In a couple posts this week I have mentioned the dwindling minutes, DNPs and shortening bench for Pitt. Now it is the topic of a story mainly on John DeGroat and Dante Milligan — both forwards who haven’t gotten off the bench for a couple weeks. Coach Dixon basis it on “thumb injuries” both have sustained. Uh-huh. They’ll probably get some time against Bucknell.

Other article has Dixon doing his best to puff up the Bucknell match-up.

I really wish I had more time. I hope to revisit this some time next week.

A bunch of stories on Walt Harris’ final game and what he accomplished at Pitt. Recommend reading all the stories at some point.

Quotes from Coach Harris at his final press conference before the Fiesta Bowl.

The players want to send Harris off to Stanford with a win. Looking forward, Wannstedt is coming in as the recognition for Pitt is on a definite upswing.

I defy anyone to read this column without having their brain pan feel like it is going to explode.

At his first Fiesta Bowl news conference this week, Walt Harris was asked about the accomplishments in his eight years as Pitt coach. It’s pretty well known that Harris is exceedingly proud of what he has achieved at Pitt, even if others — including his superiors and large segments of the media — do not seem to share that sentiment.

Harris pointed out that when he took the job, Pitt had won 15 games in the previous five years and had not been to a bowl game in nine years. He noted that it has been to six bowls games in his eight years. He talked about the impressive graduation rates of the past two years and how Pitt has had the most players on the Big East Conference all-academic team for four consecutive seasons.

It sounded impressive, and Harris, who leaves Pitt after tonight’s game against Utah to become coach at Stanford, has reason to be proud.

But he didn’t go nearly far enough in presenting his case.
…
And, finally, he could have said, “It’s taken a while, but we have this program where it should be.”

At which point, one of the reporters in attendance might have sprung to his feet and said:

“Coach, with that kind of record, why didn’t Pitt extend your contract?”

For reasons never made public, Pitt was determined not to extend Harris’ contract and thus forced him to look elsewhere. If he hadn’t taken the Stanford job, he would have been fired or, more likely, been brought back to coach out his contract, which had two years remaining.

This is a Smizik column. This much I promise, I will return to this column and Fisk it the way it deserves to be. For those with time, just look back through the PSB archives from this past August to date to get a good idea as to why Smizik suddenly hailing Harris like this is so galling. Hell, just start looking through Smizik’s past columns.

The best and must read of the day, regarding Harris, is Paul Zeise’s piece. Just read it all.

The free ice cream will be limited to only a couple scoops this morning. While I couldn’t make it to Tempe like Pat, I’m meeting my friends and fellow PSBers in Pittsburgh this afternoon. We figure to wander Oakland a bit, maybe eat at Uncle Sams, then go watch the game together. That means I’m leaving around noon. Naturally there are lots of stories and not a lot of time. This will be shorter than I would like.

Stories relating to Urban Meyer leaving Utah are here and here. Mostly they are about his realtionship with Kyle Whittingham the defensive coordinator who is taking over.

Utah is just wants to play the game at this point. This will be the biggest in Utah’s history for many reasons including:

Future conference alignment. The Pac-10 has steadily insisted it doesn’t plan to expand. But if the college football landscape continues to shift, it may have to. A win here could go far toward the Utes’ argument that they should be playing with the giants.

Sounds familiar.

Utah has to recognize that it could never reach these heights again. Some seem to be still whining that by playing Pitt they have been placed in a lose-lose situation.

Looks like game temp could be below 55 at the start. Only the 3rd time in the history of the Fiesta Bowl.

Senior Linebacker Malcolm Postell reflects on the week.

Tyler Palko hanging out with Larry Fitzgerald.

The Starting Line-ups, with single line comments on each player. Other basic info.

Pitt just wants to play, plus an explanation for what a Ute is.

What Arizona did to keep Utah to its lowest scoring output of the season.

Utah scored 17 points on its first three possessions on that 99-degree night in Arizona Stadium but managed only one touchdown in its remaining seven full possessions – and it came after a turnover gave the Utes the ball at Arizona’s 11-yard line.

The key to the Wildcats’ plan: limiting Utah’s big plays. The Utes gained 30 or more yards only twice.

Utah writer’s view on what Pitt will do to try and win: control time of possession.

Paul Zeise has 5 things each team must do to win. Recommended.