Dead period for recruiting. No organized practices permitted. Spring semester long past. That means it’s time for coaches and ADs to hit the chapter functions.

There’s the Mon Valley Panther Club holding its 25th annual banquet tomorrow. The three major coaches — Wannstedt, Dixon and Berenanto — are expected to attend.

A couple weeks ago, AD Pederson went to the Johnstown chapter’s banquet which returned after a 9 year break.

“These last six months have been pretty amazing,” Pederson said. “My first day here was the day we beat West Virginia (in football). A few days later we were beating Duke at Madison Square Garden (in basketball).

“We went through the tough injuries in basketball but (coach) Jamie Dixon did an unbelievable job of pulling everything through some tough times and getting us through a Big East championship,” he added. “(Coach) Agnus Berenato takes the women’s team to the Sweet 16, the first time in our history. Then, we had the only wrestler in the United States that goes wire to wire. Keith Gavin was the only undefeated wrestler in all of Division I wrestling.”

Both Coach Wannstedt and Offensive Coordinator Matt Cavanaugh were at the Central PA Chapter event last week.

He is confident in his university, his program, his team.

And, apparently, he sells that as good as anyone sells. Certainly, his first three recruiting classes have been applauded by the national experts, including the one two years ago that landed quarterback Pat Bostick from Lancaster, running back LeSean McCoy from Harrisburg and even William Penn offensive lineman Greg Gaskins.

Cavanaugh just watched the coach work the room Wednesday at Heritage Hills.

“I know what’s in his heart,” Cavanaugh said. “He said, ‘The one goal in life I’ve got remaining is to bring my alma mater back to national prominence.’

“He’s got no aspirations of going back to the NFL. He doesn’t want to work at another university. He wants Pitt to get back on top and that shows in everything he does. How he motivates the team, how he recruits, how he handles the media, how he talks to alumni.

“I believe it’s going to happen.”