Jerry DiPaola stories, Page 137
Alex Kessman’s four field goals not enough in Pitt loss
All signs were pointing toward Alex Kessman walking away from Heinz Field on Saturday as the hero, the savior of a Pitt team that didn’t score a touchdown among its 78 offensive snaps. But as it turned out, his four field goals – one off Conor Lee’s school record set...
Pitt goes down without a touchdown in ‘terrible’ loss to MiamiVideo
Jimmy Morrissey asked the question and, really, he didn’t care to hear the answer. “Was it four field goals?” he said when reporters looked to the Pitt junior center and tri-captain Saturday for some explanation of the 16-12 loss to Miami at Heinz Field. All Morrissey knew was Pitt (5-3,...
Miami stands in the way as Pitt hopes to stretch winning streak to 5
Pitt has been here before. It likes the neighborhood, but eventually it is forced to leave. The current four-game winning streak is the third of that length under coach Pat Narduzzi in his five seasons. But Pitt hasn’t won five in a row since 2009. The previous two were followed...
Pitt’s best hope against Miami might be a healthy Jimmy Morrissey
Pat Narduzzi spent the week watching video of Miami’s 24-3 victory against Pitt last year. Mostly, he focused on the Miami offense, trusting Mark Whipple, his first-year offensive coordinator, to figure out why the Hurricanes sacked quarterback Kenny Pickett six times and held 1,000-yard rushers Darrin Hall and Qadree Ollison...
Displaced Duquesne set to attack season with no excuses
While Duquesne officials and students eagerly await the completion of Palumbo Center’s $45 million makeover, the men’s and women’s basketballs teams still have a season to play. The men are practicing at an on-campus recreation center, limiting time and space, and the home games have been moved to three venues...
Mark Whipple wants Pitt’s Kenny Pickett to take cue from Ben RoethlisbergerVideo
Pitt has plenty invested in Kenny Pickett’s arms and legs, but if he must throw himself at a defensive tackle who is almost 100 pounds heavier, he said he’ll do it. It might have happened Friday night in the fourth quarter at Syracuse. With Pitt ahead 27-20, Syracuse’s 308-pound defensive...
Playing at Pitt ‘dream come true’ for Pitt safety Paris FordVideo
Pat Narduzzi seldom brags in public about a victory, whether it occurs on the football field or in the living room of a recruit. But he was feeling good in 2017 on signing day. Three months earlier, Pitt had defeated Clemson, the eventual national champion, in Death Valley (an unlikely...
Robert Morris women’s basketball picked to win NEC title
There were no surprises when the votes were counted from the Northeast Conference women’s basketball coaches preseason poll. Robert Morris was picked first for the fifth time in the past seven years. It was a unanimous vote. RMU, which captured all 10 first-place votes, won its eighth NEC Tournament and...
Robert Morris men’s basketball picked 5th by NEC coaches
With four starters and 10th-year coach Andy Toole returning from a team that advanced to the semifinals of last season’s Northeast Conference Tournament, the Robert Morris men’s basketball team was picked fifth in the NEC preseason coaches poll. Among the returning starters are redshirt senior guard Josh Williams, junior guard...
Pitt offensive coordinator Mark Whipple still seeking ‘complete game’ from his unitVideo
When Mark Whipple looks at the progress Pitt’s offense has made since spring drills, he allows himself one moment to smile. Then, it’s back to work. Pitt’s passing game is better by a large margin, and his insistence on emphasizing it and his hands-on work with quarterback Kenny Pickett is...
Gerrit Cole the latest in long line of ex-Pirates to pitch in World Series
Perhaps Washington Nationals manager Dave Martinez didn’t want to give Gerrit Cole too much credit when he said, “What I’ve seen of him, he’s really good.” Gee, Dave, you think? But we can excuse Martinez. After all, his team has a herculean task ahead of it Tuesday night in Game...
Pitt’s Pat Narduzzi focused on Miami, not rankings or ACC standingsVideo
Pat Narduzzi made his plea Monday to the media, knowing he might have been wasting his breath. While players and coaches try not to get distracted while preparing to play Miami on Saturday at Heinz Field, the talk surrounding Pitt’s program is about the four-game winning streak, why the Panthers...
No. 7 Penn State holds off rally by No. 16 Michigan, remains unbeatenVideo
UNIVERSITY PARK – Lamont Wade’s head was ringing. He was tired. It had been a long night. But Michigan was just 3 yards and a conversion kick from possibly sending the game into overtime and jeopardizing Penn State’s perfect season. Something had to be done. “I was thinking, they can’t...
4-game winning streak looks good, but Pitt needs to address issues
Pitt committed eight penalties, allowed three quarterback sacks for the second consecutive game, dropped two passes in key situations and was the recipient of some good luck during a 27-20 victory Friday night against Syracuse. But it was more than luck that carried Pitt to its fourth consecutive tight victory....
Pitt wins a close one, but Damar Hamlin is ready for more of the sameVideo
SYRACUSE, N.Y. – For most of Saturday, Pitt will be part of a four-way tie for first place in the ACC Coastal after its 27-20 victory against Syracuse. That traffic jam will loosen up around supper time, however, when the Duke/Virginia winner moves into the lead, possibly in a tie...
Sack-happy Pitt runs win streak to 4, holds on against SyracuseVideo
SYRACUSE, N.Y. – When Kenny Pickett saw too many smiles on his teammates’ faces at halftime, he thought something needed to be said. And as the Pitt quarterback and a leader who demands — and deserves — respect, he was the one to say it. Pitt was on its way...
Pitt basketball lands 6-9 center from Cleveland for its class of 2020
Pitt landed some additional size for its class of 2020 when 6-foot-9, 240-pound center John Hugley IV told coach Jeff Capel he plans to enroll next year. 2020 four-star John Hugley has committed to Pitt. @thejohnhugley pic.twitter.com/BMR8sKKkVM— TIPTON EDITS ? (@TiptonEdits) October 18, 2019 Hugley, who attends Brush High School...
5 things to watch in Pitt-Syracuse: Look for tight Panthers win at Carrier Dome
Recent history, logical analysis and Las Vegas tell us Pitt should defeat Syracuse in a close game Friday night at the Carrier Dome. The Orange (3-3, 0-2 ACC) were 21st in the Associated Press poll a little more than a month ago. But their victories are unimpressive (Liberty, Western Michigan...
Pitt defense looks good, with plenty to prove to coach Pat NarduzziVideo
Through six games, Pat Narduzzi likes what he has seen from Pitt’s defense, but he has no interest in bragging or hoisting unnecessary expectations on his players. He has been in college football long enough to know how quickly fortunes can change. Pitt is fourth in the ACC in total...
Ex-Pirates SS Jackie Hernandez, member of 1971 World Series champs, dies
Former Pirates shortstop Jackie Hernandez, who fielded the final out in Game 7 of the 1971 World Series, died Saturday in Miami. He was 79. Born in Central Tinguaro, Cuba, Hernandez was a shortstop for most of his career. He played nine seasons for four teams from 1965-73, but he...
Former Pirate Bobby Del Greco remembered as ‘hero,’ ‘bigger than life’
One of Bobby Del Greco Jr.’s best memories of his father involves a fried bologna sandwich, the Three Stooges and an overturned newspaper delivery truck in the river near the Fort Pitt Bridge. Del Greco Sr., who grew up in the Hill District and played in the major leagues for...
Penn State’s James Franklin wants to makes history as African-American coach
Without fail, James Franklin remains famously focused on the next opponent every week. Don’t ask him about next week, next month or next year. None of that matters to Penn State’s coach as much as getting ready to try and go — in his words — “1-0.” So it was...
In and out of huddle, Pitt’s Maurice Ffrench sees Kenny Pickett grow
By car, you can get from New Brunswick to Oakhurst, N.J., near the shores of the Atlantic Ocean in less than hour. So Maurice Ffrench, a New Brunswick guy, knew all about the quarterback named Kenny Pickett, who was throwing for more than 4,500 yards at Ocean Township High School...
Report: A’s bench coach to interview with Pirates
The Pittsburgh Pirates’ search for a manager to replace Clint Hurdle will bring Neal Huntington face-to-face with Ryan Christenson, bench coach for the Oakland A’s, the San Francisco Chronicle reported. Christenson, 45, was a major league outfielder for the A’s, Arizona Diamondbacks, Milwaukee Brewers and Texas Rangers from 1998-2003. The...
Pitt lands 6-10 Brooklyn forward for its class of 2020
Pitt coach Jeff Capel received his second commitment from the class of 2020 on Monday when 6-foot-10, 230-pound forward Max Amadasun announced on Twitter his intention to enroll next year. The wait is over.....God is great ?? #H2P #Committed ?? pic.twitter.com/L20a0m5LYu— Max Amadasun (@max_amada) October 14, 2019 Amadasun, a senior...
