Pitt

Conner would run Pitt’s all-decade offense

Mike Kovak
Posted on
[get_snippet]

To continue reading, log into your account:

[theme-my-login show_title=0]
James Conner's comeback from cancer, 2016 at Heinz Field. - MATT SUNDAY / DKPS

When the NFL released its all-decade team for the 2010s in April, former Pitt players littered the list.

Four Panthers were selected, and each -- Larry Fitzgerald at wide receiver, LeSean McCoy at running back, Aaron Donald at defensive tackle and Darrelle Revis at cornerback -- was an obvious choice. When it comes to Pitt's reputation for producing elite NFL talent no matter the team's win totals, those four are big reasons why.

But Donald, who regularly enters the conversation about the NFL's best players, is the only one who played at Pitt the past decade, and it made me wonder: What would the Panthers' all-decade team look like?

Obviously, Donald anchors the defensive line, but what about at running back, wide receiver, linebacker? Some positions are more loaded with talent than others.

And given Pitt is about to embark on a new decade of football, it seemed like an opportune time to look back at the best of the past decade.

My offensive picks from 2010-19:

QB: NATHAN PETERMAN

That Peterman remains on a NFL roster -- he's with the Las Vegas Raiders -- is a divisive issue (to put in nicely), but during the 2015 and '16 seasons with Pitt, the transfer from Tennessee displayed a knack for winning the big game. Peterman passed for more than 5,000 yards, 47 touchdowns and only 17 interceptions in his two seasons. Pitt beat Penn State and Clemson with Peterman as starting quarterback

Also considered: Kenny Pickett

RB: JAMES CONNER

A former two-way player and one of college football's better stories, Conner ran his way into the Pitt and ACC record books with an award-worthy performance in 2014. He posted back-to-back 200-yard games early that season and finished with 1,765 rushing yards and an ACC-record 26 rushing touchdowns, which earned him conference player of the year and first-team All-American honors. After returning from Hodgkin's lymphoma and an ACL injury, Conner added a second 1,000-yard season in 2016. His 3,733 career rushing yards are second on Pitt's all-time list, and his 56 career touchdowns are second in ACC history to Clemson's Travis Etienne.

RB: RAY GRAHAM

At the turn of the decade, Pitt's run game was in good hands, and Graham was a big reason. As a sophomore in 2010, he rushed for 922 yards and averaged 6.2 yards per carry. "Big Play" Ray ripped through the Florida International defense for 277 games, the second-highest single-game total in Pitt history. As a junior, Graham was leading the nation in rushing with 945 yards and nine touchdowns through seven games before a torn right ACL ended his season. He bounced back with his best statistical season in 2012, gaining 1,042 yards with 11 touchdowns.

Also considered: Qadree Ollison, Darrin Hall

WR: TYLER BOYD

The Clairton product did it all for the Panthers, amassing 254 receptions for 3,361 yards and 21 touchdowns in three seasons before he declared for the NFL Draft and was drafted by the Bengals in 2016. Boyd is Pitt's all-time leader in receptions, receiving yards and is tied for sixth in receiving touchdowns. He commanded extra attention from defenses and still produced.

WR: DEVIN STREET

Street and Boyd overlapped during the 2013 season, and it provided Pitt with a pair of dynamic, speedy receivers with reliable hands and an ability to make plays in coverage. Street's 202 career receptions os second on Pitt's all-time list, and his 2,901 receiving yards ranks third.

Also considered: Jester Weah

TE: SCOTT ORNDOFF

J.P. Holtz had slightly better career numbers than Orndoff, a Waynesburg native who played at Seton LaSalle High School. Orndoff, however, was more of a playmaker. Maybe some of that had to do with Conner and Peterman, but Orndoff averaged 15.5 yards per reception for his career and scored 10 touchdowns over his final two seasons. Pretty certain Clemson has yet to tackle Orndoff.

Also considered: Holtz

OL: BRIAN O'NEILL, TJ CLEMMINGS, DORIAN JOHNSON, ADAM BISNOWATY, JIMMY MORRISSEY

O'Neill was such a force, he successfully was utilized in Pitt's running game. He carried three times on trick plays, rushing for 39 yards and two touchdowns, but O'Neill made a name for himself as a blocker. He's continued to do so in the NFL with the Vikings, allowing just two sacks in more than 1,100 pass-blocking snaps.

Clemmings was a force of nature -- he held Division I basketball offers from Providence and Seton Hall -- and started his college career as a defensive end before moving to right tackle before one of Pitt's endless string of appearances in the BBVA Compass Bowl and becoming a first-team All-ACC selection.

Johnson, a Belle Vernon product, was a rare four-year starter up front for the Panthers and earned first-team All-American from the American Football Coaches Association and Sporting News in addition to All-ACC honors in 2016.

Like Johnson, Bisnowaty started for four years, manning the left tackle spot during a productive period for Pitt's offense. The Fox Chapel product was an All-ACC first-teamer as a junior and senior.

Morrissey is the only representative here who currently is on Pitt's roster. Considered the best center in the ACC and one of the better interior linemen in college football, the former walk-on is entering his fourth year as a starter -- OK, maybe it's not that rare at Pitt anymore. Last season, Morrissey did not allow a sack and was rated as the Panthers' top run blocker.

KR/PR: QUADREE HENDERSON

He's a member of the Steelers practice squad and, arguably, the best kick return in Pitt history. In 2016, Henderson was a consensus All-American kick returner after leading Football Bowl Subdivision with 1,166 return yards. He averaged 30.5 yards on kickoff returns and 15.8 on punt returns, seemingly a threat to score with every touch.

K: CHRIS BLEWITT

His accuracy decreased with every passing season -- from 77.8 percent on field goals as a freshman to 58.8 percent as a senior -- but Blewitt, who was waived last week by the Bears, had the leg. He also is responsible for three of the more well-known points in recent Pitt history.

To continue reading, log into your account: