Pittsburgh releases former four star quarterback, Tra'Von Chapman

Pittsburgh coach Paul Chryst released troubled freshman quarterback Tra’Von Chapman from his scholarship on Friday, less than a month after Chapman pleaded guilty to assaulting a former girlfriend.

Chryst said in a statement it’s in “everyone’s best interest” for Chapman to continue his career elsewhere.

The 19-year-old Chapman from Kent, enrolled in Pittsburgh in January after a standout career at Roosevelt High. He was arrested in Kent on April 26 and charged with one count of assault and one count of unlawful restraint.

Chapman pleaded guilty on July 29 and was sentenced to 90 days in jail, 40 hours of community service and a $200 fine. He spent three days in jail, with the remaining 87 days suspended. Chapman had been suspended indefinitely prior to his dismissal.

Pittsburgh blocking Rushel Shell's transfer options

University of Pittsburgh running back Rushel Shell announced that he would be leaving the football program and transferring elsewhere. No one knows what Shell's plans were but the school is blocking any potential transfer to Arizona State, Arizona, or any ACC school.

I understand blocking a move to an ACC school since the Panthers will be leaving the Big East to join the ACC. Normally any school on a future schedule would be blocked but Arizona or Arizona State don't fit the description. The reasons why they're blocked is because the coaches at the schools have Pittsburgh connections.

Arizona State boss Todd Graham left Pittsburgh for Tempe after one season in the Steel city. So there is some animosity there. Graham and his staff recruited Shell and it was reported that Shell was leaning towards the Sun Devils. 

Current Pitt coach Paul Chryst has to sign off on the transfer, but won't do it if it's to Arizona or Arizona State. Arizona has former Pitt coaches on their staff so that's the reasoning behind that.

I could understand if he wanted to transfer within the conference and he could come back to haunt you. I would block that, but i don't understand why he won't let him go play for the coach that recruited him. I know it's like poaching but coaches do it all the time when they leave a school and are recruiting a player and said player ends up at the coach's new school. You think John Wall was actually going to Kentucky before John Calipari got there? Me neither.

Coaches have the freedom to leave any time without anyone blocking their path, let the kid go to where he wants to play.  

Trey Zeigler to transfer from Pittsburgh

Pittsburgh shooting guard Trey Zeigler is once again on the move. Zeigler reportedly will be leaving Pittsburgh after one year.

Zeigler will received a waiver after transferring from Central Michigan and averaged 4.4 points and 2.0 rebounds in his one season for the Panthers. Hardly what anyone expected after a star studded high school career and averaging 15 points for the Chippewas.

“We will assist Trey in finding the best situation for him to reach his goals both academically and athletically,” Pitt head basketball coach Jamie Dixon said in a press release. “He’s a great kid, hard worker and good player. We thank Trey for his contribution to our program over the last year and wish him much success in the future.”

Zeigler's playing time and production took a dive as the year went on. He was brought in to be a scorer off the bench but didn't make an impact during an uneven year. Zeigler was expected to compete for the starting shooting guard position next season.

No word yet to where he will be transferring.

Jamie Dixon signs extension at Pittsburgh

When Kevin O'Neiil was fired as head basketball coach at USC, there was speculation that Pittsburgh coach, Jamie Dixon would follow his former boss Ben Howland out west and take over the Trojans program. Pitt fans can rest a little easier because Dixon has signed a 10 year extension that will keep him in the Steel City.

Dixon has had success after Howland left for UCLA but has fell short of the Final Four and has been eliminated in the NCAA tournament six times before the Sweet 16. Despite the criticism because of the tournament shortcomings, Dixon says he and his family are happy in Pittsburgh.

"I'm very happy at Pittsburgh," Dixon said live on TNT in advance of Saturday's Round of 32 game between Harvard and Arizona. "That's where I'm going to be."

"I'm very happy," Dixon said. "Pitt's a great place. My family loves it there."

The school has to feel better since the Panthers will be moving to the ACC next season, but Dixon will need the team to take their effort up a few notches to maintain the level of consistency Pitt fans are used to.  

Reviving A Rivalry

Penn State and Pittsburgh are finally going to revive a series that was last played in 2000.

It's about time. New Pittsburgh head coach Todd Graham had said that he wanted to get the series rolling again about a month ago. Both schools announced on Tuesday that the Pitt-Penn State rivalry will be restarted with a two-game series in 2016 and 2017. The series will be a home-and-home, with the 2016 game played at Heinz Field in Pittsburgh and the 2017 game at Beaver Stadium in State College.

All parties involved seem to be express their excitement about the revival except for Penn State coach Joe Paterno. He had no statement on it as of press time, but Pittsburgh athletic director Steve Pederson believes Joe Pa signed off on the series. Keep in mind that Paterno has been thought of as the force that kept the rivalry dead since 2000.

“I know that, like Coach Graham, Coach Paterno was supportive of this, so it was good on all fronts,” Pederson said. “The first person I talked to about this was Coach Graham, and he was raring to go. And obviously they did the same thing on their end.



“This is big institutionally. You have these two great universities in this state, such an important part of the fabric of the state institutionally, and then you have the athletic component of this, and I think it’s probably a feel-good for everybody in the state of Pennsylvania.”

We'll never know, but it's good to see this rivalry get some new life.

Is Marvin Lewis Next In Line For The Pitt Job?

Will the Pittsburgh Panthers be reaching back into the ranks of the NFL to find their next coach. Maybe. Rumors are that Cincinnati Bengals coach Marvin Lewis might be a candidate for that job.

Of course, I can't stand to see anyone unemployed, so I would like to see Lewis land on his feet. Because I really don't see him staying in Cincinnati beyond this season. Michael Lombardi from the NFL Network reported that Lewis might be on the short list of cnadidates to take over for the newly departed Mike Haywood.

Lewis was asked about the position and said "he hasn't thought about it". Lewis also said "I don't know what happens from here". It's true that Lewis probably knows he's probably done in Cincinnati, but no one has told him where he stands so therefore he won't speak on his job situation or anything else. Sources say that he would like to return, but that's not guaranteed.

Haywood Era Is Over Before It Begins

If you know of Pittsburgh atheletic director Steve Pederson, you know he has a history of making bad football coaching hires. First was Bill Callahan at Nebraska, now the recently fired Mike Haywood.

Haywood was arrested about 3 p.m. Friday after a custody issue developed with a woman with whom Haywood has a child, police said. The unidentified woman told police that Haywood grabbed her by the arm and neck and pushed her as she tried to leave the home that Haywood owns in South Bend, Ind., where he once was a Notre Dame assistant.


Haywood didn't last 2 1/2 weeks at his new job because of a domestic violence arrest in South Bend. Chancellor Mark A. Nordenberg immediately dismissed Haywood and that the school was reopening the coaching search. Good luck chancellor because Dave Wannstedt was as good as it was going to get. No matter how inconsistent the team was.

“To be clear, the university’s decision is not tied to any expectation with respect to the terms on which the legal proceeding now pending in Indiana might ultimately be concluded,” Nordenberg said in the statement. “Instead, it reflects a strong belief that moving forward with Mr. Haywood as our head coach is not possible under the existing circumstances.”

Pederson, who was fired by Nebraska in 2007, might have the search taken out of his hands since his job might be on the line due to Haywood's troubles. I would fire Pederson on the strength of his lousy track record of hiring coaches. The Haywood hire was met with much enthusiasm by fans, alumni, or boosters. I don't think I'd be too happy with a with one winning season on his resume.

“This is a matter of real regret for the many people at Pitt who had looked forward to working with him,” Nordenberg said. “However, head coaches are among the university’s most visible representatives and are expected to maintain high standards of personal conduct and to avoid situations that might reflect negatively on the university.”


The first mistake was not identifying more candidates. Secondly, they made a quick hiring with a name that wasn't 'hot' in coaching circles.

  "His history at outstanding programs with outstanding coaches gave him a rare combination of experiences and background,” Pederson said at the time. “Most importantly, Michael is a man of character and integrity and will be an inspirational leader for our football team".

There goes Haywood's character and integrity. Right out of a 10 story window.
Before the firing was announced on Saturday, Haywood told the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, “It isn’t fair. The truth will eventually come out.”


The truth may come out but Haywood will still be out of a job.


 

Pitt's New Coach Off To A Bad Start

New Pittsburgh head coach Mike Haywood is off to a bad start in the Steel City. The former Miami (OH) coach was arrested in South Bend on a domestic violence charge on Friday.

This isn't what the athletic director pictured when he made this hire.

St. Joseph County Police say Haywood was arrested around 2:30 p.m. on Friday at a home in the 50000 block of Hawthorne Meadow Drive.


He has a child with the woman living there.

Police say there was a custody issue and the woman attempted to leave.

As she left, police say a physical altercation broke out.

The woman told police Haywood grabbed her by the arm and neck and pushed her.

According to the police report, the woman had red marks on her neck, arms and back.

That answers my question I had about what the hell he was doing in South Bend. Besides being the former offensive coordinator at Notre Dame during the Charlie Weis error, I mean era, you would think he would want nothing to do with that town. I know I've probably pissed off a lot of Domer fans and alumni, but from what I've heard, there's just not much to do there.

Of course, Pittsburgh hasn't made a statement regarding Haywood's arrest. If Haywood is aon the wrong side of a judgement, the Panthers might be looking for a new coach a lot sooner than they wanted to.