John Petrishen

Photo by: Jeffrey Gamza/Pitt Athletics

Position:
LB
Class:
Redshirt Senior
Height:
6-1
Weight:
225
Hometown:
Lower Burrell, PA
High School:
Pittsburgh Central Catholic

2021: Played in all 14 games, starting six at Star linebacker…team’s third-leading tackler with 74 stops and added 7.5 TFLs and 4.5 sacks…tied (with safety Erick Hallett II) for the team lead with three interceptions…Honorable Mention All-ACC…two-time ACC Linebacker of the Week (Georgia Tech and Duke)…collected five tackles, 1.5 TFLs and had a 33-yard interception return for a touchdown at Georgia Tech…had a career-high 13 tackles and added a sack and interception at Duke…his other INT came against Miami…had nine stops against Michigan State in the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl…had six tackles and a career-high two sacks in the opener against Massachusetts.

2020: Played in all 11 games, serving on special teams and as a reserve Star linebacker…totaled 12 tackles, two tackles for loss and a blocked punt…had a season-high four stops against Notre Dame…had three stops, 1.5 TFLs and a blocked punt at Clemson.

2019: Joined Pitt as a graduate transfer from Penn State in August 2019…played in the final seven regular-season games of the year in special teams capacities…had a season-high two stops (both on kickoff cover) in the North Carolina game.

AT PENN STATE (2015-18): Played in 16 career games for the Nittany Lions, serving on special teams and as a reserve safety...compiled eight tackles and a TFL over his two active seasons...did not play in any games during the 2016 season due to injury...redshirted as a true freshman in 2015.

HIGH SCHOOL: Considered one of Pennsylvania’s top safety prospects as a senior at traditional power Pittsburgh Central Catholic...Pennsylvania Football Writers Class AAAA All-State…first team Pennsylvania Football News All-Class AAAA…Pittsburgh Post-Gazette “Fabulous 22”…Pittsburgh Tribune-Review “Terrific 25”…compiled nearly 120 tackles with seven interceptions over his junior and senior seasons…also had eight return touchdowns (seven punts and one kickoff) his final two years…led the Vikings to a combined 26-3 mark (.897) over the 2013 and 2014 seasons…as a junior, helped Central Catholic to a 15-1 record, the WPIAL Class AAAA title and a PIAA runner-up finish…a three-year football letterman under Coach Terry Totten…selected to play in the Big 33 Football Classic…also a basketball and track letterman.

PERSONAL: Johnny Nicholas Petrishen, born 6/1/96, is the son of John and Jami Petrishen...has one sister…comes from a football family…great-grandfather, Pop Ellwood, and great-uncle, Bill Ellwood, played football at Penn State, while another great-uncle, Charlie Gondak, played football at William & Mary...cousin, Philip Murphy, played football at Alabama...Petrishen graduated from Penn State with a degree in communications arts and sciences...is pursuing a second major in sociology at Pitt.