For those of you worried that Coach Wannstedt has been almost too perfect the last few weeks with the team and what he said, breathe easy. The struggles to return a punt instead of having Aaron Smith fair catch everything brought out the silly talk.
Wannstedt said Pitt’s lack of production on punt returns is because of the spread of rugby-style, directional punting throughout college football. The Panthers are averaging 5.3 yards on 15 returns, with a long of 17 yards, using primarily Aaron Smith.
“When there are returns,” Wannstedt said, “they are very short ones.”
Wannstedt, who doubles as Pitt’s special teams coach, noted Notre Dame’s explosive Golden Tate is averaging just 6.5 yards on punt returns. Pitt is allowing only 4.5 yards on punt returns.
Of course it is all because of the punters. Among punt returners (who average more than 1.2 punt returns/game) Aaron Smith is ranked 53d. For the record, Tate got yanked on punt returns in the Navy game which Weis claimed was to save Tate from taking extra hits.
In case you weren’t aware, it’s going to be a big football weekend at Heinz Field.
Weird headline for this story, “Irish anything but a distraction for No. 8 Pitt.” Apparently the idea being that an unranked, non-con game before a bye week and the final two conference games would be something Pitt would overlook. I mean, it’s only on primetime TV and against ND. Now if the theme was the coaching situation and daily drama that is ND football, I might understand the distraction argument.
QB Bill Stull missed last year’s ND game with a concussion, so he’s excited to play them this year. While Stull’s counterpart, Jimmy Clausen, has thrown for nearly 900 more yards than Stull (with 89 more attempts), the two are a little more than 1 point apart in QB ratings. I do find it continually amusing how national writers keep throwing out the “surprise” that Stull is having a better statistical senior year than Dan Marino did. Yes, actually we are aware.
A big reason for Stull’s numbers. An O-line that keeps him upright and is making it easier for the running game.
The strength of the Pitt running game has been its depth of talent along the line of scrimmage. Coach Dave Wannstedt and offensive coordinator Frank Cignetti haven’t had to rely heavily on one side of the offensive line.
“It’s important for our offensive line not to have a tendency – like, say run the ball 85 percent to the right side because the left side isn’t as good,” Malecki said. “It’s one of our strengths that we don’t have that problem.
“It’s cool to have someone run for a touchdown behind you. It’s not like we have to run this play because I’m blocking this guy. We trust each other that we can run any play, any side and get it done.”
“Our balance has enabled us to open up so many other things with our offense,” right tackle Joe Thomas said. “We’ve been able to show a lot of different formations to keep teams guessing.”
For amusement, here’s another article about how Weis must go. In more classic tin-eared ND implosion, the former co-DC — now just defensive assistant coach — Corwin Brown whined that the Navy coach was classes for saying what everyone knew: that the ND defense was predictable and exploited.
“I thought it was very disappointing, what the Navy coach said after the game,” Brown said Wednesday night. “He didn’t want something to be misconstrued, but then he said it, regarding how we prepared and what we prepared to do. I’m going to tell you this – we came out in the second half, minus one mess-up, they don’t get anything.”
Navy had 14 points and 194 yards in the first half against Notre Dame, and seven points and 210 yards in the second half. But that was just Brown’s warm-up Wednesday.
“Whether you think it’s the right thing to say or not, in this profession, with all the classy guys that I’ve watched and played under and studied, they would never say a thing like that,” the secondary coach and co-defensive coordinator continued. “To say that we didn’t prepare well or we didn’t have a good game plan, that’s crazy.
“What I think is crazy is a lack of imagination for what they do. I don’t ever get up here and talk about the illegal cut blocks. They hit (Brian Smith) illegally last year and put him out. They hit (Robert Blanton) on one of the most malicious plays I’ve ever seen since I’ve been playing. And I called him about it. And I told him I thought it was very poor. He probably thought I called because we lost; I was going to say something to him before the game but I didn’t. Very malicious. And in this game, which we’re supposed to be playing for our kids, you don’t let your players do something like that.
“Now, coach (Charlie) Weis, and (defensive coordinator Jon Tenuta) do a great job getting us prepare on offense and defense. And I don’t care what foxhole they’re in, I’m jumping in the foxhole with them every time. We had a damn good game plan. And that’s all I got to say.”
Sooooo, does that mean you are blaming the loss on your own players? Navy lacks imagination but still beat you despite knowing what was coming. It can’t be a claim that they are more talented? Not exactly the way for the Irish to get back that missing swagger.
Added bonus: bitching about the Naval Academy and the way they play on Veterans Day. Spin and a pseudo-apology after some manufactured outrage to follow.
In ’82, Pitt came into the season pre-seasoned ranked No. 1; need I have to tell you where Pitt was ranked in the pre-season this year?
The No. 1 ranking was based in large part of Marino’s fantastic junior year when entering the season, he was considered along with Elway as a leading Heisman candidate; one the main reasons that this year’s team not being pre-season ranked was because of Stull’s junior year.
Pitt’s o-line in 82 had 3 future all-pros (Covert, Sweeney and Fralic); Pitt’s o-line this year was soemwhat of a question mark at the beginning especially the way they were dominated in pre-season camp.
Despite all the offensive talent, the ’82 team struggled offensively all year starting with a home 7-6 win vs UNC. In fact, it the defense that bailed them out for mst of the year. The offense sputtered so much that Marino dropped from a poetntial to 3 pick to the 5th QB taken in the draft; surprisingly, the offense bailed out the defense this year especially early on, and Stull is unexpectedly among the top rated QBs.
Let’s all hope that this contrast continues … despite its offensive woes, Pitt in 82 remained unbeaten for much of the season until an underdog ND (coached by Gerry Faust) came to town and upset Pitt.
Charlie Weis on the weekly ND show
I know what you mean, also Foge was a 1st year head coach, Foge was a very good DC but not head coach material.
Time to focus on ND and kick some ass Saturday evening!!
Can’t wait for the game I am flying up with my wife and expecting to have a great time.
Charlie aka Jabba the Hutt is a conceded man who does not respect his opponents, he is a self proclaimed offensive guru who is offensive.
I am looking forward to our victory on
Saturday that will put the final nail in his coffin and end his ND coaching career.
One of my coworkers took me to a ND function in the Dallas area a few years ago, Jabba showed up and was a pompous ass.
Howsabout bulbous?
Below is the article:
2. Avoidance, 101
Earlier this decade, Pitt and Notre Dame agreed on an eight-year contract to play games through 2015.
We’re in Year 2 of the series, and already it’s the most anticipated game of the weekend: A primetime national television game that will clearly define two oft-maligned coaches, the state of two programs and two hot quarterbacks.
And somewhere on the fringe sits Penn State, Pitt’s longtime rival that decided not long ago they’re not playing Pitt because it’s not in the best interest of Penn State. Playing the Temples of the world (no offense, Owls; nice season), however, most certainly is in the best interest of those in Happy Valley.
Here’s the Penn State argument: The once storied Pitt-Penn State rivalry means more to Pitt than Penn State. Pitt doesn’t annually sell out home games, so Penn State would essentially be contributing to the financial well-being of its rival by bringing busloads of fans to see the game every other year at Heinz Field. That’s why Penn State offered a two games for one deal that Pitt, wisely, has declined.
Now, back to this week (and reality): Apparently it’s OK for Notre Dame, merely the biggest name in the history of the game, to agree to a home-and-home series with Pitt and help fill Heinz Field. But it’s not in the best interest of Penn State. Sounds a whole lot like somebody doesn’t want to play somebody.
And it has nothing to do with JoePa’s ornery grudge about Pitt not joining an all East Coast league way back when. It has everything to do with Penn State not wanting to lose, knowing full well Pitt won’t accept a two-for-one deal. Shameful.
That thing with the eastern sports league happened in the early-80s. Pitt and Penn State still played throughout the 80s (ok, maybe those games were already signed beforehand) but they also played a short series in the late-90s. That’s well after Pitt screwed up JoePa’s plans.
“Once considered the fiercest and most important college football rivalry north of the Mason-Dixon line, this intrastate rivalry began a slow death in the 1990’s when Pitt’s football team joined the new football division of the Big East in 1991 alongside the rest of the school’s athletic programs already established in the conference. Two years later, Penn State joined the Big Ten. The then newly-acquired conference affiliations of the two previously independent football program powers resulted in fewer scheduling opportunities.
The rivalry ended in 2000 when the two schools’ most recent contract ended, with Pitt winning over Penn State at Three Rivers Stadium 12-0. The desire of the Penn State athletic department to host unbalanced number of home games (proposing 2-1 and 3-2 series) was a significant factor in the non-renewal of the series”
I believe the rivalry is very much in effect except on the field.
I think Coach Paterno got pissed when someone ran out on the field with a banner “JoPa has Aids” in 1989.
I am old enough to have enjoyed the Penn State rivalry and what it did for PA and Eastern football.I even rooted for Penn State when they played anyone but Pitt or WVU. I still do not hate PSU, but I do hate Paterno. This sanctimonious, vindictive old man is nothing more than a coward who has built his record playing teams (Temple et al) who have never once beat PSU. He refuses to play Pitt and WVU because they can beat him once in a while. Why does he need eight home games, they say for the money but I think it is for the wins and his record against Bobby Bowden who never shied away from playing anyone. Remember the Penn State Way, the myth that he ran a cleaner program than anyone. So much for that.
While I am at it, Rendell and former governors are all cowards for not making this game happen. Afterall these are both state funded schools. The economic impact of this game on Pittsburgh is sorely missed, never mind the comradery and trash talk which was all in good fun.
It is a shame that a coward and his enablers allow him to ruin a 100 year old rivalry.
He is a coward afterall, if he really hates Pitt why not beat the snot out of us. Its funny that when WVU got really good they were no longer on the PSU schedule.
This is not about who has the better team or program, this is about playing a game that is sorely missed, the water cooler discussions, the talk show rants, the build up to the big game.
It is about tradition. Notre Dame plays Southern Cal, Ohio State plays Michigan, Oklahoma plays Nebraska, Army plays Navy, Harvard plays Yale, but Paterno won’t play Pitt.
