PITTSBURGH (KDKA) — The University of Pittsburgh was sent into panic mode on Tuesday afternoon when the head coaching job at Wisconsin opened up.

Current Panthers’ Head Coach Paul Chryst is from Madison, Wis., played at Wisconsin and was their offensive coordinator as recently as Jan. 2 of this year in the Rose Bowl after he had accepted the head coaching job at Pitt.

In order to squash any rumors, Chryst released a statement later in the evening.

It reads: “I understand the speculation surrounding my name given today’s developments. I am committed to the Pitt football program and the University of Pittsburgh. I am focusing all my time and energy on our team’s bowl game preparation and recruiting a great group of young men to join our program and this outstanding university. We are working hard every day to re-establish this program and I am excited about the future of Pitt football.”

Read the statement on the Pitt Panther’s website.

Optimists see this as Chryst saying he’s staying at Pitt. Pessimists will, and have already seen this as the absence of a true denial.

Nowhere in the statement does Chryst say he is not interested in the Wisconsin job, and will not take it, even if it’s offered.

Until that job is filled, many in Pittsburgh won’t be convinced.

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