McKillop was named a first team All-American, while McCoy was a third-team selection. McCoy additionally was one of 20 candidates named to the NationalChamps.net preseason Heisman Trophy list.
The 6-foot-2, 240-pound McKillop is coming off an outstanding junior season in which he was named to four All-America squads. He additionally was a unanimous first-team All-Big East selection by league coaches and CollegeFootballNews.com’s Big East Defensive Player of the Year.
An unknown when last season began, McKillop (Export, Pa./Kiski Area) went on to pace the nation in tackles, averaging 12.58 per game, and rank second in solos (8.17 avg.). He finished with 151 total tackles, perhaps none bigger than his effort to stop West Virginia’s Steve Slaton on a 4th-and-3 situation late in the fourth quarter of Pitt’s 13-9 upset of the Mountaineers.
McKillop emerged as the centerpiece of one of Pitt’s finest defensive units in recent memory. The Panthers finished fifth nationally in total defense, yielding just 297.67 yards per game.
McCoy (Harrisburg, Pa./Bishop McDevitt/Milford Academy [N.Y.]) finished with a Big East freshman-record 1,328 rushing yards and led all freshmen nationally with an average of 110.67 yards per game. He was a unanimous Freshman All-American, the Big East Rookie of the Year and first team All-Big East Conference.
McCoy set Pitt freshman records for points (90) and rushing touchdowns (14), breaking two longstanding marks established by the legendary Tony Dorsett (78 points and 13 rushing TDs) in 1973. After watching McCoy play last year, Dorsett quipped, “He reminded me of me.”
McKillop and McCoy are two of 17 returning starters for the Panthers, who are being touted as a team to watch both in the Big East and nationally this year. Pitt opens the 2008 season on Aug. 30 against Bowling Green at Heinz Field. For ticket information, log on to PittsburghPanthers.com or call (800) 643-PITT.