Pitt picks Watson to lead offense
PITTSBURGH – Pittsburgh is turning to Shawn Watson to take over an offense that thrived last season under Matt Canada.
The Panthers named Watson their offensive coordinator Thursday. Watson replaces Canada, who left for the same position at LSU in December. Watson’s résumé includes stops as offensive coordinator at Texas, Louisville, Nebraska and Colorado. He spent 2016 as an offensive quality control assistant and quarterbacks coach at Indiana.
The 56-year-old Watson also will serve as the quarterbacks coach for the Panthers, who went 8-5 in 2016 while setting a school record for points scored (532). Pitt loses quarterback Nathan Peterman and James Conner next fall but has Peterman’s replacement in USC transfer Max Browne.
Pitt coach Pat Narduzzi worked with Watson as an assistant at Miami (Ohio) in the early 1990s. Narduzzi called Watson one of his first mentors in the coaching business.