Hope everyone enjoyed the holiday weekend. Got back from a weekend at the in-laws this evening.
The Pitt football players had a little time-off around Christmas, but that is over. The Panthers have been in El Paso for a couple days and happy to be there.
Cameron Saddler saw the mariachi band leader coming his way with an oversized sombrero and a request to sing the chorus. As his teammates parted ways, Saddler stepped forward.
The Pitt freshman receiver embraced the opportunity to sing along as the Panthers were welcomed Friday afternoon to the 75th Brut Sun Bowl in traditional Mexican style in the lobby of El Paso International Airport.
“You know I don’t get embarrassed,” Saddler said. “Any time they give me attention, I’m soaking it up. It was a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
“I’m just happy to make a bowl my first year.”
The Panthers, led down the escalator by Pitt coach Dave Wannstedt and his wife, Jan, arrived to the sound of trumpets, vihuelas and violins played by the Mariachi Chapala de El Paso. The Viva El Paso Folklorico, wearing a colorful array of dresses, danced with Wannstedt and his players.
“That was fun,” Saddler said. “I could get used to this.”
Not much of a shock that Oregon State plans to focus their defensive efforts on stopping LeSean McCoy.
“There’s definitely a redemption factor,” said Oregon State senior defensive lineman Slade Norris. “We’ve got to come out and show how we play to the nation because that last game definitely didn’t illustrate what we are. We still have a sour taste in our mouths.”
Norris has a point, as the evidence isn’t as damning as it seems on the surface. Oregon State is allowing only 134.8 rushing yards per game and has held seven opponents to fewer than 100 yards. Another, Washington, had 101. The Beavers have allowed eight 100-yard rushers this season, but only Stanford, Penn State and Oregon have had both a 100-yard rusher and 200 or more team rushing yards.
Oregon State has proven susceptible in allowing big gains. It has given up scoring runs of 46, 28, 58, 65 and 83 yards, as well as a 54-yarder that didn’t reach the end zone. That should have McCoy licking his chops, considering he has six 100-yard games and eight runs of 20-plus yards, including touchdowns of 27, 58, 33, 22 and 47 this season.
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“I think with a guy like McCoy you’re going to have to persevere because, in their formula for winning, they will not stop giving him the ball,” Riley said. “Even if they are not having great success early, they will continue to give it to him. They try to break your will running the ball.”
While Jacquizz Rodgers won’t be carrying the ball for Oregon State, they will have Jeremy Francis back. He was taking care of his mother after heart surgery. Francis and Ryan McCants will be splitting carries.
Not a shock, but LaRod Stephens-Howling will be returning punts as well as kickoffs. A chance to spark more on special teams, but also give NFL scouts more to consider with the senior.
“That’s what makes our coach special,” Stephens-Howling said. “One of the things that made me excited about coming to Pitt once he was here is that he knows what it takes, he was in the NFL for a long time and he’ll put us all in the best situation he can in order to give us a chance to get there.”
Finally, I file this under, “you aren’t fooling anyone.”
That has raised the possibility that Cross could be a candidate for a position switch, perhaps to receiver. During the 30-minute open window of Pitt’s practice yesterday — the rest of the Panthers’ practice is closed to the media — Cross was returning kickoffs for the scout team.
Wannstedt was evasive about whether Cross could play in the bowl game.
“I don’t know,” Wannstedt said. “We’ve been working him at some different positions. He’s such a great kid. We still have our Wildcat package in, so we might see him at quarterback. This might be the week.”
Right. Sure. That seems likely.
