The 1957 Pittsburgh Panthers football team represented the University of Pittsburgh as an independent during the 1957 college football season. The team compiled a 4–6 record under head coach John Michelosen. The team played their home games at Pitt Stadium in Pittsburgh.
Schedule
Preseason
After leading the Pitt Panthers to back-to-back bowl games, Coach Michelosen lost 15 of 25 lettermen to graduation, 8 of whom were starters. On March 19, 60 candidates were invited to spring drills to restock the roster. The NCAA granted 20 practice days in a 32 day period. The Panthers trained on Ellsworth Field. Tackle Jim McCusker and center Charles Brueckman were voted co-captains by their teammates for the 1957 season.
On September 2, forty-nine prospects showed up for three weeks of fall practice to prepare for their opening game against the Oklahoma Sooners. Practice on Ellsworth Field was twice daily (9:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m.). The squad ate at Ellsworth Center and slept in the Graduate House on Dithridge Street. Recent grads, Bob Pollack and Darrell Lewis were added to the coaching staff on a part-time basis. They assisted Steve Petro when the freshman squad arrived in mid-September. Freshmen recruits of note included highly touted running back Jim Cunningham, along with quarterback Ed Sharockman and end Mike Ditka. Pitt was ranked #8 in the AP preseason poll.
Game summaries
Oklahoma
On September 21, the Panthers opened their season against the #1 ranked Oklahoma Sooners. In the second week of the 1953 season, the Sooners and Panthers played to a 7–7 tie. The Sooners then proceeded to win 40 games in a row. Coach Bud Wilkinson's squad had 25 returning lettermen and 3 consensus All-Americans – guard Bill Krisher, halfback Clendon Thomas and center Bob Harrison.
Pitt, with 10 returning lettermen, was a touchdown underdog and had never beaten the Sooners (0–2–1). After their final workout on Friday, the Panthers bussed to the Penn-Lincoln Hotel in Wilkinsburg until game time. A crowd approaching 60,000 was expected.
Oklahoma ran its winning streak to 41 games with a convincing 26–0 victory in front of 58,942 fans. In the first quarter, the Pitt defense twice stopped Oklahoma drives deep inside their territory. They held on downs at the 19-yard line and then Bill Kaliden intercepted a Dick Carpenter pass on the Pitt 9-yard line. Early in the second period the Sooners gained possession on their 49-yard line. A 5-play drive ended with a 12-yard touchdown pass from Jake Sandefer to Joe Rector. Carl Dodd added the extra point and Oklahoma led at halftime 7–0. In the first five minutes of the third quarter, Pitt fumbled twice. First, Bill Kaliden turned it over on the 20-yard line. On the third play, Clendon Thomas scored on a 13-yard reverse. Dodd added the point for a 14–0 lead. Next, Dick Haley fumbled on the 33-yard line. The Sooners scored in 5 plays on a 17-yard pass from Dodd to Don Stiller. After Dodd missed the placement, Oklahoma led 20–0. The Sooners substitutes padded the score with a 28-yard touchdown pass from David Baker to Dick Carpenter late in the quarter. Dave Rolle missed the extra point.
Pitt earned 9 first downs and gained a total of 173 yards. They lost 3 of 6 fumbles and had 2 passes intercepted. Oklahoma earned 20 first downs and gained 388 total yards. Pitt fullback Bob Stark led the Pitt rushers with 35 yards on 7 carries. Clendon Thomas led the Sooners with 86 yards on 12 carries.
The Pitt starting lineup for the game against Oklahoma was Dick Scherer (left end), Ron Kissel (left tackle), John Guzik (left guard), Charles Brueckman (center), Dan Wisniewski (right guard), Jim McCusker (right tackle), Jim Zanos (right end), Bill Kaliden (quarterback), Dick Haley (left halfback), Jim Theodore (right halfback) and Dick Bowen (fullback). Substitutes appearing in the game for Pitt were Bob Rathi, Art Gob, Tom Romanik, Ed Humeston, Ed Michaels, Norton Seaman, Dick Carr, Henry Suffoletta, Don Crafton, Jim Lenhart, John Flara, Joe Scisly, Andy Sepsi and Bob Stark.
at Oregon
On September 26, thirty-seven varsity members, coaches and staff took an 11-hour flight to Portland, Oregon, in order to play the Oregon Ducks at Multnomah Stadium. Since the Panthers were also scheduled to play at USC on the following Friday, nine university professors made the trip: Robert Laing (English); Dr. James A. Kehl (History); Dr. P. B. Kohlberger (Business Administration); Dr. John Knipp (Mathematics); D. H. McDaniel (Chemistry); Stephen Olah (Biology); and Vincent Lopardo (Mechanical Engineering). The Panthers played Oregon in Portland on Saturday. On Sunday the entourage went fishing in Cape Disappointment. They then bussed to the University of Oregon in Eugene. On Monday through Wednesday, the squad was lectured to in the mornings and had football practice in the afternoons. Thursday they traveled to Los Angeles.
Ex-Pitt Coach Len Casanova was in his seventh year at Oregon. His Ducks were 1–0 for the season, having beaten Idaho in their opening game (9–6). This was the second meeting of these teams. Pitt won the 1956 contest 14–7.
With under 30 seconds to play, the Pitt Panthers eked out a 6–3 victory with an Ivan Toncic 21-yard touchdown pass to end Art Gob. The Panthers spent the first quarter in Oregon territory but could not score. Oregon only ran seven plays. In the second period, Oregon gained possession on their own 18-yard line. Five plays moved the ball to the Pitt 43-yard line. Then, Leroy Phelps threw a touchdown pass to Jim Shanley, but it was called back for off-sides. The Ducks got on the scoreboard in the third quarter with a 13-yard field goal by Jack Morris. Shanley had run the kick-off back 55-yards to the Panthers 45-yard line. 10 plays advanced the ball to the Pitt 5-yard line, where the Pitt defense stiffened and forced the field goal. Then, the Ducks advanced the ball to the Panthers 6-yard line, but decided not to kick a field goal, and lost the ball on downs. Late in the final quarter Pitt back, Dick Haley, returned a punt to the Oregon 49-yard line. Six plays moved the ball to the 26-yard line. Quarterback Bill Kaliden was injured and replaced by Ivan Toncic. On first down, Haley ran around left end for a 5-yard gain. On second down, Toncic threw the touchdown pass to Gob. Norton Seamen missed the extra point.
The Pitt starting line-up for the game against Oregon was Dick Scherer (left end), Ron Kissel (left tackle), John Guzik (left guard), Charles Brueckman (center), Dan Wisniewski (right guard), Jim McCuster (right tackle), Jim Zanos (right end), Bill Kaliden (quarterback), John Flara (left halfback), Jim Theodore (right halfback) and Bob Stark (fullback). Substitutes appearing in the game for Pitt were Bob Rathi, Ed Michaels, Norton Seaman, Dick Carr, Bill Lindner, Art Gob, Ivan Toncic, Dick Haley, Joe Scisly, Andy Sepsi, Fred Riddle and Curt Plowman.
at USC
The Panthers United Airlines flight from Oregon arrived in Los Angeles early Thursday afternoon. They headquartered at the Ambassador Hotel and practiced at the Coliseum in the evening. Coach Don Clark's Trojans led the series 3–2. USC was 0–2 for the season, having lost to Oregon State (20–0) and Michigan (16–6).
Pitt coach John Michelosen told the Los Angeles Times: “We looked much better Saturday night than we did the week before, and I am sure we'll show additional improvement against Southern Cal. Our boys are a hardworking group and the win over Oregon gave them the lift they needed.” End Art Gob was voted Lineman of the Week by the Associated Press.
On Friday night, in front of 43,489 fans, the Panthers completed their two-game road trip with a 20–14 victory over the Trojans. The Panthers scored first. They started their second possession on the USC 42-yard line and advanced the ball to the 1-yard line in seven plays. Bill Kalidan's quarterback sneak put Pitt on the scoreboard first, for the first time since the 1955 West Virginia game. Ivan Toncic's placement made it 7–0. In the second quarter, lineman of the week Art Gob blocked a punt and fell on it in the end zone to extend Pitt's lead to 13–0. Toncic's extra point was blocked. Then Toncic fumbled and USC recovered on the Panthers 14-yard line. On third down Rex Johnston ran 10 yards around right end for the touchdown. Ed Isherwood added the placement. Pitt led 13–7 at halftime. At the start of the third period, Dick Haley intercepted a USC pass and returned it to the 12-yard line. The referees detected clipping on the play, so Pitt started from the USC 27-yard line. The Panthers moved the ball to the 9-yard line and Haley ran around right end for a score. But it was called back for holding. The Panthers scored on the third play from the 19-yard line, a 1-yard sneak by Toncic. Toncic made the extra point and Pitt was ahead 20–7. The Trojans began passing on every down. Substitute quarterback Willie Wood connected with Don Voyne for a 30-yard touchdown pass. Isherwood converted the extra point and Pitt hung on for the victory.
The referees penalized the Panthers 8 times for 142 yards and USC 11 times for 112 yards. In the third quarter, the referee ejected USC quarterback Jim Conroy, USC center Ken Antle and Pitt end Jim Zanos for fighting. The Panthers gained 309 total yards and held USC to 142. Pitt had 19 first downs to 9 for the Trojans. Third-string running back Fred Riddle led the Panthers with 110 yards rushing on 17 carries for an average per carry of 6.48.
The Pitt starting line-up for the game against USC was Dick Scherer (left end), Ron Kissel (left tackle), John Guzik (left guard), Charles Brueckman (center), Dan Wisniewski (right guard), Jim McCusker (right tackle), Jim Zanos (right end), Bill Kaliden (quarterback), Dick Haley (left halfback), Joe Scisly (right halfback) and Fred Riddle (fullback). Substitutes appearing in the game for Pitt were Bob Rathi, Ernie Westwood, Ed Michaels, Don Crafton, Dick Carr, Bill Lindner, Art Gob, Joe Pullekines, Peter Prince, Ivan Toncic, Jim Lenhart, John Flara, Jim Theodore and Bob Stark.
Nebraska
October 12 was the annual Band and Boy Scout Day at the Stadium, and the Panthers played their only home game for the month against the Nebraska Cornhuskers. First-year coach Bill Jennings' squad was 1–2 for the season. The Huskers traveling roster was minus three regulars and three second-stringers due to the flu and injuries: Bennie Dillard – starting halfback (flu); Mike Lee – starting end (rib injury); Jerry Wheeler – starting tackle (flu); Marlin Hilding – reserve end (flu); Jim Moore – reserve end (flu) and Bill Tuning – reserve end (ankle). Harry Tolly, regular quarterback, made the trip but did not play due to an injured knee.
Pitt led the all-time series 14–3–3. Coach Michelosen also had an injured list. Halfback Andy Sepsi and fullback Dick Bowen did not play. Ivan Toncic, hero of the Oregon victory, started at quarterback for the injured Bill Kaliden. Pitt was an 18-point favorite.
Pitt extended their winning streak to three with a 34–0 romp over Nebraska. Pitt took the opening kick-off and drove 71 yards in 8 plays. Joe Sciley scored from the 1-yard line. Ivan Toncic kicked the extra point. After receiving the kick-off, Nebraska tried to quick kick on third down. Pitt guard Dick Carr blocked it and Dick Scherer ran it in for the second touchdown in the first 4 minutes. Toncic added the placement. In the second period Jim Lenhart recovered a Nebraska fumble on the Husker 33-yard line. It took the Panthers 8 plays to score on a 10-yard touchdown pass from Lenhart to Art Gob. Toncic's extra point made the halftime score 21–0. The third period was scoreless. The Panthers added two more touchdowns in the final quarter on a 1-yard run by Fred Riddle and a 30-yard run by Joe Scisly. Dick Haley made one of two extra points to cap the scoring.