Pitt Legends Rank Amongst Best Freshman Seasons

Pitt Panthers legends rank amongst best freshman football seasons.

Feb 9, 2023; Phoenix, Arizona, US; Former NFL running back Tony Dorsett poses for a photo on the red carpet before the NFL Honors award show at Symphony Hall. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images / Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

PITTSBURGH -- The Pitt Panthers have had many legends play for the football program, some of which had incredible freshman seasons.

Bill Connelly of ESPN ranked the best true freshman college football seasons, with three Pitt players earning a spot. All of these players had to come from 1972 onwards, as that marked the first season that NCAA gave true freshman eligibility for varsity football.

He placed defensive lineman Hugh Green in 1977 at No. 1, running back Tony Dorsett in 1973 at No. 7 and offensive lineman Bill Fralic in 1981 at No. 10.

Green had an incredible season for the Panthers, making 92 tackles, 13 sacks, five forced fumbles and 21 quarterback hurries at defensive end. He also earned Second Team All-American honors

He finished his Pitt career with the most sacks in program history, 49.5, holds the program record for most sacks as a freshman and over freshman/sophomore seasons at 22.5.

Green would continue a great career for Pitt, which included two Unanimous All-American honors his junior and senior season. He also had a sensational senior year in 1980, winning both Maxwell and Walter Camp Awards.

Dorsett. who hailed from nearby Aliquippa and played for Hopewell High School, was one of the first true freshman that took advantage of the rule change and showed that he was the best running back in the nation that season.

He ran for 1,686 yards and 12 touchdowns, which rank tied for fifth most and tied for ninth most, respectively, in a season in Panthers history.

Dorsett would rush for a Pitt record, 6,526 career yards and 58 touchdowns on the ground. This culminated in his senior season, when he rushed for a program season record 2,150 yards and 21 touchdowns, winning the Heisman Trophy and the National Championship.

Fralic, who played for nearby Penn Hills High School, replaced an All-American in Mark May and easily showed that he had the talent going forward.

He finished his Pitt career as a three-time All-American, including Unanimous selections his junior and senior years in 1983 and 1984. He was also the first offensive lineman to finish in the top 10 of the Heisman voting twice, coming in eighth in 1983 and sixth in 1984.

Fralic also created the stat known as the "pancake block," as he flattened his opponents on the defensive line and protected his quarterback, which was future Pro Football Hall of Famer Dan Marino his first two seasons.

Larry Fitzgerald, who didn't rank amonsgt the top 60 spots, ranked No. 8 for the best true freshman season for a wide receiver/tight end for his performance in 2002.

He made 69 catches for 1,005 yards and 12 touchdowns that season, which would set up his incredible 2003 campaign as a sophomore, where he, controversially, lost the Heisman, but still won the Biletnikoff Award for best wide reciever and the Walter Camp Award.

Make sure you bookmark Inside the Panthers for the latest news, exclusive interviews, recruiting coverage, and more!

• Pitt Football Lands FCS Transfer DB
• Former Pitt QB Kenny Pickett Won’t Start for Eagles
• Pitt Volleyball MB Enters Transfer Portal
• Pitt Football Lands Eastern Michigan Transfer
• Pitt Football Lands Division II All-American Transfer

Follow Inside the Panthers on Twitter: @InsidePitt