University of Pittsburgh football players stranded in Dallas hitch ride from UTEP coach Joe Golding

The classic 1987 comedy ‘Planes, Trains and Automobiles’ is set during Thanksgiving. But 35 years later, a real-life Christmas Day version of that story unfolded for three players on the University of Pittsburgh football team.

Three Pittsburgh Panthers players, junior Hudson Primus and freshmen Samuel Okunlola and Jake Frantl, were stuck at Dallas Love Field airport on Christmas Day, trying to join the team in El Paso, more than 600 miles away. away, after his flight was cancelled.

According to a statement from the Pittsburgh athletic department given to DailyMail.com, the players who left western Pennsylvania for the vacation arranged the trip independently. These three players went to their respective homes for the holidays and were not in Pennsylvania for the charter flight the team took.

That left the three players stuck in Dallas with their flight cancelled. Fortunately, another passenger on that canceled flight was UTEP Miners’ head basketball coach Joe Golding, who noticed the three stranded men and offered to drive them for the nine-week trip. hours west.

Golding said that after being stranded, he quickly secured a car rental deal just before the supply of vehicles ran out.

“I see these three guys, and they have Pitt bags, and they start talking about playing in the Sun Bowl and having to get to El Paso and there were no cars left,” Golding told KTSM’s Colin Deaver on Monday.

“And I was like ‘hey, if we can find a big enough car, I’ll take them home.’ They were like ‘who are you?’

Seeing them stranded, UTEP head basketball coach Joe Golding offered to give them a lift.

After explaining who he was, the three players — a defensive back, defensive lineman and backup quarterback — joined Golding, his wife and their two children for the long jeep ride across the state.

“Here in West Texas, that’s what we do,” Golding continued. ‘I didn’t even think twice.

“I hope someone did that for Cason and Chase once if they got stranded somewhere on Christmas night and needed a ride home.”

Pitt Panthers head football coach Pat Narduzzi thanked Golding for his generosity and kindness.

Pitt’s football coach, Pat Narduzzi, confirmed all the details of the story to local reporters and thanked Golding for his kindness.

“Yesterday afternoon, we had a couple of guys who had delayed flights, got stuck in Dallas,” Narduzzi said. ‘Joe Golding, the basketball coach at … the University of Texas-El Paso, he and his wife and his son picked up our three boys and took them because the flight was delayed to bring them here for the practice.

‘They were late last night, and I just wanted to say hi to those guys. She just comes back to hospitality. Great job by Joe and we appreciate it.’

Narduzzi added that he had not heard of Golding before the events of Christmas night.

Golding initially responded via Twitter to Narduzzi, saying, “My family and I were blessed to bring Samuel, Jake and Hudson.” They were fantastic young men who represented Pitt soccer in a first class way. I educated them on West Texas, they educated me on Pitt football and Stack’d Burgers! I am now a Pitt football fan!

Frantl, a red shirt freshman, also took to Twitter saying, ‘Great man and amazing family! I will never forget this Christmas story!

Pitt will now focus on playing the no. 18 ranked UCLA Bruins at the Sun Bowl this Friday, December 30 at 2:00 pm ET.

Pittsburgh now turns its attention to playing its game in the Sun Bowl against no. 18 UCLA