Paul Zeise won’t say who, but he seems increasingly to believe that there has to be and will be some sort of move made/forced to shake-up the coaching staff.

Q: I know you said Wannstedt is safe for at least another year but if we should we go 2-10 or 3-9, will we at least see a house cleaning of some of the coaching staff?

ZEISE: I think at this point there are a few changes coming almost regardless of what happens from here on and, yes, I’d expect a few major changes if the floor completely falls out of it like it appears is in the process of happening. That has to happen – it is the first step for a university to send a message to a faltering football coach that the direction of the program needs to change.

That theme was repeated a bit Zeise’s online chat. As was a bit of wistfulness for Walt Harris. You know, before this season I was talking with someone about how I didn’t always get the constant drumbeat of denigrating Harris. The answer I got was that in time, people will appreciate a little more what he actually accomplished. Have to admit he or I didn’t expect it to happen this season. Also PantherRants gave itself a little link in the chat.

In another Q&A Zeise was asked about Wannstedt’s seeming penchant to prefer upperclassmen over youth. It’s hard not to reach that conclusion. Several players with seemingly better physical ability still find themselves not starting or playing as much because of an upperclassmen who doesn’t seem to be doing very well. This, I think, is as much due to Coach Wannstedt’s conservative approach. He would rather see a guy beat on a play then a risk a mental error that is a greater chance of occurring with a younger player. I don’t necessarily agree considering the returns lately, but that seems to be how the equation works.

Sure as the leaves changing colors, when the defense starts to struggle Paul Rhoads suddenly stops being quoted in all news articles and disappears from the media. Matt Cavanaugh may not be doing the job as the OC, but at least he will still talk to the media when things go in the tank (I admit to being more willing to cut him a little more slack given the injuries to the offensive side of the ball, and the fact that I would like to see what would happen if the O-line ever performed).

Cavanaugh says that this coming Wednesday, QB Pat Bostick will actually have a chance to throw the ball in the first half. Maybe even in the first quarter.

“I know it’s not much fun for a quarterback when most of second-and-medium and second-and-long and third downs, we were handing the ball off,” Cavanaugh said of the Panthers’ game plan last weekend.

The Panthers trailed, 27-0, at the end of the first quarter and 30-7 at halftime, yet Bostick threw just three passes in the first half.

“We’re certainly not going to let him cut loose and air it out on every down,” Cavanaugh said. “But there’s going to be a better balance, hopefully, in the play-calling. So I’ve got to do a better job of that, and as long as he’s making good decisions and getting completions, we’ll try to be a little more balanced.

“Last week, we went in trying to keep the game close and being very conservative and running the ball as much as we could, to give us a chance to win at the end. Obviously, that didn’t transpire.”

No. No it did not.

Does anyone else start to cringe just a bit when Coach Wannstedt starts comparing games and teams today to match-ups that were around 20 years prior?

Wannstedt compared Pitt’s preparation for Navy to his days at the University of Miami, when the Hurricanes had to play against Barry Switzer and Oklahoma’s Wishbone.

“We played them in a couple national championship games, and we went full speed with the scout guys cutting,” Wannstedt said. “You can’t simulate that. And if you don’t do it, it’s tough enough adjusting to that when the game starts, so you have to do some of that in practice.”

Yeesh.  It’s time to move on. All that does is remind everyone that Coach Wannstedt was a hell of a defensive coordinator. And that Jimmy Johnson isn’t coming through that door.