Pitt head coach Todd Graham rumored to leave for Arizona State

By Lauren Kirschman

Reports from several news sources on Wednesday morning stated that Pitt head coach Todd Graham… Reports from several news sources on Wednesday morning stated that Pitt head coach Todd Graham accepted the head coaching job at Arizona State.

Pitt Athletics spokesman E.J. Borghetti couldn’t be reached for comment. A spokesman for Arizona State Athletics said that the school did not have any announcements scheduled.

The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette’s Paul Zeise reported that several sources, including a player, confirmed that Graham sent out an email to inform his players. CBS Sports is reporting that a Pittsburgh official has confirmed Graham’s move, although it did not name the official.

Pitt football players posted that seemed to concern the situation, including redshirt junior Andrew Taglianetti who tweeted “So birmingham will be the EXACT same as last year. This is crazy.”

Last season, the Panthers played Kentucky in the BBVA Compass Bowl without head coach Dave Wannstedt, who resigned under pressure. Interim head coach Phil Bennett coached that game.

Graham spent one season at Pitt, finishing the the year 6-6. This isn’t the first time Graham would leave a school after one season. He coached Rice for one season in 2006 before leaving for Tulsa.

If true, this will mark Pitt’s third coaching search in a year. After Wannstedt resigned, the Panthers hired Michael Haywood and fired him shortly after he was a arrested for a felony domestic abuse charge in South Bend, Ind. Pitt hired Graham as Haywood’s replacement.