Report: Pitt Hiring New WR Coach
PITTSBURGH -- An offseason of near total coaching turnover is coming to an end for the Pitt Panthers, who reportedly have their final coaching vacancy filled.
According to a report from ESPN's Adam Rittenberg, the Panthers and head coach Pat Narduzzi plan to hire Old Dominion wide receivers coach J.J. Laster to fill the same position at Pitt. FootballScoop.com's John Brice confirmed the news moments later
The Panthers had been in the market for a new wideouts coach since Tiquan Underwood accepted an assistant coaching job with the New England Patriots.
Laster, the former wide receivers coach at Western Carolina, had just taken a job with Old Dominion this month after spending three seasons with the Catamounts. He'll now depart for a new job before spring practices for the Monarchs have even begun.
Like new Pitt offensive line coach Jeremy Darveau, he has a previous connection with new offensive coordinator Kade Bell, who comes to Pittsburgh from Western Carolina. The Panthers also recruited a handful of former Catamount skill position players to transfer into Pitt this offseason.
Prior to Western Carolina, Laster had worked as running backs and tight ends coach at Gardner Webb, where he coached three All-Big South selections.
Laster, a former standout running back at Jacksonville University, also has experience coaching at the high school level and with Tusculum University.
The Panthers lost their entire offensive coaching staff this offseason - most by the program's choice, one to an NFL job - and have now rebuilt it entirely.
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