I think everyone is.
It would have been one thing to lose in a bitter defensive struggle. The game stays tight and just a play here or there. I’m not saying it would have been better, but there would have been something expected about it. But to have the defense just get completely lit up, caught so unprepared and be unable to adjust to it. Well, that was just — and this is where I wish I had some photoshopping/fark skills to jam the Wannstedt’s face on Wallace Shaw from the Princess Bride — inconceivable.
Instead we get general befuddlement from Coach Wannstedt.
“I really thought that coming into this game, that this would be a 17-10 type of game one way or the other,” Pitt coach Dave Wannstedt said. “This is the most disappointing defensive performance since I have been here. And the only thing they did different than we thought — we expected them to come out running the ball and they came out throwing it. We didn’t get much pressure on them, and they ran right by us, just right by us.
“So, it was very disappointing from a defensive standpoint, particularly with the guys we have and how we have played to this point as a defense.”
As much as the secondary has been flamed for getting torched, I can’t help but ask what happened with the D-line? The Scarlet Knights had a patchwork O-line and a QB that had been easily rattled all season. Pitt seemed unable to get the pressure on Teel. I mean, Eric Thatcher was taking the blame for the D-line not getting pressure.
Pitt safety Eric Thatcher added: “Their play-action was good, I guess you could say, but we didn’t flat out cover — we didn’t cover on the back end, we didn’t give the front seven enough time to make plays and that is what we have been doing all year. We’ve been covering good all year, and today we just didn’t cover. “
Obviously, Pat Bostick actually had to come in and throw the ball in this game. Interesting about that interception. Both Kevin Gorman and Gene Collier found the play call very questionable.
With another third-and-1, this time at the Rutgers 17, Pitt called for Bostick to roll left and throw a pass across his body. He was hit by defensive tackle Pete Tverdov and the pass sailed into the hands of linebacker Kevin Malast, who returned it 74 yards before being knocked out of bounds by McCoy at the Pitt 8.
Collier was really bothered.
With Pat Bostick, his redshirt still smoking, took over for Stull late in the third quarter, Cavanaugh had him throw to the boundary to tight end Nate Byham on third-and-1 from the Pitt 40. That play called for McCoy as well, but it clicked for 34 yards to the Rutgers 26. Three plays later, on third-and-1 from the 17 (McCoy!), Bostick rolled ponderously to his left, against his throwing motion, got hit as he threw, and the resultant interception was taken 74 yards the other way.
Ballgame.
So let me get this straight.
Third-and-1 from your own 40 trailing by 10 — long pass to the far boundary.
Third-and-1 from the opponent’s 17 with an opportunity to cut the lead to 3 — have the right-handed slow guy roll left.
Erp.
Not sure what to say about the day Aaron Berry had. His struggles at returning punts are now in his head. He can’t be back there any longer. As for being the starting CB, well, I guess the coaches believe he is the best Pitt has. That or they feel, he’ll make fewer mistakes.
The good news — as such — is that Bill Stull had “only” a mild concussion.
Pitt coach Dave Wannstedt said tests on Stull were negative, but he spent the night under observation at UPMC Presbyterian as a precaution. Stull Sr. said Pitt chancellor Mark A. Nordenberg visited Stull this morning before he was released.
Stull, who sustained a concussion and stinger, will undergo more evaluations this week to determine whether he can play when Pitt (5-2) visits Notre Dame (5-2) at 2:30 p.m. Saturday in South Bend, Ind.
I’m sure Stull wants to play. And, yes, he gives Pitt a better chance of winning. That said, keep Stull out for at least a week. It’s a concussion. You just don’t take stupid chances with it. Especially, since the O-line is now going to be rejiggered.
The news was not as good for starting center Robb Houser, who likely has a broken ankle, which happened also in the the third quarter. Houser will have an MRI today.
With Houser out Wannstedt will have to shuffle the offensive line as starting left tackle C.J. Davis will move to center and reserve Dom Williams will move to left guard.
The center spot was the spot on the line with no depth. Now, it’s scary the rest of the season.
Those still with anger at Wannstedt, are at least still feeling emotion. The numb, frustration is setting in for others.
I’m still trying to wrap my head around the idea of losing 4 straight to Rutgers.
I think the shock and disappointment has finally passed. Here is the reality…we are 5-2, I think we could realistically go 3-2 the rest of the way putting us at 8-4. At least thats what Im hoping for. We can still win the Big East. I am as pissed as everyone else about the constant disappointments that you can almost mark on your calendar because you know its going to happen. I am hesitant, but I am going to chalk this one up to a fluke. our D is not that bad and Rutgers is not that good. D had a bad day and Teel had a career day..sometimes it happens.
Aaron Berry on the other hand is terrible. I still think we win that game if he doesnt fumble. So the ND game just got real interesting.
I have no idea what to expect.
Not picking on your point here, but back when we had decent college quarterbacks, half the fanbase complained incessantly about them, too.
Half the fanbase was convinced that Rutherford only looked good because he was throwing to Fitzgerald. Most of those fans thought Getsy should’ve been starting and that Rutherford should’ve been a safety, a running back or a wideout.
Palko wasn’t good enough in the eyes of some Pitt fans because he improvised too often, tried to make plays when nothing existed, and tried to force his throws from time to time.
Truth be told, any of those fans who used to complain about those guys would kill to have someone like them on the roster right now.
Personally, I still think it’s far too early to close the book on Bostick. As Pittastic said above, the kid hasn’t really been put in a situation where he’s been given a chance to succeed here. Part of that was probably through his own doing last year; he probably didn’t leave himself enough time to get adequately prepared to be Stull’s backup after missing camp for a few days (for whatever his reasons were…please don’t reopen that can of worms). But Cavanaugh also hasn’t really proven that he’s capable of utilizing Bostick in a way that maximizes his abilities.
Asking Bostick to run designed rollouts and make throws across his body is further proof that Cavanaugh still doesn’t get it. He doesn’t understand his roster. He doesn’t understand how to utilize the players he has within the realm of the college game, and he can’t use players commensurate with their abilities and – perhaps more importantly – their limitations.
Schiano said after the game that they found a weakness in the Pitt defense and tried their best to exploit it.
Teel’s comments after the game read something to the effect of (paraphrasing), “We knew going in that they had four great lineman and one great linebacker, and that we could attack everything else.”
I thought a good point was raised by Jim Wexell last night on KDKA when the game was discussed on their Sunday Sports Showdown show. He wanted to know what took Rutgers’s offense so long to break out. He said that Teel is a third-year starter at QB who does throw a good deep ball, and both Britt and Underwood are considered pro prospects at wideout. So it wasn’t exactly like Rutgers didn’t have the ability to break out like this; for whatever reason, they just haven’t executed that well…or possibly gone up against a defense with a weakness in the defensive backfield like ours.
The problem was the defense and how bad the secondary was. I can’t really blame the coaches for that – the db’s have to stay with their receivers.
Yeah, Aaron Berry played a terrible game and is not a punt “returner”, more like a “fair catcher” – which is better than him trying to return it, but who do you stick out there at safety? Everyone got torched Saturday.
I agree with you completely. Except an adjustment must be made at punt returner, Berry has muffed several punts this year, ( I remember Iowa and Navy) Even though we didn’t lose them, he needs to be replaced.
As a recent Pitt alum, and fan I cant tell you in the past four years how depressed I get going to these games. Like I said its one thing if you expect a loss but with the players we have we should be winning. Too me DW should be gone if the season doent get turned around to at least 8 wins.
Rutgers was able to funnel the rush and blitzes inside and Teal only had to step aside to get another 5-6 secs.
5-7… here we come!!
