I hate to say it, but the crowd this Saturday is probably going to be a nasty throwback to the end of the Johnny Majors II/beginning of Walt Harris period. 4 tickets, only $70.

The athletic department was already concerned about this game before the season began as far as attendance. An 0-3 start is hard to overcome — even with the old unis. I’m going to have to miss the game this weekend for family obligations, and I know a couple of the tailgate crew have other things they can’t escape.

Well, the game notes from Pitt are up for the game (PDF). Kirkley is still listed as the starter at tailback, but there is an “OR” after his name followed by Stephens-Howling. Followed by another “OR” and Jennings. No other real changes in the depth chart, other than the obvious that Sam Bryant is now starting at Strong Safety. Behind him Redshirt Freshman Eric Thatcher “or” Freshman Tommie Campbell.

The transcript from Coach Wannstedt’s Monday Press conference is available. He admitted there were problems on special teams — especially on returns — that he blamed himself and the coaches. Brandon Mason was actually supposed to get some touches at tailback in the second half, but twisted his ankle on the onside kick-off to start the second half. He’s day-to-day.

There are several questions dealing with Palko and the passing game.

This is minor, but it struck me as interesting.

On Pitt’s punt returners:

Darrelle will return punts. We really just have him and Joe DelSardo. They’re really the only two guys we have right now. We could use Allen Richardson, but I don’t have a whole lot of confidence right now, but he’s the third guy.

Richardson must have really screwed up in academics, behavior/discipline or just lousy in practice.

From Fanblogs:

Brent Musburger was ticketed last night in Lincoln for having an open beer container in the ABC rental car.

Just to be clear Musberger was in the back seat. Not driving.

There’s no truth to the report that when the car was stopped, Musberger told the cop, “I should be drinking something stronger after having to call that game.”

In going through the news, the lack of even bothering with some (deserved) cheap shots at Pitt and Coach Wannstedt tells you just how quickly the media has gone back to ignoring Pitt. It also doesn’t reflect well on Nebraska (though the coaches there probably are happy not to be getting additional scrutiny) that they can go 3-0 and no one cares.

This is the extent of anyone noticing, from Craig James at ESPN.com:

On the other end of good was the Pittsburgh-Nebraska game. Hard to believe that Pitt is playing so badly. The team lines up to kick a game winning field goal and misses not once but twice! I did notice the Cornhusker nation of fans are still turning out in mass during this rebuilding phase. Not surprised.

And James had no choice but to watch. He was stuck in the ABC Studio while the game was on their regional coverage.

The most irrationally upbeat Husker coverage of the game I think I could fine. Easy summary — sure it was an ugly win, but it was still a win.

In one of those six degrees type things, a Lincoln Journal Star columnist and Pitt Athletic Department Special Assistant Johnny Majors.

For what it’s worth, I actually played junior high soccer with Majors’ son John back in Knoxville, Tenn., where Majors led the Tennessee football program for many years. Once we got past the pleasantries and the family updates — young John is in sales and still living in Knoxville — the former Iowa State coach recalled his previous encounters with the Huskers.

“We had a long uphill battle, but we fought them pretty hard,” Majors said, “and in my last year (at ISU, 1972), we ended up missing the extra point in the last 23 seconds in Ames and tied them 23-23. It was one of the biggest, closest glory days of our lives at Iowa State.”

Majors is absolutely, positively sold on Dave Wannstedt as the man to lead the Panthers.

“He’s made of the right stuff,” Majors said. “He’s tough. He’s intelligent. He’s very positive. He’s an outstanding leader.

“And I can tell you this, he’ll be back at work tomorrow believing he’s going to make this team better and get this program in good shape.”

No mention of how wobbly Majors was when he was talking. The article also notes that Nebraska AD Pederson now denies he ever tried to hire Coach Wannstedt at Nebraska — merely consulted with him regarding Houston Nutt.

Finally, just noting that even a less biased observer of the Pitt-Nebraska game had to say that Musberger sucked.

Brent Musburger has been supremely prepared for a long time, but for the second straight week, one has to call this broadcast giant onto the carpet for laughably bad play-by-play. In the final seconds of that frantic Pittsburgh-Nebraska finish, Musburger was lost. On that botched field goal (with seven seconds left) that preceded the blocked field goal that sealed Nebraska’s 7-6 win, Musburger thought that: A) “(Pitt head coach Dave) Wannstedt says his team has a first down.” No, it was second down, but Wannstedt said there was one second left and/or that his team had one more play. B) Musburger said the botched field goal “was a planned play.” One can be assured that no team would ever fake a field goal in Pitt’s shoes, and that no long snapper would ever be able to plan to hit the holder on the helmet and doink the ball right into the kicker’s hands.

Gary Danielson, though, showed why he’s the best, providing superior detail while also bailing out his confused partner. Danielson immediately stepped in to correct Musburger and note that Pitt had an extra down. Even more impressively, Danielson expressed the same kinds of concerns that Nebraska fans and viewers at home might have been thinking of, but were unsure about: namely, that Pittsburgh could have been flagged for intentional grounding, given that kicker Josh Cummings threw the ball to no receiver in particular, and made the throw within the tackle box. Danielson is such a perceptive analyst that you’re never left wanting for details with him. He’s the be-all and end-all, and there’s really no question about it.

As you can imagine, Nebraska fans and stories out of Lincoln are not exactly heralding the game as a major accomplishment. Oh, there are some with the Pollyana outlook — well, no. Not really. When even former Husker greats like Tommie Frazier are being critical of the team, there are problems.

For the most part there is, at best, a reaction that they’ll take the win and hope to get much better soon.

I have to agree with this point from a Husker blog talking about the game:

Prevent defense? ARE YOU KIDDING ME? Worst sin of the day. 1-pt game, we’ve hammered the QB all day, and we go to 3-man rush and surrender the one thing that this QB needs to succeed – time to deliver. That may have been the stupidest coaching move I have ever seen. Seriously.

He’s right. It’s like the dark side of NFL coaching experience. Dropping into prevent. In Pitt’s opening possession, Nebraska’s secondary was immediately exposed as being weak and not good against Pitt’s receivers. A 21 yard pass to Lee, an 18 yard completion to Strong. Finally, Nebraska came with the pressure and that forced Palko to throw away on 3d and 5. Before that blitz, Palko had started 3-4 with 44 yards. Then the defensive pressure on the line and blitzing became the standard and Palko went 5-17 and 108 yards (73 coming on one pass) until the final drive of the game. At that point, the prevent allowed him to go 3-6 for 38 yards and a FG attempt. Not a lot for either team to be excessively proud of.

Pitt’s D-line brought some actual pressure in the game, in part because of extra motivation by a public diss from the Nebraska offensive lines coach.

Yet, on the day of the game, Cornhuskers offensive line coach Dennis Wagner openly ripped the Panthers’ defensive line. He was especially critical of their defensive tackles.

“They’re really struggling,” Wagner told the Lincoln Journal Star. “They’ve had to use seven guys at those two positions — not because they don’t have depth, but because they can’t find an answer as to who they want to play there.

“We really feel like our inside three guys are going to have a great game and push those big guys around. Pitt’s guys like to play like trees — they stand up and look around.”

A photocopy of that newspaper story was passed around the Pitt locker room shortly before the opening kickoff.

“I personally read that one, and I took offense to it,” defensive end Charles Sallet said later.

“I think it was disrespectful,” defensive tackle Thomas Smith said, his eyes blazing. “This was the classiest city and the classiest fans that I’ve ever been around. I wouldn’t expect anybody to throw dirt in the paper like that, especially a coach.

“I think it was childish and disrespectful. I’m just sad I don’t get another year to play them again.”

It also seemed to be a stone coming from a glass house given Nebraska’s O-line issues.

In Taylor’s defense, he plays behind a line that’s been shaky. He never complains. He’s a strong leader, a great kid, a gamer. But this offense needs powerful, agile, pocket-protecting tackles. And last week we learned beyond a shadow of a doubt that Nebraska’s tackle play has been suspect at best. Indeed, offensive line coach Dennis Wagner essentially called out Seppo Evwaraye and Cornealius Fuamatu-Thomas, saying they weren’t getting the job done.

So, you get the impression that Wagner might be a little too eager to talk to the press.

The offensive line was succeeding at providing some holes for the running game — vastly aided by LaRod Stephens-Howling’s speed and elusiveness. Not to mention Ray Kirkley providing the change of pace.

Nebraska fans, won’t be forgetting Stephens-Howling — the scariest player Nebraska saw.

The main problem is, the pass protection from the line is still non-existent. As the opening and final drive showed, Palko is not that different a passer from last year. When given a chance to set and step into his throws they are strong and accurate. He just isn’t been getting much time. He was sacked 4 times and hit numerous other times.

If Pitt can’t throw the ball effectively, the offense will still be useless. Remember, the goal was a balanced offense.

2 blocked field goals and a botched snap. With Pitt’s offense struggling mightily, any special teams mistake gets magnified. Pitt can’t afford them.