Friday’s “First Call” finds a former Pittsburgh Steeler willing to back up Ben Roethlisberger. An ex-Steelers coach is trying to find a new job with a promotion in Las Vegas.

Pitt basketball is staring another significant challenge in the face. Robert Morris and Duquesne hoops are looking to continue their winning ways. So are the RMU hockey teams.

And we officially welcome back a familiar face to Duquesne Athletics.

Pouncey’s proclamation

In the wake of harsh words from ex-Steeler Joey Porter about quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, a third former Pittsburgh All-Pro from that era is letting his opinion be known.

Center Maurkice Pouncey is sticking up for his former quarterback after Porter said that Roethlisberger wasn’t a good teammate or a good person.

Porter made those comments on Cam Heyward’s “Not Just Football” podcast.

Pouncey delivered a post on Instagram that read, “It’s unbelievable the hate I’ve been seeing from people inside the family!! Especially when we all a call away!! If you against Big Ben… YOU AGAINST ME!”

Porter left for Miami before the 2007 season. Pouncey came to the Steelers as a rookie in 2010. He and Roethlisberger were teammates until 2020. Porter returned to the coaching staff in 2014 and stayed there until 2018.

Climbing the ladder

A former Steelers assistant coach is trying to move up the ranks to become a coordinator.

According to the NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, the Las Vegas Raiders are interviewing Seattle Seahawks WRs coach Frisman Jackson for their offensive coordinator job.

Vegas just recently hired former Seahawks offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak to be the franchise’s head coach.

Jackson was the wide receivers coach in Pittsburgh from 2022-23. He has previously held that role at Western Illinois, Akron, North Carolina State, Temple, the Tennessee Titans, Baylor and the Carolina Panthers.

Now what?

On top of everything else that’s gone wrong for the Pitt basketball team, the Panthers now have to play at No. 11 North Carolina after they just lost to No. 4 Duke (70-54) in their most recent game Tuesday.

The Tar Heels are 19-5, 7-4 in the Atlantic Coast Conference. Meanwhile, the Panthers are 9-16, 2-10 in the ACC. The teams meet at 2 p.m. Saturday in Chapel Hill.

ESPN analytics is giving UNC an 88.7% chance of winning. Pitt is getting a break in the sense that the Panthers will likely face the Tar Heels without Caleb Wilson. The freshman star from Atlanta is averaging 19.8 points per game (fourth in the ACC) and 9.4 rebounds per game (third in the ACC). He suffered a broken hand during a 75-66 loss to Miami on Tuesday.

As for Duquesne, the Dukes (14-10, 6-5 Atlantic 10) play at St. Bonaventure (14-10, 3-8 A-10) at 4 p.m. Saturday. The Bonnies are the only team to beat the Dukes in their past five contests. That was an 87-79 defeat at the UPMC Cooper Fieldhouse on Jan. 28.

Meanwhile, the Robert Morris Colonials (17-10, 9-7 Horizon League) won 85-68 at Cleveland State (10-16,6-9) on Thursday. Ryan Prather had 25 points for RMU.

Andy Toole’s team welcomes the Horizon’s second-place team, Oakland (14-12, 10-5), at 2 p.m. Sunday.

On the women’s side, Pitt lost at Syracuse, 84-51, on Thursday night. Duquesne is at Fordham at 2 p.m. Saturday, and Robert Morris hosts Cleveland State at 2 p.m. Saturday.

Officially official

After a week of speculation, the Duquesne football team has announced the return of Greg Gattuso. He’ll be Jerry Schmitt’s associate head coach and help oversee the defense.

Gattuso was Duquesne’s head coach from 1993-2004. He was the Dukes’ first head coach in the FCS era, guiding the program’s transition from Division III to Division I.

The Seton LaSalle graduate compiled a 97-32 (.752) overall record, capturing eight Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference titles. He was a seven-time MAAC Coach of the Year.

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After leaving the Bluff in 20025, Gattuso went up the road to Pitt as an assistant in various roles until 2010. He then went on to Maryland for three seasons, coaching the defensive line, Albany as the head coach for 10 years and Penn State for one as a defensive consultant last season.

 

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Keep it rollin’

Both the Robert Morris men’s and women’s hockey teams are looking to build upon sweeps last weekend.

RMU took two in a row over Canisius, 1-0 and 6-4. On the women’s side, the Colonials topped Delaware, 3-2 and 6-0, on Friday and Saturday afternoons.

The men are at Niagara on Friday night before welcoming the Purple Eagles for the back end of a home-and-home at 7 p.m. Saturday. With points in eight of their past nine games, the Colonials have jumped up to a fourth-place tie in AHA with Sacred Heart at 33 points apiece. Niagara is ninth with 21.

Coach Derek Schooley’s club swept two games from the Purple Eagles to open conference play earlier this season by scores of 4-2 at home and 4-3 on the road.

The women host Lindenwood for two games to wrap up their regular season. RMU has 27 conference points in Atlantic Hockey America. That’s three points behind the Lions for fifth place.