Script is it: Classic Pitt helmet design to return

Worn by Tony Dorsett when he won the Heisman Trophy and Dan Marino when he set passing records, the Pitt script is coming back.

The football team will wear the popular logo on its helmets Saturday when the Panthers play Georgia Tech at Heinz Field. Athletic director Steve Pederson said the team's colors will remain the same, but the script will change, with no plans to take it off.

“This is going to be the mark on the helmet from this day forward,” Pederson said.

The change is only for the football helmets. The university's athletic teams are not changing logos or colors, he said.

“This harkens back to the great days in the history of the football program,” he said.

The return of the script coincides with homecoming and an informal reunion of several players and coach Johnny Majors from the 1973-76 teams that won the national championship in '76.

“I have nothing but good thoughts about (the return of the script),” said Dorsett, who was catching up with several teammates Friday. “The Pitt script is it.”

Speaking for many of his teammates, Al Romano, an All-American defensive lineman in 1976, said, “We think it's about time.”

The logo was Pitt's unique mark for 24 seasons from 1973-96. Pederson eliminated it in one of his first and most controversial decisions during his two tenures.

He said that decision was borne out of a desire to create a rallying point.

“When we got here in 1996, we were at such a low ebb, we needed a whole fresh outlook with the program,” Pederson said. “We were struggling in all sports. We needed two things: to become relevant and we needed everybody behind us.”

But the script had transcended football. The basketball team wore it on its jerseys during former coach Paul Evans' time from 1986-1994. Pitt Olympic sports also have worn it.

The football team wore it during a game in 2005, but it was not resurrected beyond that.

When the news of the script's return was announced Friday, fans immediately posted gleeful comments on Twitter, ranging from “Holy Schnikes” by @SouthSideShirts to “It's about time!” by @JohnPataki.

Said @HayekandHockey: “This is the greatest thing ever.”

Then there was this tweet from @JNadzen: “I may have to conceive another child after today! Wow is all I can say.”

Jerry DiPaola is a staff writer for Trib Total Media. Reach him at jdipaola@tribweb.com or via Twitter @JDiPaola_Trib.