Blogs

Steve Pederson’s first order of business as Nebraska’s athletic director was firing football coach Frank Solich, a move that ultimately led to Pederson’s dismissal. Upon returning to Pitt, where he was introduced today as athletic director, Pederson is immediately throwing his support behind Panthers football coach Dave Wannstedt. Pitt is expected to announce at Saturday’s [...]

Steve Pederson was introduced as Pitt’s athletic director today, five years after he left for the same position at the University of Nebraska, and promised to focus his energies on improving the football program. “Leaving here five years ago was the hardest professional decision that we have ever made,” said Pederson, accompanied by his wife, [...]

Steve Pederson is returning as Pitt’s athletic director, and will be introduced today at a 12:30 p.m. news conference, the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review has learned. This will be Pederson’s second tenure in a position he held from October 28, 1996 until Dec. 20, 2002, when he left to become athletic director at the University of Nebraska, [...]

When the issue of penalties came up at Dave Wannstedt’s weekly news conference, the Pitt coach cringed as if someone had kicked him in his Achilles’ tendon. “The whole officiating thing, it does no good to comment on it,” Wannstedt said. “We evaluate it, we give our opinion and we turn it in to the [...]

If there is one thing Pitt coach Dave Wannstedt has wanted all season, it was a chance to see what his Panthers could do when playing with an early lead. He got that opportunity Saturday against South Florida, as the Panthers took a 20-14 advantage into halftime at Heinz Field. Pitt had outgained USF, 195-124, [...]

The 100th edition of the Backyard Brawl, the annual Pitt-West Virginia football rivalry, will have a 7:45 p.m. kickoff next Saturday and will be televised on ESPN. No. 4 West Virginia (10-1, 5-1) clinched the Big East Conference championship and a BCS bowl berth with a 66-21 victory over No. 20 Connecticut in Morgantown today, [...]

South Florida’s Matt Grothe scored on an 80-yard run on the first play of the second half, and the Bulls capitalized on three interception returns in a 48-37 victory over Pitt in a Big East game before 31,123 at Heinz Field. Pitt quarterback Pat Bostick threw three second-half interceptions, including two that were returned for [...]

LeSean McCoy broke Tony Dorsett’s school record of rushing touchdowns by a freshman today by scoring three times against South Florida at Heinz Field. McCoy scored his 14th touchdown of the season on a 1-yard run with 42 seconds remaining in the 48-37 loss to USF in a Big East game. Dorsett had 13 rushing [...]

LeSean McCoy tied Tony Dorsett’s school record of 13 rushing touchdowns by a freshman today against South Florida at Heinz Field. McCoy scored on a 12-yard run against South Florida with 7:10 remaining in the fourth quarter to cut Pitt’s deficit to 34-21. McCoy also scored on a 1-yard run with 5:23 remaining in the [...]

South Florida free safety Nate Allen intercepted a Pat Bostick pass and returned it 37 yards for a touchdown on the final play of the third quarter to give the Bulls a 27-14 lead. USF overcame a 14-10 halftime deficit when Matt Grothe ran 80 yards for a touchdown on the first play of the [...]