Despite Louisville’s team setbacks, Senior Defensive End Elvis Dumervil has not been the problem. He leads a ferocious pass rush and looks to break the NCAA Div1-A record for sacks in a season. For some reason, while not too into post-sack celebrations, he has announced plans to do so against Pitt.
Palko just smiled when asked about Dumervil’s comments.
“He can dance all he wants,” Palko said. “He’s leading the country in sacks, so he can do the Irish jig with (Cincinnati Bengals receiver) Chad Johnson if he wants to.
“I really don’t get into personal battles like that. He says what he wants to say, and we’ll leave it at that.”
Will Pitt’s defense respond to Dumervil’s antics?
“We don’t have any dances,” linebacker H.B. Blades said with a sly grin. “But I heard Dumervil has one so … I’m sure we’ll come up with something nice.”
Now, I don’t begrudge a celebration, either and I’m with Palko. What I don’t get is why he thinks that sacking Palko is a special achievement. Pitt has given up the most sacks in the Big East, other than being on ESPN on Thursday, it’s not exactly a special achievement to sack Palko.
Still, it has managed to give bulletin board material to the O-line.
Dumervil’s next victim, err, opponent is Pitt left tackle Charles Spencer, who for the second consecutive game has heard a lot about the player that is lining up opposite of him. The Panthers (4-4, 3-1 Big East) play at Louisville (5-2, 1-2) Thursday in a key conference matchup.
And much like the week leading up to the Panthers’ previous game when he was continually asked about Syracuse defensive end James Wyche, Spencer was a man of few words in his response.
“He’s a very good defensive end,” Spencer said. “He stays moving, he’s a hard worker. I admire the way he works and overall he is a very good defensive end. But just like in the previous weeks, I’ve been getting it all week about the other team’s defensive ends.”
Wyche was good, but Dumervil is a potential 1st round NFL draft pick. He’s received comparisons to the Indianapolis Colts’ Dwight Freeney including from Coach Wannstedt.
“He does have some of the same qualities as Dwight, whom I’m really familiar with,” said Wannstedt, whose Panthers play at Louisville on Thursday. “The speed is the No. 1 thing. But there are a lot of guys who have played this game and are fast and don’t make plays.
“The thing Dumervil does, you can see him rush the passer, you can see him strip the ball, you can see him make an interception on a screen play — I believe that was against North Carolina. The guy is a complete football player. He’s not a one-dimensional, run up the field and try to rush the passer guy. That’s what impresses me about him.”
If Pitt can keep Louisville to 3 or less sacks, then Pitt has a great chance (not to mention because it likely means Pitt isn’t dropping back to throw as much, suggesting a lead).
