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GOLDANDBLACK EXPRESS • VOLUME 25, EXPRESS 18 • 24 BY STACY CLARDIE SClardie@GoldandBlack.com P urdue is searching for a new receivers coach. Kevin Sherman has accepted the receiv- er coach position at Pitt under new coach Pat Narduzzi. The news was first reported by SI.com's Thayer Evans, and Gold and Black confirmed the move. Sherman was Purdue's receivers coach under Darrell Hazell for the last two seasons. He's also coached at Virginia Tech, Wake For- est and Ohio, among other places. Sherman will join former Purdue offensive coordina- tor Jim Chaney on Narduzzi's staff. Chaney is Pitt's OC and quarterbacks coach. It's the second time in the last two years Hazell has had to scramble to make a hire just before spring football. In late January last year, Jon Heacock left to become Toledo's defensive coordinator, and new defensive backs coach Taver Johnson wasn't hired until Feb. 14. Sherman was charged with molding a young receiving corps in his time at Purdue and had mixed results. Danny Anthrop emerged as a playmaker in 2014 before his season was cut short with a knee injury, and potential playmaker B.J. Knauf couldn't stay healthy, leaving Sherman to scramble and utilize largely underclass - men. Gregory Phillips and Trae Hart were forced to play as true freshmen, one year af- ter freshman DeAngelo Yancey was a starter. Yancey had a good first season numbers-wise but fell off significantly in Year 2 under Sher- man's tutelage. "He's a hard coach, but you have to take constructive criticism well," Yancey said dur- ing his first season. "He's here to make you better, bottom line." Sherman de- manded much from his group — he always preached details and was constantly push- ing players in practice, largely by yelling and offering few compli- ments. But most play- ers seemed to respect his approach because they believed it came from a place of caring — pressing because he wanted them to become not just better players but better men. "I love Coach Sherman. I'm extremely hap- py and blessed he's a receivers coach," Knauf said during the season. "At certain times dur- ing the game and in practice, can't stand him. It's a love-hate relationship you need with a coach. I don't want a coach that I can have my way with and get away with certain things. He points out every detail, every flaw, everything that has to be done to get to where we need to be. We all greatly appreciate it. If you can't handle it, you're in the wrong sport. "He's one of the best coaches I've met. I'm extremely happy to have him because he's made me a better person and a much bet- ter athlete and a much better football player overall." SALARY BUMPS Three of the current eight assistant coaches got salary increases for 2015: Line- backers coach Marcus Freeman, tight ends coach Gerad Parker and Johnson, the second- ary coach. Marcus Freeman got the biggest bump, moving from $150,000 in base salary to $200,000, according to Purdue in response to a public records request for contracts. Johnson will make $250,000 in base salary in 2015, a raise of $25,000. Parker moved from $130,000 to $175,000. Freeman's group showed perhaps the biggest improvement over the 2014 season, going from what many considered the weak- est link of the defense entering the season to Sherman Departs As Receivers Coach F O OT BA L L : N E W S A N D N OT E S Tom Campbell Kevin Sherman is leaving Purdue after two seasons as its receivers coach. He accepted the same position at Pitt under new coach Pat Narduzzi. Tom Campbell Linebackers coach Marcus Freeman was one of three assistants — Gerad Parker and Taver Johnson were the others — to get salary increases for 2015.