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Draft Scout College Football Player News: Pittsburgh

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11/29/22 - *Israel Abanikanda, Jr/2023, Pittsburgh + More +

Atlantic Division champion Clemson leads the 2022 All-ACC Football Teams announced on Tuesday. The Tigers filled a total of 12 spots on the first, second and third teams, with sophomore Will Shipley becoming the first-ever player to earn first-team honors at three positions with his selection at running back, all-purpose and specialist. Pitt followed with nine selections, while Florida State and Coastal Division champion North Carolina had eight honorees apiece. The All-ACC teams were chosen by a voting panel of 51 media members and each of the league's 14 head coaches for a total of 65 voters. Three points were awarded for each first-team vote, two points for each second-team vote, and one point for each third-team selection.

Pitt running back Israel Abanikanda, the ACC's leading rusher with 1,431 yards, was the top overall vote-getter with 187 total points. A pair of wide receivers - Boston College's Zay Flowers and North Carolina's Josh Downs - each collected 184 total points. Abanikanda and Shipley (1,092 rushing yards) are joined in the All-ACC first-team backfield by North Carolina freshman quarterback Drake Maye, who currently leads the nation in total offense with 4,476 yards and earned 177 total points in the All-ACC balloting. - ACC Football

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RB *Israel Abanikanda, Pittsburgh
News Source: ACC Football
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11/28/22 - Erick Hallett II, rSr/2023, Pittsburgh + More +

NOV 28 ACC CO-DEFENSIVE BACK OF THE WEEK: Erick Hallett II, Pitt, FS, Cypress, Texas,...Turned in an active night in Pitt's 42-16 win over Miami, compiling seven stops, two forced fumbles and a fumble recovery ... He recovered his own forced fumble at the Miami 19 ... Pitt's offense responded with a two-play touchdown drive, giving the Panthers a commanding 21-0 lead early in the second quarter. - ACC Football

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FS Erick Hallett II, Pittsburgh
News Source: ACC Football
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11/28/22 - Javon McIntyre, rJr/2026, Pittsburgh + More +

NOV 28 ACC ROOKIE OF THE WEEK: Javon McIntyre, Pitt, S, Bear, Del.,...Made a big impact early in Pitt's 42-16 win over Miami, recording his first career interception on Miami's second possession of the game ... Added a three-yard TFL and two additional pass breakups. - ACC Football

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FS Javon McIntyre, Pittsburgh
News Source: ACC Football
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11/28/22 - Keye Thompson, rSr/2025, Pittsburgh + More +

NOV 28 MAC EAST DIVISION DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Keye Thompson, Ohio, Linebacker, R-Senior, Barberton, Ohio (Barberton),...Thompson led the Bobcats' defense against Bowling Green in their 38-14 victory Tuesday night. The redshirt senior recorded 11 tackles, two of which were solo. He also led the team in assisted tackles (9) and recorded two quarterback hurries. - MAC Football

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ILB Keye Thompson, Pittsburgh
News Source: MAC Football
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11/28/22 - Jared Wayne, Sr/2023, Pittsburgh + More +

NOV 28 ACC RECEIVER OF THE WEEK: Jared Wayne, Pitt, WR, Peterborough, Ontario, Canada,...Fueled Pitt's 42-16 victory over Miami with career highs of 11 catches for 199 yards and three touchdowns ... His initial TD was a career-long 66 yards, followed by scores of 26 and 7 yards ... Compiled an impressive 101 yards after the catch ... His production against the Hurricanes gave him a personal-best 1,006 receiving yards for the year ... Became only the eighth player in Pitt history to achieve a 1,000-yard receiving season. - ACC Football

Sr/2023

WR Jared Wayne, Pittsburgh
News Source: ACC Football
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11/23/22 - Jeff Yurk, Jr/2025, Pittsburgh + More +

2022 ALL-CAA FOOTBALL THIRD TEAM: Jeff Yurk, Elon, P, So.,...Sophomore punter Jeff Yurk had a breakout season in 2022 and is on pace to break Elon's single-season punting average record. Heading into the FCS playoffs, Yurk is averaging 43.7 yards per punt, surpassing the previous record of 43.4 yards. He turned his season around at halftime of the William & Mary game, averaging just 36.8 yards on 18 punts up to that point in the year. But in his 31 punts since, Yurk is averaging 47.6 yards per punt and currently ranks seventh nationally with his 43.7 average. He has 14 50-yard punts in 2022 and 17 inside the 20. He posted a career-long 65-yarder in the second half of that William & Mary game and added a 62-yard punt at Hampton. - Elon Football

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P Jeff Yurk, Pittsburgh
News Source: Elon Football
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11/22/22 - Desmond Reid, Jr/2026, Pittsburgh + More +

2022 SOUTHERN CONFERENCE FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR: Desmond Reid, RB, Western Carolina,...Western Carolina's Reid finished fourth in the league in rushing at 83.4 yards per game, also earning second-team All-SoCon honors from the coaches in addition to all-freshman and Freshman of the Year plaudits. Reid, the only SoCon finalist for the Jerry Rice Award, rushed for 826 yards on 119 carries this season, the second-most yards by a Catamount freshman tailback all-time. His average of 6.9 yards per carry is a Western Carolina freshman record. Reid posted three 100-yard games this season, including a career-best 175-yard effort against Presbyterian on Sept. 17 in which he also ran for two TDs. Reid also caught 21 passes for 212 yards and a TD, with that touchdown catch coming in the Catamounts' season-ending win over No. 17/15 Chattanooga. Reid is the fifth Catamount chosen as the freshman of the year by the coaches and the second straight, as defensive back Andreas Keaton took the honor last season. - SoCon Football

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RB Desmond Reid, Pittsburgh
News Source: SoCon Football
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11/21/22 - Todd Hill, rSr/2024, Pittsburgh + More +

NOV 21 NEC FOOTBALL PRIME PERFORMER: Todd Hill, DUQ (LB, Jr.),...Hill, the NEC Co-Defensive Player of the Week, had seven tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks and four quarterback hurries in Duquesne's shutout of Wagner on Saturday. The junior linebacker finished the season ranked first in the NEC in tackles for loss (22.0) and sacks (11.5). - NEC Football

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ILB Todd Hill, Pittsburgh
News Source: NEC Football
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11/21/22 - Todd Hill, rSr/2024, Pittsburgh + More +

NOV 21 CO-DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Todd Hill, Duquesne, Linebacker, Jr., 5-10, 240 lbs., Homestead, PA/Steel Valley, Week 12 Stats: 7 tackles (6 solo), 5.5 TFL, 2.5 sacks, 4 QH,...Hill is named the NEC Defensive Player of the Week for the second time this season. The linebacker helped anchor a Duquesne defense that locked down to hold Wagner scoreless for the entire 60 minutes on Saturday. Hill, a native of Homestead, PA, had six solo tackles and seven total tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks and four quarterback hurries. The 5.5 tackles for loss are tied for the most in a game this season by an NEC player. Hill closed out his junior season as the league's leader in tackles for loss (22.0) and sacks (11.5). - NEC Football

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ILB Todd Hill, Pittsburgh
News Source: NEC Football
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11/21/22 - *Israel Abanikanda, Jr/2023, Pittsburgh + More +

NOV 21 ACC RUNNING BACK OF THE WEEK: Israel Abanikanda, Pitt, RB, Brooklyn, N.Y.,...Registered his eighth 100-yard rushing game of the season in the Panthers' 28-26 win over Duke, the most by a Pitt player since Dion Lewis logged 10 during the 2009 season ... Rushed for 113 yards and a touchdown on 17 carries ... Added a 2-point conversion rush that ultimately provided the winning margin ... His six-yard touchdown run in the opening quarter gave him 19 total (18 via rush) for the year, tied for the national lead. - ACC Football

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RB *Israel Abanikanda, Pittsburgh
News Source: ACC Football
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11/21/22 - SirVocea Dennis, Sr/2023, Pittsburgh + More +

NOV 21 ACC LINEBACKER OF THE WEEK: SirVocea Dennis Pitt, LB, Syracuse, N.Y.,...Collected a career-high 14 tackles and added a TFL and forced a fumble in Pitt's 28-26 win over Duke ... Was responsible for the game's most pivotal stop, snuffing out a trick play on a 2-point conversion attempt with 47 seconds remaining ... Dennis sacked Duke's Jordan Moore, who had taken a handoff on a reverse pass play, preserving Pitt's two-point lead ... Helped the Panthers limited the Blue Devils to 63 rushing yards on 27 attempts—140 yards below their season average. - ACC Football

Sr/2023

ILB SirVocea Dennis, Pittsburgh
News Source: ACC Football
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11/21/22 - Ben Sauls, rSr/2025, Pittsburgh + More +

NOV 21 ACC CO-SPECIALIST OF THE WEEK: Ben Sauls, Pitt, PK, Tipp City, Ohio,...Accounted for eight points in the Panthers' 28-26 win over Duke, converting each of his four placements (2-2 FG, 2-2 XP) ... Opened the scoring with a 47-yard field goal and later boomed a 51-yarder under blustery and cold conditions ... The 51-yard field goal marked the longest by a Pitt player since Nov. 21, 2020, when Alex Kessman converted kicks of 52 and 53 yards against Virginia Tech. - ACC Football

rSr/2025

K Ben Sauls, Pittsburgh
News Source: ACC Football
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11/21/22 - *Brandon Hill, Jr/2023, Pittsburgh + More +

NOV 21 ACC DEFENSIVE BACK OF THE WEEK: Brandon Hill, Pitt, SS, Apopka, Fla.,...Scored the winning touchdown in Pitt's 28-26 victory Saturday, scooping up a Duke fumble and returning it for a 30-yard touchdown ... The touchdown and subsequent 2-point conversion gave the Panthers a 28-14 lead with 13:30 left ... In addition to his decisive TD, added eight tackles and a pass breakup ... Hill's efforts in run support helped the Panthers limit the Blue Devils to 63 rushing yards on 27 attempts. - ACC Football

Jr/2023

SS *Brandon Hill, Pittsburgh
News Source: ACC Football
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11/19/22 - *Israel Abanikanda, Jr/2023, Pittsburgh + More +

Israel Abanikanda ran for 113 yards and a touchdown and Brandon Hill returned a Duke fumble 30 yards for a score as Pittsburgh edged the Blue Devils 28-26 on Saturday. The Panthers (7-4, 4-3 Atlantic Coast Conference) beat the Blue Devils (7-4, 4-3) for the eighth time in nine meetings despite nearly squandering a 14-point lead in the fourth quarter. Duke's Riley Leonard threw for 293 yards and three touchdowns, including a 19-yard fourth-down strike to Jaylen Coleman with 47 seconds to go that pulled the Blue Devils within two. Duke appeared to try its own version of the "Philly Special" on the conversion, but the Panthers swarmed Blue Devils wide receiver Jordan Moore before Moore could locate Leonard running free in the end zone. Hill's 30-yard scoop and score put the Panthers up 28-14 with 13:30 to play. Yet Pitt made a series of miscues down the stretch, including leaving Moore uncovered on a 49-yard touchdown pass that made it 28-20 with 9:28 remaining. Duke curiously opted to go for two after the score, with Leonard's pass falling incomplete.

The mistakes didn't end there. A botched snap by Panthers punter Caleb Junko gave Duke the ball at the Pitt 22 with 3:15 to go. The Panthers eventually forced a fourth-and-18 at the Pitt 19 but left Coleman all alone near the goal line. He walked into the end zone but Pitt linebacker SirVocea Dennis blew up the conversion and the Panthers held on for their third straight win. Pitt quarterback Kedon Slovis completed 15 of 32 passes for 190 yards with a touchdown and two costly second-half interceptions that prevented the Panthers from pulling away. Pitt played most of the second half without star defensive tackle Calijah Kancey. The Nagurski and Outland Trophy finalist didn't play most of the final two quarters due to an apparent injury. The Blue Devils were hardly mistake-free. In addition to the fumble by Jordan Waters that Hill returned for a score, wide receiver Jontavis Robertson dropped a touchdown late in the third quarter when a fourth-down heave by Leonard from the Pitt 32 smacked off his hands and fell to the turf. - Pittsburgh/AP College Football

Jr/2023

RB *Israel Abanikanda, Pittsburgh
News Source: Pittsburgh/AP College Football
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11/16/22 - *Calijah Kancey, Jr/2023, Pittsburgh + More +

2022 BRONKO NAGURSKI TROPHY FINALIST: Calijah Kancey, DT, Pitt (6-0, 280, Jr., Miami, Fla.): Kancey has already topped his 2021 statistical numbers in leading the Panthers' defense with 14.0 tackles for loss (t-11th in FBS) and 7.0 sacks (t-26th). His career highs of 3.0 sacks (vs. Virginia 11/12) and 3.5 TFL's (vs. Georgia Tech 10/1) have come within Pitt's last six games. Kancey - pronounced Kah-LIE-jah and rhymes with 'Elijah' - is seventh on the Panthers' defense with 29 total tackles with 17 solos. Bolstered by Kancey, Pitt leads the nation in sacks with 3.7 per game. Pitt already boasts a defensive tackle as a former Bronko Nagurski Trophy winner - Aaron Donald won the award in 2013 and is the only Pitt player to reach finalist status. Three of Pitt's five FWAA All-Americans over the past four seasons - Jaylen Twyman on the 2019 second team, Rashad Weaver on the 2020 first team and now Kancey - have come from its defensive line. - Football Writers Association of America

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