Coach Wannstedt had a press conference this afternoon to talk about the week and the game on Saturday.

Opening remarks:

We are here! Game week! I guess as a coach you probably feel, at least my experience has been that there’s never enough time. I don’t care if you were in training camp for six months. You’re leading into that last week, and you say, ‘Boy if I had just one more week.’ Or ‘If I could just get one more practice, then we’d be okay.’ But then you really get to the point, and we’re almost there now, where you’re ready to play. And you really sense that, I think, from the players and how they’re reacting on the field. And that’s about where we’re at.
…
On a side note, I think every program encourages walk-on players to come on your roster, and it’s great, it’s fantastic, to be able to reward these guys. This past week we awarded scholarships for this year to Ron Idoko, Joe Villani and Kellen Campbell. Those three guys were awarded scholarships – two of them seniors, one of them a junior. That was a real upbeat thing for our team and primarily for those players.
On Wannstedt’s familiarity with Charlie Weis’ schemes:

With Charlie Weis running the offense, we’re going to see the majority of the (New England) Patriot stuff. Each coach is going to have an influence on the offense, I’m sure, in some form or fashion. Originally, he hired David Cutcliffe to be the offensive coordinator from Old Miss. He obviously left. They have a new coordinator, but they did bring in a guy from Old Miss. Bernie Parmalee, who’s coaching his running backs (and) who was with me at the Dolphins the last two years. I think there will be thoughts from everybody. But the nucleus of what they do — but probably more important, when they do things — that will be very similar. Guys may change their offense, but there are tendencies that people have: when they like to try the trick plays, when they like to take a shot deep. Those things are part of someone’s personality.

A lot of people are asking me about my relationship with Charlie. We’re friends and we get along, but we probably know each other from an Xs and Os standpoint a lot better than we know each other personally. We are preparing for some New England (schemes). We are preparing for a couple of other assistants that are on that staff. We looked at some of their film, but the most important thing in this game is really not as much what they do, but making sure that we execute what we’re supposed to do. And that goes for both sides of the ball. They’re going to see things for the first time from our offense and from our defense. I really think that the team that has the best grasp for their own offense and defense will be able to make the adjustments as the game goes on, and it will give that team a chance to be successful.
…
On Notre Dame’s offensive strength:

I’ve got to start with their offensive line really. I think that those guys have been together for awhile, and they’ve got an experienced quarterback. They’ve really got all eleven (starters) back. And they’ve got Darius Walker, and he played most of the time last year. So they’ve got everybody back on offense. A lot of athletic ability, a lot of speed, but it’s probably going to come down to the quarterback. It usually does in high-energy games. And it may not be the great plays. Usually in early games, it’s usually not the team that makes the most great plays, but it’s usually the team that makes the fewest bad plays. And that involves the turnovers and the kicking games. Special teams is going to be huge in this game. We feel real good about our kickers, but I’m talking about our coverage units, I’m talking about our returners. It’s early on, and you’re trying to get a lot of new people and that scenario where you’re always fighting to get practice time and you’re trying to get some young kids on the field, or you have to. We’ve spent almost as much time on special teams here, in the evenings and so forth, as we would have in the NFL and for that purpose. Those first couple of games are going to be real big.

Now, before I get any further, I have to bring up this rather unfortunate choice of jacket was worn. That they used as a photo for the press conference story is just disturbing. This couldn’t be left unremarked.

Would you buy a house from this man?

Better now.

Of note in the press conference, Offensive Coordinator Matt Cavanaugh will be on the sideline for the game rather than up in the coach’s box. Seems to be a comfort thing with Palko.

Trying to keep some perspective on some positive publicity.

Sports Illustrated listed it’s pre-season All-American Team. It included Greg Lee.

As mentioned last week, H.B. Blades is on the Butkus Award Watch list. Here’s the Pitt press release.

The new commits Pitt got on Sunday seems to have impressed Scouts, Inc/ESPN Director of Recruiting Tom Luginbill (Insider Subs.):

Dave Wannstedt and the Pittsburgh program have done a great job of securing many top players in Pennsylvania, but these two verbal commitments show the Panthers have the ability to recruit in both the Northeast and Florida.

While Ricky Gary lacks ideal size, he has explosive ability on the perimeter and can be a threat for Pittsburgh in the return game. Gary, currently the 17th best cornerback in the nation, along with recent verbal commitment Aaron Smith, currently the 32nd ranked cornerback in the nation, will form a quick and athletic secondary. Smith plays quarterback in high school, but we project him at either the cornerback or safety position in college.

Kevin Collier is Pitt’s first verbal from a running back and has the potential to blossom into a great player at the next level. Collier is a playmaker who is especially effective bouncing runs to the outside and catching screens on the perimeter, and although the competition he’s playing against isn’t the greatest, we feel he has all the tools to be successful at the next level.

Now it’s just a matter of getting to Saturday and doing the work on the field. All of this stuff is nice, but going out there and beating the Irish will really be the way to help the program. National stage, debut game, lots of recruits on hand. It’s big.

Classes begin today at Pitt. It will be very interesting to see what the students do this weekend. Usually, half the campus would clear out for Labor Day weekend for one last chance to get together with some old friends from high school, freshmen would go dashing home to recap that first exciting week to the parents. The Oakland bars would seem to be running at 1/2 speed and feel very odd since you could actually move.

I suppose those who live in the Pittsburgh area might still clear out, but those that live a little further away have to be thinking of staying. How do you skip that opening game against ND? One of the most exciting season opener at Pitt in years. The last time was back in ’96 with an opening day blowout loss to WVU in Johnny Majors, the Sequel’s final year. In fact, Coach Wannstedt is almost more worried about keeping everyone in check for the rest of the week.

“We’ve got three or four days of hard work in preparation, but by Wednesday or Thursday … we’ve got rallies, bonfires and (ESPN) Game Day coming in. So, if anything, I’m probably going to be slowing them down a bit and just trying to let it take its natural course and not get ahead of ourselves.”

Yeah, there’s apparently going to be a bonfire on campus on Thursday.

Everyone is excited for the game.

The Irish and the Panthers meet 8 p.m. Saturday at Heinz Field and the game is being billed as one of the most anticipated Pitt openers in the past two decades. The game will be nationally televised on ABC and ESPN “GameDay” live Saturday morning from Heinz Field.

Pitt also will attempt to do something it hasn’t done in nearly two decades — beat the Irish twice in a row. That is something that hasn’t happened since 1986-87.

Pitt linebacker H.B. Blades said making history is not important — but history is always made when you beat a tradition-laden program like Notre Dame.

“Coaches may say that every game counts the same, but everybody here knows Notre Dame is a big game and always will be,” said Blades. “You get up to play against Notre Dame just because of who they are. Everybody understands their history, their tradition, the great, great players who have played there and what that program means to college football.

“So this game is special, no matter when it is, what our record is or whatever. It is huge. We’re not worried about streaks. We’re worried about finding a way to beat one of the best programs in the country.”

ND’s Coach Weis is also eager to get to game time. Strangely, and I guess this is part of Weis’ master plan, he is now entering the piss off the media mode.

Keith Jackson figures it has been more than 20 years since he last broadcast a college football game from Pittsburgh.

“It was 1984,” he said. “I remember Foge Fazio was coaching Pitt back then.”

These days, Jackson, who will turn 77 in October, prefers to work exclusively on the West Coast. However, he is breaking his self-imposed ban on crossing the Rocky Mountains to join the ABC-TV crew for Saturday’s Pitt-Notre Dame game at Heinz Field.

“I know I’m getting near the end of the trail,” Jackson said by phone from his home in Sherman Oaks, Calif. “I wanted to go back and see Pittsburgh. It will be fun to see Pitt play again.”

Jackson will arrive in town Thursday, and hopes to have dinner with Panthers coach Dave Wannstedt. The conversation likely will include a anecdote or two from Jackson about the games in which he saw Wannstedt play for Pitt.

Jackson has never met Notre Dame coach Charlie Weis. And it appears that will not change, even after this weekend.

“He’s turned down all of our interview requests,” Jackson said. “He told us he’d be glad to talk with (ABC broadcaster Dan) Fouts out there in South Bend, but he won’t do it on camera.

“Somebody needs to sit down with Charlie and tell him how important marketing is to Notre Dame.”

I mean, he spent a week-long media blitz in late-July (or was it early August) including one day when he was on just about every ESPN TV and Radio show. Now he’s only willing to do an interview off camera a couple days before? I’m not saying that it wouldn’t just be fluff and irrelevant to the game itself, but what is really served by that kind of action? That’s just being an asshole.

I can hardly wait until that always useless moment when a sideline reporter trots upto or after Weis before or after half-time to ask an inane and useless question. What happens? A “No comment”; coach speak answer; a withering look of contempt; bitch-slapping?

I know, this is part of Weis’ super-genius strategy to galvanize the Domer fans. Piss off a legend — albeit an increasingly confused and befuddled legend — of college football broadcasting so Domer fans can yell at the TV and everywhere else in self-righteous, aggrieved tones about how ABC and Jackson are biased against ND.

I’m going to have to get a tape of this game.

Busy weekend on that front. First it was Aaron Smith on Saturday. Then reports came that Kevin Collier had pulled the trigger — though it seems he may be holding a press conference today to make it official. Then Ricky Gary, a bit undersized but speedy and athletic cornerback, from Florida committed.

Gary chose Pitt over schools like Iowa, Maryland, UNC, Ole Miss and Miss St. Here’s what Scouts, Inc./ESPN has to say (Insider Subs.)

Gary may lack ideal size for the position, but he doesn’t lack any of the physical tools. Dangerous return man and is threat to go the distance. This guy is a playmaker on the perimeter and what you really like is his aggressive, physical style of play in every area. Play much bigger than size indicates. All of his natural cover skills are solid including change of direction, the ability to turn and run, and explosiveness when breaking on the ball. He has good plant and drive qualities, and he has the speed to run with most receivers. Possesses excellent feet and closing burst. Is a reliable open-field tackler with surprising pop. He has a nose for the ball, likes to mix it up and is very willing in run support.

They rank him at 6.9 on their 9.0 scale and as the 17th best CB recruit (just behind Aaron Berry of Bishop McDevitt in Harrisburg). Both Scout.com and Rivals.com have him as a 3-star recruit.

As for Kevin Collier, he chose Pitt over Maryland, Syracuse, BC and Wisconsin. Scout.com has him as a 3-star, while Rivals.com is significantly higher on him. They have him as a 4-star and in their top 250 recruits. Not to mention the 17th best RB in the country and 3rd best recruit out of NY (preseason).

Aaron Smith is an athlete playing QB, and part of why he chose Pitt over Maryland was the chance to play WR. The Scouts, Inc./ESPN people don’t have an “athletes” category, so they put him in Cornerbacks at #32 with a 6.6 score. Both Scouts.com and Rivals.com have him as an athlete — though both indicate he would be better on defense. Scouts.com has him at 3-star, but indicate a rising stock from summer workouts. Rivals.com likes him more with a 4-star rank and in their top 250. They also have him as the 16th best athlete in the country, 15th best recruit in PA (preseason) and Pantherlair puts him at 14 in the state.

Rough weekend for Maryland. Three recruits they had on their list, all going to Pitt.

A disappointing performance for the Canadian National Team.

Marcelo Machado scored a tournament-high 42 points as Brazil downed Canada 105-81 in the FIBA Americas world qualifying tournament, eliminating the Canadians from the competition. Canada (1-3) finished at the bottom of its five-team group, with the top four teams advancing to the quarter-finals.

The loss also means Canada will not play in next year’s world basketball championships in Japan. It’s the first time Canada has failed to qualify for the world championships since 1967.

Levon Kendall finished with 13 points (6-11) 6 rebounds and 3 blocks in that game. A decent final game.

It wasn’t a particularly good tournament for him. He did pretty well in the team’s opening game.
In the second game against USA — which the Canadians actually won — he had 4 fouls, 2 points and 2 rebounds in 20 minutes.

Then in a loss to Panama, it was a 3 rebound 4 point effort in only 16 minutes.

Well he needed to come back to Pitt for the start of classes, I guess.

You know, maybe I’ll just chalk this up to letting it slip through the cracks.

A few weeks ago, AD Jeff Long said that Pitt was close to a deal to get its radio broadcasts on Satellite Radio, but wouldn’t say with which group.

I figured when they had the deal, they would announce it. Call me arrogant, but I don’t think I missed the announcement.

So, a closer look at the game notes (PDF, pg. 1) reveals that the games will be on Sirius.

This was a stupid slip. Something that should have gotten released sooner for the fans. Not a major error, but a stupid one. If you are going to say it’s coming, then let people know when it happens.