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Friday, November 29, 2002

Pitt middle linebacker Gerald Hayes just turned 22 a month ago, which means he's too young to fully realize the tremendous honor he has been given by his coaches. Most of the steel mills went dark long before he was born. How could he understand the symbolism of the hard hat he carries to practice each day?

"It started last year when we were 1-5," Pitt defensive coordinator Paul Rhoads was saying this week. "We issued hard hats to every player. They'd sit them next to the practice field as a reminder we still had work to do."

The Panthers won their final five games and beat North Carolina State in the Tangerine Bowl.

"This season, we decided to have just one hard hat as a symbol of our team's work ethic," Rhoads said.

There was no debate about which player would bring it to practice.

"Gerald Hayes is our leader," Rhoads said.

Tomorrow, Hayes will finish the home portion of one of the outstanding careers in Pitt history when he plays his final game at Heinz Field. It's appropriate the opponent is West Virginia, the No. 2-ranked rushing team in the NCAA. The Panthers must contain running backs Avon Cobourne and Quincy Wilson to win, which means Hayes must be the most active and visible defensive player on the field. It's also significant so much is at stake. The winner probably will get a bid to play North Carolina State in the Gator Bowl. Pitt hasn't played in a New Year's Day bowl since after the 1983 season.

Or since Hayes was 3.

"I'm happy I was able to help the program along," Hayes said, quietly.

Hayes has done it on the field, where he has had 100 tackles for three consecutive seasons and will become Pitt's first three-time All-Big East Conference linebacker. "It's not just his tackles," Rhoads said. "He doesn't just stop the run. He makes interceptions. He gets sacks. He makes plays on both sides of the line of scrimmage. There just aren't many flaws in his game ... I'm surprised and disappointed he isn't a Butkus Award finalist. I've seen the names on the list. He's a better linebacker."

Hayes also has done it off the field. A talented artist whose work has been honored, he's majoring in administration of justice and -- to quote Rhoads -- "wears it out in our academic center." He does the same thing in the film room and the weight room. "Mondays are the players' day off, but he's been in every week, working out, watching tape, getting himself prepared," Rhoads said. That's why Hayes was the obvious choice for the hard hat. That's why Rhoads and the other defensive coaches have picked him as a team captain for every game. And that's why his defensive teammates surely will vote him as their permanent captain after the season.

"I'd say that's one of those sure-bet type of things," Coach Walt Harris said.

"Gerald Hayes has been a dominant football player for us and a great leader for this football team. He didn't just set the example for our younger players by how hard he worked in our off-season conditioning program. He really improved his game. He got quicker, faster. He has a better burst. He's able to make more plays."

Speed is the one concern NFL scouts have about Hayes. They love his production. They love his intangibles. But they'll withhold final judgment until they get him on the clock. Draft expert Mel Kiper Jr. has projected Hayes as a second-round pick next spring in his early rankings. Hayes could sneak into the first round if he runs well at the postseason workouts.

"Trust me, he'll be fast enough on their clocks to play for them," Rhoads said. "There's clock speed, and there's playing speed. He plays fast."

Rhoads grinned.

"We think he made money last week in Miami. Did you see him run down McGahee?"

That would be running back Willis McGahee, who helped No. 1 Miami beat Pitt, 28-21, in a game that went to the final play. He could win the Heisman Trophy.

Hayes has a chance to make a few more dollars if he can keep up with Cobourne, another of the country's top backs. He's more interested in helping Pitt win -- not just tomorrow, but in the Gator Bowl. Two more victories would give the Panthers 10 wins, a number they haven't reached since the 1981 season.

Or since Hayes was 1.

You bet he has helped the program along.