Pitt hires Chryst as new head football coach

The University of Pittsburgh has a new head football coach, and fittingly enough for the Christmas season the Panthers have hired Chryst.

No, not Christ, although the Panthers are hoping this coach has at least a tad more "Christian values" than Todd Graham, who lied and stole his way to the exit and - also fittingly enough - is now a Devil.

Paul Chryst was announced as the new Pitt Football coach this afternoon at a press conference.  His resume includes an outstanding 8-year run as offensive coordinator for the Rose-Bowl bound Wisconsin Badgers.  Under the direction of Paul Chryst, Wisconsin has fielded some of the top offensive units in all of college football.  The development of such players as recent Heisman finalist Montee Ball and QB Russell Wilson have been credited to their relationship with Coach Chryst.

Pitt seems to have found a coach that actually wants to be here.  For a fan base that has been burned so many times by coaches and administration over the past few years, trepidation is to be expected.  However, this hiring seems to be right along the lines of what many people were clamoring for - a coach getting his first true head coaching job at a University that has history but has been an afterthought in recent years.  His level of dedication to the Pitt program will only be discovered through the test of time.

Chryst will be taking over a program that has a good bit of underclassmen talent coming back next season, along with highly touted recruits in Hopewell, PA RB Rushel Shell and QB Chad Voytik from Tennessee.  The situation is not dire, although the stink of Todd Graham still permeates the South Side Complex, even with High Octane Todd and his fruity wife sipping drinks at the MAACO Bowl in Las Vegas.

Hopefully for Pitt, this hire is a means to an end.  The program has major issues that need fixed over the next 5 years to truly be considered a National power again.  Let us all hope that Santa brought us a winner here for this holiday season in the form of Head Coach Paul Chryst.

AD Steve Pederson introduces Head Coach Paul Chryst