Pitt Head Coach Dave Wannstedt (still not used to typing that phrase) has made his first official coaching hire.

Paul Dunn resigned Monday as offensive line coach/run-game coordinator at the University of Kentucky and will be named to Pitt’s staff sometime this week.
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Dunn was a roommate of Dan Marino while playing at Pitt from 1980-82. Dunn has coached at Kentucky, Kansas State, Vanderbilt, Cincinnati, Maine and Edinboro and was a graduate assistant at Penn State (1984-85) and Pitt (’83).

Under Dunn, Kansas State’s offenses were among the most productive in the nation. At Kentucky, he coached a first-team All-Southeastern Conference pick in Antonio Hall in 2003 and SEC All-freshman tackle Aaron Miller last fall.

Shocking for all, I’m sure to find out that Tom Freeman will not be returning as the offensive lines coach. Dunn also filled in as offensive coordinator in Kentucky’s final game, following the resignation of the OC. It turned out to be one of Kentucky’s best offensive days nearly upsetting Tennessee.

I’m guessing the money was probably better, though Dunn did go with the “going home” approach in his comment:

“It’s a chance for me to go back to my roots and go back to a place that’s very special to me,” Dunn said.

He said he has known Wannstedt since both were at Pitt, Dunn as a freshman offensive lineman and Wannstedt as a graduate-assistant coach. Wannstedt went to Oklahoma State with Jimmy Johnson, but he and Dunn never lost contact.

It will be interesting to see just how many former Pitt players turned coaches end up on staff.

According to the Trib. article, D-line coach Bob Junko and linebacker coach Curtis Bray are expected to be retained. Noticeably not included is the defensive coordinator.