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October 3, 2007

Will Pitt Win Another Game This Season?

Filed under: Coaches,Football — Chas @ 9:09 am

That seems to be the growing question being asked. The media is even wondering about it.

Q: Do you really believe this team can even win four games, and if that is all, how can you justify keeping this pair of coaches – Wannstedt and Cavanaugh, who are trying to play 1950’s football — for another year?

Zeise: Four games, I just don’t know if they can win even another game unless a few things change dramatically. Take the Navy game for instance: Does anything you have seen from this defense over the past six seasons lead you to believe it has any prayer of consistently stopping an option team? And further, do you think the offense will attempt to score against Navy — a team it should be athletically superior too — or will we see more of the same passive game plans of the past two weeks in an attempt to win 3-0? I would hope the coaches are at the point where they understand that desperate times call for desperate measures, and make no mistake, these are desperate times.

And it isn’t as some half-hearted joke.

The scary thing is, things might not get better this season. It’s hard to call anything a guaranteed win with this team.

The Panthers have a week off to regroup before Navy visits in one of the two remaining games they have any kind of chance of winning. A Nov. 3 game with Syracuse is the only other contest in which they seem to have any shot. The rest of the schedule includes home dates with Cincinnati and South Florida as well as road trips to Louisville, Rutgers and West Virginia. Each of those teams is either currently ranked in the top 25 or has spent most of the season there.

In September I did a few brief taped Q&As with a Louisville radio station (1570 the Zone) about Pitt. They were doing weekly bits on each Big East teams and would talk to the team appropriate blogger. (Strangely, the bits stopped happening right after Louisville lost to Kentucky.) During the last interview with them, I was recounting the injury list and how unsure basically Pitt fans were about this team after the patsies and shaky play at times. I tried to put it in a positive way at the end by saying, “at least Pitt isn’t Syracuse.”

Yeah. Not so funny now with the realization that Syracuse is essentially going to be a toss-up. In 2004, I called the Pitt-‘Cuse game the “Lame Duck Bowl,” because the losing coach was sure to be fired. Turns out both were. This year’s game is still a month away. Is it too early to wonder if we will be looking at Part 2?





Before the season (or was it after the EMU game?), I predicted a 3-9/4-8 season. Who knew how close to reality I was?

Comment by Joshua 10.03.07 @ 11:04 am

Sidenote among all this coaching discussion: Neat little article by Joe Starkey on the surge of the Cincinnati Bearcats…

link to sports.espn.go.com

Comment by Stoosh 10.03.07 @ 11:22 am

Big East PillowFight of the Year? Most Certainly
Lame Duck Bowl 2? not this year, maybe next though

Comment by matt in orlando 10.03.07 @ 12:04 pm

also, why did the guy asking the question mention cav and wanny but not rhoades or dunn???

Comment by matt in orlando 10.03.07 @ 12:05 pm

This team is in serious trouble and there is no sign that its going to get better any time soon. Did DW actually say in the PG today that he was “impressed with Bostick” ????? If so, then he needs to leave immediately.

Comment by Rex 10.03.07 @ 12:17 pm

Rhoades and Dunn are a given. If they somehow stay I will be the first in line to pick up the torches and storm the new AD’s office.

Comment by Tony In Harrisburg 10.03.07 @ 12:19 pm

Question about pitts play calling. Can someone tell me why Pitt stick to the wildcats offense when their best play is the handoff to Shady with Porter faking hte reverse.

we have scored two tds off this play why dont we run into more.

Defensively– what is wrong? We are getting a decent push from our front four but our secondary plays too far off the ball.

Lastly, when is DW just play the underclassmen? The chance of getting to the magical 7 wins does not look good but at least will can build confidence now for next year

Comment by cdmoore25 10.03.07 @ 12:34 pm

Rex, I think Pat Bostick played a decent game on Saturday. For a true FR making his first start, on the road, his play was impressive. The one INT he threw would not have been so had the WR looked for the ball (which he did not). In fact, I saw DW say that very thing on Panthers Weekly. Bostick ran the offense that MC called. It also did not help that the team was down 27 -0 at the end of the first quarter.

Comment by HbgFrank 10.03.07 @ 12:42 pm

J.D. Brookhart I take as head coach tomorrow.

Comment by Tony In Harrisburg 10.03.07 @ 2:13 pm

does anyone think if we win 3 games this year, DW is still the coach in ’08? any thoughts?

Comment by Rex 10.03.07 @ 2:22 pm

The Pitt offense will score against Navy, there is no doubt. We have one of the worst defenses in the entire country. However, I doubt the ability of Pitt’s defense to do much of anything against Navy’s offense, which has shown the ability to move the ball almost at will. Coupled with the fact that Pitt has never had to gameplan for the triple option, and this game will likely get up into the thirties.

Comment by Adam 10.03.07 @ 2:24 pm

Rex,

I’m pretty sure that even if the team goes 2-10 this season, Wannstedt will still be around next year. The administration seems committed to him through next year. Also, I don’t think that they will want to buy out his contract quite yet with so much invested in him.

Comment by Nick in State College 10.03.07 @ 2:52 pm

We will win 4 games this year, and 12 next year, just like that other team did a few years back…

…my point is things can and have turned around in a heartbeat. Let the kids play and develop, give the coaches at least another year.

That being said, we’re going to get creamed by Navy. Lose by 2 TDs. I just hope it doesn’t rain – i don’t want to sit in the rain to watch them lose.

Comment by Stuart 10.03.07 @ 3:32 pm

I don’t think that we loose to Navy…after that game, it does not look good, maybe Syracuse, but that’s about it for wins.

Comment by HbgFrank 10.03.07 @ 3:39 pm

“lose”

Comment by HbgFrank 10.03.07 @ 4:33 pm

He’ll be back for one more year. Bank on it.

Comment by Jimbo Covert's my Dad 10.03.07 @ 6:57 pm

Stuart, I agree with you that things can change quickly and that we all need to give it at least one more year. I happen to belive this years team is better than it is playing and I expect we will win 3 more games, including Navy. of course, I was expecting some inspired play at VA!!!

Comment by TMGpanther 10.03.07 @ 7:03 pm

Normally I think things can turn around (RU lost to New Hampshire two years ago), but the team has to (1) have discipline and (2) believe in the staff. It will be a L-O-N-G rest of a dismal season, then a L-O-N-G offseason, and based on the results so far, I don’t think Wannstedt has it in him to win back the team (cuz he’s already lost them for this season) and keep them motivated through the off-season. Many will quit and leave, the rest will sit on their assses because they know they won’t be benched or replaced, Buddy be damned. If fact, wouldn’t be surprised if Morris quits, either out of disgust or as a scapegoat. Sure as hell won’t be Rhoads, that much we know.

As many are mentioning, what has anyone seen in the last 7 years to think that a Paul Rhoads defense can handle anything resembling Navy? They can score as many points as they want to. Every team can. WVU will put up 80 this year. And I’m absolutely serious. Particularly if WVU loses a couple more bad ones, Rodriguez will look to win back his grumpy hoopies by plastering Pitt as bad as possible this year.

Comment by geeman2001 10.03.07 @ 7:53 pm

We win at Rutgers. You heard it here first. I’m telling you. Wanny’s first big win.

I also predicted a win at UVA but I have a really good feeling about going into Rutgers this year.

Comment by MelbaPlace 10.03.07 @ 8:06 pm

You guys suck .

Comment by MYNAMEis BLOw 10.03.07 @ 8:21 pm

Yes we do, we’re not ashamed to admit it. We will not always be bad so when it’s our turn to gloat we will.

Comment by Rusty Shackelford 10.03.07 @ 9:02 pm

Melba, I love your optimism, but how the hell do we stop Ray Rice? He should be good for at least 4 scores against us, and that should be more than enough to win.

Comment by Crackbaldo 10.03.07 @ 11:52 pm

navy is going to run for over 350 yards against us. EASILY.

Comment by matt in orlando 10.04.07 @ 1:58 am

Nah- Navy wont run up that many yards. Speed kills and navy doesnt have the speed to kill us. Navy will move the ball but pitt will put navy in long 2nd down sitaution to eliminate the running option. I truely beleive Pitt will play inspired football against NAvy. Dont be surprise if pitt beats them 41-14.

We all know winning begets confidence and confidence begets better play. So lets stick behind our panther and get this prverbail snowball moving.

GO PITT

Comment by cdmoore25 10.04.07 @ 9:13 am

I wish I had cdmoore’s confidence….but Rhodes “inspired” defenses have shown a total lack of 1. understanding 2. positioning 3. execution to stop any team’s option attack….look it up….Toledo…nada…S Fla in 01….ah no ha…WVU, Conn Mich St..fuggedaboutit..anytime Pitt has faced a mobile option QB or offensive scheme….our D has proven to be less than adequate….with 10 days to prepare….another lackluster, unispired effort by Pitt will convince me that Wanny has lost this team for the season…and maybe more

Comment by deter 10.04.07 @ 10:54 am

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