Darrelle Revis isn’t your ordinary college freshman. Then again, Revis wasn’t your ordinary… Darrelle Revis isn’t your ordinary college freshman. Then again, Revis wasn’t your ordinary high school athlete either. In June, he graduated from Aliquippa High School, a small AA school in Beaver County, Pa., closing a chapter in his life that was full of success and accomplishment.

Not familiar with Aliquippa?

How about Mike Ditka?

Ditka was a 1957 graduate of Aliquippa High School, who then went on to become an All-American at Pitt in 1961. Ditka wasn’t finished there. He took his fiery spirit into the NFL where he impacted the sport as both a player and a coach. He is one of only two men to win the Super Bowl as a player, assistant coach and head coach.

Likewise, upon leaving Aliquippa, Revis was ready for his next challenge.

He arrived at Pitt as one of the nation’s top recruits in college football. He had offers from schools such as Penn State, Michigan State and Ohio State, but in the end, he decided Pitt was the place for him.

“I knew I was going to play college football,” Revis said. “I had a lot of offers, but you know, this is the town I love. This is where I want to be.”

With a college chosen, Revis was on his way to beginning a new chapter in his life. This summer marked the end of a career and the beginning of a new opportunity.

Since arriving at Pitt, Revis has accomplished something that hasn’t been done since the year 2000. He’s the first true freshman to start at cornerback for Pitt since Shawntae Spencer’s debut four years ago.

“It’s an extraordinary accomplishment,” head coach Walt Harris said. “One that’s been done around here by very few people.”

It would be an understatement simply to say that Revis was an accomplished high school athlete.

In his senior year alone, he led the Quips to Western Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic League and Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association Class AA Championships in football and was named to the Associated Press Pennsylvania Class AA All-State Team as a first team honoree.

Lining up at quarterback, tailback, receiver, cornerback and kick returner, Revis took the PIAA championship game into his own hands. He scored five touchdowns three different ways and had one of the greatest individual performances in a PIAA championship game.

But Revis wasn’t done there.

Less than two days after his stellar performance in the PIAA football championship game, Revis played the first basketball game of his senior year and scored 35 points as the Quips defeated rival Beaver Falls in an 86-82 overtime game.

Revis then led his team to its second consecutive WPIAL Class AA Championship in basketball and earned first-team honors on the Associated Press Pennsylvania Class AA All-State Basketball team.

But Revis wasn’t done there.

This past spring, he was a member of Aliquippa’s track and field team and ran on the Quips’ WPIAL Class AA champion 400-meter relay team. He also helped his team capture third place at the state level.

“He’s an awesome, awesome football player and athlete,” quarterback Tyler Palko said. “I’m extremely happy for him and all the success he’s had.”

Revis has had an enormous amount of success in the athletic world. Now he’s ready to move on from the successes of high school and work to accomplish new successes here at Pitt.

“I need to redeem myself and try to do it again here at the college level,” Revis said.

In his first two games as a college athlete, Revis has proved he is ready for this level of play. Against Ohio, he finished with four tackles and a hard hit that forced a fumble.

Not a bad start for a young man starting in his first college game.

“It was fun,” Revis said. “It was my first game, and I just went out there and had a great time. The level of play is great; it’s fun, and it’s an awesome feeling just to be out there.”

No sense of nervousness there.

Revis is the kind of athlete any coach dreams of having. He’s not only naturally talented. He’s focused, hard working and loves what he is doing.

Harris noted, “That’s what I like about him: he loves to play.”

Revis knows he’s not in high school anymore. Both on and off the field, things are much different. Revis has found he is now a student of the game, studying film and scouting reports for at least an hour everyday.

“I know I’ve just got to get out there and play, know my assignments. You do what you’ve got to do to get the job done,” Revis said.

One of the biggest differences Revis has faced during the transition from high school to college is the break he’s receiving when the offense is in on the field. Revis admits that although he’d love to play on both sides of the ball, he was recruited to play defense, and he’s thrilled to be doing so. He has also found that he is able to concentrate and focus on one position, instead of worrying about multiple duties.

Right now, Revis may be focused on only one position, but is there a possibility for that to change? After all, this young athlete was raved about for his basketball talents as well. Could he also be the next addition to the Panther basketball team?

“I’d like to try to,” Revis admitted. “Right now, I’m just focused on football though. After the season, we’ll see what’s going on, and what [the football coaches] want me to do.”

Whether Pitt fans get the opportunity to see this multi-sport athlete grace the courts of the Peterson Event Center or not, they are sure to be awed by his performances at Heinz Field. He left his mark at Aliquippa before moving on to Pitt. Before he leaves here, he’s bound to leave another legacy behind him. Although he will never forget his past and everything he’s accomplished, this is what he’s excited for. This is what all that work before now has been for.

“High school is done,” Revis said. “I graduated in June. This is a new level and a new experience. This is the start of my life as a student athlete.”

It’s been a wonderful start. The only thing Pitt fans can do is wait for the next thrilling ride Revis has the potential to take them on. It’s going to be exciting at Pitt for a while. Just stay tuned.