PHOENIX — What Pittsburgh sophomore quarterback Tyler Palko is now compared with what he was when the season started is like night and day.
"At the beginning of the season Tyler wanted to do so well he struggled and was rattled and wasn't able to calm himself," junior running back Tim Murphy said. "When he was able to do that you see him play so much better. He has a lot of confidence now."
Palko, a high school all-American, threw for just 49 yards in his first-ever collegiate start in a 24-3 win over Ohio, but his numbers have only gotten better.
"His progression throughout the season has been very good," said Pitt wide receiver Greg Lee, who had 61 catches for 1,204 yards and nine touchdowns.
"At the first of the season we struggled applying our timing to game speeds. Once we got that down it was like pitch and catch out there. It became easy."
The Panthers (8-3) finished the year by winning six of their last seven games, and Palko's poise had a lot to do with it. In the last five games, four of which were wins, Palko averaged 320.2 yards a game while throwing 16 touchdowns against two interceptions.
"Tyler came along unbelievably," Pitt offensive lineman Rob Petitti said. "I think he's one of the best quarterbacks in the country right now. Him coming along pretty much carried this team."
Palko will be playing opposite one of the top quarterbacks in the nation in Utah's Alex Smith in Saturday's Fiesta Bowl.
"I love to play football and I love everything about it," Palko said. "Other people play the flute and draw and this is a chance where I get to express myself."
In earning second-team, all-Big East honors, Palko threw for 2,816 yards and 23 touchdowns with only seven interceptions. He also rushed for 183 yards and three touchdowns.
His 23 touchdown passes were tops in the Big East and third most in Pitt history.
"He's a go-get 'em type player," Utah defensive back Bo Nagahi said. "He's going to give us a challenge."
Palko's toughness showed as he led the Panthers to five fourth-quarter or overtime victories.
"(You) know that that kid is going to save you and I think the line guys realize that so they fight a little harder," Pitt running game coordinator Tom Freeman said. "He's driving the bus, make no mistake about that."
In a 41-38 win over Notre Dame he earned three different national player-of-the-week honors for completing 26 of 42 passes for 334 yards and five touchdowns. He engineered drives that resulted in 13 fourth-quarter points, and helped set up Josh Cummings' game-winning 32-yard field goal with one second remaining.
"He may not be the best passer or the fastest, but he makes things happen," Utah linebacker Tommy Hackenbruck said. "I think he likes it when things break down and he kind of takes it into his own hands. I think he likes the feeling of taking over a game."
He threw for 300 yards or more five times, including a career-high 411 yards and five scores in a 43-14 win over South Florida to end the season.
"He's the most vocal on our team at this point. He's our leader. He is one of our captains. That says a lot," Murphy said.
Palko was a redshirt last season, but as a freshman in 2002 played in six games and completed two passes for 13 yards. He also had an eight-yard touchdown run against Oregon State in the Insight Bowl.
Smith vs. Palko
Smith Stat Palko
11 Games 11
174.93 Efficiency 137.25
185-280 Att-Comp 208-369
2,624 Yards 2,816
238.5 Ave. 256.0
28 TDs 23
4 INTs 7
E-mail: jhinton@desnews.com