1975 Pittsburgh Panthers football team

{{short description|American college football season}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=August 2023}}

{{Infobox college sports team season

| year = 1975

| team = Pittsburgh Panthers

| sport = football

| image =

| image_size =

| conference = Independent

| CoachRank = 13

| APRank = 15

| record = 8–4

| head_coach = Johnny Majors

| hc_year = 3rd

| off_coach = George Haffner

| oc_year = 3rd

| off_scheme = Veer, I formation

| def_coach = Jackie Sherrill

| dc_year = 3rd

| def_scheme = Basic 50

| captain =

| stadium = Pitt Stadium

| champion = Sun Bowl champion

| bowl = Sun Bowl

| bowl_result = W 33–19 vs. Kansas

}}

{{1975 NCAA Division I independents football records}}

The 1975 Pittsburgh Panthers football team represented the University of Pittsburgh in the 1975 NCAA Division I football season. The Panthers won the Sun Bowl.

Schedule

{{CFB schedule

| rankyear = 1975

| poll = AP

| timezone = Eastern

|{{CFB schedule entry

| date = September 6

| time = 2:00 p.m.

| w/l = w

| away = y

| opponent = Georgia

| site_stadium = Sanford Stadium

| site_cityst = Athens, GA

| score = 19–9

| attend = 38,500

| source = {{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-courier-journal-pitt-rally-beats-geo/134252903/|work=The Courier-Journal|title=Pitt rally beats Georgia 19–9; Majors calls safety key play|date=September 7, 1975|accessdate=October 28, 2023|via=Newspapers.com}}

}}

|{{CFB schedule entry

| date = September 20

| time = 1:30 p.m.

| w/l = l

| away = y

| rank = 15

| opponent = Oklahoma

| opprank = 1

| site_stadium = Oklahoma Memorial Stadium

| site_cityst = Norman, OK

| score = 10–46

| attend = 70,286

}}

|{{CFB schedule entry

| date = September 27

| time = 1:30 p.m.

| w/l = w

| opponent = William & Mary

| site_stadium = Pitt Stadium

| site_cityst = Pittsburgh, PA

| score = 47–0

| attend = 31,022

| source = {{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/danville-register-and-bee-pitt-blasts-w/139593608/|work=The Danville Register|title=Pitt blasts W&M 47–0|date=September 28, 1975|accessdate=January 26, 2024|via=Newspapers.com}}

}}

|{{CFB schedule entry

| date = October 4

| time = 1:30 p.m.

| w/l = w

| opponent = Duke

| site_stadium = Pitt Stadium

| site_cityst = Pittsburgh, PA

| score = 14–0

| attend = 33,778

| source = {{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-morning-news-pitt-triumphs-on-haygoo/139603194/|work=Sunday News Journal|title=Pitt triumphs on Haygood runs|date=October 5, 1975|accessdate=January 26, 2024|via=Newspapers.com}}

}}

|{{CFB schedule entry

| date = October 11

| time = 1:30 p.m.

| w/l = w

| away = y

| opponent = Temple

| site_stadium = Temple Stadium

| site_cityst = Philadelphia, PA

| score = 55–6

| attend = 10,791

}}

|{{CFB schedule entry

| date = October 18

| time = 1:30 p.m.

| w/l = w

| away = y

| opponent = Army

| site_stadium = Michie Stadium

| site_cityst = West Point, NY

| score = 52–20

| attend = 41,195

}}

|{{CFB schedule entry

| date = October 25

| time = 1:30 p.m.

| w/l = l

| homecoming = y

| rank = 17

| opponent = Navy

| site_stadium = Pitt Stadium

| site_cityst = Pittsburgh, PA

| score = 0–17

| attend = 41,986

}}

|{{CFB schedule entry

| date = November 1

| time = 1:30 p.m.

| w/l = w

| away = y

| opponent = Syracuse

| site_stadium = Archbold Stadium

| site_cityst = Syracuse, NY

| gamename = rivalry

| score = 38–0

| attend = 20,065

}}

|{{CFB schedule entry

| date = November 8

| time = 1:30 p.m.

| w/l = l

| away = y

| rank = 20

| opponent = West Virginia

| site_stadium = Mountaineer Field

| site_cityst = Morgantown, WV

| gamename = Backyard Brawl

| tv = ABC

| score = 14–17

| attend = 35,298

| source = {{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-miami-herald-w-virginia-stuns-pitt/139619158/|work=The Miami Herald|title=W. Virginia stuns Pitt on late FG|date=November 9, 1975|accessdate=January 26, 2024|via=Newspapers.com}}

}}

|{{CFB schedule entry

| date = November 15

| time = 1:30 p.m.

| w/l = w

| opponent = Notre Dame

| opprank = 9

| site_stadium = Pitt Stadium

| site_cityst = Pittsburgh, PA

| gamename = rivalry

| score = 34–20

| attend = 56,480

}}

|{{CFB schedule entry

| date = November 22

| time = 1:30 p.m.

| w/l = l

| rank = 17

| opponent = Penn State

| opprank = 10

| site_stadium = Three Rivers Stadium

| site_cityst = Pittsburgh, PA

| gamename = rivalry

| tv = ABC

| score = 6–7

| attend = 46,846

}}

|{{CFB schedule entry

| date = December 26

| time = 12:00 p.m.

| w/l = w

| neutral = y

| rank = 20

| opponent = Kansas

| opprank = 19

| site_stadium = Sun Bowl

| site_cityst = El Paso, TX

| gamename = Sun Bowl

| tv = CBS

| score = 33–19

| attend = 30,272

}}

}}

Roster

{{American football roster/Header

| year = 1975

| team = Pittsburgh Panthers

| teamcolors = f

| offensive_players=

{{American football roster/Player|num=67|class=So|first=Tom|last=Brzoza|pos=C|link=y}}

{{American football roster/Player|num=12|class=So|first=Matt|last=Cavanaugh|pos=QB|link=y}}

{{American football roster/Player|num=81|class=Jr|first=James|last=Corbett|dab=James Corbett (American football)|pos=TE|link=y}}

{{American football roster/Player|num=33|class=Jr|first=Tony|last=Dorsett|pos=RB|link=y}}

{{American football roster/Player|num=24|class=Fr|first=Gordon|last=Jones|dab=Gordon Jones (American football)|pos=WR|link=y}}

{{American football roster/Player|num=19|class=So|first=Randy|last=Reutershan|pos=WR|link=y}}

{{American football roster/Player|num=29|class=So|first=Willie|last=Taylor|dab=Willie Taylor (American football)|pos=WR|link=y}}

| defensive_players=

{{American football roster/Player|num=55|class=Fr|first=Al|last=Chesley|pos=LB|link=y}}

{{American football roster/Player|num=75|class=Fr|first=Ed|last=Gallagher|dab=Ed Gallagher (American football, born 1957)|pos=DT|link=y}}

{{American football roster/Player|num=70|class=So|first=Randy|last=Holloway|pos=DE|link=y}}

{{American football roster/Player|num=60|class=Jr|first=Cecil|last=Johnson|pos=DE|link=y}}

{{American football roster/Player|num=31|class=So|first=Bob|last=Jury|pos=CB|link=y}}

{{American football roster/Player|num=78|class=Fr|first=David|last=Logan|dab=David Logan (American football)|pos=DT|link=y}}

{{American football roster/Player|num=68|class=Jr|first=Don|last=Parrish|pos=DT|link=y}}

{{American football roster/Player|num=85|class=Sr|first=Tom|last=Perko|pos=DE|link=y}}

{{American football roster/Player|num=91|class=Jr|first=Al|last=Romano|pos=DE|link=y}}

{{American football roster/Player|num=21|class=So|first=J.C.|last=Wilson|pos=CB|link=y}}

| special_teams_players=

{{American football roster/Player|num=41|class=Jr|first=Larry|last=Swider|pos=P|link=y}}

}}

{{American football roster/Footer

| head_coach = *Johnny Majors

| asst_coach =

| accessdate=

}}

Coaching staff

class="toccolours" style="text-align: left;"
colspan="10" style="background:#091C44; color:#CEC499; text-align: center;" | 1975 Pittsburgh Panthers football staff
colspan="10" align="right" |
valign="top" |

| style="font-size: 95%;" valign="top" | Coaching staff

  • Johnny Majors – Head coach
  • Jackie Sherrill – Assistant head coach/defensive coordinator
  • George Haffner – Offensive coordinator
  • Henry Lee Parker – Recruiter
  • Joe Avezzano – Offensive line
  • Jim Dyar – Defensive line
  • Larry Holton – Junior Varsity Coach
  • Harry Jones – Offensive backs
  • Bob Leahy – Receivers
  • Joe Madden – Defensive secondary
  • Bobby Roper – Defensive ends
  • Bob Matey – Scouting/Middle Guards
  • Keith Schroeder – Scouting

| width="25" |  

| valign="top" |

| style="font-size: 95%;" valign="top" | Support staff

| width="25" |  

| valign="top" |

| style="font-size: 95%;" valign="top" | Strength and conditioning staff

Team players drafted into the NFL

class="wikitable" width="80%"
align="center" style="background:#091C44;color:#CEC499;"

| Player

PositionRoundPickNFL club
align="center" bgcolor=""

|Tom Perko

Linebacker4101Green Bay Packers
align="center" bgcolor=""

|Karl Farmer

Wide receiver7193Atlanta Falcons
align="center" bgcolor=""

|Randy Cozens

Defensive end17474Denver Broncos
align="center" bgcolor=""
{{cite web| url = https://www.pro-football-reference.com/draft/1976.htm| url-status = dead| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20071221231848/http://www.pro-football-reference.com/draft/1976.htm| archive-date = 2007-12-21| title = 1976 NFL Draft Listing - Pro-Football-Reference.com}}

References