1987 Pittsburgh Panthers football team

Last updated
1987 Pittsburgh Panthers football
Astro-Bluebonnet Bowl, L 27–32 vs. Texas
ConferenceIndependent
Record8–4
Head coach
Offensive coordinatorMike Dickens (1st season)
Offensive schemeMultiple pro-style [1]
Defensive coordinator John Fox (2nd season)
Base defense 4–3 [1]
Home stadium Pitt Stadium
(capacity: 56,500)
Seasons
  1986
1988  
1987 NCAA Division I-A independents football records
ConfOverall
TeamW L TW L T
No. 1 Miami (FL)    12 0 0
No. 4 Syracuse    11 0 1
No. 2 Florida State    11 1 0
No. 15 South Carolina    8 4 0
Pittsburgh    8 4 0
Penn State    8 4 0
No. 17 Notre Dame    8 4 0
Southern Miss    6 5 0
Rutgers    6 5 0
Southwestern Louisiana    6 5 0
Memphis State    5 5 1
Northern Illinois    5 5 1
West Virginia    6 6 0
Tulane    6 6 0
Army    5 6 0
Boston College    5 6 0
East Carolina    5 6 0
Akron    4 7 0
Cincinnati    4 7 0
Louisville    3 7 1
Temple    3 8 0
Tulsa    3 8 0
Virginia Tech    2 9 0
Navy    2 9 0
Rankings from AP Poll

The 1987 Pittsburgh Panthers football team represented the University of Pittsburgh as an independent during the 1987 NCAA Division I-A football season.

Contents

Schedule

DateTimeOpponentRankSiteTVResultAttendance
September 27:30 p.m.at BYU ESPN W 27–1764,374
September 121:30 p.m. NC State No. 18W 34–043,165
September 191:30 p.m. Temple No. 16
  • Pitt Stadium
  • Pittsburgh, PA
L 21–2445,387
September 2612:00 p.m.at West Virginia JP Sports W 6–365,079
October 31:30 p.m. Boston College
  • Pitt Stadium
  • Pittsburgh, PA
L 10–1346,238
October 107:30 p.m.No. 4 Notre Dame
  • Pitt Stadium
  • Pittsburgh, PA (rivalry)
ESPNW 30–2256,400
October 2412:00 p.m.at Navy JP SportsW 10–629,167
October 313:30 p.m.No. 8 Syracuse Dagger-14-plain.png
  • Pitt Stadium
  • Pittsburgh, PA (rivalry)
CBS L 10–2452,714
November 712:00 p.m.at Rutgers W 17–025,444
November 147:30 p.m.No. 15 Penn State
  • Pitt Stadium
  • Pittsburgh, PA (rivalry)
ESPNW 10–056,500
November 211:30 p.m. Kent State No. 19
  • Pitt Stadium
  • Pittsburgh, PA
W 28–535,472
December 317:00 p.m.vs. Texas No. 19 Mizlou L 27–3233,122

[2] [3]

Game summaries

Notre Dame

1234Total
Notre Dame0071522
Pittsburgh14130330

[4]

Roster

1987 Pittsburgh Panthers football team roster
PlayersCoaches
Offense
Pos.#NameClass
C 55Bryan SchochFr
G 73Bill CherpakSo
QB 15Darnell DickersonFr
QB 11Sal GenillaSr
FB 34 Craig Heyward Jr
OT 62Roman MatuszSo
C 61Ed MillerSr
OT 71 Tom Ricketts Jr
G 77 Mark Stepnoski Jr
WR 30Michael StewartSr
WR 2Reggie WilliamsSo
Defense
Pos.#NameClass
DE 89 Jon Carter Sr
LB 44 Jeff Christy Fr
LB 26Ezekial GadsonSr
DE 92 Burt Grossman Jr
CB 7 Quintin Jones Sr
FS 1 Billy Owens Sr
DT 67Jim QuinnSo
CB 6 Gary Richard Sr
DT 98 Tony Siragusa Jr
DE 93 Marc Spindler Fr
LB 51Jerry WallSr
FS 43Troy WashingtonSo
Special teams
Pos.#NameClass
Head coach
Coordinators/assistant coaches

Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • (S) Suspended
  • (I) Ineligible
  • Cruz Roja.svg Injured
  • Redshirt.svg Redshirt

Coaching staff

1987 Pittsburgh Panthers football staff
Coaching staff
  • Mike Gottfried – Head coach
  • Jack Harbaugh – Assistant head coach
  • Mike Dickens – Offensive coordinator/quarterbacks
  • John Fox – Defensive coordinator/secondary
  • Tommie Liggins – Run coordinator/running backs
  • Steve Coury – Wide receivers
  • Frank D'Alonzo – Defensive line
  • Bill Meyers – Offensive line
  • Scott O'Brien – Special teams
  • Sal Sunseri – Linebackers
 Support staff
  • Alex Kramer – Administrative assistant
  • Bud Ratliff – Recruiting doordinator
  • Rick Denstorff – Graduate assistant
  • Bill D'Ottavio – Graduate assistant
  • John Harbaugh – Graduate assistant
  • Larry Petroff – Graduate assistant
  • Donnie Roberts – Graduate assistant
 Strength and conditioning staff
  • Buddy Morris – Weight and strength coordinator
  • Ray Oliver – Assistant Strength

[5] [6]

Team players drafted into the NFL

PlayerPositionRoundPickNFL club
Craig Heyward Running back124 New Orleans Saints
Quintin Jones Defensive back248 Houston Oilers
Jon Carter Defensive end5118 New York Giants
Ezekial GadsonDefensive back5123 Buffalo Bills
Gary Richard Defensive back7173 Green Bay Packers
Billy Owens Defensive back10263 Dallas Cowboys
Ed MillerCenter11285 San Diego Chargers

[7]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">University of Pittsburgh</span> American public university in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

The University of Pittsburgh is a public state-related research university in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The university is composed of 17 undergraduate and graduate schools and colleges at its urban Pittsburgh campus, home to the university's central administration and around 28,000 undergraduate and graduate students. The 132-acre Pittsburgh campus includes various historic buildings that are part of the Schenley Farms Historic District, most notably its 42-story Gothic revival centerpiece, the Cathedral of Learning. Pitt is a member of the Association of American Universities and is classified among "R1: Doctoral Universities – Very high research activity". It is the second-largest non-government employer in the Pittsburgh metropolitan area.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pitt Stadium</span> Defunct outdoor stadium

Pitt Stadium was an outdoor athletic stadium in the eastern United States, located on the campus of the University of Pittsburgh in the Oakland neighborhood of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Opened in 1925, it served primarily as the home of the university's Pittsburgh Panthers football team through 1999. It was also used for other sporting events, including basketball, soccer, baseball, track and field, rifle, and gymnastics.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pittsburgh Panthers</span> Athletic teams of the University of Pittsburgh

The Pittsburgh Panthers, commonly also referred to as the Pitt Panthers, are the athletic teams representing the University of Pittsburgh, although the term is colloquially used to refer to other aspects of the university such as alumni, faculty, and students. Pitt fields 19 university-sponsored varsity teams at the highest level of competitive collegiate athletics in the United States: the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) for American football.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Johnny Majors</span> American football player and coach (1935–2020)

John Terrill Majors was an American professional football player and college coach. A standout halfback at the University of Tennessee, he was an All-American in 1956 and a two-time winner of the Southeastern Conference Most Valuable Player award, in 1955 and 1956. He finished second to Paul Hornung in voting for the Heisman Trophy in 1956. After playing one season in the Canadian Football League (CFL), Majors became a college assistant coach. He served as the head coach at Iowa State University (1968–1972), the University of Pittsburgh, and Tennessee (1977–1992), compiling a career college football record of 185–137–10. His 1976 Pittsburgh squad won a national championship after capping a 12–0 season with a victory in the Sugar Bowl. Majors was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame as a player in 1987.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">West Virginia Mountaineers football</span> American college football team

The West Virginia Mountaineers football team represents West Virginia University in the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) of college football. West Virginia plays its home games at Milan Puskar Stadium on the campus of West Virginia University in Morgantown, West Virginia. The Mountaineers have won or shared a total of 15 conference championships, including eight Southern Conference titles and seven Big East Conference titles. The Mountaineers compete in the Big 12 Conference and are led by head coach Neal Brown.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chuck Stobart</span> American football player and coach (1932–2022)

Charles R. Stobart was an American college football player and coach. He played as a quarterback at Ohio University in the 1950s. He was a football coach at various schools for 42 years from 1959 to 2000, including 36 consecutive seasons as a coach at Division I collegiate programs.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pittsburgh Panthers football</span> Football team representing the University of Pittsburgh

The Pittsburgh Panthers football program is the intercollegiate football team of the University of Pittsburgh, often referred to as "Pitt", in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Traditionally the most popular sport at the university, Pitt football has played at the highest level of American college football competition, now termed the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision, since the beginning of the school's official sponsorship of the sport in 1890. Pitt competes as a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Todd Graham</span> American football player and coach (born 1964)

Michael Todd Graham is an American football coach and former player. He was most recently the head football coach at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa (2020–2021). Graham has served as the head football coach at Rice University (2006), the University of Tulsa (2007–2010), the University of Pittsburgh (2011), and Arizona State University (2012–2017).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pittsburgh Panthers men's basketball</span> Basketball team of the University of Pittsburgh

The Pittsburgh Panthers men's basketball team is the NCAA Division I intercollegiate men's basketball program of the University of Pittsburgh, often referred to as "Pitt", located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The Pitt men's basketball team competes in the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) and plays their home games in the Petersen Events Center. The Panthers were retroactively recognized as the pre-NCAA tournament national champion twice by the Helms Athletic Foundation and once by the Premo-Porretta Power Poll. Pitt has reached one Final Four, received 15 First Team All-American selections, appeared in 27 NCAA tournaments through the 2022–23 season, and has recorded 1,674 victories against 1,232 losses since their inaugural season of 1905–06.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mike Milligan (coach)</span>

Walter Scott "Mike" Milligan was an American football player and coach of football and basketball. He served as the head football coach at the University of Pittsburgh from 1947 to 1949 and for one season as the head basketball coach at the University of Tulsa (1942–43).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Oakland Zoo (cheering section)</span> Student cheering section of the University of Pittsburgh

The Oakland Zoo is the student cheering section for the University of Pittsburgh men's and women's basketball teams. The Zoo cheers on the Panthers from the bottom tier of the stands at the Petersen Events Center, primarily across from the teams' benches and on the baselines under the baskets. The "Pete" holds a rowdy crowd of 1,500 students that are typically uniformly clad in gold t-shirts, and the Zoo student section is consistently sold out for Panthers home games. The Oakland Zoo is named after Oakland, the neighborhood in which the university is located. The name "Oakland Zoo" is used for the basketball cheering sections only; the football cheering section has often used the title, "The Panther Pitt."

The 1979 Pittsburgh Panthers football team represented the University of Pittsburgh in the 1979 NCAA Division I-A football season. The Panthers competed in the 1979 Fiesta Bowl. Pitt was awarded the Lambert-Meadowlands Trophy as the champion of the East.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pittsburgh Panthers baseball</span> American college baseball team

The Pittsburgh Panthers baseball is the NCAA Division I intercollegiate baseball program of the University of Pittsburgh, often referred to as "Pitt", located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The Pitt baseball team competes in the Atlantic Coast Conference and plays their home games at Charles L. Cost Field in the Petersen Sports Complex. It is the university's oldest recorded sport, dating to 1869. Prior to joining the ACC in 2013-14, Pitt had won both the Big East Conference regular season and Big East Tournament championships. The Panthers have also received four First Team All-American selections, and have appeared in three NCAA championships. 52 Panthers have been selected in the Major League Baseball Draft.

The 2000 Pittsburgh Panthers football team represented the University of Pittsburgh in the 2000 NCAA Division I-A football season.

The 1988 Pittsburgh Panthers football team represented the University of Pittsburgh in the 1988 NCAA Division I-A football season.

The 1986 Pittsburgh Panthers football team represented the University of Pittsburgh in the sport of American football during the 1986 NCAA Division I-A football season.

American football in Western Pennsylvania, featuring the city of Pittsburgh and surrounding areas, has had a long and storied history, dating back to the early days of the sport. All levels of football, including high school football and college football, are followed passionately, and the area's National Football League (NFL) team, the Pittsburgh Steelers, is consistently one of the sport's most popular teams. Many of the NFL's top stars have come from the region as well, especially those that play quarterback, earning Western Pennsylvania the nickname "Cradle of Quarterbacks".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pittsburgh Panthers men's soccer</span> American college soccer team

Pittsburgh Panthers men's soccer is the NCAA Division I intercollegiate men's soccer team of the University of Pittsburgh, often referred to as "Pitt", located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The Pitt men's soccer competes in the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) and plays their home games at Ambrose Urbanic Field in the university's Petersen Sports Complex. Pitt soccer players have had eight selections as All-Americans and multiple former Panthers have gone on to play professionally. The Panthers have appeared in six NCAA tournaments and have reached the College Cup twice. The Panthers have been coached by Jay Vidovich since 2015.

The 1978 Pittsburgh Panthers football team represented the University of Pittsburgh in the 1978 NCAA Division I-A football season. The Panthers competed in the 1978 Tangerine Bowl.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1918 Pittsburgh Panthers football team</span> American college football season

The 1918 Pittsburgh Panthers football team represented the University of Pittsburgh in the 1918 college football season. In a season cut short by the Spanish flu pandemic, coach Pop Warner led the Panthers in a schedule played all in one month, including a convincing victory in a highly publicized game over defending national champion and unscored-upon Georgia Tech. A highly controversial loss ended the season and snapped a 32-game Pitt winning streak, but the Panthers outscored opponents 140–16 in that short season and were retroactively selected as the national champion by the Helms Athletic Foundation and Houlgate System and as a co-national champion with Michigan by the National Championship Foundation.

References

  1. 1 2 "Quick Facts About Pitt". Pitt Football 1987. University of Pittsburgh Department of Athletics. 1987. p. 2. Retrieved January 8, 2012.
  2. "Table of Contents". Pitt Football 1987. University of Pittsburgh Department of Athletics. 1987. p. 1. Retrieved January 8, 2012.
  3. "1987 Review". Pitt Football 1988. University of Pittsburgh Department of Athletics. 1988. pp. 59–68. Retrieved January 8, 2012.
  4. Gainesville Sun. 1987 Oct 11. Retrieved 2014-Dec-28.
  5. "Coaches". Pitt Football 1987. University of Pittsburgh Department of Athletics. 1987. pp. 5–14. Retrieved January 6, 2012.
  6. "Coaches". Pitt Football 1988. University of Pittsburgh Department of Athletics. 1988. pp. 13–14. Retrieved January 15, 2012.
  7. "1988 NFL Draft Listing". Pro-Football-Reference.com . Retrieved January 8, 2012.