Advertisement
football Edit

Inside look: Pitt upgrades the indoor

MORE HEADLINES - Podcast: Digging into the DL | What does the two-deep look like after four weeks of spring camp? | Pitt's offense did something no other Power Five team did last season - and it could happen again | Video: Another look at the quarterbacks | The expected, the unexpected and the surprise at QB this spring

One of the first things Pat Narduzzi did when he arrived at Pitt in December 2014 was set out to make aesthetic upgrades to the facilities. The big project was the upgrades to the locker room and team meeting rooms, but high on the list of priorities was the indoor practice facility.

Pitt shares the indoor with the Pittsburgh Steelers, and two years later, that building is getting some life. Once a warehouse shell with a turf field and bare walls, the indoor now has some life. The first banner that went up reflected the shared nature of the facility.

Advertisement

Next came an expansive banner at Pitt's end of the field honoring the Panthers' 10 retired jersey numbers.

From left to right: Mike Ditka (89), Larry FItzgerald (1), Tony Dorsett (33), Marshall Goldberg (42), Joe Schmidt (65), Dan Marino (13), Hugh Green (99), Jimbo Covert (75), Bill Fralic (79) and Mark May (73).

And on the adjacent wall, Pitt added a series of eight banners - one for each major award a Pitt player has won. The Panthers have won 14 of those awards, and the banners will be updated when Pitt players claim additional major awards.

Biletnikoff Award (best wide receiver) - Antonio Bryant and Larry Fitzgerald; Bronko Nagurski Trophy (best defensive player) - Aaron Donald
Biletnikoff Award (best wide receiver) - Antonio Bryant and Larry Fitzgerald; Bronko Nagurski Trophy (best defensive player) - Aaron Donald
Heisman Trophy (most outstanding player) - Tony Dorsett; Chuck Bednarik Award (best defensive player) - Aaron Donald
Heisman Trophy (most outstanding player) - Tony Dorsett; Chuck Bednarik Award (best defensive player) - Aaron Donald
Maxwell Award (best player) - Tony Dorsett, Hugh Green; Outland Trophy (best lineman) - Mark May, Aaron Donald
Maxwell Award (best player) - Tony Dorsett, Hugh Green; Outland Trophy (best lineman) - Mark May, Aaron Donald
Walter Camp Award (player of the year) - Tony Dorsett, Hugh Green, Larry Fitzgerald; Lombardi Award (best lineman or linebacker) - Hugh Green, Aaron Donald
Walter Camp Award (player of the year) - Tony Dorsett, Hugh Green, Larry Fitzgerald; Lombardi Award (best lineman or linebacker) - Hugh Green, Aaron Donald

Here's a look at the banners that have been hung so far. More are on the way.

Advertisement