The halftime performance of the world-famous Grambling band was as thrilling as advertised, and it received the loudest ovations from the 30,852 gathered at Heinz Field yesterday to watch Pitt beat the Tigers, 34-10.

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Next

• Game: Pitt (2-0) at Michigan State (2-0) in the Panthers' first road game of the season.
• When: Noon, Saturday.
• Where: Spartan Stadium, East Lansing, Mich.
• TV: ESPN.
• Of note: Michigan State held off Bowling Green, 28-17, yesterday as QB Brian Hoyer went 17 of 29 for 250 yards and two TDs.

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Meanwhile, Pitt's redshirt freshman quarterback Kevan Smith made his first collegiate start and provided some evidence that the offense will be in good hands while starter Bill Stull rehabilitates his injured thumb.

But, even though the Tigers' band and Smith delivered the goods, they were upstaged by a freshman tailback who coaches believe will ensure plenty of "shady" days in the next four years.

That tailback was Pitt's heralded backup, LeSean "Shady" McCoy, who rushed 19 times for 107 yards and scored three first-quarter touchdowns to get the Panthers (2-0) off and running to their second consecutive win.

McCoy scored on runs of 5, 7 and 13 yards, all in a five-minute span, and his day would have been bigger had he not had three runs totaling 35 yards called back for penalties.

McCoy entered the game earlier than expected because starter LaRod Stephens-Howling's ribs were bruised when he was tackled on his first carry. Pitt coach Dave Wannstedt said Stephens-Howling likely could have returned in the second half, but he was held out for precautionary reasons.

McCoy, a true freshman who spent a year at prep school, was the top-rated running back in the country in his senior season at Bishop McDevitt High School in Harrisburg and was recruited by Wannstedt to be the Panthers' featured back for the future.

The future, however, appears to be now.

"LeSean just needs to play some more," Wannstedt said. "The way he started off, I really expected him to break a couple of big ones, but they started ganging up at the line of scrimmage and they were sort of begging for us to throw the ball. But we were trying to give it away by turning the ball over. I thought overall LeSean did a nice job, and we'll need him next week against Michigan State, that's for sure.

"I'm ready for [McCoy to become the Panthers' featured tailback] and I think LeSean is ready for that. He had 19 carries today but he's ready for more, he's ready to 'expand his role' as we say."

McCoy downplayed his first 100-yard game. He also talked of this being just the start of something much bigger.

"It is all in the game plan," McCoy said, "but whatever they give me I'll take, whether it is running the ball or catching screens, I just want to help this team win. It is all about working as a unit, as a team. It was nice to have 100 yards, but I'm not really concerned about the yards and touches. I thought the line executed extremely well today, and the receivers blocked well.

"Don't get me wrong, I'm definitely pumped, I'm excited and all, but I just don't want to get too happy because we have Michigan State next week, and they are a good team. I felt like I was real close to breaking a few big ones, but they made a few shoestring tackles, so it is another week of not breaking one but I'll get back to work next week and try again."

On his first carry, McCoy took a toss sweep 25 yards for a first down on the Panthers' second possession. He finished the drive with a 5-yard touchdown run, and, in between those two plays, added a 17-yard pass reception. That meant he accounted for 47 of Pitt's 71 yards on the drive.

On the ensuing drive, Brian Kaiser blocked a Grambling punt, setting up the Panthers with a first-and-goal at the Tigers' 7. McCoy gave the Panthers a 14-0 lead on the next play with a 7-yard run. He tacked on a 13-yard touchdown run on the next possession to make it 21-0.

Grambling quarterback Brandon Landers hit Clyde Edwards with a 29-yard touchdown pass, but the Panthers responded a little later when Smith, who completed 15 of 22 passes for 202 yards, a touchdown and an interception, hit Nate Byham with a 50-yard touchdown pass that gave the Panthers a 28-10 lead with 3:38 to play in the half.