Pitt’s Damar Hamlin describes ‘stressful’ night after ejectionVideo
When his Heinz Field nightmare was over and Pitt’s overtime victory against North Carolina was assured, Damar Hamlin saw athletic director Heather Lyke before any of his teammates. Hamlin, Pitt’s senior safety, had been ejected for targeting in the second quarter last Thursday and spent the rest of the night...
Jeff Capel adds three prospects to Pitt basketball program
Pitt basketball coach Jeff Capel received signed letters of intent Tuesday from three high school prospects who are due to enroll next year. The common thread among Max Amadasun, Noah Collier and John Hugley is no one is shorter than 6-foot-8. “We are adding three high-level talents with a great...
Injuries to seniors give pair of Pitt receivers bigger rolesVideo
Jason Pinnock’s eyes lit up when the conversation turned to Jared Wayne, the freshman wide receiver from Canada by way of Clearwater, Fla. Actually, it was a remarkable reaction from Pitt’s junior cornerback when you consider Wayne has a mere five receptions for 47 yards and has played in only...
Xavier Johnson punches back, helps Pitt defeat MonmouthVideo
Jeff Capel could see that Xavier Johnson, his star point guard, was struggling. Capel also knew it was more than just Johnson’s inability to make shots consistently that was bothering him. “I was reading about what other people were saying about me,” Johnson said. “It was bad. I was getting...
Pitt coach Pat Narduzzi wants more from already stout defenseVideo
Pat Narduzzi praises his team when he determines players have earned it. He will defend them when he believes it’s appropriate. But when the defense allows 322 passing yards, is gashed by a 59-yard run and fails to get off the field on six of 14 third downs, he will...
Pitt men’s soccer team earns 1st NCAA bid since 1965
A season to remember for the Pitt men’s soccer team isn’t over yet. The No. 25 Panthers (9-7-2) earned an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament on Monday, marking their first appearance since 1965. No better feeling!?#H2P | @NCAASoccer pic.twitter.com/mtXNcqecyl— Pitt Men's Soccer (@Pitt_MSOC) November 18, 2019 Pitt, ranked for...
Here’s how Pitt can play in the Orange Bowl (but it’s far from a lock)
Pitt never has played in the Orange Bowl, but two more victories in the regular season and some help the day after Thanksgiving could make it happen. If Clemson wins the ACC championship and is among the top four teams in the College Football Playoff rankings at season’s end, the...
West Virginia thunders past Pitt with 2nd-half surgeVideo
If the Backyard Brawl is supposed to create a hostile environment for the opposing team, West Virginia coach Bob Huggins didn’t see anything like that Friday night at Petersen Events Center. Pitt was anything but a hostile host in a 68-53 loss to Mountaineers in the 187th renewal of one...
Pitt-North Carolina wrap-up: Kenny Pickett, penalties, Coastal chances
In the aftermath of Pitt’s 34-27 overtime victory against North Carolina, so many thoughts must be on the minds of Pitt fans. Some good, some concerning: • The resurgence of Kenny Pickett and the introduction of a deep passing game heads the list. • Too many penalties and Pat Narduzzi’s...
Pitt’s Shocky Jacques-Louis conducts himself — and the band — in a winning manner
Pitt sophomore wide receiver Shocky Jacques-Louis caught four passes for 104 yards, carried twice for another 20 and even returned two kickoffs for a total of 36. Then, after Pitt’s 34-27 overtime victory against North Carolina on Thursday night at Heinz Field, he climbed a ladder and conducted the Pitt...
Pitt ends skid against North Carolina with wild OT victoryVideo
When the band stopped playing and Heinz Field was nearly empty after Pitt’s tense 34-27 overtime victory, Jaylen Twyman turned to his older teammate, senior cornerback Dane Jackson, in one of those private locker room moments and put Thursday night in perspective. “It’s all for you, bro,” he said. Finally,...
West Virginia returns to Pittsburgh for ‘Backyard Brawl’
The Backyard Brawl is no joke. Sophomore guard Au’Diese Toney got to experience it first-hand when the Pitt basketball team made the trip to Morgantown, W.Va. “You could feel the heat. You could really tell that they didn’t like the other team,” said Toney, whose team lost 69-59. “Some people...
Pitt football seeks record number of wins for Pat Narduzzi’s tenure
During the final days of the 2019 season, Pat Narduzzi has an opportunity to keep Pitt’s program on an upward trajectory. At least in terms of victories, which is the ultimate measuring stick. After winning six of its first nine games, Pitt has a chance over the final three games,...
Pitt hopes to reverse sour history with North Carolina
Nothing comes easy for Pitt football. Not this season, and certainly not in past seasons. But coach Pat Narduzzi needs to change that reality and beat North Carolina (4-5, 3-3) on Thursday night at Heinz Field. It would be a first for Pitt since joining the ACC in 2013. Pitt...
Pitt steals the show on Robert Morris’ opening night with a 71-57 victoryVideo
Jeff Capel had to smile. His Pitt team had survived opening night at Robert Morris’ $45 million UPMC Events Center, rolling to a 71-57 victory Tuesday after settling for a 27-27 tie at halftime. It was Pitt’s first victory in a true road game since Feb. 8, 2017, at Boston...
Pat Narduzzi seeks perfection (or something close to it) with Pitt’s season on the lineVideo
In the context of his offense and quarterback, Pat Narduzzi said mistakes happen, and no one’s perfect. Which is true. But Pitt has made just enough misplays this season to be in the precarious position of needing to win Thursday at Heinz Field against North Carolina to stay alive in...
Pitt basketball hopes to spoil opening of Robert Morris’ new $45 million homeVideo
When Pitt plays Robert Morris on Tuesday night, serving as the first guest in the Colonials’ new home, Jeff Capel knows what to expect. “The place will be jumping,” Pitt’s coach said. And for good reason. It’s the first basketball game in Robert Morris’ $45 million, 4,000-seat UPMC Events Center,...
Pitt coach Pat Narduzzi disappointed over sharing national TV stage with Steelers
Pat Narduzzi is disappointed more consideration wasn’t given to his football program and the ACC when the NFL forced Pitt to share the national stage Thursday night with the Pittsburgh Steelers. The Steelers’ only Thursday night game this season will kick off in Cleveland only 20 minutes after the start...
Pitt kicker Alex Kessman knows how to handle stressVideo
Alex Kessman speaks slowly and thoughtfully, a pace he prefers. Hey, you don’t rush a kicker. It’s no different than how he methodically marches off distances while lining up a kick — three steps back, two steps over — after getting his traditional fist pump and a good word from...
Pitt men’s basketball brought back to earth with loss to Nicholls State
Jeff Capel doesn’t expect anyone to be lauding the Pitt men’s basketball program. The second-year Panthers coach knows adjustments will be necessary after losing to Nicholls State on Saturday at Petersen Events Center. Pitt looked uneasy on offense and played with a general malaise during a 75-70 loss. Any goodwill...
Speed coach DeWayne Brown takes pride in training Aaron Donald on path to NFL stardomVideo
When it comes to Aaron Donald, DeWayne Brown counts his blessings that the first player he trained who made it to the NFL has become one of the league’s best players. Brown can relate to Donald’s drive, as he’s a self-made man who comes up with creative and sometimes unorthodox...
ACC’s new opening-night schedule draws mixed reviews
Jeff Capel was a winner. Jim Boeheim a loser. That important distinction dictated how the Pitt and Syracuse coaches perceived their season openers Wednesday night. Capel’s Pitt team was not at its best, missing more than two-thirds of its shots in a 63-61 victory against Florida State. Capel was pleased...
Pitt’s Jaylen Twyman feels no pressure living up to Aaron Donald’s No. 97Video
George S. Patton is credited with saying it first while commanding U.S. troops in Europe during World War II. “Pressure makes diamonds,” the famous American general once said as a way of praising his men who survived and thrived in tough times. Many years later, Guy Young embellished those words...
Pitt finds a way to win season opener over ACC foe Florida StateVideo
Allison Murphy wasn’t especially pleased when her son Ryan, who grew up in Calabasas, Calif., decided to transfer to Pitt. “My mom is going to hate me for saying this,” Pitt’s junior guard said Wednesday night. “But no part of her wanted me to go to the East Coast. She...
Three things to watch as Pitt basketball opens season vs. Florida State
Pitt’s basketball opener Wednesday night against ACC opponent Florida State represents a departure from traditional nonconference scheduling procedures across the nation. Which, in many cases, revolves around teams trying to stack up wins before the conference season starts. That’s part of the reason Pitt has won 21 of its past...
