Gunn Gets Sixth Season

It turns out that Adam Gunn's season-ending neck injury sustained during the first half in Pitt's season-opener with Bowling Green might not be career-ending.

The NCAA, in its infinite wisdom, granted a sixth season of eligibility for Adam Gunn. That was the first step in his comeback. The second is for Gunn to be cleared medically to play. He will undergo medical evaluation this month to determine his readiness for competition.

"I've been working out for a while now, and I feel like I'm ready to go,'' Gunn said recently. "But I have not been cleared medically, so I'm waiting for that.''

Gunn entered last season as the starting strong-side linebacker at Pittsburgh for a second straight season. In 2007, he was the team's third-leading tackler with 59 stops and emerged as an important part of a unit that ranked fifth nationally in total defense (297.67 yards per game). Gunn was injured when he collided with middle linebacker Scott McKillop, was taken off the field on a backboard and missed the rest of the season.

"We are very pleased for Adam that the NCAA has given him an extra year of eligibility,'' Pitt head coach Dave Wannstedt said.

"The next step is for him to visit with our doctors to see if and when he will be physically ready to begin playing again. We are, first and foremost, concerned with Adam’s long-term health and well being.''

Pitt opens spring drills March 19 with a 2:45 p.m. practice and will hold 15 total sessions. The spring culminates with the annual Blue-Gold intra-squad scrimmage April 11 at 2 p.m. at Heinz Field.