Panthers launching TV series on AT&T
Pitt launched a new television series titled, “Pitt: Beyond the Script,” that will air 25 episodes on AT&T SportsNet through March.
The series — the product of a collaboration between local company Awesome Films and Pitt Studios, the school’s broadcast and video production department — will debut at 6 p.m. Thursday.
The show will consist of weekly coach and player interviews, highlights and feature stories. The first episode will feature interviews with football coach Pat Narduzzi and first-year defensive coordinator Randy Bates, among other segments.
It’s the first weekly television show Pitt has had in almost 10 years, marking another step athletic director Heather Lyke has taken in her initiative to promote the school and its athletic department.
Penn State
Penn State has found a radio replacement for KQV ... two of them, actually.
Nittany Lions games this season will be carried on WPIT-AM (730) and WPIT-FM (96.5). The first broadcast will be the opener at 3:30 p.m. Saturday against Appalachian State. The Penn State Sports Network includes more than 60 stations in Pennsylvania, New York and West Virginia. KQV, which held the school’s radio broadcast rights for a number of years, ceased operations at the end of 2017.
Notre Dame
Brandon Wimbush won’t need to look over his shoulder Saturday night when No. 12-ranked Notre Dame plays hosts to No. 14 Michigan in the season opener for both teams. Coach Brian Kelly reiterated the senior is his No. 1 quarterback.
“Brandon’s our starter,” Kelly said Tuesday. “We’re going to go into the game that he needs to win the game for us.”
In 2017, Wimbush started 12 games in Notre Dame’s 10-3 campaign and finished with 803 yards and 14 rushing touchdowns and another 1,870 yards and 16 TDs through the air despite a 49 percent completionrate.
Washington State
The depth chart for the season opener Saturday at Wyoming provides little clarity about who will start at quarterback. The depth chart lists four quarterbacks, and indicates any of the four could start. Coach Mike Leach said last week that he would name a starter whenever he felt like it, and perhaps not before game time. The Cougars are seeking to replace fouryear starter Luke Falk. The four candidates are graduate transfer Gardner Minshew, who has by far the most experience and has been getting the most practice reps. Juniors Anthony Gordon and Trey Tinsley and freshman Cammon Cooper are in the mix, but none of them has thrown a pass in a game.
Vanderbilt
Sophomore safety Zaire Jones was suspended for the season opener against Middle Tennessee after being arrested Aug. 23 for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon against an off-duty police officer.