Photo: Grambling State cornerback DeMichael Dizer (29) breaks up a pass in the end zone. PITTSBURGH-- LeSean McCoy ran for three touchdowns on his first four carries in the first quarter and Kevan Smith threw for 202 yards and a score in his first career start, helping Pittsburgh quickly open a 21-point lead during a 34-10 victory over Grambling State on Saturday.
Smith became the second Pitt quarterback to win his initial start in as many weeks, throwing a 50-yard touchdown pass to tight end Nate Byham in the second quarter and connecting with Oderick Turner on a 61-yard completion in the third quarter that led to a Conor Lee field goal.
Smith, a redshirt freshman, replaced Bill Stull, who was lost for at least a month with a torn ligament in his right thumb during a season-opening 27-3 victory over Eastern Michigan. Smith (15-of-22, 1 interception) had thrown only four passes in his career, all of them last week, before beating out freshman Pat Bostick in practice to make the start.
McCoy, one of Pitt's most promising running back recruits since Curtis Martin, ran for 107 yards on 19 carries and scored Pitt's first three touchdowns in his second college game.
McCoy, a freshman from Harrisburg, Pa., was one of the nation's most recruited running backs two years ago until breaking his right ankle and badly tearing a ligament in the fourth game of his high school senior season.
The extension rehabilitation required after that injury led McCoy to spend last season at a prep school before he signed with Pitt (2-0), after many schools that recruited him backed off because of the injury. He is off to a promising start at Pitt, with 175 yards in his first two games.
The last Pitt freshman to run for at least 100 yards was LaRod Stephens-Howling with 105 yards against Syracuse in 2005. Stephens-Howling was Pitt's starter last week and gained 67 yards but, with McCoy running so well, got the ball only three times against Grambling (1-1).
Grambling's speed was a worry to Pitt -- the Tigers were coming off a 31-10 victory over Alcorn State in coach Rod Broadway's debut -- but that didn't prove a factor. A blocked punt and an interception led to two of McCoy's touchdown runs and a 21-0 Pitt lead with 11 minutes gone.
The Tigers also hurt themselves with 108 yards of penalties. They also failed to score three times after moving the ball inside the Pitt 10 during the second half.
McCoy didn't have problems with Heinz Field's notoriously slippery grass or a steady rain that lasted until just before halftime. He ran for 25 yards on his first carry before gaining 17 yards on a swing pass from McCoy. McCoy later scored from the 5.
After Pitt's Brian Kaiser blocked Tim Manuel's punt, McCoy scored on Pitt's next play from the 7 with slightly less than six minutes left in the first quarter. McCoy scored again, on a 13-yard run, less than two minutes later after Eric Thatcher intercepted Brandon Landers' pass. Landers was 19-of-40 for 155 yards and three interceptions.
Photo: Grambling State quarterback Brandon Landers, left, tries to get away from Pittsburgh defensive lineman Greg Romeus.
Despite getting into the end zone whenever he got close in the first quarter, McCoy didn't get the ball on any of Pitt's three plays after a Mike Phillips interception at the Grambling 4 late in the second half. Pitt settled for Lee's 20-yard field goal.
Pittsburgh 34, Grambling St. 10
Team Stat Comparison
(Left-Pitt, Right-GSU)
1st Downs 17 14
Total Yards 239 321
Passing 155 202
Rushing 84 119
Penalties 14-108 10-91
3rd Down Conversions 0-0 0-0
4th Down Conversions 0-0 0-0
Turnovers 3 3
Possession 29:56 30:04
Individual Leaders
Grambling State Passing
C/ATT YDS TD INT
B. Landers 19/40 155 1 3
Pittsburgh Passing
C/ATT YDS TD INT
K. Smith 15/22 202 1 1
Grambling State Rushing
CAR YDS TD LG
C. Walker 12 54 0 --
Pittsburgh Rushing
CAR YDS TD LG
L. McCoy 19 107 3 --
Grambling State Receiving
REC YDS TD LG
C. Edwards 5 59 1 --
Pittsburgh Receiving
REC YDS TD LG
O. Turner 4 74 0 --
Scoring Summary
FIRST QUARTER Score
TD 08:18 Lesean Mccoy 5 Yd Run (Conor Lee Kick) 7-0
TD 05:47 Lesean Mccoy 7 Yd Run (Conor Lee Kick) 14-0
TD 03:59 Lesean Mccoy 13 Yd Run (Conor Lee Kick) 21-0
TD 01:15 Clyde Edwards 29 Yd Pass From Brandon Landers (Tim Manuel Kick) 21-7
SECOND QUARTER Score
FG 06:41 Tim Manuel 35 Yd 21-10
TD 03:38 Nate Byham 50 Yd Pass From Kevan Smith (Conor Lee Kick) 28-10
FG 00:58 Conor Lee 20 Yd 31-10
THIRD QUARTER Score
FG 00:34 Conor Lee 27 Yd 34-10
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