Those were the themes from yesterday’s Pitt media day, at least in the storylines written.
First the attitude stuff.
After a season that started with high expectations and ended in a 5-6 disappointment, the Panthers set out to change the negative attitude that permeated the program. They did so at the behest of quarterback Tyler Palko, tight end Steve Buches, linebacker H.B. Blades and cornerback Darrelle Revis.
“Last year, there was a lot of friction between guys,” Revis said. “There was an offense versus defense thing last year. Us leaders got together and talked to these guys and said, ‘We’ve got to be a team.’
Why? One side couldn’t run, the other couldn’t stop the run. There was so much in common.
“The unity this year is much better.”
The usual air of optimism surrounded Pitt’s annual media Monday at the UPMC Sports Performance Complex on the South Side, and the start of practice today. The difference with the Panthers is their newfound attitude, one with which the veterans have become outspoken leaders who are buying into Dave Wannstedt’s program instead of questioning it.
…
“It’s important to start fast and strong,” Buches said. “Camp, I believe, will tell us a lot about what we’ll be doing. Camp will answer a lot of questions.”
There are plenty of questions to address: Is the offensive line improved? Can the Panthers establish a running game? Can they stop the run? Can they win on the road?
The next 18 days of practice will help determine the answers for a team trying to erase memories of last season.
“We don’t need to panic because we went 5-6,” Palko said. “If the panic button is going to be pressed, it’s because we embarrassed ourselves last year. We have a new season, new things to look forward to this year.”
Questions for the coaches come later.
The attitude theme continues in this short AP story.
“The attitude changed and we started to develop a team chemistry,” Palko said. “We even had a little swagger about us and none of those things were a part of our team last season. That’s what was missing.
“But you can’t compare the spring and offseason workouts to regular-season ones,” he said. “So, those things will have to carry over into the regular season for us to have a good year, but I think we’ll be able to do it.”
I’m as excited as anyone about practices finally starting and the season now only a few weeks off, but media days with the standards storylines and such bring (further to the fore) my cynical side. It’s not like there’s a lot to say or write really, it’s as much a meet and greet for the players and press as anything else. Try to set some relationships and figure out who will talk and trust and such.
As for the offense, the theme of course with Coach Wannstedt is running the ball. TO make it more palatable and sell it to the local media he made the easy comparison.
“We’re not going to deviate from our philosophy,†Wannstedt said. “It’s as clear as day. West Virginia wins our conference last year, and they were the best at running the ball, and they were the best at stopping the run. … And then, the Steelers win the Super Bowl under that philosophy.
“If nothing else, that reaffirmed, in my mind, what I said last January. Now, we did not get it done, but we’re going to get it done. And we’re going to make strides, and that’s how we’re going to build this football team.
“That’s the type of people that we’re going to have be a part of it from an ability standpoint and a philosophy standpoint, and that’s not going to change,†Wannstedt said.
I can’t believe he won’t give the run and gun another chance.
Of course, to run the ball, there needs to be an offensive line you know, to open those things called holes.
But an increase in physical conditioning is only one reason the line, the subject of much criticism in recent years, may have gone from the team’s biggest question mark to perhaps its greatest strength.
That’s because the line is more established, more experienced and far more consistent heading into training camp.
“Last year, the losing record, that was on the O-line. We’ll take responsibility for it,” said Simonitis, who enters his fourth year as a starter. “But this is a different group. That’s the commitment we made to each other and to this team. We have all worked our [tails] off to get to a point where we can compete. Not just in the weight room, in the film room. We will be one of the team’s strengths. We want to lead the charge.”
I like what they are saying, but I’m not going to believe until I see it. Until I see Stephens, Collier, Collins, Mason or Brooks take the ball and run between a couple O-linemen who have sealed off their blocks and opened a hole for a nice 5-7 yard gain. And I’m not talking against The Citadel or Cinci.
Still, most feel that the lack of depth will be the biggest issue. To help with that and get him on the field, redshirt freshmen DT Chris Bokor is moving to Guard.
