Estermyer LS – RS Sr 60 Greg Gaskins T – RS Fr 62 John Bachman G – RS Jr 63 Wayne Jones G/C – RS Fr 64 66 Scott Corson G – RS So 67 Dan Matha T– RS Fr 68 Jordan Gibbs T – RS Fr 69 Jared Martin C – RS So 70 Dominic Williams G – RS Sr 71 John Fieger G – RS Fr 72 Chase Clowser T – RS Sr 74 John Malecki G – Jr 75 Ryan Turnley T – 76 Frank Kochin T – RS Sr 77 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:... T – RS So 78 Josh Novotny – RS Jr Defensive Line: 45 Tyler Tkach DE – RS So 48 Doug Fulmer DE – RS Jr 50 Rashaad Duncan DT – Sr 51 Tommie Duhart DT – Jr 57 Craig Bokor DT – RS Jr 90 Tony Tucker DE – RS Fr 91 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... DE – RS So 93 Gus Mustakas DT – RS Jr 94 Myles Caragein DT – RS Fr 95 Mick Williams DT – RS Jr 95 Justin Hargrove DE – RS Fr 97 Jabaal Sheard Jabaal Sheard Jabaal Sheard is an American football defensive end for the Cleveland Browns.-College career:He is described as someone who has not gotten enough credit on the Pittsburgh defensive line and noted for his "extraordinary game" against Notre Dame and the pressure he put on quarterback Jimmy Clausen... DE – So 98 Chas Alecxih DT – RS Fr |
Linebackers: 6 Steve Dell MLB – RS Jr 8 15 16 Brian Kaiser OLB – RS Jr 32 Tristan Roberts OLB – RS Fr 35 Brandon Lindsey 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:... MLB – RS Fr 38 Greg Williams OLB – RS Fr 40 Scott McKillop Scott McKillop -San Francisco 49ers:An inside linebacker in San Francisco's 3-4 defense, McKillop competed with former veteran player Jeff Ulbrich to serve as backup to Patrick Willis and Takeo Spikes.... MLB – RS Sr 41 Manny Williams – 44 Nate Nix OLB – RS So 46 Shayne Hale – 49 Max Gruder OLB – RS Fr 53 Joe Trebitz – 86 Austin Ransom OLB – RS Sr Defensive Backs: 4 Elijah Fields SS – RS So 5 Scott Shrake – Sr 7 Jovani Chappel CB – Jr 11 Dan Cafaro – RS Jr 17 Aaron Berry Aaron Berry Aaron Douglas Berry Jr is an American football cornerback for the Detroit Lions of the National Football League. He was signed by the Lions as an undrafted free agent in 2010. He played college football at Pittsbugh.-External links:**... CB – Jr 20 Irvan Brown FS – RS Jr 21 Buddy Jackson CB – RS Fr 22 Antwuan Reed CB – Fr 23 Ronald Hobby CB – 26 Ricky Gary CB – RS So 28 Eric Thatcher FS – RS Sr 31 Dom DeCicco SS – So 36 Michael Toerper S – RS Jr 36 Andrew Taglianetti – Fr 39 Jarred Holley CB – Punters: 18 Dave Brytus – RS Sr Kickers: 24 Luke Briggs – RS So 27 Cody Sawhill – Sr 31 Dan Hutchins – RS So 37 Conor Lee – RS Sr 47 Kevin Harper – |
||||||
| 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; third year player. Sr – 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... season. 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... . |
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| University of Pittsburgh Official Athletic Site: 2008 Roster | ||||||||
Rankings
Pitt began the season ranked at #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...
. It was the Panthers first appearance in any major polling service since 2005 and first preseason ranking since 2003.
| 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 | Wk 15 | 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... |
25 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | 24 | 23 | 17 | rv | 25 | 21 | 20 | rv | 23 | 18 | rv |
| Coaches | rv | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | rv | rv | 20 | rv | rv | 21 | 19 | rv | 23 | 21 | rv |
| 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 | 25 | 18 | rv | rv | 21 | 19 | 25 | 23 | 19 | n/a | ||||
| 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 | 17 | -- | -- | 21 | 20 | 25 | 23 | 20 | n/a | |||||||
Notes
- A The first Harris Interactive Poll is released after the fifth week of games, and the final Harris Interactive Poll is released prior to bowl season at the conclusion of the regular season.
- B The first BCS Ranking is released after the eighth week of games, and the final ranking is released prior to bowl season at the conclusion of the regular season. Only the rankings for the top 25 teams are released.
Schedule
Bowling Green
The Panthers entered the season in the preseason rankings for the first time since 2003, but their stay didn't last long as they were upset at home by the FalconsBowling Green Falcons football
The Bowling Green Falcons football team is the interscholastic football team at Bowling Green State University. Bowling Green competes as a member of the Mid-American Conference in the East Division. The Falcons have won ten conference championships....
. The Panthers, who outgained the Falcons 393-254 on the day, jumped out to an early 14-0 lead in the first half as they outgained Bowling Green 137-6 in the first quarter. After falling behind early the Falcons rallied and took advantage of four costly Pitt turnovers. The Falcons keyed on Panther tailback LeSean McCoy, who fumbled once and was held to 71 yards on 23 carries. The Panthers defense was repeatedly befuddled by some of the odd formations that the Falcons used on offense, such utilizing an imbalanced offensive line or lining up a wide receiver at the quarterback position. However, the following year, defensive coordinator Phil Bennett praised head coach Dave Wannstedt for the way he handled the defeat, saying, "I told many people this: I've seen a lot of head coaches where the whole thing would have toppled after a game like that. I thought the way he handled it – his demeanor not just with the players but with the coaches – was phenomenal." (Game report)
Buffalo
The Panthers, facing a MACMid-American Conference
The Mid-American Conference is a National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I college athletic conference with a membership base in the Great Lakes region that stretches from Western New York to Illinois. Nine of the twelve full member schools are in Ohio and Michigan, with single members...
foe for the second straight game, withstood an early charge by the Bulls
Buffalo Bulls football
The Buffalo Bulls football program is the intercollegiate American football team for the University at Buffalo located in the U.S. state of New York. The team competes at the NCAA Division I level in the Football Bowl Subdivision and is a member of the Mid-American Conference. Buffalo's first...
, taking the lead in the 2nd quarter and holding off Buffalo every time they made a move. LeSean McCoy scored all three touchdowns for the Panthers, scoring on runs of three, one, and two yards. (Game report)
Iowa
Pitt went into the Iowa game looking to make a positive statement for themselves against a quality program as well as wipe away some of the stigma attached to themselves due to their earlier loss to Bowling Green. The game was billed as a showdown of two top running backs, Pitt's LeSean McCoy and Iowa's Shonn GreeneShonn Greene
-New York Jets:On April 26, 2009 the New York Jets traded up 12 spots to select Greene in the third round of the 2009 NFL Draft. On August 30 Greene made an appearance in the Jets preseason game against the Baltimore Ravens. He rushed twice for six yards as well as catching an 85-yard pass...
. Pitt men's basketball
Pittsburgh Panthers men's basketball
Pittsburgh Panthers men's basketball is the NCAA Division I intercollegiate men's basketball program of the University of Pittsburgh, often referred to as "Pitt", located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The Pitt men's basketball team competes in the Big East Conference and plays their home games in...
coach Jamie Dixon
Jamie Dixon
Jamie Dixon is an American basketball head coach. He has served as the head coach of the University of Pittsburgh men's basketball team since 2003. In 2009 he was the head coach for the FIBA Under-19 2009 gold-medal winning United States national basketball team for which he was named the 2009 USA...
provided a motivational speech for the football team two days before the game against the Hawkeyes in which he described a potential win over Iowa as a "program-building" victory that could help put the Panthers back onto the national radar, propelling them to new heights of success. The Panthers jumped out to an early 14–3 lead when two Pitt quarterbacks, Bill Stull and Gregg Cross, each ran a called draw in for a touchdown in the first half. Greg Cross, an athletic, change-of-pace, junior college transfer quarterback, made his Panthers debut, scoring a touchdown on a 17-yard scramble in his first play as a Panther. The Panthers offense struggled greatly after taking the lead in the second quarter. However, Pitt's defensive line dominated Iowa's offensive line in the fourth quarter as the well-conditioned yet undersized Panthers outlasted the Hawkeyes. The Panthers' depth on the defensive line also played a role as they were able to rotate nine defensive linemen throughout the game. Coach Wannstedt and his staff were noticeably more aggressive in their play-calling; all three Panthers touchdowns resulted from an offensive drive that included a fourth-down conversion. Although the victory was a big one for the team, the offense still showed great inconsistency and need for improvement. Punter Dave Brytus and linkbacker Scott McKillop were named the Big East Player of the Week for special teams and defense, respectively, following their performances against Iowa. Brytus punted eight times for an average of 47.8 yards, including a longest of sixty yards, one touchback, and one downed inside the twenty. McKillop, who broke his nose on a tackle of Shonn Greene when his nose was crushed by his own facemask, finished with ten tackles, including six solo tackles, two and a half tackles for a loss of nine yards, and one sack. (Game report)
Syracuse
(Game report)USF
(Game report)Navy
(Game report)Rutgers
(Game report)Notre Dame
The Panthers came away with a 36-33, four-overtime victory after falling behind Notre DameNotre 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...
by two touchdowns, 17-3, at halftime. Conor Lee made the game-winning field goal, one of four overtime fields goals, during his perfect, 5-for-5 day to help lead the Panthers. His five field goals and 18 points are both Pitt records for a kicker; he also extended his school record of consecutive extra points without a miss to 100. LeSean McCoy lead the way on offense with 32 rushing attempts for 169 yards, his 5th straight 100-yard game, and one touchdown as he surpassed 1,000 yards rushing for the season; he also had two catches for 23 yards. The Panthers fell behind in the first half when Notre Dame controlled the clock and took advantage of poor play by Pitt on offense. Quartebacks Kevan Smith and Pat Bostick, who were playing in place of the injured started Bill Stull, who suffered a concussion in the previous game, were ineffective in the first half, and the running game couldn't get going as McCoy had only 5 yards on 3 carries. In total, the offense only had 71 yards and five first downs in the entire first half. The offense got back on track in the 2nd half as the Panthers scored 10 straight points to tie the game at 17. The Panthers first possession of the 3rd quarter went eight plays and 71 yards, including a converted fourth-and-one pass that Oderick Turner turned into a 37-yard gain. The Panthers next touchdown came on a 15-play, 70-yard drive that used 8:28 of time during the end of the 3rd and beginning of the 4th quarters. Pat Bostick, although he was intercepted three times in the game, persevered and stepped up his play in the second half, leading the Panthers on three critical scoring drives. After the game Bostick, speaking of his own performance, said, ""I came out and made some mistakes out there, forced a couple of things, made a couple of plays. We made enough plays to win though and this was a total team win... But the bottom line is we are here to win a football game and when you throw picks, it is not about you, you can't say 'Woe is me.' It is all about, 'What do I have to do on the next drive to take this team down the field to win the game?'" The Panthers defense, led again by linebacker Scott McKillop with 15 tackles, played significantly better than in the week before, allowing only one big play versus the Irish's offense, a 47-yard pass from Jimmy Clausen to Golden Tate. They also held Notre Dame to only 146 yards in the second half and all four overtimes, including just seven yards on three three-and-out possessions in the third quarter. (Game report)
Louisville
(Game report)Cincinnati
(Game report)West Virginia
(Game report)Connecticut
(Game report)Oregon State (2008 Sun Bowl)
(Game report)Statistics
Regular season totals http://pittsburghpanthers.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/stats/2008-2009/teamcume.htmlTeam
| class="wikitable" style="white-space:nowrap;"> | Pitt | Opp | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Scoring | 352 | 276 | |
| Points/game | 29.3 | 23.0 | |
| Total offense | 4274 | 3850 | |
| Yards/game | 356.2 | 320.8 | |
| Rushing attempts - yards | 455 - 1719 | 421 - 1534 | |
| Passing attempts - yards | 353 - 2555 | 353 - 2316 | |
| Fumbles - lost | 21 - 12 | 17 - 7 | |
| Penalties - yards | 55 - 425 | 66 - 576 | |
| Time of possession/game | 31:32 | 28:28 | |
| 3rd down conversions | 61/166 (37%) | 61/170 (36%) | |
| 4th down conversions | 13/18 (72%) | 7/18 (39%) | |
| Touchdowns, total | 42 | 35 | |
| Touchdowns, rushing | 29 | 14 | |
| Touchdowns, passing | 10 | 19 | |
| Touchdowns, other | 3 | 0 | |
| Punts - yards/punt | 53 - 39.5 | 62 - 40.0 | |
| Field goals/attempts | 20/23 | 12/18 | |
| PAT/attempts | 38/38 | 30/34 |
Scores by quarter
Rushing
Minimum five attempts or one touchdown| Name | GP | Att | Yds | Avg | TD | Long | Yds/game |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| McCoy | 12 | 284 | 1403 | 4.9 | 21 | 58 | 116.9 |
| Stephens-Howling | 12 | 70 | 283 | 4.0 | 5 | 27 | 23.6 |
| Collins | 12 | 21 | 85 | 4.0 | 0 | 25 | 7.1 |
| Wright | 12 | 5 | 34 | 6.8 | 1 | 20 | 2.8 |
| Harris | 12 | 12 | 21 | 1.8 | 0 | 4 | 1.8 |
| Cross | 2 | 4 | 15 | 3.8 | 1 | 17 | 7.5 |
| Bostick | 5 | 5 | -27 | -5.4 | 0 | 1 | -5.4 |
| Stull | 11 | 32 | -122 | -3.8 | 1 | 11 | -11.1 |
| TOTAL | 12 | 455 | 1719 | 3.8 | 29 | 58 | 143.2 |
| OPPONENTS | 12 | 421 | 1534 | 3.6 | 14 | 57 | 127.8 |
Passing
| Name | GP | Rating | Comp | Att | Int | % | Yds | TD | Long | Yds/game |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stull | 11 | 126.22 | 181 | 306 | 9 | 59.2 | 2304 | 9 | 64 | 209.5 |
| Bostick | 5 | 91.77 | 20 | 38 | 4 | 52.6 | 233 | 1 | 37 | 46.6 |
| Smith | 1 | 44.53 | 65 | 3 | 0 | 33.3 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 4.0 |
| McCoy | 12 | 108.80 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 50.0 | 14 | 0 | 14 | 1.2 |
| Janocko | 12 | 0.00 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 |
| Brytus | 12 | 100.00 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 100.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 |
| TOTAL | 12 | 120.57 | 204 | 353 | 13 | 57.8 | 2555 | 10 | 64 | 212.9 |
| OPPONENTS | 12 | 119.90 | 194 | 353 | 14 | 55.0 | 2316 | 19 | 79 | 193.0 |
Receiving
| Name | GP | Catches | Yds | Avg | TD | Long | Yds/game |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kinder | 12 | 35 | 410 | 11.7 | 3 | 61 | 34.2 |
| McCoy | 12 | 31 | 299 | 9.6 | 0 | 34 | 24.9 |
| Porter | 12 | 24 | 352 | 14.7 | 0 | 64 | 29.3 |
| McGee | 12 | 22 | 190 | 8.6 | 0 | 17 | 15.8 |
| Turner | 12 | 21 | 298 | 14.2 | 1 | 38 | 24.8 |
| Baldwin | 12 | 18 | 404 | 22.4 | 3 | 60 | 33.7 |
| Byham | 12 | 18 | 250 | 13.9 | 1 | 34 | 20.8 |
| Dickerson | 12 | 11 | 137 | 12.5 | 2 | 41 | 11.4 |
| Stephens-Howling | 12 | 10 | 101 | 10.1 | 0 | 16 | 8.4 |
| Collins | 12 | 9 | 77 | 8.6 | 0 | 18 | 6.4 |
| Pelusi | 12 | 5 | 37 | 7.4 | 0 | 15 | 3.1 |
| TOTAL | 12 | 204 | 2555 | 12.5 | 10 | 64 | 212.9 |
| OPPONENTS | 12 | 194 | 2316 | 11.9 | 19 | 79 | 193.0 |
Award winners
- Aaron BerryAaron BerryAaron Douglas Berry Jr is an American football cornerback for the Detroit Lions of the National Football League. He was signed by the Lions as an undrafted free agent in 2010. He played college football at Pittsbugh.-External links:**...
– Second team All-Big East - Nate ByhamNate Byham-External links:**...
– First team All-Big East - C. J. DavisC. J. DavisEmmanuel "C.J." F. Davis, Jr. is an American football guard for the Carolina Panthers of the National Football League . He was signed by the Panthers as an undrafted free agent in 2010. He played college football at Pittsburgh...
– First team All-Big East - Connor Lee – First team All-Big East, Big East football Scholar-Athlete of the Year
- LeSean McCoyLeSean 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....
– First team All-Big East - Scott McKillopScott McKillop-San Francisco 49ers:An inside linebacker in San Francisco's 3-4 defense, McKillop competed with former veteran player Jeff Ulbrich to serve as backup to Patrick Willis and Takeo Spikes....
– First team All-American2008 College Football All-America TeamThe 2008 College Football All-America Team is composed of the following All-American first teams: Associated Press, Football Writers Association of America, American Football Coaches Association, Walter Camp Foundation, The Sporting News, Sports Illustrated, Pro Football Weekly, ESPN, CBS Sports,...
, Big East Defensive Player of the Year, first team All-Big East - Greg RomeusGreg RomeusGreg 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...
– Second team All-Big East