Football: Chryst completes coaching staff

Pitt football head coach Paul Chryst completed his coaching staff on Monday by hiring Desmond… Pitt football head coach Paul Chryst completed his coaching staff on Monday by hiring Desmond Robinson as running backs coach and Brooks Bollinger as quarterbacks coach.

Robinson will be returning to Pittsburgh after playing five seasons with the Panthers (1974-1978) as a linebacker and defensive end. He was a member of the 1976 team that was unanimously selected the National Champions.

The Pitt alumnus has racked up 30 years of coaching experience since leaving Pitt. He has coached at Notre Dame, Syracuse, Connecticut, West Virginia, Tulane and Dartmouth. He also had experience coaching professional football with NFL Europe.

“Desmond’s Pitt ties and extensive coaching experience are going to be invaluable to our program on and off the field,” Chryst said in a statement released by the University. “He is an excellent teacher of the game, and our running backs will greatly benefit from his guidance.”

Bollinger, who started at quarterback for four years at Wisconsin (1999-2002) — the last school Chryst coached at — is coming in after eight years in professional football.

He played three seasons for the New York Jets after they drafted him in 2003 and then spent time with both Minnesota and Dallas before finishing his pro career with the Florida Tuskers of the UFL.

His only coaching experience comes from his one-year tenure as Minnesota’s Hill-Murray School, where he served as head coach and led the team to a 9-3 record and its first state playoff berth in 24 years.

“Brooks knows firsthand the mental and physical preparation needed for successful quarterback play,” Chryst said. “He was a consummate leader for us at Wisconsin before going on to pro football, and those experiences are going to be assets for our players and staff.”