For this, I don’t actually blame Coach Wannstedt. No really. This issue actually coming up now, seems more in response to being asked by reporters since there will be two years on his contract after this season, and it’s the common time for extensions to happen or “lame-duck” arguments to begin.
He is in the third year of a five-year contract and, although he has talked with the chancellor about a contract extension, he said it is not his current top priority. Instead, that top priority is getting the Panthers on the winning track.
“I’m going to be here, I have had very good conversations with the chancellor,” an upbeat Wannstedt said yesterday.
“We’ve spoken about the direction of the program and what we are trying to accomplish, and he’s been very supportive. We are doing things the right way, but ultimately, we have to start winning some games, and nobody understands that better than I do. I know if we can get a few more good recruiting classes here, we’ll get to where we need to be.”
It is all informal at this point. I don’t think an extension is going to happen at this point. Again, that whole lack of an AD thing.
Then there’s the obligatory article on how a lack of an extension could be a drag on recruiting from a recruiting analyst. Of course a lack of winning is also a drag on recruiting so…
Ron Cook decides that Wannstedt should get an extension. In a very tepid way.
This is going to sound insane, but this is the time Nordenberg should be thinking about an extension for Wannstedt. Not a five- or 10-year deal, but one year. If Nordenberg believes Wannstedt still is his man, he has to do it. That would carry more weight than a vote of confidence. That wouldn’t just help Pitt’s recruiting. It would let Pittsburgh know the Pitt administration is prepared to ride out the storm with Wannstedt.
That’s not easy to do — public sentiment has turned dramatically against Wannstedt since the horrible home losses to Connecticut and Navy the past three weeks — but that kind of strength has been known to pay off. I’m thinking of Greg Schiano at Rutgers. His first four teams went 2-9, 1-11, 5-7 and 4-7, but Rutgers stuck with him. I’m also thinking of Frank Beamer at Virginia Tech. His first six teams went 2-9, 3-8, 6-4-1, 6-5, 5-6 and 2-8-1.
It’s nice to think Wannstedt also will reward that same kind of patience.
Oh, please. Times are different, and the programs he is comparing them to were in completely different places. Not to mention that there was still some improvement on those records, with at worst a minor step back. Not this.
A one year extension seems almost like a reasonable compromise, I will concede, but I just don’t see the point or necessity. It still screams out, “coach on the hot seat,” only it has the subtext of concern for recruiting. Yippee.
Really, the most surprising thing is that Cook is now ready to give up the ghost on Rhoads.
I’m always hesitant to put too much blame on coordinators because the head coach is the boss and has responsibility for the product. There’s no excuse for Pitt’s defense to play so poorly when Wannstedt has such a strong defensive background. But defensive coordinator Paul Rhoads always has said he should be blamed if his defense doesn’t respond to him. Well, it’s not responding and hasn’t for a few years.
Wannstedt wouldn’t comment about Rhoads or any of his coaches yesterday, including offensive coordinator Matt Cavanaugh, who took big-time heat for his play calling at the end of the Navy game, or offensive line coach Paul Dunn, who has his critics. But, after saying he has “all the confidence in the world” in his staff, Wannstedt acknowledged, “I’ll sit down after the season and make the decisions that are in the best interests of the Pitt program, not in the best interests of Dave Wannstedt. I’m not 35 years old trying to make a name for myself. I’m going to do what’s right for Pitt.”
Cook wants to blame Wannstedt for this defense, but has just argued that Wanny needs more time. That only leaves Rhoads. Tick-tock. Tick-tock.
Interesting sidenote. Pitt has never comeback from a halftime deficit under Wannstedt. Guess who else has not?
And his 0-15 mark when trailing at halftime is hilarious. One day soon, we’ll look back on this 2007 season and study just how poorly Callahan handled these Huskers in practice and on gameday.
Hmm.
One more Wanny-Callahan comparison, courtesy of Orson Swindle at EDSBS.
Neither coach did what Pete Carroll openly admits he had to do in what he believed to be his last shot at coaching success: change. Both are now in deep danger of losing their jobs. Species that don’t change, disappear–this rule applies to NFL coaches heading to the college ranks as much as it applies to college coaches heading to the NFL. When Merrill Hoge sneers at the next college coach to fail in the “man’s league†that is the NFL, let that 7-6 nightmare and the reigns of Gailey/Callahan/Wannstedt stand as testimony that failure is a two-way street.
Disturbingly true on so many levels. Wannstedt hasn’t tried to change anything in his approach. He remains wedded to his system, his way and his losses. The belief/hope that when Wannstedt was hired he’d be a lot like Pete Carroll because they were both “rah-rah, players coaches” whose schtick just didn’t work in the NFL, but college would be different. It ignores that Carroll has changed things in his approach and style. Not being a player’s coach and semi-cheerleader, rather the substance of the practices and preparing the players.
When Carroll says the best player starts regardless of class status — it’s true. Not so with Wannstedt who still overvalues experience and upperclassmen despite what he says.
Beamer and Schiano were in different situations, Wanny walked into a decent established program.
Say it afer me, Wanny is dense, Wanny is dense..
WANNY IS DENSE………..
I don’t entirely trust Wannstedt to turn this ship around next year with the return of injured vets and the younger kids earning some experience. Then again, I don’t entirely trust the administration to bring in the right coach if wholesale changes are made (something about the fact that the last time we did this, the other finalists for the job were Cavanaugh and Rhoads).
We’re not getting Bo Pelini, who seems to be this year’s “Urban Meyer”. He’s going to have his choice of jobs at the end of this year, including LSU if Miles leaves to take over Michigan.
Wanna pull a Cincy and get an up-and-coming MAC coach? OK. Who’s out there?
The first name that leaps off the page is J.D. Brookhart from Akron, for obvious reasons. Not sure what kind of thoughts that conjures up among the Pitt faithful. I remember a lot of Pitt fans being disappointed when he left.
Would Solich leave Ohio? Would we want Solich?
I don’t see Tom Amstutz leaving Toledo…ditto for Joe Novak at Northern Illinois.
Al Golden from Temple? Turner Gill from Buffalo? Shane Montgomery from Miami-Ohio?
What I’m hearing is that Wanny is asking for an extension to allow him to appear stable in his job because his rival coaches are using it as a negative recruiting tool.
It’s a catch 22 situation, extend the contract and extend the buy-out or a smart businessman would extend his contract with little or no buy out clause at termination.
It is really going to fall on the administration on how they approach the contract extension situation.
I expect the administration to do something totally insane and extend his contract but his contract can be structured to minimize a buyout when he is fired or asked to leave.
He will be here at least one more season.
There are a few NFL assistant coaches — Jacksonville defensive coordinator Mike Smith and Arizona secondary coach Teryl Austin among them — who might have an interest in the job at the University of Pittsburgh if Dave Wannstedt isn’t back in 2008. The consensus seems to be that Wannstedt will get one more year to get the struggling Panthers turned around. But the school is getting a new athletic director, and the incoming AD might want to make a change.
Yes, there should be some changes but not at the headcoaching spot. DW is getting depth on this team so when people go down or dont perform on the field or in the classroom it wont hurt as bad losing them on field becuase we will talent.
Support Pitt and DW… It will get better.
GO PITT
PS- Bring back the script Pitt and classic uniforms. We need our identity back!!!
And no one tell me they already have. Let me hold on to that fairy tale as long as I can.
I say give him a 3 year extension – but don’t put some huge buyout in it. He has to agree to that, right? We’re giving him an extension with a most-likely 2 or 3 win team, which is a gift – now give up your right to screw us if this doesn’t work out in 2 or 3 years. That way he can tell recruits he’ll be around for a while, and still bring in good recruits – so even if we do make a change, someone won’t have to come in to a bare cupboard. I still definitely think you give him at least 1 if not 2 more years to do something. Look at ND – how does Weiss come in and win over 10 games, and then a couple years later, tank? Would Ty have won cause he players matured? Its obviously not “just coaching” – otherwise they wouldn’t have a worse record than us based on the coaches ability from 2 years ago. I think i today’s “win now” atmosphere people are too fast to get rid of someone instead of giving them a realistic trial period to show what they can do. If he can’t win with all his players as juniors and seniors in 2 and 3 years, then I will agree there is something definitely wrong here. But he won’t have his juniors and seniors until 09 and 10.
On the other hand Wanny needs to live by the gun and die by the gun. Get rid of that DC – take the job over yourself. If you’re going to get fired because your D is killing you, go down as the captain of that ship. Don’t let some retard drag you down.
And i’m not sure why Pitt wants to play the coaching carousel game – when has that ever worked? Why do we want to follow in the footsteps of programs that fail? What are we really going to accomplish changing coaches every three years? What if we get a new coach who doesn’t recruit well, but wins with Wanny’s juniors and seniors, we give them a 10 year extension, and then it turns out they really suck, and only won with Wanny’s recruits? Then we’re back to square one. I think Wannstedt deserves a full 5 or 6 years (cause his first class was a lame duck class and guys have 5 years of eligibility) before we run him out of town.
Pitt’s non-con for next year:
9-13 UCF
9-20 Iowa
10-18 @ Navy
11-1 @ Notre Dame
TBA Bowling Green
Also, for conferenece play, presumably on the road against Cincinnati, South Florida,
Connecticut, and Syracuse, with home games against West Virginia, Louisville, and Rutgers.
He has let Rhoades run this shitty defense that everyone who has watched over the last 6 years knows will get blow off the field over and over again and Wanny is OK with that because he thinks it should work.
He needs to look in mirror and understand what he thinks is going to work just isn’t and that if he thinks it’s a good idea then he should do the exact opposite.
In other words only the “George Constanza rule†will work when it comes to Wanny and game day or game plan decisions.
Either that or he needs to STEP AWAY from decisions and surround himself with people to do just that for him. People who can get things done and not just blame the player’s level of talent or their execution. (If I hear that excuse again I am going to puke)
Wanny needs people who are accountable for the team they put on the field and how well or how poorly they are prepared and he needs to let these people take some chances on defense and on offense. No more bend don’t break! No more run, run, 4 yard pass! Show that you actually put thought into a game plan and that you looked at who was on the schedule before you got out on the field.
Ok now I am pissed off just thinking about Wanny getting an extension. He could bring the number 1 ranked class 3 years in row and still find a way to lose games.
Please someone throw tons of cash at Bill Cowher to take this job. Please!
PS. ive been hearing stuff about Ditka as AD??? anyone hear this or is it just alum having wishful thinking… Not so sure if Ditka would make a good AD.
I am still standing by my post that the administration needs to find an ad asap and let him decide what to do with Wanny. He can say if he gets an extension or not.
where did you find the len pasquarelli article?
Leavitt won’t leave USF. That’s his baby…he’s been with the program since its inception and he’s already turned down numerous requests – even before USF emerged as a legitimate threat – to move up to what would be regarded as more prestigious levels (I think he’s turned down overtures from Miami twice, and also a number of SEC schools as well).
I wouldn’t mind seeing Mangino but I want to make sure his coaching credentials outweigh his Western PA ties. I don’t give a rat’s ass if the next coach is from Siberia and he’s never heard of Pittsburgh…if a change is made, this school needs to make sure it brings someone in who is in touch with what can and what won’t work in college football today and in the future – not what worked ten or twenty years ago. I don’t want to discount the value in keeping local kids here. I just don’t want it to outweigh the actual understanding of the college football landscape.
Wanny I say waits until we get an AD….then gets a 1 year extension….much reduced buyout clause and a mandate to change his staff to improve the performance of the DC , O line….ah heck OC too
link to sports.espn.go.com
Good to know there’s at least still interest in our Head Coaching job…
You can argue that Pitt doesn’t have the money to give him a 1-2 year extension and then fire him if he doesn’t turn it around in 2008 and that may have some merit.
But since neither you nor I have insight to the University’s budget I am not sure any of us can state whether they can or cannot afford to give him the extension to help recruiting but tell him either win 7 to 8 games next year or you are gone (privately of course).
All I am saying is that it is possible that he gets the extension and still has to put up a winner next year or be gone.
Another topic I wanted to ask…is being hired as an AD a promotion for DW or is it possible that he could finally find the position he is skilled enough at doing?
The reason I ask is this guy seems to know how to hit the mark with recruiting. He seems to have a knack at communicating and selling the message to not just recruits, but adults (parents and coaches) as well.
Now I don’t pretend to know everything about the AD’s role, but perhaps this shouldn’t be seen as a promotion from head coach. But maybe DW’s skills lie elsewhere than the field.
Just a thought…wanted to see what you guys thought
DaveD
Picksburgh is a professional sports town – not to offend people here, but, well, lets face it. Pitt is a University. The gross majority of people here didn’t attend college, and don’t have any interest in college games. I’ve had to go into Damons before and FIGHT to get a Pitt game put on one single TV…its ridiculous. The Stillers do well in attendance, and the Pens do well in attendance…and if it was just about “wins and losses” NO ONE would go to Bucco’s games – but they do, because it is a pro sport here.
Right now, i see no canidate that both A) we want and B) wants to come here. No reason to make some dumb change…like i’ve said before, let him have his recruits until they are all the juniors and seniors, then we can put this argument to rest once and for all.
And no one responds about Weiss: Did he win because of Ty’s players? Someone explain to me what happened at ND – how do you win the majority of your games with “crappy players” but in 2 years can’t do it with “your recruits.” Seriously, we both made changes at the same time – and they only difference is he won for a couple years with what was left in the cupboard – and now they have a worse record than us. So he can coach, but he can’t, he can recruit but he can’t? Someone…help….
Weiss beat the shit out of us in DW’s first game here. He has had ND in the BCS series. They just beat UCLA and their schedule (as always) is murder compared to our walk in the park.
I would have much prefered the ride the ND fans have had over the last three years then what we have had to deal with.
Also ND will once again have a better record the us this year when it’s all over.
I think he needs the benefit of the doubt and another year or maybe two with some improvement in 08. With Bostick and Shady as Juniors we should contend for the Big East title. A coaching change after next season would probably be devastating. Rhoads should have been fired years ago. He needs to go.
As for Leavitt, Bowden was a fixture at West Virginia until Florida State made him a financial commitment he could not turn down. At that time Florida State was a football doormat. Further, you obviously have never been on the South Florida campus, which is not unusual, because it it is urban campus with no campus, just school buildings scattered around a crime ridden area of Tampa. It is strictly a commuter campus, with little or no support from the academic facilty and no traditional wealthy alumni. Finally, how many coaches have used the declaration they will never leave an institution, as a method to push up their value. I was unaware of the his other offers, but those you argue Pitt does not have the finacial circumstance to attract top talent, I respectfully disagree. The University is one of the wealthiest endowed schools in this country. It is simply whether the university power brokers believe athletics is worth the cost to the university.
My argument is that regretably I no longer live in the city, the character of the city and the national reputation of the university are dramatically different then they were in the 70’s and 80’s.
