Official Pitt press release:
PITTSBURGH—Pitt head football coach Pat Narduzzi officially announced the addition of three players to the Panthers’ 2015 roster. They include wide receiver Rafael Araujo-Lopes (Winter Park, Fla./Winter Park H.S./Reedley [Calif.] College), defensive end Dewayne Hendrix (O’Fallon, Ill./O’Fallon Township H.S./Tennessee) and defensive tackle Mark Scarpinato (Milwaukee, Wis./Marquette University H.S./Michigan State).
Araujo-Lopes and Scarpinato will be eligible to play immediately. As a transfer from Tennessee, Hendrix will have to sit out this season under NCAA guidelines.
In his lone season at Reedley, Araujo-Lopes was a junior college All-American after compiling 74 receptions for 1,229 yards (16.6 avg.) and 17 touchdowns in 10 games. Playing at Winter Park High, a Florida 8A (largest classification) school, he rushed for 1,015 yards and scored 21 total touchdowns as a senior. Araujo-Lopes will join Pitt with sophomore eligibility.
“Rafael is a very exciting player who has the ability to make an impact in both the pass and run games,” Narduzzi said. “He has great hands and will add depth and competition to our wide receiver position immediately.”
Hendrix played in seven games as a freshman at Tennessee. He was a coveted high school prospect at O’Fallon Township, receiving more than 20 scholarship offers. An All-Illinois defensive lineman as a senior, Hendrix was rated the nation’s No. 5 strong-side defensive end and No. 78 overall prospect by Rivals. He will have three seasons of eligibility at Pitt after sitting out this season.
“Dewayne is an explosive player with big-play capability,” Narduzzi said. “We are looking to strengthen our numbers and production at defensive end and Dewayne is a key addition in that regard. In addition to his athleticism, he will also bring great maturity to the position.”
Scarpinato played three seasons at Michigan State (2011-13), where he first met Narduzzi, who was then the Spartans’ defensive coordinator. In 2013 he played in all 14 games, helping the Spartans to the Big Ten title and a 24-20 victory over Stanford in the Rose Bowl.
Scarpinato graduated from Michigan State in three years and then pursued his aspirations to be a doctor by enrolling at the Medical College of Wisconsin in 2014. Following a one-year absence from football, he will join the Panthers as a graduate transfer and have one season of eligibility remaining.
“I obviously know Mark very well from our time together at Michigan State,” Narduzzi said. “He is a very athletic player for a defensive tackle. Mark has great knowledge of the game. He has the mental and physical abilities to play both tackle and end for us.”
PITTSBURGH—Pitt head football coach Pat Narduzzi officially announced the addition of three players to the Panthers’ 2015 roster. They include wide receiver Rafael Araujo-Lopes (Winter Park, Fla./Winter Park H.S./Reedley [Calif.] College), defensive end Dewayne Hendrix (O’Fallon, Ill./O’Fallon Township H.S./Tennessee) and defensive tackle Mark Scarpinato (Milwaukee, Wis./Marquette University H.S./Michigan State).
Araujo-Lopes and Scarpinato will be eligible to play immediately. As a transfer from Tennessee, Hendrix will have to sit out this season under NCAA guidelines.
In his lone season at Reedley, Araujo-Lopes was a junior college All-American after compiling 74 receptions for 1,229 yards (16.6 avg.) and 17 touchdowns in 10 games. Playing at Winter Park High, a Florida 8A (largest classification) school, he rushed for 1,015 yards and scored 21 total touchdowns as a senior. Araujo-Lopes will join Pitt with sophomore eligibility.
“Rafael is a very exciting player who has the ability to make an impact in both the pass and run games,” Narduzzi said. “He has great hands and will add depth and competition to our wide receiver position immediately.”
Hendrix played in seven games as a freshman at Tennessee. He was a coveted high school prospect at O’Fallon Township, receiving more than 20 scholarship offers. An All-Illinois defensive lineman as a senior, Hendrix was rated the nation’s No. 5 strong-side defensive end and No. 78 overall prospect by Rivals. He will have three seasons of eligibility at Pitt after sitting out this season.
“Dewayne is an explosive player with big-play capability,” Narduzzi said. “We are looking to strengthen our numbers and production at defensive end and Dewayne is a key addition in that regard. In addition to his athleticism, he will also bring great maturity to the position.”
Scarpinato played three seasons at Michigan State (2011-13), where he first met Narduzzi, who was then the Spartans’ defensive coordinator. In 2013 he played in all 14 games, helping the Spartans to the Big Ten title and a 24-20 victory over Stanford in the Rose Bowl.
Scarpinato graduated from Michigan State in three years and then pursued his aspirations to be a doctor by enrolling at the Medical College of Wisconsin in 2014. Following a one-year absence from football, he will join the Panthers as a graduate transfer and have one season of eligibility remaining.
“I obviously know Mark very well from our time together at Michigan State,” Narduzzi said. “He is a very athletic player for a defensive tackle. Mark has great knowledge of the game. He has the mental and physical abilities to play both tackle and end for us.”
