Back when Wannstedt was with the Dolphins, he used the gimmick of hanging lobster traps to warn his team of  the danger of “trap” games. It, uh, didn’t work. Kevin Gorman noted that Wannstedt may dislike “gimmick” plays, but loves “gimmicks” to try and get his team’s attention (less charitable people have referred to it as “dime-store psychology“).

And sure enough, we find out that he’s gone back to the “trap” gimmick.

Q: How do we avoid the dreaded “let-down game” this weekend against Syracuse? The Orange are not a good football team, but the Carrier Dome isn’t always the easiest place to play.

ZEISE: Well, I think the coaches are very aware of it because there are mouse traps hanging around the hallways at the practice facility and players are talking about the “trap game”. But from what I’ve see of Syracuse, if Pitt can’t win this one it is time to tear up the blue prints and start over because the Orange, and I’ll be polite, are an awful football team. And given the circus that is surrounding the athletic director talking publicly about firing the head coach and the fact that they are actually already talking about replacements, it is in even worse shape than before. The Orange haven’t recruited well in recent years, Greg Robinson is clearly in over his head, has no solutions and doesn’t have a very good plan, and it has all come crashing down on them. In short, I can’t see Pitt losing this game. I said at the outset of the year and I still believe this is the worst team the Panthers play. But Pitt is 18-22 in its last 40 games with losses to teams like Ohio, 2006 Connecticut and Bowling Green, so the Panthers should not be overlooking anyone.

[Emphasis added.]

I don’t think Pitt is going to lose, but would I be getting too negative if I’m already thinking that Pitt will be coming out against Syracuse a little tight?