Pitt Football

Much has changed for No. 17 Arizona State in the three weeks since Bleacher Report national college football columnist Greg Couch hailed head coach Todd Graham as "The Smartest Bad Hire in College Football History."

Not much has changed for Pitt, however, in the three years since Paul Chryst took Graham's infamously vacated job. But I refuse to throw Chryst under the team bus for another regrettable regular season without making Graham grab a wheel.

At one point, ASU was 10 spots above its current spot in the AP poll, and the snake who got on the first plane to Tempe stood an outside chance of slithering into the inaugural College Football Playoff.

Then suddenly, Steel Citizens who couldn't find Corvallis without the aid of Google Maps most assuredly danced on the Sun Devils' grave by the pale moonlight as Oregon State, and later Arizona, knocked them out of Pac-12 contention.

Those spiteful Pitt fans haven't had as much to cheer about locally, save for transcendent individuals like ACC Player of the Year James Conner. Even with the nation's No. 4 rusher, the Panthers had to claw the bottom of the barrel for wins over Syracuse and Miami just to "achieve" a fourth consecutive 6-6 regular campaign and token bowl bid to be announced Sunday.

As recently as Week 12, ASU under Graham has become something that Pitt has not been under Chryst—relevant—hence the horn-tooting. But does he really deserve to be called a "smart bad hire"? Can ASU really have its devil's food cake—see what I did there—and eat it?

Graham should be judged on all his deeds, not just the ones that headline The State Press sports page. Certain deeds belie whatever genius a man possesses.

Couch said, love him or hate him, it's time to resign ourselves to the notion that Graham was "the right guy" after all. Just like Woody Hayes was the right guy for Ohio State...until he punched Charlie Bauman.

Just like Bobby Collins was the right guy for SMU...until his brazen cheating KO'd that whole program.

Just like Joe Paterno was the right guy for Penn State...until...well, you know.

"Graham is not a study in disloyalty or anti-commitment as people have labeled," Couch wrote.

Thirty-six months and 2,048 frequent-flyer miles ago, he was given a position of authority with which he loudly presented himself to his players as loyal. Those players, coincidentally, were then stabbed in their collective back by a small man with a red pitchfork.

There are over 120 teams in the FBS, filled with student-athletes working their tails off year-round in good faith because they all want to win just as badly as Graham does. Yet he decided one innocent group of student-athletes was more deserving of professionalism than another.

Isn't that the essence of disloyalty?

That decision exacerbated Pitt's ongoing run of mediocrity by stunting players' recruitment, development and, above all, trust. Chryst has simply tried to make the you-know-what sandwich left in his lunch pail more edible.

"Sure, he has done some sneaky things, treated his players poorly," Couch continued. "But coaches shouldn't be expected to stick around in any job longer than they want, longer than it seems like the right place to be."

Well, if nothing else, Graham has certainly demonstrated a better understanding of the new American way than his counterpart. Chryst has spent the last three years recruiting players who will love his program unconditionally and weeding out those who won't. Those who stick have come to expect their devotion to be reciprocated.

Oh, that unpatriotic scoundrel!

Seriously, though, if it's too big to ask for a grown man tasked with setting an example for young men to say what he means and mean what he says, then what does that tell you about the sorry state of his profession?

What does it tell you that Chryst doesn't see it that way?

"He isn't even a symbol of the greed of college football," Couch said of Graham. "He is just a guy who has left a job as soon as a better one came along. Be honest: You would do the same thing."

That's not what Chryst did. He humbly battled through his first year at Pitt with—generally speaking—an island of misfit toys. When his alma mater needed someone to replace Bret Bielema, just as some Pitt fans contracted Here-We-Go-Again Syndrome, Chryst publicly reaffirmed his commitment to their team.

One guy turned down, presumably, a dream job (as opposed to a "dream job") for the greater good. One guy did the polar opposite.

There will be blood on the hands of athletic director Steve Pederson, with whom Graham butted heads, unless Chryst wins at Pitt as consistently as Graham has at ASU.

Still, if you were Pederson, and you had a program-changing and potentially career-defining decision to do over, which personality would you put in charge?

One of the first players to take advantage of Chryst's open-door policy at Pitt was beleaguered quarterback Tino Sunseri, who was once called out publicly by Graham for an "average" performance after throwing for 419 yards in a win over Connecticut. 

When he would share stories with Chryst about his relationship with Graham, the two men could be heard sharing boisterous laughter.

Sunseri, following a wildly inconsistent junior season, had become a lightning rod for all Pitt's struggles. Sometimes it was called for, as Pittsburgh Post-Gazette columnist Ron Cook wrote at the time, but sometimes, as was the case with Graham's put-down, it wasn't. 

Under Chryst, Sunseri quietly threw for the second-most single-season yards in school history, and he threw 271 straight attempts without an interception at one point.

Lost in the disappointment of Chryst's .500 lifetime record at Pitt is the fact he got Sunseri's successor, Tom Savage, a hard-luck journeyman, to the NFL.

Though neither was a program savior, this noteworthy pattern continued as new starter Chad Voytik improved steadily this season.

The redshirt sophomore, who threw for 15 touchdowns against seven interceptions, registered seven TDs and just two picks in the second half of this season, while boosting his completion rate by almost 10 percent.

Voytik finished the regular season a respectable 30th among FBS passers with a 143.8 efficiency mark.

Chryst has not yet put a finished product on the field, as his vulnerable and inexperienced defense has demonstrated this year.

But between the annual maturation of his quarterbacks, the increased stubbornness of his offensive line (which has allowed fewer than half as many sacks as last year), the eye-popping playmaking of receiver Tyler Boyd and Conner's aforementioned accolade (or should I say, "ACColade"?), it's clear he's getting closer.

Furthermore, he's doing it with the youngest team in major college football. While Voytik's recruitment, retrospectively, might have been the only redeeming quality of Graham's stint, Chryst's recruiting classes are starting to bear fruit.

Highlighting his next one will be cornerback Jordan Whitehead of nearby Central Valley High School, arguably Pennsylvania's top prospect.

Fans bemoaning the decline of the program since the Dave Wannstedt era have to realize the program will be better off once Chryst has what Wannstedt had at his peak: a team chiefly featuring upperclassmen and boasting NFL-caliber talent at multiple positions.

That is not to say Pitt shouldn't be on a better trajectory than it is now. Every game—with the exception of that historically nightmarish homecoming date with Georgia Tech—was within the Panthers' reach. 

Losing at home to Akron is indefensible for all involved. Chryst's butchery of what should have been a quality win over Duke also underscores the growing pains he's been through as a game-day coach.

Graham, meanwhile, is coming off a 9-3 regular season with his own 11-man senior class that, along with Pitt's, is one of the least voluminous in the country.

"I don't mind growing pains if we're growing," Chryst said to flagship radio station 93.7 The Fan (KDKA-FM) midseason. "But if we're just going through pain for the sake of pain, not real smart."

Next year, Pitt needs to start showing tangible signs of growth. It wouldn't hurt if whatever defensive talent Chryst has to work with, such as Whitehead, starts making beleaguered coordinator Matt House look like an overnight genius.

Otherwise, Chryst's legacy will be tainted, and Pederson's seat should be piping hot, if it isn't already.

But for now, the pen is still very much in Chryst's hand. And we should be more forgiving of this coach, who came to town with a plan and stuck to it while holding players to rational standards, than the copperhead who bolted for The Copper State when he realized what he wanted wouldn't just be handed to him.

Pittsburghers, thirsty as a desert-dweller for the glory days, were willing to drink Graham's Kool-Aid. To hear a man make bold, "high-octane" promises who did not appear allergic to expectations was their ultimate refreshment after years of seeing their team underperform, or sometimes, barely perform at all.

Now that Graham has left with "speed, speed, speed," dealing with the mild-mannered Chryst has been an ironically nice change of pace.

One of my most vivid memories of working for the flagship for four years was its coverage of Graham's clandestine exit.

Late-night host Chris Mueller invited listeners to play "Name That Press Conference," a satirical game in which callers were asked to properly identify out-of-context yet eerily similar sound bites from Graham's introductory conferences at both Pitt and ASU.

Weekend host Bob Pompeani actually booked him on his show to give him a chance to account for himself. Graham backed out at the last minute, doing so—fittingly—by shooting Pompeani a text message that read, "That chapter of my life is over."

I'd like to believe that in another three years the book on Chryst will be easier for Pitt fans to digest. I'd also like to believe both Graham and his apologists will still appear vindicated. But it's not how you start. It's how you finish.

ASU, as Couch corroborated, has divorced itself from any previously harbored skepticism and made its marriage to Graham a happy one. I understand completely. I'm just bracing myself for the messier divorce that will ensue when Graham contrives a way to alienate that fanbase too.

If you're one of the fans who doesn't care how sausage is made, you can call Graham a "smart bad hire" until proven otherwise. If you're a true Pitt fan, you can call him addition by subtraction.

I can only wonder what he'll be called when the next "dream job" beckons.

Statistics courtesy of NCAA.com, CFBStats.com and the University of Pittsburgh Athletic Media Relations Office. Quotes obtained firsthand unless otherwise noted.

The Pittsburgh Panthers and the Virginia Cavaliers clash this Saturday night at Scott Stadium in a key conference matchup in the ACC’s Coastal Division. The game is set to kick off at 7:30 p.m. (ET), and it will be available nationally on ESPN3.

Pitt is coming off a disappointing 21-10 loss to Akron this past Saturday as a 21-point favorite at home, according to Covers. The Panthers are now 3-2 straight up on the year with a 2-3 record against the spread. The total has stayed “under” in their last two games.

The Cavaliers have won three of their first five games SU as well, and they come into this contest with a perfect 5-0 mark ATS. This past Saturday they beat Kent State 45-13 as 26-point home favorites, and the total has now gone “over” in three of their last five games.

Pittsburgh at Virginia Betting Storylines

Pittsburgh appeared to be gaining some traction through the early part of the season, but last week’s unexpected loss to the Zips was a major step backwards for this program. This followed a 24-20 loss to Iowa as a 6.5-point home favorite in Week 4. The offense is averaging 32.8 points per game, but it has tallied a combined total of only 30 points in its last two outings. Quarterback Chad Voytik threw for 220 yards and a score against Akron, but he completed less than 60 percent of his 34 attempts and was intercepted once.

The Panthers defense is ranked 23rd in the nation in points allowed in giving up an average of just 18 PPG, but these stats have been padded a bit against some less-than-competitive games earlier in the season. This unit has yet to really be tested against a quality offense, and if last week’s loss is any indication, it could have its issues stopping Virginia this week.

The Cavaliers were well down in the rankings when it came to the futures odds to win the ACC this season, but they have as good a chance as anyone to still earn a spot in the conference title game by winning their division. They already upset newcomer Louisville 23-21 as four-point home underdogs to post a key victory in their ACC opener. Virginia also gave UCLA and BYU all they could handle by covering as a double-digit underdog earlier this year.

This team has shown some solid balance on both sides of the ball with an offense that is generating 33.2 PPG and a defense that is holding teams to 23.2 PPG. Kevin Parks has anchored the ground game with 258 yards rushing on 75 attempts, and Canaan Severin has been a huge target in the passing game with 20 receptions for 225 yards and two scores.

 

Pittsburgh at Virginia Betting Odds and Trends by Doc’s Sports

Point Spread: Virginia -4.5

Total Line: OFF

The betting trends on Covers have the Panthers listed at 4-1 ATS in their last five games on the road, and the total has stayed under in 12 of their last 18 road games.

The Cavaliers have gone a perfect 5-0 ATS in their last five games at home, and they have covered in their last seven games overall. The total has gone “over” in 10 of their last 13 games.

Head-to-head in this ACC matchup, the favorite has gone a perfect 4-0 ATS in the last four meetings, and the total has been evenly split 2-2.

College Football Picks: Pittsburgh at Virginia Betting Predictions

These two ACC foes appear to be heading in opposite directions as they both enter the meat of the conference schedule. The Cavaliers know that this is a must-win game to keep their Coastal Division title hopes alive, and they are catching the Panthers at a great time to nail down the SU win at home by well more than the current 4.5-point spread.

Take: # 332 Virginia (-4.5) over Pittsburgh- 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 4

Recently, the sports biopic 42 was seen on premium cable, but Pitt's offensive linemen were too busy watching a horror film—let's just call it "43."

That's the number of sacks that mostly makeshift unit allowed in 2013, which put the Panthers at No. 118 out of 123 FBS teams in said category.

As offensive coordinator at Wisconsin 2005-11, Paul Chryst had a knack for building potent attacks behind remarkably sturdy offensive lines. He has acknowledged the evolution of the collegiate game during that time, and, to wit, he's taken his time grooming fleet-footed, cannon-armed quarterback Chad Voytik.

Still, winning football—especially the kind Chryst envisions—will always have raw power at its roots.

To fully understand his vision, look no further than perhaps the signature moment of Wisconsin's 2010 season—a nationally televised upset of top-ranked Ohio State at Camp Randall Stadium (warning: video contains lyrics that may not be suitable for younger audiences):

Future All-American—and Denver Bronco—Montee Ball was a member of that 2010 squad, which ended the year just four Ball rushing yards shy of becoming the first in FBS history to field three 1,000-yard rushers.

With Ball en route to stardom, Wisconsin ranked No. 5 in the FBS in points per game and, in 2011, it set a school record for the same.

The Badgers only allowed 39 sacks over those two campaigns.

Before leaving the program, Chryst also worked with one of Ball's eventual opponents in Super Bowl XLVIII: winning quarterback Russell Wilson.

In 2011, his only season with the Badgers, Wilson led the nation in quarterback rating, despite having limited time to learn Chryst's offense after transferring from North Carolina State.

Entering his third year in Pittsburgh, Chryst's team understands the correlation between putting the Panthers' offense on the uptick and keeping new signal-caller Voytik upright.

That's especially true of junior center Artie Rowell. Named to the preseason Rimington award watch list, he knows nothing absolves them from that responsibility.

Rowell spoke with Bleacher Report about the revolving door of linemen with whom he had to play in his first year as a regular:

There's going to be injuries, just because of the way we play. We play hard. We play smashmouth football, and I think our guys up front love that. We can only control the things we can control, and that means being more consistent.

National college football analyst Phil Steele tries to look scientifically at the true impact of sacks allowed on a team's progress. Even so, the Panthers sat at No. 119 nationally with a 10.72 "sack percentage" (sacks allowed divided by total pass attempts) last year.

Meanwhile, their 5.52 yards-per-play average was a pedestrian No. 73 nationally and No. 9 in the ACC.

They didn't fare much better during Chryst's first year in charge, ranking No. 109 overall in sack percentage and No. 58 in yards per play.

In 2013, Pitt tied for No. 80 nationally in points per game with 26.3 after averaging a negligibly better 26.6 in 2012.

But it's hard to imagine Pitt setting the bar for offensive line play much lower than it did in 2011, under infamous ex-coach Todd Graham. By hemorrhaging 64 sacks, that unit went down as one of the most inept in the history of major college football.

Its tale of woe was a familiar one: poor health and general inconsistency.

Senior guard Matt Rotheram, who has taken his share of lumps since, believes the development of the current O-line—arrested or not—will finally be evident this fall.

"It definitely made me rethink what I'm doing," said Rotheram, who was reminded of his own previous misfortune when defensive lineman Ejuan Price was lost for the upcoming season. "It's been a tough summer program, and I think the team is stronger, faster and in pretty good condition."

Watching tape was just the beginning of an offseason regimen led by strength and conditioning coach Ross Kolodziej, culminating weekly in the running of the Heinz Field rotunda.

"Those workouts have been tough, but they're enjoyable," Rowell said with a smile. "The whole team is there. The freshmen are there. You get to see who's working hard."

For Pitt's offensive line, progress begins, indeed, with the proper work ethic, which is the key to staying on the good side of tough-love O-line coach Jim Hueber. That progress will continue only with the proper talent.

In the twilight of Chryst's tenure at Wisconsin, the Badgers faced the same problem the Panthers have: replacing such talent up front with guys equally capable of paving the way for a capable offense.

He has tried to address that problem by bringing Pitt football back to its roots. Bethel Park (Pa.) offensive lineman Mike Grimm was a key member of his 2014 recruiting class, as was fellow lineman Alex Bookser—on whom in-state rival Penn State was very high—from western Pennsylvania rival Mount Lebanon.

Meanwhile, another local product, Fox Chapel's Adam Bisnowaty, will be one to watch as a second-year starter.

Belle Vernon's (Pa.) Dorian Johnson, once one of the most highly touted prospects in America, will push for more playing time after getting it sporadically as a pure freshman. And there seems to be a growing chemistry on the right side between Rotheram and former defensive tackle T.J. Clemmings.

"The past couple years we've gotten to know each other really well. As a group, we've been able to come together and learn what Coach Hueber has to tell us, and the offense Coach Chryst provides for us," Bisnowaty said. "Hopefully we can emphasize what we can do on the field."

Last season ended with a dramatic win in the Little Caesars Bowl fueled by Voytik and other promising underclassmen—namely receiver Tyler Boyd and tailback James Conner.

Despite the exciting victory, the mood surrounding Pitt was only bullish enough for ACC media to project a sixth-place finish in the Coastal Division (albeit with two first-place votes).

If this line can't block for those rising stars, the Panthers can't prove the looming skeptics wrong.

"We're getting stronger in every aspect of the game—on the field and in the weight room," Bisnowaty affirmed. 

But, as Sam Werner of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette pondered at the annual ACC Kickoff event, why should we believe they will be?

As Chryst told him with characteristic bluntness: "Because they better be."

Highlights courtesy of @armanbelding. Statistics courtesy of NCAA.com, Phil Steele's 2014 College Football Preview (purchase required) and the University of Pittsburgh Athletic Media Relations Office. Quotes obtained firsthand unless otherwise noted.

With a 30-27 win over Bowling Green in the Little Caesar's Pizza Bowl capping off the University of Pittsburgh's first winning season since 2010, Panther fans' thoughts have turned to recruiting and signing day. But for Pitt Athletic Director Steve Pederson, thoughts of scheduling out-of-conference opponents should also never be too far out of mind.

When it comes to nonconference scheduling, it's a delicate balancing act that Pederson faces. You can schedule several cupcakes, which should be easy wins, but those games do not entice the casual Pitt or football fan to drive to Heinz Field and buy tickets, meaning less revenue for the athletic department. Schedule too strong a nonconference schedule and you hope the coach you hired has the team ready for those daunting challenges in exchange for the additional revenue and greater national exposure.

Ideally, Pitt would like to have seven home games every year, and that's the case in 2014. Looking at Pitt's 2014 schedule, Iowa is the strongest nonconference foe, which isn't enough to draw thousands of casual football fans to Heinz Field. When Iowa last visited Pitt in 2008, the announced attendance was 50,321; that's a far cry from Heinz Field's capacity of 65,000.

Akron and Delaware are also on the home schedule in 2014, which I would venture to guess will not cause anyone to buy a season ticket.

Every school schedules cupcakes. It's just the way it is. But look at the lengthy list of some out-of-conference opponents Pitt has played in recent years: Akron, Bowling Green, Buffalo, The Citadel, Delaware, Eastern Michigan, Florida International, Gardner-Webb, Grambling, Maine, New Hampshire, New Mexico, Old Dominion, Temple, Toledo and Youngstown State.

Not exactly what one would call a murderer's row of opponents or teams that would elevate Pitt's strength of schedule. As you can see from that list, Pitt has played everyone except The Little Sisters of the Poor.

Furthermore, playing those schools isn't going to draw fans and reduce the complaining about Pitt's lack of attendance and fan support.

The home ACC slate this year also lacks panache, as neither Florida State nor Clemson are on the schedule. Pitt's ACC home schedule this year consists of Duke, Georgia Tech, Syracuse and Virginia Tech.

Virginia Tech may be the best team on the schedule, but there's no novelty to playing a former Big East foe. Pitt has fared well against the nationally respected Hokies in the past, but Virginia Tech lacks the big powerhouse school reputation to cause Heinz Field to be sold out. When Virginia Tech last visited Heinz Field in 2012, the announced attendance was 48,032.

Duke, Georgia Tech and Syracuse are quality opponents with Duke and Georgia Tech at least providing the novelty factor at Heinz Field for Pitt fans. Duke last played at Pitt in 1975, and Georgia Tech's last visit was in 1920.

Prior to 2013, Florida State last played at Pitt in 1983. The novelty of hosting a powerhouse team like Florida State for last season's opening game resulted in the largest crowd of the season and created a greater and more exciting atmosphere for fans, players and recruits instead of seeing more than 20,000 bright yellow empty seats against the likes of Old Dominion or Youngstown State.

Pitt's nonconference opponents haven't all been cupcakes, as the Panthers have hosted some respectable nonconference teams in the past 10 years: Iowa, Michigan State, Navy, Nebraska, Notre Dame and Utah. But that's not enough.

For years Pitt could point to Notre Dame as an esteemed nonconference opponent, and the Panthers have held their own against the Irish in recent years, but Notre Dame will no longer be an annual opponent due to the Fighting Irish's ACC football schedule obligations.

The ideal situation for Pitt is to schedule a home-and-home series with a strong nonconference opponent, one that is close enough for Pitt fans to travel to, and conversely, the opponent's fans travel well and can buy up any remaining tickets that Pitt would have left over to sell. Penn State and Ohio State meet those criteria, as does West Virginia.

Kudos to Pederson as Pitt will once again renew its series with Penn State beginning in 2016. The Panthers last played West Virginia in 2011, with the last home game in 2010. The Backyard Brawl was a game that both fanbases looked forward to every year around Thanksgiving. The games against those teams and Notre Dame historically have drawn Pitt's largest crowds in the past.

Looking beyond 2014, Notre Dame returns to Heinz Field in 2015, as do Miami and Louisville, providing an attractive home schedule with an additional home game yet to be added.

The following two seasons, 2016 and 2017, currently only have 10 games scheduled (five home, five away), with Penn State in 2016 and Oklahoma State in 2017 providing an attractive and marquee school to try to promote the home schedule, particularly long-time rival Penn State.

In 2018 and beyond, openings exist for as many as three nonconference games to be scheduled.

Pederson needs to make another splash by scheduling more marquee out-of-conference opponents in the future.

Ohio State would be ideal in so many ways, particularly with its large, rabid fanbase and the fact that Columbus is approximately a three-hour drive from Pittsburgh. The last time the Buckeyes traveled to Pitt was 1995. Other schools that would draw national interest would be Oklahoma, Texas, USC and Wisconsin. The last time Pitt hosted those schools was 1984, 1994, 1974 and 1937, respectively.

Imagine the build-up of the storyline of head coach Paul Chryst coaching against his alma mater and where he was an assistant coach for so long. One would think Wisconsin owes Pitt since the last time the two schools met was in Madison in 1967.

Shockingly, despite Pitt's rich football history, the Panthers have never hosted Alabama, Auburn, Florida, LSU or Michigan. Scheduling Florida would expose Pitt more to Florida recruits, and the University of Michigan is less than a four-and-a-half-hour drive from Pittsburgh. Pitt has played Michigan twice, both times in Ann Arbor, the last time being in 1947.

There are numerous advantages to playing a big-name nonconference opponent. It generates a preseason buzz and anticipated excitement to the season, increased revenue from increased ticket sales, a greater game-day atmosphere to sell recruits on and increased national exposure which in turn helps recruiting. Also, playing a tough nonconference opponent would prepare Pitt for its ACC schedule more so than playing New Hampshire or New Mexico.

With openings on the home schedule beginning in 2015, Pederson has an opportunity—nay—an obligation to try to take Pitt football to the next level by strengthening the nonconference schedule. It's what's best for Pitt's football program.

There will be no more meaningful college football played for well over seven months. Do you miss it yet? Understandably, many Pittsburgh fans might have been too busy cheering on the men's basketball team on its own maiden ACC voyage to care about what happened this past year, much less the finality of Monday night's instant classic in Pasadena.

Or maybe this ongoing polar vortex froze their tear ducts, thus preventing them from getting choked up about not being able to utter the phrase "Tommy Football" anymore.

Seriously, though, as one metal band reminded us in the 1980s, you don't know what you got til it's gone.

Sure, the Panthers mostly have plodded along as roadies, not rock stars, on the grand gridiron stage since then. And no matter what Cinderella says, a 7-6 finish in 2013 is hardly reason to measure oneself for glass slippers.

Striking down Bowling Green at a half-empty Ford Field the night after Christmas wasn't the endgame envisioned by the program when Paul Chryst inherited it over two years ago. 

However, lost in the ennui of another trip to another forlorn industrial city for another token bowl game were reasons to immediately look forward to the forthcoming fall.

When the Falcons first landed in Detroit, they upset No. 14 Northern Illinois, which was led by dual-threat quarterback and Heisman long shot Jordan Lynch, to win the MAC and earn favorite status entering the Little Caesars Pizza Bowl. It was a game Pitt, in order to earn respect after going 3-5 within the conference in its inaugural ACC campaign, needed to win but wasn't necessarily expected to.

Chryst had already collected a signature victory. Revisionist history says it came not in a smackdown of eventual conference rival Virginia Tech in his first year on the job, but on Nov. 9, when he got a tiny bit of revenge against No. 24 Notre Dame before a nationwide TV audience and a Heinz Field crowd much more voluminous than usual.

In case that defeat of the Golden Domers lost any luster, winning his first bowl game as a head coach further proved the program is not as allergic to success as perceived.

If anything, his players, some of whom had played under as many different people as toppings offered by Little Caesars, went into the bowl game nice and loose, knowing the coaching carousel was spinning on the opposite sideline for a change. They played with enough reckless abandon that BGSU interim boss Adam Scheier called them "the most physical team we faced all season" to Noah Trister of the Associated Press.

You're going to remember when that defense looked overwhelmed by ACC champion Florida State, and later, by dark horse Duke. Or when the Panthers sleepwalked through the second quarter against North Carolina. Or when they spotted Miami a 21-point halftime lead. Or when they simply ran out of steam in the final minutes at Navy.

Having said that, let us not forget how that same defense not only controlled the line of scrimmage against Bowling Green, but also controlled the damage done by Matt Johnson, sacking the sophomore seven times.

Let us also not forget that the face of the 2013 Panthers was, in fact, a defensive player: senior tackle and consensus All-American Aaron Donald.

No other Pitt defensive lineman in recent memory had drawn comparisons to the legendary Hugh Green, and, until Donald's final collegiate season, none had been as celebrated as Green.

Despite facing designed double- and triple-teams all season, the Penn Hills product led the nation with 28.5 tackles for loss, which comprised nearly half of his 59.0 total tackles. He won the Lombardi and Bednarik Awards, along with the Nagurski and Outland Trophies, becoming the first Pitt player ever to take home four postseason awards in a single year.

The fact that Donald, unlike Green, was not invited to New York City only underscores how aloof Heisman voters have become.

This program hasn't boasted such an outstanding player on a middling team since Larry Fitzgerald. Dragging down Johnson deep in the pocket to effectively end the Little Caesars Pizza Bowl was a nice way for Donald, the erstwhile FBS leader in career sacks by active players, to walk off into the sunset, as B/R Featured Columnist Alex Koza reported.

Once again, you don't know what you got til it's gone.

Speaking of Fitzgerald, the Panthers might have replicated him when they integrated pure freshman Tyler Boyd into their offense.

The newly anointed Freshman All-American looks to be every bit the blue-chipper after amassing 1,776 all-purpose yards and smashing Fitzgerald's team freshman records for catches and receiving yards. Even in his debut, that lopsided ACC lid-lifter against Florida State, the former Clairton (Pa.) phenom never appeared out of his league.

As satisfying as it must have been for Donald to end his college career on a high note, it was more important for Pitt to show the rest of the country there's food in the fridge entering 2014. While Boyd ate big chunks of yardage—a school bowl-game record 173 on eight grabs—and sliced through Bowling Green's special teams like a pizza cutter on a 54-yard punt return touchdown, fellow newcomer James Conner enjoyed his own progressive dinner party.

Pitt's previously inconsistent offense kept pace with the Falcons, one of the nation's five least scored-upon teams in 2013, because consistency was found on the ground. Conner, who scored the Panthers' first TD, stiff-armed his way to 229 yards—another school bowl-game record—on 26 carries.

He helped his team march into position for another freshman, Chris Blewitt, to rise above his name and win the game with a 39-yard field goal, and Conner ended his freshman campaign with 799 yards and eight touchdowns. Plus, in the wake of injuries and personal absences, his coaches were inspired to line him up at defensive end for the first time since he made all-state at Erie McDowell.

Chryst has not explicitly said whether or not we've seen the last of Conner as an ironman; nevertheless, the Panthers are prepared to move on without Donald up front.

Sophomore Darryl Render started to figure things out toward the end of the season (25.0 tackles, three pass breakups). Junior Bryan Murphy showed periodic promise in his second year as a starter (6.5 tackles for loss, 4.0 sacks). Freshman Shakir Soto was also noticeable (20.0 tackles, 4.0 tackles for loss), while Philadelphia area star Justin Moody and Pittsburgh City League standout Tyrique Jarrett paid their dues and may become impact players in the future.

On the other side of the line, redshirt freshman Adam Bisnowaty has nowhere to go but up after a back injury offset his early-season success at left tackle. The same can be said for another very highly touted local prospect, Dorian Johnson, who gained his first bit of experience at multiple spots in 2013.

That unit, which faced Bowling Green's defense without three regulars, paved the way for an offense that saw all of its points that night scored by freshmen, including late heroics by probable 2014 starting quarterback Chad Voytik.

For the first time since his stellar performance in the Blue-Gold Game, we caught a good glimpse of Voytik's abilities when the Cleveland, Tenn. native hurled a 62-yard sideline bomb to Boyd that set up his own score, a naked bootleg from five yards away for his first college touchdown. Imagine what those two could do together next season, considering such plays were par for the course for Voytik in high school.

I spent the last two months of the past year trying to get a read on these Panthers. I surmised they were still an average football team that hadn't learned how to take advantage of above-average opportunities, with that win over the Fighting Irish being the anomaly. Hopefully for their sake what happened in the Motor City was a sign post toward maturity.

"The program's definitely in good hands, especially with Coach Chryst being our head coach. The future's bright," Conner told Pitt LiveWire.

The gulf between the Panthers and the top teams in their new conference often seemed wide.

The linebackers, even with capable playmaker Todd Thomas roaming around, need better depth. In the secondary, potential leaders like Lafayette Pitts, who at times looked out of sorts in the more conservative schemes of novice defensive coordinator Matt House, need to find their form. The offense, which has only scratched the surface of how great its best players could be, needs to better value possessions and better protect whoever replaces Tom Savage.

If it's always darkest before the dawn, Pitt has not yet reached the dawn of a new era. Still, fans should be able to see rays of sunshine along the horizon.

In its first season of ACC play, Pitt played both conference finalists—to say nothing of the new national champion—closer and tougher than a number of its new neighbors.

It proved it still knows how to matriculate players to the NFL—Donald and all-time receptions leader Devin Street—who could have sustainable careers. Both men, along with Boyd, have brought positive national attention to a program mired in mediocrity.

(Oh, that reminds me...didn't that guy who won the rushing title used to loaf around here?)

There were three quality wins—over Duke, Notre Dame and Bowling Green—and, in fairness, at least one loss—to the 'Noles—that should be kept in perspective.

There were also three games in which the Panthers overcame second-half deficits, which is three more times than they did that from 2010 through 2012.

Things could certainly be better for Pitt. But they could also be worse, and those like me who grew up during the second Johnny Majors era will remind you that, once upon a time, they were.

"It's a great feeling just to know that the program is going back on top with Coach Chryst," Donald told Sam Werner of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. "That's a guarantee."

Coming from a reputable spokesman for a senior class previously hurt by deception and administrative incompetence, that praise should mean a lot.

In all, 12 pure freshmen saw action for Pitt in 2013. Eight different stats were led by freshmen, namely Conner and Boyd.

The former one-upped the greatest running back in program history in his first bowl game. The latter may be trying to one-up Fitzgerald on Sundays before you know it.

Like I said, you don't know what you got til it's gone...and that includes this ever-intriguing offseason, in which they'll have those seven months to evolve.

Bring on the Blue Hens.

Statistics courtesy of NCAA.com and PittsburghPanthers.com.

Wide receiver Adonis Jennings announced his college choice Sunday night in front of a national television audience. The 4-star New Jersey product pledged to Pittsburgh during the Semper Fidelis All-American Bowl on Fox Sports 1.

Jennings, who previously committed to Rutgers, provides the Panthers with versatile offensive playmaking ability. He is the second-highest rated prospect in a 22-player class, according to 247Sports' composite rankings. 

The 6'3", 185-pound pass target ultimately picked Pittsburgh over Arkansas and Iowa. His offer list also included Arizona, Kansas, Clemson and Boston College.

Jennings, a standout at Timber Creek High School (Sicklerville, N.J.), initially opted to stay in his home state. He committed to Rutgers in June but backed off that decision in early November.

Jennings enjoyed a dominant high school career. He helped lead the Chargers to three straight sectional championship games.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EV6P_cq_f9o

As a senior, Jennings earned first-team All-State honors. He caught 83 passes for 1,434 yards and scored 15 total touchdowns.

Defenders had trouble keeping Jennings under wraps throughout the season. His stat sheet is filled with impressive performances.

Although he isn't a burner, Jennings gains position with physicality and excellent leaping ability. He attacks the ball at its highest point and picks up speed in the open field with powerful strides. 

Pittsburgh gains a player with instant-impact potential at a position of need. Expect Jennings to contend for playing time early in his Panthers career.

"I think I fit well in that offense," Jennings told Fox Sports 1 following his announcement. "I'm going to come in ready to compete, and that's all it comes down to."

Jennings made an unofficial visit to the University of Pittsburgh campus in November. He will use an official visit at Pittsburgh later this month, per 247Sports.

The Little Caesars Pizza Bowl was supposed to be the swan song for Pitt quarterback Tom Savage, but an injury to Savage and three freshmen were the real story in the Panthers' 30-27 win over Bowling Green.

It was a perfect storm of the future coming together for the Panthers. One performance came out of nowhere, another was expected and the last was a backup thrust into a major role—and it all mixed into a winning recipe. 

Running back James Connor ran for a Pitt bowl record of 229 yards, breaking Tony Dorsett's previous record. He ran for over 100 yards for the first time since a 102-yard performance against North Carolina in mid-November, and it was just the fourth time all year.

Wide receiver Tyler Boyd showed why he's a name to remember with an eight-catch, 173-yard performance, adding a 54-yard punt return for a touchdown for good measure.

Then, with Savage down with an injury, it was redshirt freshman Chad Voytik who came in and went 5-of-9 for 108 yards in his backup role. 

All three performances together put the ACC on notice that Pitt won't be a pushover in 2014—it may just be getting started. 

Paul Chryst has waited patiently for his recruits to work into the program, and on Thursday night we all saw what his offensive mind can do when combined with the right talent. 

On the night, Pitt ran for 255 yards, shattering its average of 114.9 yards per game (which is 112th in the nation). It also passed for a combined 232 yards, which nearly matched its average for the season. 

The good balance between the pass and run game is the key to Paul Chryst's offenses, and history suggests that this type of a performance could be a sign of things to come at Pitt. 

His offenses at Wisconsin were consistently high-scoring and used a balanced approach to achieve success as well. 

Season	Scoring Average	Total Offense	Rushing	Passing
2005	34.3	396.5	168.2	228.4
2006	29.2	373.2	161.7	211.5
2007	29.5	408.8	200.8	208
2008	27.2	399.2	211.2	188.1
2009	31.8	416.9	203.8	213.1
2010	41.5	445.2	245.7	199.5
2011	44.1	469.9	235.6	234.3

Consistency and balance have hobbled Chryst's first two teams at Pitt, but it was what allowed them to squeak out a win in the bowl game. 

Voytik gave the coaching staff a lot to work with in the future, showing he can throw and run—scoring on a nice bootleg from five yards out that put the Panthers ahead 27-20 in the fourth quarter. 

Connor could be the one that becomes the least productive of the bunch offensively, with two highly rated 3-star running backs (according to 247sports), Chris James and Qadree Ollison, coming in the 2014 class.  

Boyd has been the growing star of this group from the start of the season, with 77 receptions, 1,001 receiving yards and 7 touchdowns on the year. 

With Chryst looking to make a big splash, he may have just found the right combination to make the Panthers a contender in the ACC going forward.

It was just one game against Bowling Green, but if these are the performances Pitt's youngsters are capable of now, the future is bright for the Panthers. 

*Andy Coppens is Bleacher Report's lead writer for the Big Ten. You can follow him on Twitter: @ andycoppens.