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Road leads Novotny to Panthers
PITTSBURGH - Of all the first-year football players for Pitt, none endured a journey similar to the one taken by Josh Novotny.
A redshirt junior, Novotny graduated from Carmichaels High School in 2003 and played an integral role as an all-state offensive lineman for the 2002 Mikes, one of the better football teams in school history.
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"I love the service," Novotny said Monday, during the Panthers' preseason media day. "But their majors are mostly a lot of engineering and I didn't want to go that route."
Novotny's path from Carmichaels to Annapolis had its bumps but proved mostly to be a smooth ride. He broke an ankle during his freshman year, which quickly shelved his chances to make an impact for the football team.
A year later, Novotny broke into the rotation along the offensive line and added valuable depth to one of the nation's strongest rushing offenses.
But Novotny's career interests had the 6-3, 275-pound guard looking to transfer.
"I came to Pitt because they had what I was looking for," Novotny said. "I wouldn't change anything I did. I wouldn't redo a thing."
Even if it means Novotny, a health and physical activity major, can't play a down for Pitt this fall and loses a year of athletic eligibility in the process.
Novotny, who turns 24 the day before Pitt's Nov. 8 home game against Louisville, arrived at Pitt in January and, because of NCAA guidelines, must complete two consecutive semesters before becoming eligible.
Still, Novotny's military background is evident.
He says, "Yes sir," when asked a question or given instructions by new offensive line coach Tony Wise. His hairstyle borders on a buzzcut and he's ready to assist teammates.
"I think my military training will help a lot," he said. "From a discipline standpoint, I have no problem following orders. If the coach says something, I do it. I'm pretty new here so that's the type of leadership I can bring to this team."
And, maybe next year, Novotny can find his way on the field.
He'll attend two spring practices and two training camps by the time Pitt plays the 2009 season. If the wait seems long, Novotny can think about his old teammates for motivation.
Hathaway spurned offers from smaller schools to walk on at West Virginia. He earned a scholarship and eventually became a starting linebacker.
"Bobby is one of the best players I've ever seen or worked with," Novotny said. "He's definitely an inspiration. It's not every day that a person from a school as small as Carmichaels plays at a Division I program, let alone two people. I'm trying to make that happen."
