Call it the AK-Pitt Pipeline, the Alle-Kiski-Pitt Association, the Pitt-Alle-Kiski Corridor. It doesn't matter. By any name, the Alle-Kiski region has established a presence in the University of Pittsburgh Panthers' Football program going into the Fall 2005 season. Coach Dave Wannstedt, in his first year at Pitt after coaching the Miami Dolphins, has his squad and Pitt fans primed and pumped up for what looks to be an exciting year. And six Alle-Kiski men are happy to be a part of it and have the chance to contribute.

Burrell, Fox Chapel, and Kiski Area High Schools have sent standout players to Pitt over the past three graduating classes. Burrell's John Brown, Fox Chapel's Lance Asbee and Justin Latore, and Kiski's Adam Gunn and Scott and Chris McKillop have been laboring relentlessly to earn playing time with the Panthers this Fall.

6'1" 215lb Adam Gunn, a redshirt freshman and 2004 Kiski Area grad, said a big difference between high school football and Pitt its more than just practice. "It's a lot more studying outside of practice, studying films and the playbook. The speed changed a great deal, that's the main thing. And the competitive level here is stepped up, so I've stepped mine up." Gunn, a high school quarterback, threw 21 career touchdown passes to set a Cavalier school record, was one of America's top 25 recruiting prospects at safety in 2004.

But Adam, who was named Pitt's Defensive Prep Co-Player of the Year after notable play on the scout team, will be at weak-side linebacker this year. The Pitt coaches don't think he'll have a problem with the move. Linebacker Coach Curtis Bray says “Adam is a very smart player with good speed and instincts" He anticipates Gunn will be a forceful part of the dynamics at the position this Fall. "…I believe he will push our upperclassmen for playing time at the Will [weak-side linebacker.] I’m looking forward to seeing him develop.”

Gunn is taking it all in stride. The son of Edward and Dona Gunn, Adam is an Honor Roll student who says, "The defense didn't change much [with the coaching change.] Coach Wannstedt's philosophy is close to (Defensive Coordinator Paul) Rhoades [who coached under previous head Coach Walt Harris.]"

Burrell's John Brown, a Pitt freshman, is living his dream. In an interview with Alle-Kiski Today (found by clicking http://www.alle-kiskitoday.com/articles/1523 ) JB mentioned how he lifted weights, ran laps around Burrell Middle School AND High School, and put aside other sports to intensely focus singly on one thing: playing for Pitt—and still is. "I've been working at it for years," JB says. Even after graduation this year, "I did what I always did in high school, I ran and did the "figure-8s" still [around the schools."

But in the middle of his preparation to play at Pitt this fall, Brown says, "I had a little setback. I actually had knee surgery. That put me out for a couple of weeks [in May]. They thought I had a torn meniscus but it turns out just a bunch of loose cartilage they just scraped out…I was on crutches for a day." Brown is already back up to speed, running, weight-lifting and working on drills.

JB is moving from Burrell tight end to a Pitt right guard, and knows the change will not be easy. "I was a tight end for so long," JB says. "I've got a lot of stuff to learn at lineman." It is still early in his Pitt career—he's only taking some classes—but he knows his high school coaches have taught him well for this opportunity. "It's absolutely the best possible preparation you could possibly have. Coach {Tommy) Henderson, he's one of those old-school coaches that make you work. You know he's going to make you work—he's going to make you run until you can't run anymore. That's the best possible preparation I could have had. He did an awesome job."

Pitt sophomore fullback Lance Asbee, a Fox Chapel grad, remembers what he did the summer before entering Pitt. "I used to drag my truck across the parking lot. It was an '86 Ranger...that really did a lot for the legs," he says. "I really did a lot of odd stuff. I used to run up this huge hill by Fox Chapel called O'Hara Hill [by O'Hara Elementary]…I ran up it a whole bunch of times." Asbee is coming off an ACL tear last season but feels up to speed. His step-dad says he really put a lot into recovering—Lance went to physical therapy twice a day—but the real test will come this Fall as he pits himself against the two seniors ahead of him at the position.

6' 240lb. Asbee says being a part of Pittsburgh Panther football is a good experience. "It's awesome, a great atmosphere," he reports. "Fans are humongous. I've always been a fan of Pitt, but I didn't really understand how many fans there were till I came here. Like at fan fest, during camp, how many people show up for that, they want everybody's autograph. They know people's names, my name. People asked me for my autograph when I first got here. I thought it was kind of odd they were asking ME for my autograph. It's definitely an awesome experience."

And it has been a change for him. "Playing in high school, the game is not nearly as intense or physical as college. The game is so much quicker," Lance says. "You've got to pick up so many more things, reading coverages, when a linebacker is going to come through a hole, strength, etc. Coming from high school, you're at the bottom of the barrel strength-wise; and speed, you got to work on that big time. You've got to get a lot quicker."

6'2" 240lb. Scott McKillop is hoping to see some time on the field this year as a redshirt freshman. A 2004 Kiski Area grad, he set several football and wrestling records at the school, including 332 career tackles and 161 career solo tackles. Pitt linebackers Coach Curtis Bray believes McKillop has an opportunity this year to have a role as middle or outside linebacker in Pitt's defense. "Scott is big and athletic,” Bray says. “We expect him to provide strong competition this year. His ability to play both the Sam [strong outside linebacker] and Mike [middle linebacker] will increase his opportunities to be on the field contributing."

McKillop came to Pitt in 2004 as the country's No. 31 outside linebacker prospect. Rivals100.com also rated him Pennsylvania's No. 20 overall prospect.

Chris McKillop, a 6'3", 245 lb. sophomore from Kiski Area, kicks off the Fall season with a very good prospect at starting at right end. Redshirted his first year, he played 11 games last year as linebacker and fullback, but made a lot of waves in spring practice at defensive end. Chris caught the eye of the Pitt coaching staff busting open plays and with his natural skill on the line. One of the Pitt coaches, Charlie Partridge, sees McKillop as a force that opposing teams will have to contend with. “While Chris lacks significant experience at defensive end," Partridge notes, "his motor will enable him to make plays and get to the quarterback. We expect him to continue learning the finer points of end play.” For his "relentless pursuit and hustle" at Pitt's spring practice, McKillop was honored with the Ed Conway Award as one of the most improved players.

Chris sat out his most of his senior year at Kiski in 02-03 with a serious injury, but still averaged 6.7 yards per carry on 27 carries for 181 yards, five touchdowns. Because of this performance and his career showing, he came into the Panther football program as America's No. 39 defensive end prospect by Student Sports. SuperPrep listed McKillop as the No. 17 prospect in all Pennsylvania.

Fox Chapel's Justin Latore is a Pitt Redshirt freshman. A 5'11" 185lb wide receiver for the Panthers, Latore was the leading receiver at Fox Chapel his senior year in 2003-04, at one point also stepping in as kicker for a game to grab 3 extra-points in 3 extra-point attempts. He will be aggressively competing for playing time this Fall.