You can watch the ESPN.com highlights of the game here.
The 13-9 upset of WVU last year was supposed to be the watershed game showing that Pitt was coming together under Wannstedt. There was the talk of how the team hadn’t quit all season. That, but for the injuries, Pitt would have at least won one or two more of those close losses. That the team had turned the corner by the end of the season and that 2008 payoff would be there. That built over the offseason and suddenly Pitt was the trendy “darkhorse” pick of the Big East. Even getting into the top-25.
Of course the team went out and laid a tremendous turd in front of the home crowd and ESPN-U against Bowling Green. And the narrative shifted to, nothing has changed. The three subsequent wins really didn’t do much to alter that perception.
Now, another national win over USF on Thursday night and it is a return to the corner turning for Pitt.
There’s a lot of season left for Pitt, but on one redemptive night in the Sunshine State, a beaten and bewildered football team finally bathed itself in radiant glory. It couldn’t have come a moment too soon, for now the pressured and panicky Panthers might actually be able to view a football season as a joy, and not a burden.
Why is this win so cathartic for everyone involved in the Pittsburgh program? Very simply, the Panthers — much like Clemson, Michigan State, Arizona State, Cal, and a handful of other programs one could readily rattle off — have found themselves frozen and fearful in the face of old demon pressure. Suffocated and stifled in the face of massive expectations, Pitt has languished in the middle of the Big East over the past few years, behind the likes of West Virginia, Louisville, Connecticut, Rutgers, and South Florida. And while Louisville and Rutgers now stand beneath the Panthers in the Big East pecking order, the fact remains that the Cardinals and Scarlet Knights did enjoy moments of supreme satisfaction in recent times. Pitt has not enjoyed real postseason success since the days of Walt Harris … and that one run to the 2005 Fiesta Bowl proved to be an aberration. The words “Pitt football” and “underachievers” have belonged in the same sentence for most of this decade.
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The Panthers haven’t fully arrived, but with this big breakthrough now in their pocket, they might finally be able to display a mentally liberated brand of ball that could bring big things to the school that brought America the likes of Tony Dorsett, Hugh Green, and Dan Marino. One game does not a program make, but one game can enable a program to experience a change of character and confidence. Everyone associated with Pitt football can only hope that Thursday night’s triumph in Tampa will prove to be such a turning point.
Plus the media really likes Wannstedt. He talks nice to them. So they want him to succeed.
“We needed this one so bad,” Wannstedt said.
This might be the program-changing win that Wannstedt so desperately needed. He came into the game bowless in three seasons. The high from the West Virginia win quickly wore off at the beginning of this season. But the Panthers are 4-1 and on top of the Big East, ready to jump back into the polls.
There’s some personality to these inconsistent Panthers. LeSean McCoy has now surpassed 100 yards for the second consecutive game and Phil Bennett’s defense is showing some grit.
And now, along with UConn, Pitt is in (oh, how I fear typing these words) control of its own destiny.
Jan Wannstedt planted a kiss under that glorious soup-strainer above her husband’s lip late Thursday night. “What does this mean for your bye week?” she asked her husband. “It means I’m going to see my grandson in Chicago,” Dave Wannstedt replied.
Oh, Thursday’s 26-21 win at No. 10 South Florida means much more than one happy kid in the Windy City getting a visit from grandpa. It means Wannstedt’s Pitt team, left for dead after an opening week clunker against Bowling Green, sits in the driver’s seat in the Big East after two conference wins – both on the road. It means the Panthers, architects of three consecutive fourth-quarter comebacks and three consecutive wins against ranked teams, might be made of the kind of stuff it takes to survive a potentially wild conference race.
Only a little more than a month into the season and we’ve had huge downs and ups.
The Nitters don’t care about Pitt anymore MY ASS!!!
link to toostupidtobepresident.com
“It means Wannstedt’s Pitt team, left for dead after an opening week clunker against Bowling Green…”
I’m wondering if most PITT fans really felt this way. I guess I’m curious about how others felt about PITT’s chances for a decent season after that loss. I know that I hadn’t thrown in the towel – I was nervous about BG going into the game and afterwards, aside from anger at DW for the two punt decisions, felt that a loss is a loss and that PITT could move on.
So I guess I’m asking what does “left for dead” mean in this context – did you and other fans really feel like PITT would tank the whole season because of that one loss?
The thing about the first two games was that the coaching looked so much like all of last year’s games – except one.
Stull looked a lot better in the pocket vs. USF. Stepping into his throws, moving up into the pocket, throwing over the middle when it was open…sure, he had his mistakes, but he is improving.
The thing I was most worried about was the attendance at the next game. But out of nowhere it was a really good turnout and the participation was great at the Buffalo game. That gave me some hope and then the Iowa game was a lot of fun.
This team plays hard and doesn’t give up. How can you not root for them?
I personally did not, especially since by Week 3 of the season, it was obvious how horrible so many teams on the schedule, in the conference, and frankly, in the nation are this year.
I think if BGSU was Week 2 or Week 3, the damage is only a fraction of the size. It’s just that a team like Pitt who has been so up and down for so long has one commodity to sell and trade to its fan base; hope. We’ve hashed and rehashed it so many times here and on other message boards, but I sincerely think the timing (opener coming off a big win, Wanny extension, and Pederson’s PR Blitzkrieg) was the more damaging aspect than the result.
Looking to positives, I think it is undeniable that the team is improving from week to week and they have not hit their ceiling. Congrats to them for the win, but now it’s time to focus and stay focused and 16 days off will demonstrate how long their attention span is.
The players and coaches realize we owe Navy, just as we owe Rutgers. I wish to pay off those debts with compound interest. Those wins make us bowl eligible. I refuse to look any further down the schedule.
HTP!
As I reflect on the team, I am struck by a number of things —
1. Pitt is actually 5-1 over its last six games, with two wins over top-10 teams. That’s an impressive record.
2. As Omar noted, this team does not quit. Going back as far as the middle of last year, I have really liked the character of this team. That “loss” to Rutgers (in quotes because they should have won; only the horrible (and unfair) call versus Pitt at game’s end marred an otherwise great comeback effort), the near trunarounds versus MSU and Louisville, and even Navy, and the win versus Cinci were all signs of a team that does not quit. We saw more of the same thius year versus Syracuse and USF.
3. I would reather have a team that starts out a bit shakey and then comes together over the course of the season than one that falls apart late in the year.
4. The coaches appear to be opening things up. I doubt they will completely “revert to form” given the talent they have, even though we may at times complain that they have once again become more conservative.
Who knows how the season will unfold, but I think we have a good shot at a bowl game this year (best guess: 8 – 4 or 9 – 3 final record). Just as importantly, though, I think the team has given us reason to be FAMS. They may not win, but they are going to play hard and not give up. As Omar says, how can you not root for them?
Our defense played better than at first glance – we had pressure on Grothe from the first snap and I counted only two times where he dropped back and had time to really set and throw (both in first quarter). Every other time he had to at least move in the pocket before throwing, or scramble.
Our OL was excellent at getting downfield off the ball on rushing plays, and John Malecki is very good at this and as a pulling Guard. On McCoy’s runs Malecki is often ahead of him as he cuts into the second level. Thomas played very well against USF, sometimes pile driving his guy on running plays. Byham had an excellent day blocking also – he lays into people and they get up off the turf looking at him like he’s a serial killer or something.
I love the guy, but Baldwin is somewhat lost when not on the receiving end of the football. If you concentrate on watching him when rushing plays are being run it’s evident that he needs to learn what he’s supposed to be doing out there. Also, and surprisingly, he’s tentative in following through on a downfield block when he is in the position to make one. I truly believe this is what the staff has been talking about when discussing Baldwin needing more time and work to become an every down player. Compared to our other WRs out there he really looks like a rookie at these times which is understandable as that is what he is. I counted three plays where a defender ran right past Baldwin to make a downfield tackle on McCoy, once on that nice 19 yard run McCoy would have broken for a TD if Baldwin makes his block. Our WR downfield blocking is crucial when you have two RBs like McCoy and LSH. Baldwin has to improve on that.
Watching Stull throw the ball Thursday night I came away feeling like a lot of other fans – that he was inaccurate and missed a lot of passes. After watching again, without any emotion attached, he really wasn’t too bad at all – in fact his passing was much better Thursday night than it has been up to that game. Aside from some poor deep passes, he put real speed on the ball and was threading the needle in some cases. He had two passes to Byham that were excellent – risky but accurate, Nate dropped the first one when he got hit right away, and caught the second for a first down. Our passing game is still missing some opportunities by both the QB and the WRs, but I think there has been some real progress there.
Ransom played a hell of a game. He takes a lot of heat from the fans and I think it’s not so much his actual play that fans don’t like, but the fact that he wasn’t a LB to begin with. The four obvious plays aside where he blew in a killed the ball carrier/QB, he was great at shedding blocks and pursuing laterally and downfield. If he wasn’t in on the tackle he was right there almost every time.
Our DL stunts way more than I thought they did. It’s hard to notice just what they are doing when your at the park, or watching in real time. But I was kind of shocked at the movement and the switches after the snap. The are really working in concert and the results are evident. Sacks aside, they are beating the crap out of the opponents DL and RBs.
Watching the demeanor of the opponent’s lineman in the fourth quarter it was obvious we were whipping them physically. They were very slow getting up off the turf and our guys were popping right up. You could tell the PITT players felt they were going to win that game, even when USF went ahead – it was like that was no big deal to us.
It seems PITT’s coaching staff is now getting acclimated after all the staff changes in the off season. This is a team that has worked very hard and suddenly things are clicking. Suddenly PITT FB is fun again. Keep it up PITT!!
ND scares me though – they just whipped a pretty decent Stanford team and Clausen passed for a ton of yards (giving up big passing plays may be our Achilles Heel this year). Also, I am always very wary of Navy – I had that game pegged as a loss last year, and they are just as good rushing the ball again this season as ever.
As long as the staff and team take each game one at a time we’ll be OK I think.
Damnit! I wanted Pitt to be known as the team that made the Wildcat famous, but now most casual football fans will only know it from the Dolphins.
I wouldn’t worry too much about those jokes. They are the type of high-rolling big shots who donate $0 to the University and reminisce about the 70’s while fellating themselves over Pitt Stadium and Script Pitt. My advice to them is to enjoy the team and the season. This is the first time Pitt has been nationally relevant since I began following them. The ceiling is higher for this team than it was even in Larry’s big season.
Some clowns just can’t be satisfied, and if assembled a coaching staff of Majors and Lombardi in their primes along with the Ghost of Jock Sutherland, they would still bitch.
…objectively-speaking, that is.
For proof, see http://ripbcs.com
Good luck next week!
I too noticed quite a few PSU fans that were proudly cheering against us…. and they quickly left before the game was over.
7 in box – farthest 2 – confusion, stull down
8 in box
7 in box
9 in box – farthest 2 – hit -1 – 0 yd gain
7 in box
8 in box
7 in box – farthest 1 – hit 3 – 6 yd gain
10 in box – farthest 1 – hit 1 – 1 yd gain
7 in box
7 in box
7 in box – farthest 2 – hit 3 – 4 yd gain
9 in box
7 in box – farthest 2 – hit 2 – 3 yd gain
7 in box
7 in box – farthest 5 – hit 2 – 5 yd gain
7 in box – farthest 0 – hit 0 – 3 yd gain
7 in box
7 in box – farthest 3 – hit -1 – fumble
8 in box – farthest 3 – hit 3 – 3 yd gain
7 in box
7 in box – farthest 2 – hit 6 – 8 yd gain
7 in box – farthest 3 – hit 3 – 5 yd gain
8 in box – farthest 4 – hit 0 – 5 yd gain
7 in box – farthest 2 – hit -1 – 0 yd gain
7 in box
10 in box
7 in box – farthest 5 – hit 12 – 19 yd gain
7 in box – farthest 1 – hit -1 – -1 yd gain
7 in box
9 in box – farthest 1 – hit -3 – -3 yd gain
9 in box
8 in box – farthest 1 – hit 0 – 2 yd gain
8 in box
10 in box – farthest 2 – hit 0 – 1 yd gain
10 in box
10 in box – farthest 5 – hit -2 – 6 yd TD
9 in box
7 in box – farthest 1 – hit 2 – 8 yd gain
7 in box
7 in box
8 in box
7 in box
7 in box – farthest 2 – hit 2 – 2 yd gain
6 in box
8 in box – farthest 1 – hit -2 – 0 yd gain
So, the furthest we had anyone blocking downfield was 5 yards twice. The average seemed about 2 yds. If we Uconn’s run blocking, Shady would be exhausted from running all day.
If someone wants to see a team that is pretty good at run blocking, take a look at UConn. Too bad for them they suck in every other aspect of the game.
Uconn seems to get guys down field 5 yds every other play…
If we could open holes like USC, that’d be one thing…but i still think we need to work on getting to the second level…
I know Arkansas used it first, and that I believe their coaches actually taught the Wildcat to ours a few years ago.
I just needed a way to make my post relevant to Pitt.
Huh, well then, to find silver lining in that cloud – as our OL keeps getting better we should really start piling up the yards.
