Ohio RB jumps on Pitt opportunity

Chawntez Moss has been hoping for a Pitt offer for a long time.

This weekend, it all came together, and now the Bedford (Oh.) running back is committed to the Panthers.

"I've been liking them for a long time," Moss told Panther-Lair.com Sunday. "I was supposed to go to a game last year, but we lost that week in the playoffs and I didn't feel like going anywhere. But I was supposed to get an offer if I went out there, so I knew they were interested.

"Then Pitt got the new coaching staff, and I wasn't sure if they were recruiting me so they weren't in my top three. But my coach told me Coach (Pat) Narduzzi wanted me to come down to camp and that all the coaches wanted to see me.

"So I went down [Saturday] and did a quick workout. I planned on committing if they offered me, but Coach Narduzzi told me he wanted me to call him Sunday. I called and he said, 'You have an offer; we're really excited about you.' I said, 'I'm excited about you, too,' and I committed."

Saturday was the first time Moss visited Pitt, but he said he saw more than enough to confirm that he wanted to be a Panther and spend his college career in Pittsburgh.

"They're on the come-up; they're on the verge of being the next step above and being a great team," he said. "In the next couple years they're going to be doing great things and I want to be a part of that.

"I just liked everything on the campus. The buildings all looked different and all the rooms are different; you could never be bored in school. It was all a good experience. It's the right place for me."

Moss checks in at 5'11" and 191 pounds (although he said a recent illness cost him at least nine pounds in the last week) and he chose Pitt over offers from Akron, Ball State, Bowling Green, Buffalo, Cincinnati, Eastern Michigan, Indiana, Iowa, Kent State, Marshall, Miami (Oh.), Ohio, Old Dominion, Toledo and Western Michigan.

Moss is Pitt's first running back commitment in the class of 2016. Last season he scored 32 total touchdowns and tallied more than 2,500 all-purpose yards. He rushed for 2,012 yards and scored 28 rushing touchdowns and also scored via reception, kickoff return, interception return and fumble return.

"I think I'm an all-purpose back; I can do anything you need," he said. "If you need short-yardage, I can do that. If you need an 80-yard run, I have the speed to break away. I can catch a screen. I can return kicks. I think I'm all-purpose."

Moss is the fifth recruit to join Pitt's class of 2016. He joins Central Catholic safety Bricen Garner, Upper St. Clair offensive lineman Brandon Ford, Cincinnati (Oh.) Moeller quarterback Thomas MacVittie and Lakewood (Oh.) St. Edward defensive back Tony Butler.

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