PITTSBURGH - The list of embarrassing losses continues to grow, while the number of wins over quality teams remains at zero.
Pitt, in its third year under the direction of head coach Dave Wannstedt, endured another disappointment Saturday night when Connecticut came to Heinz Field and humiliated the Panthers, 34-14.
It marked Pitt's second straight loss to the Huskies and Connecticut's second Big East Conference road win. Add this to the pile of blowouts and embarrassments that includes Ohio State, Notre Dame, West Virginia, Louisville and pretty much every ranked opponent on the schedule.
"The seniors need to start doing the job and that's starting with me. I need to pick it up," offensive lineman Mike McGlynn said. "I need to get a lot better."
The Panthers' offensive line is a large part of the problem for an offense that is getting little production from the quarterback position.
Redshirt freshman Kevan Smith struggled for the second consecutive start. Smith went 3-for-9 for 29 yards and an interception that set up Connecticut's first touchdown. He also was sacked twice and lost a fumble.
"A lot of it is just inexperience at quarterback," Wannstedt said.
Smith, a Seneca Valley High School product who only played 12 high school games before making his first collegiate start against Grambling State, hyperextended his right elbow during the second quarter.
By that point, Wannstedt decided to pull Smith for Pat Bostick, a heralded freshman from Manheim Township High School and one of the most prolific passers in PIAA history.
"We were going to make that change regardless," Wannstedt said. "We made the decision about two minutes before the half."
Bostick will make his first collegiate start Saturday at Virginia, which is coming off a victory over Georgia Tech.
Bostick threw 41 passes, all in the second half. He completed 27 of them for 230 yards and a touchdown to Oderick Turner. But he also threw three interceptions and had trouble getting away from the Connecticut pass rush.
"There's a lot of frustration about how the quarterbacks have played but, at the same time, I'm going to give them the respect that they deserve," sophomore tight end Nate Byham said. "It's tough being a redshirt freshman and not expecting to get the (playing time) like Kevan did with Bill (Stull) coming out the first game.
"And in the second half, they put Pat in and that's a true freshman coming in and trying to run an offense."
Byham and tight end Darrell Strong are two talented playmakers wanting a larger role in the offense. Strong finished with team highs in catches (seven) and receiving yards (73) while Byham finished with three catches for 59 yards.
Also, freshman tailback LeSean McCoy mysteriously disappeared from the game plan.
McCoy had eight first-half carries for 54 yards in the first half and threw an 18-yard pass to Byham. McCoy only had three carries in the second half and caught six passes for 16 yards.
Most consider McCoy, Byham and Strong to be Pitt's most talented offensive players and following the latest disappointing loss, critics of offensive coordinator Matt Cavanaugh are ravenous.
"He calls the plays and he's the coach for a reason. He knows what he's calling," Byham said. "And Coach Wannstedt knows what he's doing. So the people doubting my coaches, I just don't know what to say to you guys. I have a lot of faith in them and my coaches are great guys."