Scott Barnes: How James Conner Handled Cancer Was Incredible
PITTSBURGH (93-7 The Fan) – Pitt Athletic Director Scott Barnes paid "The Fan Morning Show" a visit on Wednesday for a special extended in-studio interview to talk about the state of his programs with the Pitt Script era getting underway.
Barnes can't wait for the Pitt vs. Penn State football game, which will be one of the most-anticipated Pitt sporting events in years.
"We'll be ready," Barnes said. "It'll be a phenomenal atmosphere, obviously, sold out and then some...we'll do it right. I have great confidence in the folks at Heinz Field and our staff to put on a great show and it'll be an incredible event."
Barnes hopes Pitt football can work towards a national championship.
"Pat (Narduzzi) and I talk a lot about this, but when you think about the recruiting base that is western Pennsylvania, and the ACC footprint, our Coastal Division alignment, in terms of an opportunity to get to a championship, our expectations are that we'll win another national championship eventually," Barnes said.
"Now, when I say that, think back to last year - we had one player drafted. And so we've got to create depth in our program. We've got to get that level up. Obviously, Pat is doing that with the recruiting classes that he continues to bring in, but we need some more of those."
Barnes also talked about how impressive James Conner was during his fight against cancer.
"It really starts with who's in the battle," Barnes said. "And James Conner is just such an unbelievable young man. From the day he announced that, you could tell that he was going to beat it. And it wasn't about him, it was about how he was going to use his cancer and what he was dealing with to help others from the first day. So, you build around that, and you support that...his strength, his leadership, his mindset, and how he handled that was just incredible."
The full interview can be heard here:
