Pitt quarterback Kenny Pickett meets with campers at Boys and Girls ClubVideo
Kenny Pickett wanted to know everyone’s name. When Pitt’s quarterback visited the Boys and Girls Club of Western Pennsylvania in Lawrenceville on Monday, he handed out T-shirts, emblazoned with his KP8 logo, but he didn’t hide behind the shirts. He asked every camper their name and even played catch with...
Pitt senior Cal Adomitis’ job is a snap, but not as easy as it looksVideo
On good days, Cal Adomitis’ job takes him less than three-quarters of a second to complete. Bet you can’t blink that fast. Of course, the Pitt senior completes it multiple times in most games — usually on target, which is good because his position demands perfection. Adomitis, 23, is approaching...
Pitt defensive coordinator Randy Bates knows how to push players’ buttonsVideo
The difference in stature between the two men was stunning, although it shouldn’t have been. Pitt defensive end Habukkuk Baldonado stands 6-foot-5, weighs 260 pounds and uses his strength to bring other tough guys to the ground. Randy Bates, Baldonado’s boss and Pitt’s defensive coordinator, is four decades older —...
‘Smallest kid growing up,’ Kenny Pickett grows into trigger for Pitt’s offenseVideo
Kasey Pickett played soccer at Kutztown. Daughter Alex did the same at East Stroudsburg. Naturally, Kasey’s son, Kenny, drifted toward the sport, too. “Tried soccer,” he said. “Didn’t work out too well. I was a little too physical for soccer. We hung that up pretty early.” Pickett was running over...
Steelers, Pitt greats receive Pro Football Hall of Fame gold jackets in Canton
Five former members of the Pittsburgh Steelers and a former Pitt great will be enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame this weekend in Canton, Ohio. Former Steelers coach Bill Cowher, Troy Polamalu and Donnie Shell are in the Class of 2020, and Alan Faneca and Bill Nunn are...
Pitt notebook: No more boxing for cornerback Damarri Mathis
Pitt senior cornerback Damarri Mathis vows never to box again — even as a conditioning exercise — after suffering a season-ending shoulder injury last year while working out at home. “No one ever heard that story?” coach Pat Narduzzi said during his post-practice news conference. “So, you know how kids...
Pitt’s Jordan Addison tells proud mom, ‘I ain’t got it yet’
When Jordan Addison went home to Frederick, Md., in the offseason, he carried with him reminders of a memorable freshman season at Pitt. With 60 catches for 666 yards, four touchdowns and the longest play of Pitt’s season (75 yards), few failed to notice. He was a Freshman All-American, honorable...
Steelers sign former Woodland Hills, Pitt CB Lafayette Pitts
The Pittsburgh Steelers stayed local in filling one of their free roster spots, signing former Pitt and Woodland Hills standout Lafayette Pitts on Friday. A cornerback, Pitts is joining his fifth NFL team since going undrafted in 2016. He has appeared in 26 NFL regular-season games, playing 123 defensive snaps...
Pat Narduzzi opens Pitt camp under hot morning sun
If Pat Narduzzi is wearing a straw hat, it can mean only this: It’s sunny, it’s hot and it’s time for Pitt to open training camp at the Beano Cook fields next to the South Side railroad tracks. The Pitt coach opened his seventh training camp at 10 Friday morning,...
Pitt lands 4-star offensive tackle Ryan Baer
While Pat Narduzzi was welcoming his team into Pitt’s football facility Thursday for the first official day of training camp, he stepped away to accept an important phone call. HAIL TO PITT BABY?? @rledits24 pic.twitter.com/HsPVGs3ElF— Ryan Baer (@RyanBaer2003) August 5, 2021 It came from four-star offensive tackle Ryan Baer of...
Pitt’s defensive players can learn from those who came before them
A thorough assessment of Pitt’s defense needs to start at the locker of defensive end Deslin Alexandre and includes the safe assumption that he was paying attention over the previous four seasons. Alexandre graduated early from Deerfield Beach (Fla.) High School to join the Panthers in the winter of 2017....
Pitt men’s soccer ranked No. 3 in preseason poll
The defending ACC Coastal Division champion Pitt men’s soccer team will enter the 2021 season ranked No. 3 in the nation, according to the United Soccer Coaches preseason poll. Pitt received one first-place vote from the coaches association. Defending national champion Marshall (22 first-place votes) and Indiana are ranked Nos....
How Jimbo Covert ended up at Pitt on his way to the Pro Football Hall of Fame
When Jimbo Covert was a senior at Freedom High School in 1977, he attracted interest from some of the finest college football programs in the land, Pitt and Penn State among them. The truth: The future Pro Football Hall of Famer never seriously considered going anywhere but Pitt. Penn State?...
First Call: Hall of Fame still hopeful Steelers’ Troy Polamalu will attend; Tyler Boyd says Joe Burrow’s knee still ‘iffy’
In Thursday’s “First Call,” we try to figure out if Pittsburgh Steelers legend Troy Polamalu will be able to attend his own enshrinement at the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Tyler Boyd isn’t 100% sold on Joe Burrow’s knee rehab in Cincinnati just yet. We check in on some former...
Pitt’s Pat Narduzzi seeks, expects improvement on offense
If you want to start an argument with Pat Narduzzi (OK, maybe just a polite disagreement), question Pitt’s offensive line and how it performed in 2020. He is a bit sensitive to criticism of the unit that might be more important to Pitt’s hopes for an ACC Coastal championship than...
Mark Madden: Pitt needs what college football used to be, not what it has become
College football is beyond screwed up and not worth paying attention to unless you’re a fan of one of the chosen few and can look past being on the grifter’s end of a con game. So it’s a lot like following MLB. College football’s latest carny move is the SEC’s...
Pittsburgh Gaelic Athletic Association hosts hurling; Gaelic football Midwest finals this week in Indiana Township
In Gaelic, the motto on the crest of the Pittsburgh Hurling Club reads “Neart agus Misneach.” Or, in English, “Strength and Courage.” If you’ve seen what the sport of hurling looks like at full speed, you understand why that fits. If you haven’t, you can see it on a championship...
Former Pitt forward Justin Champagnie isn’t drafted, but agrees to free-agent contract with NBA’s Raptors
Former Pitt forward Justin Champagnie wasn’t among the 60 players chosen in the two-round NBA Draft that ended at 12:50 a.m. Friday morning, but he got busy and found a home in the league, anyway. Champagnie said in a text message to the Tribune-Review that he agreed to a two-way...
After committing to Penn State, Perry’s Tyreese Fearbry decides to re-open his recruitment
After verbally committing to Penn State on the Fourth of July, Perry four-star rush end Tyreese Fearby has decided to re-open his recruitment, he announced Thursday on his Twitter account. I will be de-committing from penn state until further notice @RivalsFriedman @Rivalsfbcamps @Evolve2tenths @coachcsanders @210ths @2_10thsRob @CoachWhiteFB @The__Hunt— Tyreese Fearbry...
Pitt’s Deslin Alexandre, Cal Adomitis named to Wuerffel watch list
Two Pitt players have been honored for their off-the-field feats that match what they already have accomplished on the field. Seniors Cal Adomitis and Deslin Alexandre were named Thursday to the watch list for the Wuerffel Trophy, annually presented to the college football player who is unsurpassed in his community...
Pitt punter Kirk Christodoulou named to Ray Guy watch list
Pittsburgh senior punter Kirk Christodoulou, a Ray Guy Award semifinalist and second team All-American by Pro Football Focus in 2020, has been named to the Guy preseason watch list. Christodoulou, a native of Melbourne, Australia, has been Pitt’s regular punter since 2018, and is coming off his best season a...
Justin Champagnie could be 1st Pitt player drafted by NBA team since 2014
These are the moments that drove Justin Champagnie from a place he loves. The NBA Draft is Thursday night, and the former Pitt sophomore forward is among those players under serious consideration to be one of the 60 who are chosen. The 30-team NBA conducts only two rounds. If he...
Pitt’s Kenny Pickett approaches name recognition opportunities by paying them forward
When the NCAA loosened restrictions on athletes profiting from their names and reputations, Kenny Pickett said he planned to proceed cautiously. I love this community! Excited to announce I have teamed up with @PGTTrucking & @Ithen_USA to form "Pickett’s Partners" & on Aug. 9 we will donate 200 t-shirts to...
Pitt defensive tackle Calijah Kancey named to Nagurski watch list
Pitt sophomore defensive tackle Calijah Kancey received more preseason recognition Tuesday when he was named to the watch list for the Bronko Nagurski Trophy, given to the nation’s top defensive player by the Football Writers Association of America. Kancey was previously named to the watch list for the Chuck Bednarik...
8 Clemson players named to Preseason All-ACC team; Pitt shut out
Clemson is one of 14 teams in the ACC, but eight Tigers players comprise 30% of the 27-man All-ACC preseason football team, announced Tuesday by the conference. Also, North Carolina quarterback Sam Howell was voted the favorite to win ACC Player of the Year in an overwhelming vote of confidence...
