Great Pitt Alumnus, Player and Coach.
Before he addressed assembled members of the Pitt football team Wednesday morning at the invitation of coach Pat Narduzzi, a short-statured man decided to remind the players that, yes, he did play tight end in his day............Perhaps so, but Walton, 80, also had a lot to say to Pitt's players before their morning practice. After all, he spent more than 60 years in football, first at Pitt as a unanimous All-American tight end in 1956, later as head coach of the New York Jets and offensive coordinator of the Steelers under Chuck Noll and, finally, as the founder and 20-year head coach of Robert Morris..............“He was awesome,” junior running back James Conner said. “He was a big face in the football world. He said leave a legacy and play your heart out.”..........“I told them this will be the only 2016 Pitt football team ever,” Walton said. “ ‘You guys are it. How do you want to be remembered? As winners? What will you think of yourselves 20 years from now? Will people still talk about that 2016 team?' ”.................“They get overlooked, guys who back up starters, special teams players,” he said. “I told them, ‘Maybe you're a nickel back who goes in on third down only. Maybe you're a running back who only goes in on third down. Whatever your role is, you will not become a team until all of you appreciate each other.' ”...........“When I was playing for (coach) John Michelosen, we practiced the (day) before the game and we went after it just like it was game day,” he said. “Everything we did was live. We didn't have any of those walkthroughs. “I think it's better (today). Too many silly injuries happen (when players are overworked). You get enough as it is. It's a long season.”...........
http://triblive.com/sports/college/pitt/11025532-74/walton-football-pitt
Before he addressed assembled members of the Pitt football team Wednesday morning at the invitation of coach Pat Narduzzi, a short-statured man decided to remind the players that, yes, he did play tight end in his day............Perhaps so, but Walton, 80, also had a lot to say to Pitt's players before their morning practice. After all, he spent more than 60 years in football, first at Pitt as a unanimous All-American tight end in 1956, later as head coach of the New York Jets and offensive coordinator of the Steelers under Chuck Noll and, finally, as the founder and 20-year head coach of Robert Morris..............“He was awesome,” junior running back James Conner said. “He was a big face in the football world. He said leave a legacy and play your heart out.”..........“I told them this will be the only 2016 Pitt football team ever,” Walton said. “ ‘You guys are it. How do you want to be remembered? As winners? What will you think of yourselves 20 years from now? Will people still talk about that 2016 team?' ”.................“They get overlooked, guys who back up starters, special teams players,” he said. “I told them, ‘Maybe you're a nickel back who goes in on third down only. Maybe you're a running back who only goes in on third down. Whatever your role is, you will not become a team until all of you appreciate each other.' ”...........“When I was playing for (coach) John Michelosen, we practiced the (day) before the game and we went after it just like it was game day,” he said. “Everything we did was live. We didn't have any of those walkthroughs. “I think it's better (today). Too many silly injuries happen (when players are overworked). You get enough as it is. It's a long season.”...........
http://triblive.com/sports/college/pitt/11025532-74/walton-football-pitt
