Pitt football coach Dave Wannstedt

Pitt football coach Dave Wannstedt will receive a contract extension, according to sources close to the situation. The University is expected to announce the extension, which would extend Wannstedt's current deal at least through the 2012 season, tomorrow.

Chancellor Nordenberg and newly hired athletic director Steve Pederson as well as Wannstedt all were at the Petersen Events Center today to announce Pederson's hiring, but all three declined to comment on the subject.

Pederson did say, "I am 100 percent committed to helping Dave in any way that we can. We have a good man here and a guy that cares an awful lot about this program and this university, and a good coach. I'm not in a position to talk about [an extension] right now and I think shortly we will be in a position to talk about it."

Pederson drew national headlines at Nebraska when he fired football coach Frank Solich following a nine-win season but he said that he has actually been a director who supports coaches and doesn't fire them.

"We made the change at Nebraska because we felt it was in the best long term interest of the program but I have been a guy who has generally stuck with and supported coaches and that is the approach I take," Pederson said. "In fact three of the people that called me this morning were coaches in Nebraska wishing me luck and I have always valued thos relationships."

Paul Zeise can be reached at pzeise@post-gazette.com or 412-263-1720.

More details in tomorrow's Post-Gazette.