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October 16, 2007

As I said before, I’m still catching up with a lot of stuff. So, a little bit backtracking to post-Navy. After the game, the fan anger — once past the call on 4th down — was about the defense being it’s sieve-like self. Same as it has always been with Rhoads in charge. The Zeise on-line chat the day after was all about that.

DontTaseMeBro: After watching the MSU game, I thought the D-Line was making progress. After watching the O-line of Navy just blow Pitt off the ball, Im starting to think the MSU game was a fluke. Im having a hard time thinking navys players are superior physically so Im thinking this falls on coaching. Is this coaching or just people playing out of position?

Paul Zeise: Well — the one constant on this defense since 2003 hasn’t been the players — so you tell me.

PittAT: Paul, Do you expect anyone from this coaching staff to be back next year?

Paul Zeise: I would expect the head coach to be back regardless of what happens. After that, who knows what will happen.

B_Dubb: I suppose coach will say our defense is young but why won’t he allow these boys to attack? Mark May even said all they do is run into their blockers. They don’t try to fill gaps or make plays. This is all coaching. They want to bend don’t break but da-it all we do is break. It is not working. Try something else. Their stubborness drives me insane

Paul Zeise: I know, I can already tell this is going to be a venting session for frustrated fans who can’t figure out how a defense can be this bad year after year after year and nothing is adjusted or changed. If you want to see a defense play the way it is supposed to play — like its hair is on fire — go to the next home game and watch Cincy’s guys fly around the field and make plays. They are aggressive, they fly to the ball, they mix it up and there is nobody who will ever be able to convince me they can do that because they have better players than Pitt does on that side of the ball because they don’t.

You know, I came across this bit via MGoBlog regarding Bo Pelini with defense.

Head coach Les Miles said he knew he’d gotten a gem when he plucked Pelini away from Oklahoma following the 2004 season.

Miles was the head coach at Oklahoma State when Pelini was at Nebraska. After watching game tape, Miles thought he’d figured out a way to expose the Cornhuskers’ defense.

“But when we played them,” Miles said, “they ended up using a totally different scheme. They beat us, and after that I started watching more and more of their film. He was coming up with different plans every week. Each game it evolved.”

Quite novel after years of Rhoads. Different schemes. Different approaches. Competence.
Eric Hall at the Beaver Valley Times noted that it was the defense that was the problem and might cost Wannstedt his job.

But for a coach whose platform is rushing and defense, Wannstedt hasn’t provided the goods. Not this year. Certainly not last year, when the Panthers allowed every team from a major conference to steamroll them.

Maybe the problem is defensive coordinator Paul Rhoads, whose defenses started to break down during the Walt Harris era. Possibly, it’s recruiting. Or execution. Or a combination of all three.

Here’s some truth you won’t hear from the coach at his weekly press conference: Whatever the reason, the lack of a defense will cost Wannstedt his job.

Of course, the next day he wrote how Wannstedt should stay (but some assistants need to go).

Zeise also — kind of — tackled the issue in a Q&A.

Q: Hypothetically, if Dave Wannstedt was asked to replace some of his staff next year, would he do it or would he rather go down with the ship and be fired himself?

ZEISE: Not only is that a possibility — staff changes that go beyond just a few cosmetic changes — I’d say it is probably. Dave is a very loyal guy, he has a lot of characater and he isn’t one to throw others under the bus, but he also understands it is a bottom-line business and ultimately, regardless of how many good things you do, you are judged on wins and losses. And there are areas on this team that aren’t getting it done and he will do whatever it takes to make upgrades.

Why won’t they just say it? Defensive coordinator Paul Rhoads and O-line coach Paul Dunn are the minimum in staff changes needed, wanted and expected after this season.

Wow, is this damning info:

The schedule only gets more demanding. Pitt faces three nationally ranked teams in No. 5 South Florida, No. 8 West Virginia and No. 15 Cincinnati and two teams, Louisville and Rutgers, which were ranked at the start of the season. Only Syracuse (1-5, 1-1) has a worse overall record than Pitt, but the Orange already pulled an upset at Louisville.

That doesn’t bode well for Pitt.

The Panthers might have to do the same on defense, which has allowed 839 yards and 92 points in the past two games.

And over the past 3 games it is 126 points and 1128 yards.

Now, Pitt gets a disappointed and pissed off Cinci team looking to take it out on Pitt. And of course, what kind of offense does Cinci use?

The extra days likely were welcomed by the Pitt defensive staff because the Panthers’ next opponent, Cincinnati, plays an unconventional spread offense that is predicated on putting constant pressure on opposing defenses.

At this point putting 11 guys out on the field and calling them the offense would put pressure on Pitt’s defense.

Coach Wannstedt’s press conference yesterday was not a fun thing. I guess defensive would be a good way to put it.

I’m encouraged. The attitude of our football team is good considering the tough situation that we are in right now. I thought our practice was good yesterday; the guys have been in watching tape. They are excited about playing at home and going out there, finding a way to win and getting this thing turned around. I think that our defense is a lot better than what we showed last week. You give Navy credit, but we did not execute as well as we are capable of and for us to beat Cincinnati we need to play `lights out’ defense.

To paraphrase Owen Wilson in Shanghai Knights, What in the defense’s performance makes you think they are capable of that?

I also learned that it has been 6 weeks since the last recovered fumble by Pitt’s defense. You mean, a non-attacking, read-react-watch them go by defense doesn’t generate turnovers? Wow.

I don’t know how that happens, but I think it’ll turn. We’re working on stripping the ball and we’re doing everything that the Steelers are doing. Trust me.

“…everything that the Steelers are doing.” Except blitz, defend the run, stop someone. Other than that, yeah, doing everything.
And yet, I’m still going to drag my ass out of bed sometime around 6 to go to Pittsburgh for this game.





After the Navy game I got home (4:30 AM) and watched the game again To much coffee on the trip home) Our linebackers/safeties looks more like Foose ball guys on a stick then linebackers. THEY DON’T MOVE FOWARD ONLY SIDE TO SIDE! Not once did these guys attemp to fill a gap by moving forward. They just stand there and wait for someone to run in them. I have never in my 35 years of watching the Steelers see them put such a shitty plan in place for any game.

Comment by Tony In Harrisburg 10.16.07 @ 1:34 am

I read this and just wonder…. Do you take Bo Pelini while you still might have a shot at him, or let Wanny have one more year? On one side Pelini will most likely be a head coach next year, and Pitt could have a shot. ( considering LSU doesnt hire him) On the other hand Wanny recruited these guys and I could see how he deserves to use them. If Pitt loses out and doesnt look impressive in any games I say Wanny goes, and we pay Saban bucks to get Pelini here. Tell him we are sorry, we made a mistake, and you are our guy.

Comment by adam 10.16.07 @ 5:19 am

DW makes some of the worst or most stupid comments that I’ve ever heard in press conferences and interviews. Which leads me to believe one of two things: either hes really that dumb or he actually knows the problems but doesnt want to say in public.

– After some soul-searching in the wake of the Navy loss, Wannstedt said he will make few changes to his depth chart and does not plan on altering his defensive scheme much for this week’s home game against Cincinnati.

Yes, dont alter that brilliant defense. I hope hes just saying that to “fool” cinci otherwise we are f’d.

– “It is mind-boggling to me and to the players that we have gone six weeks and haven’t come up with a fumble recovery,” Wannstedt said. “I don’t know how that happens.

well maybe its the fact that we’re never around the ball – thats how it happens jackass

-“I got up Saturday, got a notepad and pencil and that’s all I did was watch football games all day, looking for things people are doing that might be of some help,” he said.

Isnt that what you hire a staff for? to design scheme and come up with innovative packages that play to the strength of your team? yes, lets watch a USC game and try to do that…it works for them…….wow

-“I was watching some of the pressure stuff, situations. But to be honest with you, it was reaffirming to me that we’re doing the right things. We have to just keep working on them and doing them better and good things are going to happen. Our players and coaches are working too hard for good things not to happen.”

Yes, we are doing the right things, its been three years now. Lets just keep doing the same thing until “maybe” it works. this is frightening.

Comment by Rex 10.16.07 @ 7:29 am

Larry Coyer’s last year as Defensive Coordinator before he left for the NFL was 1999. That means the last kids he actually taught how to ATTACK the ball graduated around 2002/3. Hmm, when did our defense begin to suck?

My question is how did Rhoads get so lucky to have someone come in as a head coach with the same stupid philosophy?

Comment by Kevin 10.16.07 @ 7:34 am

Rex,

Its sad to say DW is just really dense, his statements just validate this point week in and week out.

Kevin,

My take on Rhoads, on why he is still there, he has to have pictures of someone in the Pitt administration in some sort of compromising situation. Who in their right mind would keep him on staff? The Rhoads coached defense sucks year in and year out.

What bugs me is that Wanny says this over and over; “I don’t know how that happens” this shows me the man is just clueless and dense.

One last thing.

Tony,

There is no plan with DW, it is the same nightmare from his Chicago and Miami days (daze).

The longer he coaches the wins become less and less each season.

I can’t see things getting any better for the remainder of the season or next year.

Sorry for all the negativity.

Comment by vito 10.16.07 @ 8:20 am

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again….it’s not our players….it’s coaching, coaching, coaching….Wanny knows it, you know it, everybody knows it….and the reason he fails to make a dramatic change in the defensive coordinator today…not tomorrow, not next year is the height of arrogance or stupidity….or both…it’s a sham it’s a mockery…it’s a shamockery….how much more empirical evidence is needed on PR ? he can’t coach an attacking, aggressive defense….again…we got the players….we “ain’t got is no coaching”….

Comment by deter 10.16.07 @ 9:12 am

Im so discouraged that the talent/recruiting seems to have gotten better yet the team has got worse….how else do you explain that? bad coaching and bad decisions.

I was thinking the other day, I didnt even hear D Dickersons name called during the navy game…did he play?

Comment by Rex 10.16.07 @ 9:20 am

Do the Steelers play in Pittsburgh this Sunday? My point is, “we are doing everything the Steelers are doing,” is absolutely remarkable. Maybe I don’t understand the context of the conversation but truly, truly remarkable. Is there any way to coerce Dick Lebeau into coaching Pitt’s defense for the day?

Chas, instead of a tailgate fund, maybe it could be like a…. D-coordinator fund. Or maybe, just maybe, you can pull some of you media strings and have EJ Borgehtti walk across the hall(w/ hat in hand, of course) to check if Mike Tomlin can provide any coach to help. That would at least make it seem like “we’re doing everything the Steelers are doing.”

What a “meatball” statement!

Comment by Jason 10.16.07 @ 9:20 am

Im so frightened of what the future holds for this program if DW stays. Do we become Syracuse? The rate this program has declined on his watch is simply remarkable.

Comment by Rex 10.16.07 @ 9:29 am

“At this point putting 11 guys out on the field and calling them the offense would put pressure on Pitt’s defense.” LOL

“There is no plan with DW, it is the same nightmare from his Chicago and Miami days (daze).”

Sad to say there is a plan with him. A plan so old and tired it got him fired in both places, and most likely will get him fired here.

Comment by Kenny 10.16.07 @ 9:42 am

DW fired the wrong man last year when he got rid of Curtis Bray and it’s going to cost him big. CB’s totally reshaping the Temple defense with Temple DC D’Onofrio into a respectable team ranked 2nd in the MAC. Can you believe it! When Rhoads was given the choice of who had to go, either him and CB, he should have fallen on the sword and saved some bit of respectability. As it stands, he’s Div III bound. Hopefully Bray will come home one day.

Comment by Grant 10.16.07 @ 9:57 am

Deter,

You’re right, it’s coaching… Down here watching Spurrier every week makes it so obvious.

USC may have a little more speed on the DLine, but everywhere else on that team the talent is very comparable to what we have – Pitt may even have a slight edge. However, USC is the #6 team in the nation, and we’ve lost to UCONN and Navy in the same season.

You can have all the ESPN Top 25 recruiting classes in the world, but if the guys wearing the headsets don’t have talent, you’re screwed… No two ways about it.

Comment by Greg in Columbia 10.16.07 @ 10:05 am

Actually, Wanny’s defense in Miami, even the last year he was there when the team was horrendous, was pretty good.

Which is what shocks me more about our situation. When Walt left our defense was terrible, and I figured Wannstedt would have that situation fixed pronto if nothing else.

On an unrelated note, I’m extremely amused that a guy that asks Zeise questions in his Pitt chat all the time goes by “DontTaseMeBro”.

Comment by Jimbo Covert's my Dad 10.16.07 @ 11:26 am

Chas with six games left in the season, and the level of competition is going way up minus Syracuse.

I would not be surprised to see our defense give up a total of 300 points and 3000 yards (Lets say 2000 rushing, 1000 passing).

Comment by vito 10.16.07 @ 3:36 pm

wait, why would anyone ever pass on us ever!!

Comment by Kurt 10.16.07 @ 4:18 pm

Too lazy to look it up now, but I remember reading a player (on defense) comment shortly after the Navy game, something to the effect that Paul Rhodes had a brilliant game plan, they just couldn’t execute. On every play, it seemed like there was one or two players out of position or the like.

Um… if there are one or two breakdowns on EVERY SINGLE PLAY ON DEFENSE, how great of a game plan can it be? That sounds like the very definition of a horrible game plan.

Comment by Brian of Brooklyn 10.16.07 @ 8:12 pm

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