A few little things.

From the ESPN chat with Bruce Feldman on college football:

Brian–Erie PA: What are your feelings on Dave Wannstedt and Pitt? Is it going to work?

Bruce Feldman: (4:11 PM ET ) Brian, I think he’s a good fit. I think in a year they will be a top 15 team. Cavanuagh will really help Palko too.

Obviously, we are hoping a little sooner.

I have really failed to give some props to Pitt’s athletic department for doing a solid job in the non-con football schedule. They have scheduled good teams. Not just patsies. Seems some in West Virginia even approve:

Pitt and Virginia have an agreement for a 2006 game in Pittsburgh and a return date at Virginia in ‘07. On future schedules, that gives Pitt eight dates with Notre Dame, home-and-homes with Michigan State, Navy, Virginia, N.C. State and Clemson, and a 2-for-1 with UCF.

That’s the kind of strong scheduling philosophy the Big East needs as it tries to rebuild in the post-Miami era.

The more games like this Pitt schedules, the better its chances to recruit top talent and have a strong enough strength of schedule for BCS purposes. And by BCS purposes, I don’t just mean playing in a BCS bowl.

And finally, the whacks from normally friendly media sources keep coming at Penn State’s scheduling choice:

THERE DOESN’T seem to be much support for Penn State’s decision to add Temple to the football schedule starting in 2006 as the 12th team.

Ron Bracken offered his perspective in his Sunday column, and the fans are offering their view in our Web poll that is taking off, as you would expect.

And you would expect the fans to want Pitt, now wouldn’t you. And that’s how they’re voting in this entirely unscientific Web poll.

Give us your view.

And pardon us if we don’t necessarily look forward to a November game with Temple.

The poll is here. Not that it really matters. But check out the whiners complaining about how obnoxious Pitt fans were to them. Hilarious.

Via Dave Sez, another blogger, Braves & Birds, found a really good piece on the revenues and expenses for Division 1-A Athletic Departments. There is a list of all the schools from the 2003-04 season. The most important for us.

As B&B points out, a lot of schools are essentially taking huge hits because of the costs of the women’s programs without much revenue coming back. Definitely read the posts from both blogs.

Last year, it wasn’t a huge shock when Luke Getsy decided to transfer when he didn’t win the starting QB job from Tyler Palko. It also wasn’t a shock that Palko took all but a handful of the snaps last season. That’s the way things were under the previous coaching regime.

I am surprised that back-up QB Joe Flacco is seriously mulling a transfer.

Flacco, who will be a redshirt sophomore this fall, asked to be released from his scholarship a few days after spring practice ended.

Monday, Wannstedt spoke with Flacco twice on the phone to attempt to persuade him to stay.

“Nothing is definite yet,” offensive coordinaor Matt Cavanaugh said. “We’re still talking with Joe to try to get him to change his mind.”
…
Cavanaugh admitted he was caught off guard when Flacco asked for permission to transfer.

“Joe had a good spring,” Cavanaugh said. “He played well and made a lot of improvements.”

Last season, Flacco played in three games, but did not attempt a pass in two of them. Against South Florida, he completed 1-of-4 passes for 11 yards.

Cavanaugh said Flacco did not give a specific reason for wanting to leave.

“Sometimes, a young guy sees who’s playing in front of him and figures he’s not going to get any playing time, so he has second thoughts” Cavanaugh said.

The other story doesn’t have it seem quite as certain that Flacco would leave.

If Flacco goes, there is no back-up other than true freshmen Bill Stull and Shane Murray. Unless, of course, they try to put TE Darrell Strong back at QB. I like to think though, that this coaching staff wouldn’t pull the Mike Robinson-Paterno/Penn St. mistake.

Maybe Pitt is closer to getting Tennessee transfer Brent Schaeffer than we realized. This move is obviously not about playing time this year. It’s about what he expects in 2006 and 2007. Honestly, I have no idea if Flacco is any good or not. He obviously believes in himself, and thinks he can start somewhere in college football.

Flacco is arguably in a tough spot to earn starting time. If Palko returns after this season, Flacco will have only 2007 to be a starter — his senior year. By that point, he could be passed on the depth chart by Stull, Murray or some younger, hotter recruit. From a planning standpoint it is hard to argue his thought process right now.

Still isn’t good for Pitt, though.