LaRod Stephens-Howling gets a puff piece today.
At the start of this season, Pitt coach Dave Wannstedt figured Stephens-Howling was a specialty-play back. He planned on using the rookie just for sweeps and screen passes instead of making him a part of the power running game Wannstedt was installing.
But when burly back Rashad Jennings went down with an injury before the Nebraska game, Wannstedt turned Stephens-Howling loose. And after watching Stephens-Howling burrow through and zip around the Blackshirts, Wannstedt reconsidered his plan.
“He’s a tough guy,” Wannstedt said. “He really has a God-given ability to not get hit (straight-on) very often. The great (backs) that I’ve been around do that.
“You could never get a good shot on Barry Sanders, Emmitt Smith or Tony Dorsett. They could protect themselves. They had to. When you’re (LaRod’s) size, you’re not going to be playing the game long if you don’t. I don’t know if it’s an instinctive thing or just survival.”
They just can’t keep running him straight ahead with the offensive line that presently exists. He’s got speed and he hits the hole well, but if there’s no hole, there’s still no gain.
Maybe I’m just feeling burned after all the optimism that started the season, but this article makes it seem as if Coach Wannstedt is a little too satisfied with things to this point.
Wannstedt said his adjustment from life in the NFL, where he spent the past 16 years, to life as a college coach took longer than he expected. Now that he has grown comfortable in his job, he has become a much better and more effective coach.
“I’ve learned so much, I’ve grown so much in so many ways as coach and it has been a great experience for me,” Wannstedt said. “I think the biggest area is in communicating with my players and understanding. They look to me as more than just their coach. I am also asked to be a mentor and that’s something that I really enjoy about this job.
“In the NFL, there would be a rare occasion where you’d have a conversation with a player during the season that went beyond what it would take to win the next game. Here there is a lot more going on with these young kids. When they are in my office, most of the time we aren’t talking about football; it is about what is going on in his life, socially, or maybe there’s a problem back home or with a girlfriend …
“I have enjoyed that part of it, but it is a lot more necessary now than I remember. I want to be here for these guys and I want their parents to know I am here, to offer advice, to help them when I can in whatever they need. That’s all part of it, and I’ve grown a lot in that area and it has made me a better coach.”
I like a lot of what I read in that article. From the support Coach Wannstedt is receiving, to understanding that winning is what will fill Heinz Field, to the recruiting, and the way he talks about the players and wanting to help them. Hell, a lot of it is just pure gold to send to parents of potential recruits.
It’s just that there is almost a sense of relaxing, now that Pitt has gotten to 4-4. And I don’t want to read that. Especially as Pitt gets ready for Louisville on the road, on Thursday night, on ESPN, before a sell-out.
Especially, now that the Pizza Place has become something of a good home field advantage for the Cardinals.
Dumervil might be on to something. Over the past two seasons U of L has been nearly unstoppable on its home field.
Papa John’s Cardinal Stadium has received rave reviews for its nice chair-back seating, its luxury boxes, the Brown & Williamson Club and other amenities. Being an intimidating place has not been on that list, but that could be changing.
In three home games this season, the Cardinals have averaged 64.3 points and given up an average of 17. Last season the numbers were 50.6 and 10.4.
With Pittsburgh coming to visit Thursday night for an ESPN-televised contest, U of L has won nine straight at home, its longest such streak since an 11-game run from 1992-94 that tied the school record set at Parkway Field from 1946-48.
But the dominant fashion in which the Cards have put together their current streak is worth writing home about. They’ve won their past four home games by an average of 51.3 points. That includes beating a Cincinnati team that went on to win last season’s PlainsCapital Fort Worth Bowl, an Oregon State team that bounced back to upset California and a North Carolina team that went on to knock off Virginia.
“We can get momentum going in a hurry at home,” sophomore quarterback Brian Brohm said. “I think it really fires up the defense, because the crowd gets loud and can affect the other team trying to execute on offense.”
U of L has given up just 55 rushing yards per game at home this season, and opponents have converted just 37 percent of their third downs. The Cardinals have averaged 537.3 yards per game and 9.1 per play.
There are some absurd splits between Louisville on the road versus at home. It was at home where they completely blew out UNC and Oregon St. Their losses came on the road.
At home they’ve average 64.3 points/game and allowed opponents only 17.0 points /game. The road has been far unkinder for them.
This has to be a concern for Pitt. Especially when you consider the fact that 3 of the 4 losses came on the road and in 2 of the 3 road games Pitt didn’t get an offensive touchdown. I realize that the Nebraska and Ohio games were in the beginning of the season when the team was really struggling, but it isn’t that far removed.
What can I say, I’m already very nervous about this game.
