Pitt football coach Dave Wannstedt announced yesterday that Joe Tumpkin will join his staff as… Pitt football coach Dave Wannstedt announced yesterday that Joe Tumpkin will join his staff as Pitt’s new linebackers coach.

Tumpkin also has special teams-coaching experience, which fills both of the on-field roles Charlie Partridge vacated when he left for Wisconsin earlier this month.

The off-the-field role in which Tumpkin replaces Partridge, though, could be just as important: Florida recruiting.

“The addition of Joe to our coaching staff fills three important needs for us,” Wannstedt said in a release.

“Number one, Joe is a seasoned linebacker coach. Secondly, he has worked extensively with special teams. Finally, as a Miami native, he is very familiar with the state of Florida and has recruited there the last several years. We’re excited about him joining us.”

Tumpkin coached linebackers the last three seasons at Southern Methodist under Phil Bennett, Wannstedt’s newly hired defensive coordinator. Tumpkin also had a coaching fellowship with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2007, working with their coaching staff for the team’s July training camp.

Tumpkin will help Pitt, which also lost Florida-native wide receivers coach Aubrey Hill to Miami, to keep a presence in Florida.

Partridge helped Pitt land current stars and Florida natives Gus Mustakas, T.J. Porter, Conredge Collins and Greg Romeus, among others.