TAMPA, Fla. — Pittsburgh coach Dave Wannstedt suspended one of his players indefinitely after a touchdown celebration in which the player appeared to make an obscene gesture to the crowd during Saturday's 22-12 loss to South Florida.

Panthers tight end Darrell Strong was penalized for celebrating excessively when he approached the stands beyond the end zone after catching a 19-yard TD pass from Tyler Palko with 6:22 remaining in the fourth quarter.

"Our football program and university have very high standards and we will not tolerate the behavior Darrell Strong displayed today," Wannstedt said in a statement released by the school. "Darrell told me he regrets his actions but he must also be accountable. As a result, I am suspending him indefinitely."

Strong apologized to South Florida and his teammates in a separate statement released by the school.

"I know my behavior hurt my team and embarrassed my university," he said. "That's not what being a Pitt football player is about and I want everyone to know I am truly sorry."

The 15-yard penalty was costly because Pitt, needing a 2-point conversion to cut its deficit to eight, had to start the extra-point play from the 18-yard line instead of the South Florida 3.

On the conversion try, Palko threw an incompletion.