May still confident in Pitt’s future

Three weeks ago, on national television, ESPN college football analyst Mark May picked Pitt as… Three weeks ago, on national television, ESPN college football analyst Mark May picked Pitt as the most disappointing team in college football this season. However, the former Pitt offensive lineman still sees a bright future for his alma mater.

May, who was recently inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame, was honored at halftime of Pitt’s 34-17 win over Syracuse Saturday at Heinz Field. In an interview Thursday with The Pitt News he defended his assessment of the Panthers.

“Nationally, if you are pre-season ranked in the top 25 in just about every poll,” May said, “and then you proceed to lose to Rutgers and Ohio, what does that say?”

Considering Pitt’s current winning streak, May acknowledges that they have turned the corner on their season.

“I’m still impressed overall with Tyler Palko,” May said, “I think that even though he has struggled a little, he is going to have a pretty good future. Obviously Greg Lee too, those are two of the stalwarts that have been there this entire season that everybody figured that would have a great season. Now they are starting to turn the page and hopefully they will continue to play better.”

However, May pointed out that Pitt can no longer meet some people’s expectations of an eight-, nine-, or 10-win season.

May knows what is like to play under the pressure of high expectations. He came to Pitt the year after their last National Championship, and the 1977 recruiting class he was a part of is widely regarded as Pitt’s best ever.

“The expectations were high, and we met those expectations,” May said. “I think that’s the difference between this year and those past years, because at those times you-and the people in the community expected you to do well, to play competitively for big bowl slots, and that’s what we did every year.”

The class of ’77 finished with a 39-8-1 record over four years at Pitt, 22-2 in their final two seasons. They played in four bowl games and finished ranked in the top 10 three times. May anchored Pitt’s offensive line during those years, and did not allow one sack over his final two seasons. He earned the nickname “May Day,” for the trouble he gave opposing defensive linemen.

Having allowed quarterback Tyler Palko to be sacked 25, times Pitt offensive linemen are now the ones calling “Mayday!”

“I think it’s just going to take a little time,” May said when asked what the Panthers need to do to improve their line. “I think you have a good offensive line coach in Paul Dunn. I think Paul will recruit the players that he wants, but the ones that are there, he is going to have to coach them up, obviously, and he is doing a great job with that.”

In 1980, May received the Outland Trophy, an award given yearly to college football’s best lineman. To this day, May is the only Panther to ever receive the award.

“It was just a great time for football,” May said of his time at Pitt. “You would sell out Pitt stadium every week; we’d sell out no matter who we played.”

May, who’s No. 73, was retired by the Panthers in 2001, is confident Pitt can get back to the level of success it enjoyed during his time here.

“Pitt is on the right path,” May said. “They have the right people in the front office. I truly believe that. Jeff Long, Mark Nordenberg and Dave Wannstedt, I think together they believe in each other, which is good, and they trust one another. They have a game plan and they are going in the right direction.”