And now we head off to Notre Dame to face off against Charlie Weis, a coach who – love him or hate him – is good enough to devise a gameplan that ought to exploit the same weaknesses that Schiano was able to exploit.

Could be another high-scoring game, as I’m not 100% Notre Dame’s defense can contain McCoy.

Wann-stache was amazing as a coordinator in Dallas. He just has no business running anything in football. Best of luck to you guys next week, I hate to say though, you’re going to get thrashed.

Why after every single loss is the entirty of the blame thrown at Wannstedt. I realize he is the head coach and should take the responsibility but I hardly think that he can be fully to blame for the loss. One week we are calling him to conservative and the next, questioning calls like a roll out on 3rd down that are more aggressive. I know everyone will say you shouldn’t roll left with a righty quarterback in that situation. But a college QB should be able to make that play or they have no business doing it, and I think it would have been a great play had someone up front not completely blown there assignment and let a man through untouched. This just in: Pitt is not a national championship team this year and quite frankly don’t have the talent to be. So let’s stop pretending like the are and acting surprised when they lose a game or two. Are they a good football team, Yes, but they still do have glaring deficiencies in some positions: DB, backup QB. I don’t necessarily think the coaching was terrible so much as the secondary as a whole is just not that good, especially at the saftey positions. These guys are getting sucked in terribly in Play-action and providing no help. Sure up that one position and Saturday is an easy Pitt win and everyone is congratulating Wannstedt again.

DW is the head coach and deserves all of the blasting he is getting for this loss, but this loss was not about coaching in terms of X’s and O’s. Those who say our defense made no adjustments are flat wrong according to Foge Fazio after the game (who is by the way excellent in his radio coverage). They made several adjustments, but the results were the same. I have come to a conclusion about this Pitt team, and that is we just don’t play well at home. The players let this game go down the tubes. Maybe they go out partying the night before home games…I don’t know, but I do know that they don’t have the same energy that they show on the road. Maybe opposing teams come into Heinz field all jacked up becasue they are playing in an NFL stadium. Whatever the reason, DW is responsible to get this team ready mentally, not just in terms of X’s and O’s. Several of those TD passes were into double coverage that the RU receivers beat our coverage. Teel just chucked the ball…. I’m OK with throwing the ball on 3rd and 1 within field goal range, even with Bostick at QB. You can’t have it both ways folks…Open up the offense…Open up the offense…no wait, hand to Shady on 3RD and one when there are 9 guys in the box. Make up your minds…

Chas,
you said the hope has been beaten out of many. I have to say as a Pitt fan the hope is not beaten out of me. Those that are and who give up the team after every tough loss and proclaim they are world beaters aren’t the kind of fans pitt needs. After all, I don’t think we would all be as crushed after a terrible loss if we didn’t talk them up and hype them up to ourselves pre-season. The fact of the matter is, this is a good team, it is a better team than previous years and Wannstedt is moving in the right direction. The team has had big wins, but is also clearly not immune to losing. All this talk that its BCS or he should be fired is absolutely ridiculous. If anyone can honestly say that the product on the field this year is worse than last year than yes he should be canned. That is not the case though. The offense looks so much better, and the D has played well until our biggest weakness was exploited this game. We got a glimpse of what the offense looked like last year when Bostick went in and it was an ugly reminder. So I think as fans we need to support this team and be a little REALISTIC. They are not a top-5 team this year, but they are a good football team. I believe the improvement on teh feild this year is immense and will continue to do so every year in the future. The real Pitt fans will keep chearing and keep watching hoping that one day we can turn the corner to a national power but know that this year is not that time, but may be a step in the right direction.

I can’t agree more with the previous three posts. and HbgFrank, I know it is a poor excuse but I think playing in Heinz Field is a disadvantage. I wish Pitt would find a way to move back to campus. I have been going to games for the past 25 or so years and have to say the game day atmosphere at Heinz Field sucks. It is too open, and too inaccesisble to students. Pitt fans seem as excited at being in Heinz Field as I would be at a Cher concert. I know the move to the pro-stadium has helped with recruting because the facilities are top-notch. however, I do think Pitt lacks the game day feel it used to have. I remember so many exciting games in Pitt Stadium where even if it wasn’t full the crowd was alive. And for most of those games Pitt was terrible, but the fans and the students came out and supported the Panthers. Heinz field just isn’t a good place for a college game and the players on Pitt seem to react to the lack of atmosphere with flat play. I miss the old stadium as beat-up and out of date as it was.

amen clark. most people said they’d be happy w/ 8-4 this year. we’re right on pace for that at 5-2 and now people are upset. when we won last week, there was talk of 10-11 wins on different boards…heck, even at that point not many people seemed to enjoy the win and success, instead focusing on a redshirt…we lose to rutgers and now there’s talk of only winning 5 this year, go figure.

If you look at their overall body of work over the last ten or fifteen years, Pitt would probably exist somewhere around the 50th best program in the country (give or take five spots). It’s on par with programs like Maryland, UNC, NC State, Kansas State, Texas A&M, Colorado, Iowa, Michigan State, Purdue…those kinds of programs.

Those are the programs whose fans should realistically expect 8-4 or 9-3 seasons with a 10 or maybe even 11-win season sprinkled in every so often, along with a run at a conference title and a BCS bowl game. And most of those teams at that level will lose games like the one Pitt lost to Rutgers Saturday. That’s because the talent gap between the 30th best and 80th best program in the country is often not that great anymore.

That’s the reason an Indiana team that was 2-5 with only two wins over Division I-AA schools can host #22 Northwestern and win.

That’s the reason a Virginia team that got destroyed by UConn and Duke a month ago can pull upsets over the 18th-ranked team in the country on successive weeks.

It’s the reason why a Rutgers team can go into Pittsburgh and upset a Pitt team.

These kinds of programs don’t get enough elite level talent across their entire roster to avoid losing those kinds of games all the time.

And even the teams that do get that kind of talent aren’t immune to a bad loss every now and then. In successive years, USC has had bad losses at Oregon State (2008), at Stanford (2007), at Oregon State and UCLA (2006). Oklahoma lost at Colorado in 2007, lost at TCU and at UCLA in 2005.

I just think that for programs like this, it’s a more gradual improvement because it takes longer for the overall talent base to pan out.

So I don’t think that many people here were ever making any claims that Pitt is a national championship contender. I know I’ve said all along that eight wins and an appearance in a decent bowl game were and still are realistic expectations for this team this year; anything beyond that was gravy.

And I can even rationalize Pitt losing this game to Rutgers, given that Rutgers came in with a three-year starter at QB who – if nothing else – throws a good deep ball, two experienced wideouts who project as decent NFL prospects, and one of the better younger coaches in the game today. Schiano found a weakness in the Pitt defense that showed itself all the way back in the Buffalo and Syracuse games, and he took advantage of it. I do agree with the sentiment that no amount of coaching or adjustments will make up for the fact that maybe our DBs just weren’t good enough to cover those guys. Sometimes, the other teams – even the 2-5 ones – just have better players at certain positions and are able to create advantages in matchups. Losses like this will happen.

It’s just tough because it seems like every time this program seems to be on the verge of getting over the hump and getting to the point that we can start talking about maybe even EXCEEDING expectations, you get this.

So while I can rationalize the loss to Rutgers, it doesn’t make it any easier to accept as a fan of the program.

I agree with the previous posts. Progress though small is evident. I think some posters overvalue the talent the Pitt team has….we have a few great players…some good players….and as every developing program has…some average players. I’m pretty sure everybody expects some great victories maybe we shouldn’t get (WVU last year) and some disappointing losses (BG & Rutgers)…but that’s to be expected as this team builds….

Its all well and good to bash wanny. He certainly deserves “some” blame. But where are the critiques of the players??? At some point they have to get some blame and accountability too. Yes, it all makes us feel warm and fuzzy when our coach gives the media what they want and takes the blame. But at some point you have to point the finger at the players as well. Too many mistakes in key situations.

Eric Thatcher is terrible in pass coverage. Simply awful. When you have your DBs and senior safety getting torched for 6 touchdowns it is going to be a long day. The silver lining is, if not for a muffed punt and terrible (and I mean terrible interception, just take the sack Pat!) Pitt may have come back and won that game.

Bottom line is that Pitt was going to win that game until Barry fumbled the ball on the punt return. We came out in the second half, score and had Rutgers pinned down inside their 20.

Of course Wanny deserves to be criticized for the defensive game plan, that being said our defensive backfield needs to step up at some point and make some plays. They were completely outclassed by the Rutgers receiving corps.

Final thought, the season is far from over. 5-2 is about where one should have expected this team to be around this time of year. Next week’s game against the Irish will be very telling of how the season will turn out and what this team is made of.

Get Jared Holley from Easton, the home of the Red Rovers, into the db mix. Now.

link to truveo.com

You guys that think Pitt would have had a chance to win had not Berry muffed that punt are smokin’ some of the same stuff that got Santonio in trouble. Our defense finally stopped them ONE TIME and you think that that was going to set a trend for the rest of the second half? Please. Rutgers was able to score at will and that was all there was to it. Here’s my take. Most of you reading this are golfers. Why is it that for one or two magic rounds per year everything goes right? And the rest of the year we simply suck? Yesterday Rutgers was in “the zone”, and Pitt was shooting snowmen on every hole….

bob, i am not a golfer, but do think pitt would have taken the lead at that time, and the D played great 2 series in a row before the muffed punt. i do not know what the outcome would be, but it would not be a 20 point loss either, which most of us are upset over.

The D played 2 great series in a row and we had made a great halftime adjusment that should have been made at the 1st/2nd quarter break. Namely, NICKEL DEFENSE and blitzing the linebackers. In the first half, Teel was not touched at all. Suddenly, in the 3rd qtr we were hitting him and sacking him. Too many times in the 1st half Austin Ransom was covering the slot receiver (Tim Brown) and Ransom just can’t be put in that position. We started the 2nd half with Elijah Fields and Ricky Gary replaced Jovani Chappel.

Hidden key to the Notre Dame game: their field goal kicker is 4 for 10 this year. How can Notre-friggin-Dame not get a good kicker?

so wanny does just enough to get by each year. don’t worry pitt fans, he will win a big one late to save his job! are we sure there are no bowden connections here; i know amato and tammy bowden used to do the same thing year in and year out……

Two steps forward, two steps back, hmmm, I’m starting to notice a trend, NO TRACTION!! This team really sucks the fun out of being a Pitt alumni/fan….

There is a part of the equation that people forget about. Sure, Pitt has had excellent recruiting and it does seem that the coaching, especially on offense, is getting more aggressive and that is paying off big time.

But there is more to winning than talent and coaching. Pitt still needs to learn how to win. Just reading these posts and what people are saying on college football boards elsewhere are saying proves it. We as fans are always expecting Pitt to blow it. We have a recent history of blowing it- an environment and mentality of losing. Talent doesn’t change that. The players need to learn to win for that to change.

The program is heading in the right direction. Our offense is looking very good. Before this past week so was our defense. Getting more wins will help to change the mentality and expectation. But that part of the process- where the players (and the fans) actually expect to win doesn’t come over night. Hopefully the coaches are helping to change that mindset. Beating teams like USF and WVU will certainly help it as well. If it doesn’t change, we will always watch the team lose to teams they should beat while beating teams they shouldn’t. But if (when) it does change, look out. All of this will finally pay off.

I believe terrible negative fans suck the fun out of being a Pitt fan. I love watching these guys compete and I think it was fairly obvious that Pitt though they started to play was ready to win the game until the fumbled punt. GO PITT!

Why do our fans overreact for every win or loss? The sky is not falling and DW aint going anywhere. Be honest- going into this year we were looking at a 8-4 record with a chance if the stars aligned to go undefeated, 11-1, 10-2 or 9-3.

The key to this team is simple- Our players NEVER ever quit. They NEVER started pointing fingers or yelling at the coaches or teammeates. The fans are the only one yelling for coaches to demote players or the AD to fire DW. Do you realize that we were down and everything was going wrong we fought to the end? Injuries.. Turnover or bad breaks did not stop our young man from competing. That is the sign of a team that I am proud to cheer for. We will be fine. Just continue to support the players, coaches and the university.

Hail to Pitt and I cant wait for Saturday. ND better be ready!!!!

Hail to Pitt!!!!

I am very very proud of my panthers and wear my clothing with proud. I am a pitt fan, i am behind the coaches and players.

Glad to see College Football News is stealing my ideas.

Written 10/16/08:

“Secretly replacing Dave Wannstedt with newly unemployed Tommy Bowden, meaning he keeps bringing in great recruiting classes, winning one big game a year where you can’t fire him, but ultimately disappoints over the entire season. Oh wait, he already does that. Nevermind. But you have to admit, it would be cool to see Tommy Bowden with a mustache.”

Sometimes we are going to lose games we are expected to win (Rutgers). Sometimes we are going to win games we are expected to lose (South Florida). That’s why they play the games.

I expect my alma mater to engage in its best efforts to assemble a winning program. But judging these coaches and this team — and sometimes the individual players — on a week to week basis is becoming disheartening on this blog. We can all agree that we are Pitt fans and want to win and we can get emotional. But the level of despair after each loss and attacks against the coaches and, worst of all, the players are becoming overwhelming.

Despite this loss to Rutgers, this team can still win the Big East and its BCS bid. This is not a disaster. Objective minds can look at the situations at Syracuse and Washington and agree on the need for change. But I can’t see how objective minds can view this Pitt program with the level of anger and frustration that is displayed here on a daily basis.

I was just as angry an disappointed as any of you on Saturday. We just need to take a deep breath and lighten up here. These kids need our support. I’ll take a 5-2 start because we don’t know what these kids and coaches can do the rest of the season. I’m not giving up on them.

Football must be taken as a whole season, one must not get down because we lost to, two of the worst teams that we will play this year, but hope we can win a couple of games were not supposed to win.SF and ND for example. We are better than last year and hopefully will be better next year. So what if Wanny and Cavanaugh suck as coaches. We win despite there horrible coaching, but we will lose games we are supposed to win because of them and we will win games we are supposed to lose because of the talented players that we have. So buck up everyone and hoops is right around the corner.

You Wannstedt backers need to give it up. You are deluded. Pick up Landry’s college football preview mag and the first thing you read about Rutgers potentially having a terrific passing game this year. Wanny states “we didn’t prepare for the pass.” What kind of coaching is that?
His record as a coach revolves around mediocrity and making everyone like him. He may win a little more, lose a little more, but he is no champion.
And you Wannstedt backers need to stop the name-calling and finger-pointing. I have spent $1400 flying off to Pitt football games this year and I have been a fan since 1965. Maybe it is just time for him to retire and enjoy life while he is still healthy. He seems half to the glass a lot of the time.

matt, the level of anger and frustration is where it is b/c this is year 4 of the wanny regime and NOTHING is changing. same bad game management decisions, no ability to adjust to what the other team is doing, etc. pitt still loses games we should win. wanny’s honeymoon is over. either win 9 games and go to a decent bowl or start over with someone else. enough is enough.

It’s a good thing we have sports to block out what’s going on everywhere else.

If you honestly think nothing is changing than your delusional. Pitt isn’t a top 5 team, and he wasn’t going to build that in 4 years. If you thought that you are setting yourself up for failure. The team is definately moving forward. The players on the field are much better skilled and play much harder than when Wanny arrived. There are still holes but that is improving. We have finally built an o-line that actually can produce a semblance of a running game and have an elite tailback to take advantage of it. The D-line has some actual talent to make plays, something it never had in the Harris days, and something Wannstedt has focused on. The team has had its downfalls, but like everyone on this post has said, it is clearly improvement. An 8 win season before the year would have been what most fans would be happy with and that is still clearly within reach. Of course you strive to win every game, but that clearly would not be realistic expectations. The fact that fans are now expecting Pitt to win this amount of games is a clear testament to improvement. Nobody in the last 2 seasons would think Pitt would have a shot at that. So hate him if you want, I don’t think the guys going anywhere right now. He’s a great recruiter and it’s in the programs best interest that he succeeds b/c he is one of a few people in the country that could bring elite talent to Pittsburgh.

Tony In Houston, we are all pitt backers. Coaching carosel never work. Wanny has put together a nice program and finally we see some excitement on the field with our athletes. No need to change.. let this play out b/c I have a funny feeling something wonderful will come out of Wanny tour.

Come on Tony… you can see what Wanny is building. It is there and that is why people are frustrated.
BTW- this team is better than any team we had in the past 15 years.

HAil to Pitt

and thnaks for spending money to support the program.

@Bobby,
Not a golfer, I suck at golf, but did play ball professionally. One play, i.e. the muffed punt, can dramatically change momentum and the direction that the game is going to take. So yes, I think if Berry doesn’t muff the punt, Pitt probably drives down the field to take the lead. At the very least, the field position would have been dramatically different. Couple the muff with giving up a TD on the very next play and the game was over.

Agree to game assessment that Pitt might have come back to win, if not for fumbled punt….but, why wasn’t Pitt ahead by 20 at that point? We handle USF all day long in their stadium but play like a jv squad at home v Rutgers — that pisses people off. I could have lived with a 10 point win, but no excuse to lose at home v. Rutgers — really, ever. Imagine what Dan Marino, Hugh Green, and Tony D. thought? Only silver lining I see is that Pitt plays well as the U-dog under Wannstedt, so he seems to be a good motivator at least…and risk taker when pressed. Some guys are just not good front runners…strange.

Look im a recent grad of Pitt and a High School football coach. Let me tell you that with the type of players in the past 3 years that been recurted to play at Pitt we should be competing at least for january bowl games, and the Big East. Personally I think DW is a great man, a hard workewr, and a true Pittsburgher. However its obvoius that he doesnt work on the fundamentals that a football team needs to work on to get better. Also it seems as if DW never gets his teams ready for lower teams and their competition. First it was Ohio U, then Nebraska, UConn, and etc.

From an anomous player’s brother on the team, from my understandings DW’s practices are spent too much on special teams, and scrmaging rather than working on fundamentals and reps,and reconition. Im a first year high school coach who is a JV D corrdinator and I can see that. This is horrible that DW (who has been a coach for years and has won a super bowl) is not doing what he needs to do to get us where we belong.

Im telling you people, if we dont get 8 wins this year we should demand that he is out of here. I already have a replacement if it doesnt workout. Its nothing personal to DW but I love college football and I love Pitt and Im tired of seeing us be coached the way we are! We should be better than this. But then again we are 5-2 but we have better win at least 8!

Good post Lou.

You speak the truth, Dave’s a great guy who loves the school, the team, and the city, but he’s just not a good coach.

My only worry is, if he leaves how do we keep pulling in the great recruits?

Why cant we just cheer for pitt? We always want to fire a coach or demote a player from the stands. Dont you realize these knee jerk reaction ruin team morale. Hey.. I upset that we arent on a 40 game win streak but I am not going to trash DW, Cavs, any coach or player. This team is better than any of walt’s team and will only improve as the season progress. REMEMBER.. THIS TEAM NEVER QUITS EVEN WHEN EVERYTHING WENT WRONG ON SATURDAY.

Watch the FIRE you see from our young men this saturday against ND.
I will says that Phil Bennett need to have his and defensive line and LBs ready for the screen and flats to rbs that Charlie likes to call. The Also, ND will take their share of of shots down the field.

Berry needs to have short term memory. Learn from your mistakes and grow.

DW will put us in positon to win. The players wont quit. We have to hope to get the magic bounce that we did not get against Rutgers.

Kudos to Teel.. you had a career day against us but this wont stop the pitt train from moving forward

HAIL TO PITT

PITT 34- ND 31
PS- We need to support Bostick becasue he is a very veyr good player that will only get better