The James Conner story hasn’t ended yet and won’t for some time.  But for now this is the last I’ll talk about his diagnosis.  Unless you are a Pitt fan who has been living beneath a rock for the last year you’ll know Conner has – had, let’s hope – Hodgkin’s Lymphoma and just lately got the great news that after 12 chemo treatments the Docs did a cancer scan and Conner came up 100% negative.  Yeah! for him, his Dr. and all Conner’s fans for the amazing support he received.

So it is good news all around. Here are a few links to stories on it… then we’ll turn our attention to football issues with Mr. Conner… which is what, I’m quite sure, he is doing also.

From DiPaola of the Trib-Review where he says this:

“Once the (chemo) port is out and (his chest) heals, he is free to do whatever he wants and engage in contact once practice starts back up,” Marks said. “There will be no restrictions.”

Conner, who worked out lightly with teammates during spring drills in March and April, said he should be physically ready to do everything when Pitt opens training camp in early August.

He said he did not lose weight during chemotherapy, actually gaining 5 pounds.

“Overall, he really tolerated it well,” said Marks, noting only a few times when Conner’s white blood count dipped.

“One of the more common side effects is fatigue, particularly toward the end of therapy. It was remarkable he was able to function, go to practice, go on the treadmill and remain as active as he did. Most folks are pretty wiped out by then.”

Here are some interesting observations from the blog College Football Huddle…

 Bringing back Conner, the 2014 ACC Offensive Player of the Year, gives Pitt arguably the best two-man rushing tandem in all of college football next season, and the Panthers new hope in the wide-open Coastal Division.

Running through ACC defenses pales in comparison to Conner’s offseason recovery from cancer. He has three months to return to playing shape after missing most of 2015 with an injured MCL. Conner participated in limited capacity during the spring.

The Pitt athletic department made Conner’s cancer diagnosis public in December. The necessary treatment derailed his plans to return from the knee injury early.

While rehabilitating his knee, which Conner attacked with the same vigor he went at his cancer treatment, Pitt’s feature-back role was in good hands.

Redshirt freshman Qadree Ollison climbed from third on the Panthers depth chart prior to the 2015 season, to earning ACC Offensive Rookie of the Year by the campaign’s end.

They also posted this video about Ollison’s nice year in relief due to Conner’s absence mentioned above:

Ollison carried 212 times for 1,121 yards and 11 touchdowns — impressive numbers indeed, though well off the 1,765 yards and 26 touchdowns Conner piled up as an All-American in 2014.

Conner’s return likely ensures a lighter workload for Ollison, but a heavier burden on opposing defenses.

Pitt now has a backfield that looks positively Saban’ian. A former defensive end, Conner goes 6-foot-2 and 240 pounds. The Panthers lose little in size from the 6-foot-2, 230-pound Ollison. “Change of pace” as far as Pitt offensive coordinator Matt Canada should be concerned means changing from bulldozer to jackhammer as downs dictate.

Pitt’s been home to several standout running backs for much of the last decade, dating back to LeSean McCoy. James Conner and Qadree Ollison both carry on the legacy, but having both in the lineup healthy gives Pitt its best single backfield since Dion Lewis and Ray Graham in 2010.

 Wouldn’t that be nice?  Truth be told though we need more consistency from him if he’s to be our main RB this season.  He had seven game where he gained less that 75 yards ruching – including the last two losses to Miami (37 yards) and Navy (73 yards)…

And if this hasn’t already been discussed in detail on here and every other outlet for Pitt football – Nate Peterman has been named as one of the 16 most irreplaceable players for the 2016 season:

15. Pitt QB Nathan Peterman: Peterman isn’t the trendiest name here, but hear us out. Pitt’s offense obviously goes through its ground game, but Peterman has the capability of stretching the ball downfield in the passing attack. No other quarterback not named Chad Voytik threw a pass for Pitt in 2015, and Voytik has transferred to Arkansas State. Pitt has already shown it can run the ball without James Conner — Qadree Ollison rushed for more than 1,100 yards and 11 touchdowns — but the Panthers could be in real trouble if Peterman ever leaves the field. This is especially true if you’re of the belief Pitt could be a sleeper ACC Coastal contender.

Cardiac Hill has a nice piece quoting ESPN on the Pitt-Penn State game on September 10^th.  Then our own Pitt News does a follow-up piece also.  Here is the ERSPN quote copied from Cardiac Hill:

What’s at stake: The rivals meet for the first time since 2000, but the rancor remains, thanks in part to some superb subtweeting by both coaching staffs in recent years. But this game makes the list primarily because of what it means for Penn State’s third-year coach James Franklin. The initial zest about Franklin’s hiring has waned as he has yet to record a signature victory in Big Ten play. Penn State opened the 2015 season with its first loss to Temple in 74 years. While a loss to Pitt isn’t as bad optically, the Lions couldn’t stake much claim to the state, and Franklin’s future immediately would become a hot topic. A Pitt win would continue to generate enthusiasm for Pat Narduzzi’s program.

If you remember part of the Script roll-out and news sports uniforms there were some physical changes to the Southside football complex along with the Petersen Events Center BB areas and court.

… and the BB practice court:

http://wpc.493c.edgecastcdn.net/80493C/csprt-ovp/n3hzHgvr2bL4CdBN2xjM/webm_720p_video_457872.webm