For the third time in roughly a year, Pittsburgh has officially named a new head coach.
In a press release that’s certainly second nature to the sports information folks at the school by now, the Panthers confirmed previous reports that Paul Chryst has been named as its head football coach. The now-former Wisconsin offensive coordinator will replace Todd Graham, who left earlier this month for the Arizona State job after just one season at Pitt.
Chryst, who interviewed for the job that ultimately went to Graham, will be officially introduced at a 3 p.m. ET press conference Thursday afternoon.
“We are extremely pleased to welcome Coach Chryst and his family to Pittsburgh,” athletic director Steve Pederson said. “His remarkable success at Wisconsin is well documented in the form of Big Ten championships and All-America performances. But beyond his achievements on the football field, we believed it was important to find a leader who gets the very best from his players while also developing the kind of culture that fits the University of Pittsburgh. Paul Chryst is that leader and we are anxious for our players and fans to get to know him in the coming days and years.”
“My family and I greatly appreciate the opportunity to join the University of Pittsburgh,” Chryst said. “Pitt and Pittsburgh are absolutely the right fit for us, and we’re looking forward to getting immersed in our new hometown. We are committed to building a program on and off the field that will make people proud. The bar is set high in the ‘City of Champions’ and that is incredibly exciting and inspiring. I can’t wait to meet our players and get to work.”
Chryst has spent the past six seasons as the Badgers’ coordinator, and has also spent time on coaching staffs at Oregon State and West Virginia. He’s also spent time at the professional level with the San Diego Chargers and a couple of CFL teams.