PITTSBURGH — Pitt linebacker Brandon Lindsey is no stranger to high expectations. It comes with the territory in his family.

Lindsey’s father, John, played basketball at Memphis while his older brother, Willie, was a defensive back at Northwestern.

“I come from an athletic family,” said Brandon Lindsey, who will transition from defensive end to outside linebacker this season for the Panthers. “They tell me all the time, `You have to be the best from Aliquippa to be the best in the house.’ “

Lindsey flourished while replacing injured Greg Romeus at defensive end last fall. His performance didn’t go unnoticed. He’s on a slew of preseason award lists and the 6-foot-2, 250-pound senior hopes to fulfill such lofty expectations and cement his status as one of the nation’s top defenders.

The second team All-Big East pick recorded 51 tackles — 17 1/2 for a loss — and 10 sacks as a down lineman in the Panthers’ 4-3 scheme a season ago. Now, in first-year coach Todd Graham’s 3-4 system, Lindsey has become the team’s “Panther” linebacker, a defensive end/linebacker hybrid who plays the run, rushes the quarterback and drops back into pass coverage.

“Brandon will be the main guy who impacts the quarterback,” Graham said. “We’ll move him around and make sure he adapts comfortably to what he’s doing.”

It’s what’s required of players from powerful Aliquippa High, which provided a steady pipeline of impact players to the Panthers through the years.

Mike Ditka, Sean Gilbert, Darrelle Revis and Jon Baldwin are all among former Quips who have thrived at Pitt before heading to the NFL.

Even Heisman Trophy winner Tony Dorsett, the school’s all-time leading rusher, grew up in Aliquippa, though he graduated from nearby Hopewell High.

“It’s hard thinking about all the greats that have come out of Aliquippa and living up to what they’ve accomplished,” Lindsey said. “It’s a lot of pressure, but it comes with the territory, being from there. You’re expected to be a great athlete and make things happen in college.”

Lindsey had a pin inserted in his left shoulder after it popped out prior to a 23-17 loss at Notre Dame last year, though he never missed a game because of the injury. After sitting out spring practice and undergoing rehab for his shoulder — which Lindsey said hasn’t bothered him whatsoever since camp started — Lindsey has tackled his new role head on.

Though he’s still listed in the team’s media guide as a defensive end, Lindsey will begin every play standing up — as opposed to firing out of a three-point stance — and will assume myriad responsibilities, often dictated by the flow of the game.