Former Rutgers wide receiver, assistant coach Tiquan Underwood heading back to the NFL

Tiquan Underwood is set to leave the college coaching ranks.

Former Rutgers football wide receiver and assistant coach Tiquan Underwood is heading back to the NFL. Underwood is set to join the New England Patriots as an assistant wide receivers coach.

Underwood joined Rutgers as a member of the class of 2025. He was a seventh-round pick of the Jacksonville Jaguars in the 2009 NFL draft.

Linked to the NFL earlier this week, Underwood made it official on Thursday via his social media.

Underwood played six seasons in the NFL before transitioning to coaching. In 2020, he was hired by Rutgers as part of the first coaching staff brought in upon the return of head coach Greg Schiano.

He was a part of Schiano’s staff for two years before leaving before joining Pitt. Now, after serving as a quality control coach with the Miami Dolphins in 2019, he is heading back to the AFC East.

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Following Underwood, Rutgers hired [autotag]Damiere Shaw [/autotag]to become their wide receivers coach (Shaw is currently the running backs coach at Rutgers). [autotag]Dave Brock[/autotag], who coached wide receivers in the NFL with the Atlanta Falcons, currently is the wide receivers coach at Rutgers.

Bills DBs Damar Hamlin and Dane Jackson compare city cuisines: Pittsburgh vs. Buffalo

Which city has better food: Buffalo or Pittsburgh?

In the week leading up to the 2024 Super Bowl between the San Francisco 49ers and Kansas City Chiefs at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, For The Win caught up with Buffalo Bills defensive backs Damar Hamlin and Dane Jackson to cover a wide variety of topics ahead of the big game.

The Pennsylvania natives and former Pittsburgh Panthers shared what they love about the Steel City’s cuisine and how it compares with Buffalo food — Hamlin really wants to give our Christian D’Andrea a tour of Pittsburgh — and their favorite bars.

“See, man, you gotta come to Pittsburgh and come get a scenery of food from us,” Hamlin said.

“For real, for real,” Jackson added.

“You gotta come get the real Pittsburgh, not the touristy [Pittsburgh],” Hamlin continued.

Hamlin said it’s a tie for him between Buffalo and Pittsburgh food, but he later changed his mind to Pittsburgh, admitting he hasn’t tried a lot of places in Buffalo. Jackson went with Pittsburgh too but noted that Buffalo has many hidden gems that “will fulfill all your tastebuds for sure.”

On the field, they broke down their defensive strategies for not letting players create space and get open, as well as how they mask their own schemes.

“It’s just all about executing the call that you’ve been running all week in practice,” Hamlin said. “However we decide to play it out this week — it may be different than [last] week, it may be the same. We might just be set on our rules because this is what works for us, you know what I mean?

“So it all depends, you know what I mean? But as long as the defense is all on the same page, you’ve got a chance to win every play. It only really gets ugly when you start to bust coverages, and you don’t know what to anticipate.”

Here’s our full interview with Hamlin and Jackson:

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Michigan State football to get OV from 4-star DT committed to Pitt

MSU is getting an OV from a 4-star DT committed to Pitt:

A huge official visitor was added to this weekends visitor list for Michigan State. The Spartans will be receiving an OV from Columbus (OH) native Francis Brewu, a 4-star defensive tackle that is committed to Pitt.

According to Rivals, Brewu is a 4-star prospect while 247Sports and On3 both rank the DT as the highest possible 3-star.

The Spartans had made a lot of progress with Brewu prior to Mel Tucker’s dismissal, and it now appears that the Spartans are firmly back in the mix for the defensive lineman’s talents.

Contact/Follow us @The SpartansWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Michigan State news, notes, and opinion. You can also follow Cory Linsner on Twitter @Cory_Linsner.

Social media reactions to UNC’s roller-coaster win over Pitt

From the good to the bad, we look at how social media reacted to UNC declawing the Panthers.

The North Carolina Tar Heels move to 4-0 for the first time since 1997 after delivering a roller-coaster win over Pitt.

It was not the best start for UNC, deflating fan’s confidence after the defense let Pitt walk them down to the end-zone on the first drive of the game, but that did not last long. UNC made a quick pit stop on the sideline, and the rest was history, with the Tar Heels storm trooping past the sluggish start to a lopsided 41-24 victory.

Drake Maye thrilled fans with a Mahome-style, left-handed touchdown pass while the defense forced Pitt’s offense into three turnovers (two interceptions and one fumble). The game felt like a roller coaster with many highs and lows.

In real-time, fans were tweeting their displeasure with the start and the inability to contain Pitt quarterback Phil Jurkovec, who was having a great game before unfortunately getting injured. At the same time, others could not hold their excitement about what they were watching, with UNC pulling out the classic flea flicker and defensive back transfer Alijah Huzzie putting the conference on notice.

From the good to the bad, we look at how social media reacted to UNC declawing the Panthers.

UNC Football: Five things to watch against Pitt

UNC travels up to Pitt for its ACC football opener on Saturday night. Check out the five areas to watch ahead of the primetime clash.

The UNC football program is exactly where it wants to be three weeks into the season – undefeated and tied atop the ACC.

The Heels downed neighboring rival South Carolina, 31-17, in Week 1 for just the fourth time in 11 matchups. British Brooks ran for over 100 yards in his first game since 2021, while UNC’s defense held the Gamecocks to three second-half points.

Carolina received a major scare from new in-state rival App State the following week in Kenan Stadium, but pulled off an overtime comeback to win, 40-34. Omarion Hampton cemented his status as UNC’s lead running back, scoring three touchdowns against the Mountaineers and leading the nation with 234 yards that week.

After two slow weeks under center, Tar Heel quarterback Drake Maye delivered a Heisman Trophy-esque performance in the 31-13 triumph over Minnesota, completing 29 passes for 414 yards (sixth in the nation) and two touchdowns.

Pitt is moving in the opposite direction, sitting at 1-2 after a 17-6 loss to West Virginia in the 106th annual Backyard Brawl. Panthers quarterback Phil Jurkovec experienced one of the worst games as a collegiate quarterback, tossing three interceptions and failing to reach the 100-yard mark.

Pitt won its opener, 45-7 against Wofford, but the offense has not looked as explosive since. The Panthers hung 21 on Cincinnati, but gave up 27 points in the loss.

UNC-Pitt is the ACC opener for both teams, so let’s take a look at five key areas ahead of the game:

Pat Narduzzi reveals who will start at quarterback against North Carolina

Pitt has revealed who will start at quarterback for Saturday’s matchup against the UNC football program.

The Pitt Panthers have struggled to start the 2023 college football season, bringing a 1-2 record into Saturday’s home game against North Carolina.

Fresh off a loss to West Virginia in the Backyard Brawl, the Panthers have some questions that need to be answered. Among them is who will start at quarterback against the Tar Heels. And on Thursday, head coach Pat Narduzzi revealed that answer.

Narduzzi announced that the Panthers are sticking with Phil Jurkovec as the starter despite him throwing three interceptions in the loss to the Mountaineers last week. With that performance, the calls to bench Jerkovec got louder and louder but it appears as if Narduzzi isn’t ready to give up just yet.

Jurkovec has struggled so far this season, completing just 46.7 percent of his passes for 474 yards, 4 touchdowns, and 3 interceptions on the year.

Narduzzi also explained his decision to stick with the struggling quarterback.

‘Every year is different and every quarterback is different and I’m going to be patient with it,” Narduzzi said. “No one’s saying there isn’t going to be a change but I look at the whole picture. I see everything. … And I think I’m smart enough and we’ve done this long enough that I can make the right decision when the time is right.”

Follow us @TarHeelsWire on Twitter and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of North Carolina Tar Heels news, notes and opinions.

UNC football defensive keys to the game vs Pitt

Taking a look at the defensive keys to the game for the UNC football program against Pitt.

The North Carolina Tar Heels will hit the road for their first ACC game against the Panthers in Pittsburgh.

UNC comes to the meeting with an unbeaten record after a dominating performance against Minnesota. Everything that could have gone right did for the Tar Heels, with Drake Maye throwing over 400 passing yards through the air for the second time in his career and the defense showing they are not a fluke.

Pitt’s threat is much different from what the Gophers. Minnesota had at least a running game to worry about, but their offense has yet to be able to do much in the air or ground since their lopsided week one victory over Wofford.

Instead, the Panthers will look to capitalize off mistakes made by the opposing offense, making this game critical for the Tar Heels to stay disciplined. Despite Pitt walking into this meeting 1-2, UNC will need to showcase a dominant performance from start to finish to remain unbeaten.

UNC Football: Offensive Keys to the Game against Pitt

UNC and Pitt meet Saturday night in the ACC football opener for both teams. See how the Tar Heels’ high-octane offense can break down Pitt.

UNC fans got what they’d all been waiting for last week – a Heisman Trophy-esque performance from star quarterback Drake Maye.

The Heels won their non-conference finale against Minnesota, 31-13, in large part due to Maye’s 2-touchdown, 414-passing yard performance. Maye developed newfound chemistry with wide receiver Nate McCollum in the victory, as the Georgia Tech transfer caught 15 (over half) of Maye’s passes for a game-high 165 yards and a touchdown.

UNC starting running back Omarion Hampton only gained 46 rushing yards and added a score, but he didn’t need to run for 200 yards for his team to be successful last weekend.

The Heels begin their quest for a second straight trip to the ACC Championship Game this weekend, as they begin conference play with a trip to Pitt on Saturday night (8 p.m., ACC Network). The Panthers are coming off a low-scoring, 17-6 loss to West Virginia in the 106th annual Backyard Brawl.

What exactly does UNC need to accomplish on the field to remain undefeated and start ACC play 1-0?

Rowan Byrne talks Rutgers football, recent Pitt visit and busy spring

Rowan Byrne talks Rutgers football in his recruitment.

Rowan Byrne is one of the top offensive line prospects in the region. His recruitment continues to grow, with another Power Five offer coming in this month for the New York recruit.

A 6-foot-6, 285-pound offensive lineman, Byrne was offered last summer following a Rutgers football camp. He is a class of 2025 recruit who played last season for Iona Prep (New Rochelle, N.Y.). He was part of an offensive line that protected [autotag]Ajani Sheppard[/autotag], who committed to Rutgers in November.

Byrne currently has an offer list that includes Boston College, UConn, Minnesota, Pittsburgh, Rutgers and Syracuse.

This week, Byrne provided an update on his recruitment. He talked about his recent visit to Pittsburgh, his upcoming recruiting visits and his relationship with new Rutgers offensive line coach Pat Flaherty.

Scroll down and check out what Byrne had to say!

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Pitt Football Schedule 2023: Analysis, Breakdown, 3 Things To Know

Pitt football schedule 2023 analysis, breakdown, 3 things to know

Pitt football schedule 2023: Who do the Panthers miss on the ACC schedule and what are 3 things to know?


Pitt Football Schedule 2023: 3 Things To Know

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Sept 2 Wofford

Sept 9 Cincinnati

Sept 16 at West Virginia

Sept 23 North Carolina

Sept 30 at Virginia Tech

Oct 7 OPEN DATE

Oct 14 Louisville

Oct 21 at Wake Forest

Oct 28 at Notre Dame

Nov 4 Florida State

Nov 11 at Syracuse (in The Bronx)

Nov 16 Boston College

Nov 25 at Duke

2023 College Football Rankings 1-133: First Look

Pitt Football Schedule What To Know: Who do the Panthers miss from the ACC slate?

There’s no Clemson, and there’s no NC State. That’s a good start, and not having to play Miami might be a huge deal. However, it’s not all good with Georgia Tech and Virginia – two of the teams likely to be rebooting a bit this year – not on the slate.

The Panthers could use as many breaks as and as much help as they can get with six road games overall and five in conference play – sort of – because …

Pitt Football Schedule What Really Matters

They have to play Notre Dame in South Bend.

That’s bad, but even worse is that it’s part of a second half run of three road games in four weeks and four in the final six games. There’s no big break of getting Florida State in Pittsburgh in late November – that’s November 4th.

However, it’s a tad quirky with the Syracuse game being played in Yankee Stadium – sort of a neutral site, even though it’s supposed to be a more pro-Orange crowd – but it’s still away from home. Throw in the road game against West Virginia, and it’s going to be next to impossible to settle in.

There aren’t any back-to-back home games after the opening two.

Pitt Football Schedule What To Know: What does it all really mean?

If Pitt is good, this schedule shouldn’t be that much of a problem.

Getting Florida State at home helps, and out of the six games away from home only the trip to Notre Dame is a massive problem.

Cincinnati is now a Big 12 team, so outside of Wofford, ever other game is against a Power Five program. Even so, six wins and bowl eligibility should be a given, and considering the relatively soft final few weeks, it’s a good slate.

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2023 College Football Schedules: All 133 Teams