There will be the rare Friday night liveblog tonight around 8pm. That means I have lots to do during the day to be useless to the wife and kids during that time.
Greg Romeus’s Sporting News diary shares a little too much about the D-line and dancing. You can’t — you just can’t unlearn these things, and I can’t blackout drink at this hour.
Louisivlle paper has a piece on Bill Stull playing well this season.
The must-win theme for Louisville is very prevalent.
“Every game from here out is a must-win,” Tomczyk said. “I don’t think we’re looking at any game as one we can lose. We’ve made our mistakes and can’t afford any more.”
The Cards, who have committed five turnovers in the past two games, cannot build momentum off potential.
“We’re definitely in a position where we need to win this football game,” coach Steve Kragthorpe said. “It’s a big game for us. It’s on national television. It’s the first Big East Conference game, so there’s no doubt it’s important to us. We want to chase the (championship).”
Unsaid by Kragthorpe is keeping his job. Well, maybe not make-or-break for Krags, but he only has a couple more opportunities before the season is toast and the fans make last year’s anger and frustration a mere prelude to revolution.
Well, unless you think they have already given up.
So what’s my prediction for tonight? Terrible football, groans, boos, fleeting hope and ultimately a 10+ point victory for Pitt in a 30s – 20s type game. Vic will get his and we’ll get at least 2 touchdowns, but we won’t be able to keep Pitt off the scoreboard. Burke’s first TAINT of the year seals it with 5 minutes to go. Is it bad that’s what I HOPE happens of the reasonable alternatives? My biggest fear is that Pitt comes out pissed after losing last week and hangs 50 on us while their defense pressures Burke all day and keeps us to a meaningless late TD.
OF course for Pitt to get this rosy outcome, the offense needs to sustain drives at 3d down and the defense needs to get the hell off the field at that point.
And there is no denying it, the onus is mainly on the defense. For all the kvetching about the offense, Bill Stull and missed opportunities this team is supposed to be defense first and expected a lot less from the offense. Don’t talk about the defense being worn down late last game because the offense had 3-and-outs. The defense was far more culpable in not ending drives. They gave NC State more opportunities and hurt the offense by letting the NC State defense rest and have a lot more time to adjust.
Aaron Berry sort of takes some responsibility for the poor performance by the secondary. His mouth has written a check.
“I think they are going to try me with (Long),” Berry said, “but I’ll do what I do best. I’ll lock him up. This is a situation for me to prove I’m one of the best corners in the country.
“I need to press him to disrupt his routes. When you give receivers a lot of room to work, the yards add up.”
The Pitt secondary, which has only three interceptions, will be challenged to overcome a bad outing against North Carolina State. The Panthers are aware of what is broken, and they’ll know if it’s fixed if the numbers add up in their favor.
First, however, Berry said Pitt’s defensive backs must tackle better. More importantly, they must communicate.
“We’ve got to stay on the same page with our corners and safeties,” Berry said. “Teams are hitting us with a lot of switch routes and plays up the seam. There’s no doubt that losing (free safety Andrew) Taglianetti has hurt us, depth-wise, and it’s left a few openings in the secondary because we’re not communicating.”
Well, Berry has the communicating down — to the media.
Really, for get needing a quick start for Pitt. Regardless of the Big East title goals. The Panthers need a strong finish in each game.
