Joe Bendel, writing for ESPN.com (Insider subs.) about how recruiting went in the Big East leads with Pitt.

New Pittsburgh coach Dave Wannstedt hit the recruiting trail running — and he looked like an old pro doing it.

The former boss of the Miami Dolphins and Chicago Bears had been out of the college game for 16 years, but you wouldn’t have known it by the way he hustled to retain the lion’s share of Walt Harris’ recruits.

He also brought in a few of his own, most notably running back Conredge Collins of Coconut Creek, Fla., the plum of this year’s 24-member class.

“Whenever there is a coaching change, it is very difficult to hold onto recruits,” said Wannstedt, a Pittsburgh alum who stepped into the job on Dec. 23 after Harris departed for Stanford. “That’s what other schools look for; they’re always looking for a crack in the armor. … We were able to hold onto the majority of the ones we wanted, and, in the [late going], we found a way to add three or four more players.”

Recruiting analyst Tom Lemming rated the Panthers’ class second in the Big East behind West Virginia’s. In addition to Collins, record-setting quarterback Bill Stull of Pittsburgh’s Seton-LaSalle High and defensive lineman Craig Bokor of Pittsburgh (an original member of the 2004 class who went to military school) were considered keys to the group.

Collins, the son of Tony Collins, former New England Patriots 1,000-yard running back, and Stull, who was set to go to Kentucky, committed under Wannstedt’s watch. Collins said there was a buzz in Florida when word spread that Wannstedt had taken over at Pittsburgh. The same occurred in western Pennsylvania.

“We’d like to recruit in a 300-mile radius from here … and, of course, we’ll continue to go into Florida,” Wannstedt said.

Eleven of the Pittsburgh signees hail from western Pennsylvania, which is significant, because Harris was criticized for his inability to lure enough players from his back yard. Six other states send at least one player to Pittsburgh, including Florida (6), New Jersey (2), New York (2), Ohio (1), Virginia (1) and Maryland (1).

“We have to reestablish ourselves at home,” Wannstedt said. “It is a priority, I can guarantee you that. We can’t let these guys leave and go someplace else. There’s too much talent here.”

Pittsburgh returns nine starters on offense and seven on defense from last year’s Fiesta Bowl team. A couple of the newcomers could make an immediate impact, notably Bokor and Collins (who could improve a running game that managed just 2.6 yards per carry). A good portion of the class likely will redshirt, though Wannstedt made it clear that every position is open.

Wonder who ESPN.com will tap next fall for the Big East Notebook? They tend to rotate with a different beat writer every year.

Pitt definitely isn’t the only one scheduling the Div. I-AA football programs. Auburn just added Western Kentucky.

At this point, I’ll introduce Pat Hill. You know him as Fresno State’s brash and bold coach, a guy who has built a program from the scrap heap and will play anyone, any time, any place to gain respect.

So I placed a call to Hill last week and told him Auburn just added a home game against Division I-AA Western Kentucky to complete its 2005 schedule. And before I could ask the question, he gave the answer.

“We called them,” Hill interrupted. “We wanted to play them. I guess their schedule was already filled.”

No, it wasn’t. Fresno officials called before Auburn added Western Kentucky, and Hill is speaking with a politically correct tone because, well, he’d love a shot at Auburn somewhere down the road. Yeah, good luck with that. Auburn has bigger fish to flop.

Like The Citadel. Or Western Kentucky. Or big, bad Ball State.

This is why Auburn wasn’t one of two teams playing in the Orange Bowl national title game last season, why the Tigers were stuck in the Sugar Bowl politicking for respect. Respect? Play someone with a pulse outside your conference, then we’ll talk.

Wait, I take that back. Aubie played USC in the 2002 and ’03 seasons and lost by a combined 47-17. The Tigers also played Georgia Tech in 2003 and lost 17-3. Hence, the reason for last year’s brutal nonconference slate of Louisiana-Monroe, The Citadel and Louisiana Tech. And the reason the Tigers weren’t playing USC in the Orange Bowl.

Look, Auburn shouldn’t have to apologize for its schedule; it plays in the SEC, the toughest conference in college football. But like it or not, teams must prove themselves outside of their conferences to earn style points. It’s as much a beauty pageant as it is a demolition derby.

Auburn was put in this predicament after Southern Miss bailed out of a game because of conflicts with the new Conference USA schedule. But here’s the hitch: Southern Miss informed Auburn last September. University officials knew for five months — through a magical unbeaten season, through the controversy of not being able to play for the national title because of a pathetic nonconference schedule — that they needed a nonconference game for 2005, yet they chose to continue down the same path.

This season and next season, it likely won’t be that type of issue for Pitt. But if Pitt continues to improve and seeks to get on the national stage, then the non-con will be vital for Pitt. Unlike Auburn for example (or the Pitt basketball team), the Pitt football team does not get to fall back on the argument of a brutal conference schedule. Not with Rutgers and Cinci every year.

At the very least, Pitt needs to start looking into scheduling some non-cons with teams like Fresno and Boise St. There is plenty of risk, but Pitt is going to have to start taking some chances in that area.

West Virginia has convinced themselves that they are somewhere on the NCAA Tournament bubble. So coming off a home win against 3-9 Seton Hall yesterday, they see that game against Pitt on Wednesday as their big opportunity.

Against the hapless Pirates, they generated 15 turnovers that they turned into 26 points.

“Playing Pitt is a huge game for us,” Herber said. “It’s as hard as it gets. Pitt is one of the best home teams in the country. They’re going to be fired up because we beat them. It’s going to be a hostile crowd. I hope we’re going to be ready.”

“Sometimes you’re trying to get on the bubble, so to speak, and can’t play anybody to get noticed,” Beilein said. “Pitt’s a great team. To beat them on the road will be very difficult to do. But it would be a great win for us, to help us finish strong here in February.

“I know there will be extra focus in practice getting ready for this game.”

Focus is fine. The question is, does this team have the confidence and desire to win in the Steel City. We know the talent is there for the upset by the result of the Feb. 5 game.

“We definitely have the desire,” Herber said. “We know every game makes or breaks our season right now. We approach every game as the last one. This one gives us a lot of confidence.”

So maybe, just maybe, they can steal one in the Peterson Center.

Of course Pitt needs this game, this is not the time for consecutive losses. Especially not to lose at home to the Hoopies.

This is the only game down the stretch for Pitt that won’t be on national TV. This creates a quandary for me. Do I waste the $5 or so to get Pitt’s internet broadcast? I’ve resisted all season, and now it would essentially be for just one game. Yes, it’s only $5, but I totally disagree with Pitt’s policy of making you pay to get the streaming broadcast. They should do it free, to reach a broader base.

So what I need is Logic 2.0″ (anyone who read Dirk Gently’s Holistic Detective Agency should know what I’m talking about). That is, I need to have a reasoned, logical method of reaching the conclusion that I should pay for the broadcast.

In the ‘Burgh, the game is being chalked up to just one of those games where ‘Nova was hitting 3s. Carl Krauser, though, had some issues about the way the refs were calling the game.

“My mouth has been quiet for quite a while — and I haven’t disrespected any refs,” the Pitt junior said. “That’s not the reason we lost the game, but it helps. Today, I got really aggravated.”
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“I kind of felt like Shaq out there — you know, when Shaq gets hacked all the time,” said Krauser, who helped the Panthers whittle a 13-point deficit with 5:37 remaining into a three-point deficit on two free throws with 1:38 to go. Pitt would never get any closer. “I’ve kind of felt like that for a while now. This is the first time I said anything. I’m out there working as hard as anyone else.”

Krauser believes his physical, all-out nature is working against him.

“I guess they think I’m tough, so they think I’m looking for contact every time,” he said. “That’s not the case. More than 90 percent of the time, I get hacked and hit and blood (on me). They look at you like you’re tough and you’re supposed to keep playing. It’s frustrating.”

Whether Krauser is correct in his assessment of the officiating is debatable, but this much is certain: Villanova exploited Pitt’s perimeter defense, which has been an area of concern much of the season.

Mixed feelings. There were times when it looked like Pitt was being mugged out there, and even the ABC crew seemed to point out more missed calls going against Pitt, but how much right does Pitt have to complain about physical play — especially in the Big East? Add in the fact that ‘Nova had 2 players foul out, had one more PF called on them than Pitt, and that includes 5 fouls Pitt committed in the last minute; and it’s hard for me to fairly judge the officials as being a top-5 factor for the loss.

Barring a complete collapse by BC, Pitt will not win a share of a 3rd regular season Big East title.

Interesting note from NY Daily News writer Dick Weiss about Jay Wright and the Villanova team.

This is Wright’s fourth year in the Mainline, the same year things started to click in when he was at Hofstra and began producing perennial NCAA caliber teams at that America East school.

No this is not the America East conference, but with their talent returning and a year older next year, they should be considered the primary dark horse team in the BE in 05-06 in early handicapping.

In Philly, where they ignored the game until it was over, they are jumping back on the bandwagon. In fact, they are now thinking that ‘Nova is peaking at the right time this year and next.

TIMING CAN BE everything, and quite frankly, fourth-year Villanova coach Jay Wright has picked the perfect time to get his Wildcats back on the national scene.

It’s not fair to say that this season would have been ‘Nova’s last chance to re-establish itself as a perennial NCAA Tournament program, the kind that top recruits would again put on their consideration list. But considering what’s coming next in the Big East Conference, this was probably going to be its best.
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Syracuse and UConn are established national powers. Louisville, Cincinnati, Pitt and De Paul are big time players on the national scene.

Georgetown, Notre Dame and St. John’s are name brands that can easily become household names again.

In a conference like that, Villanova can’t afford to be out of the spotlight any longer because it’s just going to get harder and harder to find.

As for the ‘Nova fans, well you stay classy:

A mob was preparing to storm the court yesterday at the Pavilion, where Villanova was putting the finishing touches on an 80-72 Big East Conference victory over No. 17 Pittsburgh.

Then there appeared to be some wavering. Was such a celebration appropriate for the occasion?

The Wildcats’ student section began chanting over and over: “Pitt’s not worth it,” and “Not an upset.”

But when the final horn sounded, a sea of blue T-shirts flooded the floor anyway, and No. 25 Villanova had won for the fifth time in its last six outings to the delight of a sellout crowd of 6,500.

Right. The last time they beat Pitt was the BE Tournament in 2000. Still, look at this way, has beating Villanova ever caused any student section anywhere to come running out on the court? Didn’t think so. It mattered to the ‘Nova players:

“It was great to get a win against them,” Ray said. “I hadn’t beaten them since I’ve been here. The first half, [Pittsburgh] was playing me and trying not to let me get any shots off. In the second half, I found ways to find my shots.”

Their point guard, Mike Nardi, gets a puff piece to the extent that he is touted as the “one of the finest point guards in college basketball.” He had 13 points, but only had 4 assists and 3 turnovers. Not exactly the game that demonstrated this.

West Virginia at home, Wednesday night.

One of our regular readers, Jamie, and I have been getting into it a little in the comments for this post. All very friendly, just a slight disagreement on some things. Jamie — and I’m paraphrasing — suggests that this loss came because ‘Nova was just going off on their 3-point shots. That they just couldn’t miss, especially Ray. The same thing that happened with WVU and Georgetown — teams were hot from outside. No question that was a big factor.

My point is that ND was similarly hot, but Pitt pulled out the win. The difference between the losses and the win was that Pitt was forced to respect the inside game. Pittsnogle and Salley for WVU also took the ball inside and scored. That was what Sumpter, Foye and Lowry did. Sumpter, to me was far more impressive and a threat than Ray. He shot 3s well, and took the ball inside for jumpers and lay-ins. In the ND game, Pitt completely eliminated any inside presence by ND. ND lacked a consistent penetrater or anyone inside who could dominate. It allowed the guys inside –Troutman and Gray — to stay closer to the basket where they are comfortable. Most of ‘Nova’s guys were moving inside and out. Only Nardi — their point guard — tended to stay to the perimeter.

This Villanova team has had talent. It was horribly inconsistent last year. This year it is still inconsistent, but much improved. Next year is their chance.

I had to snicker, during the telecast yesterday. At some point, late in the game, Elmore made a comment that Villanova was one of those teams no one in the BE or in the NCAA Tournament wants to play late in the season. And I couldn’t help but think that applies to the entire top-7 of the BE. Any given night.

Well, for Pitt to finish the season on a strong note Pitt needs to win 3 of their next 4. WVU, UConn, @ BC and @ ND.