I know the interviews haven’t even started yet, but I think it should be clear that Dave Wannstedt is (and perhaps should be) Pitt’s primary target. This isn’t because he represents Pitt’s most “serious” choice. The other guys contacted so far — Pelini and Hoke — and mentioned for consideration — Rhoads, Sunseri and Bradley — are all assistants. They are lower profile and cheaper possibilities.

I’m not saying that they may not be better choices, but with all of Pitt’s talk about believing that Harris lacked the vision to take Pitt higher, they shifted the pressure to themselves to back it up. Wannstedt would be a high profile hire. He is friendly with lots of national media types — Pardon the Interruption yesterday (12/15) even brought the topic up in their “big finish” segment and both Kornheiser and Wilbon seemed to like the idea. Wannstedt would also be the most expensive hire. Something Pitt has said it would be willing to do, but has never actually done. Not just the money needed for Wannstedt, but what it would cost for the top-flight assistants a coach who hasn’t been in the college game since 1987 would need.

Wannstedt is not saying that he would take the job or what he wants to do:

Wannstedt said he is debating among pursuing the Pittsburgh job or another NFL coaching position for 2005 or working as a television announcer. Wannstedt did well enough as an analyst during last Sunday’s San Francisco-Arizona game that Fox Sports is bringing him back for a Jan. 2 game between Detroit and Tennessee.

“I totally enjoyed the TV last week,” said Wannstedt, who hasn’t officially met with Pittsburgh officials to discuss the vacancy created when Walt Harris left for Stanford. “I am still open and undecided on coaching possibilities, whether in college or the pros.”

I honestly don’t see how they can actually consider hiring Rhoads. They’ll interview him, but hiring him would not be widely supported by alumni and fans. By hiring any holdover from Harris’ staff, it would be seen as Pitt just going cheaper, and not being serious about making the program better. This is not a Ben Howland-Jamie Dixon situation.

Meanwhile the first of what can be expected to be at least a few of Pitt’s verbals has changed his mind. I find this to be expected. So it is hard to work up much of a lather right now.

A puff piece on former Pitt back-up running back Nick Goings breaking out in the NFL with the Carolina Panthers.