I don’t know. It’s either prelude to a shake-up or Paul Zeise has the nice scoop.
Pitt athletic director Steve Pederson will meet with football coach Dave Wannstedt over the next few days to discuss his future, multiple sources have said.
As usual, it is on his blog, where he gets a little more blunt.
Here is what I can tell you – based on a lot of conversatons I’ve had in the past 24 hours, it is does not look good for Wannstedt and it seems like the University is set to go in the proverbial new direction.
Now, I’m not saying it is a “done deal”, but it clearly looks bleak for Dave at this point as I haven’t talked to anyone who has even said “he will be back with certain conditions.”
He then lists the reasons you would expect for the fact that Pitt’s administration apparently willing to pull the plug. Missing from the list is “support from wealthy booster(s) willing to help pay the buyout.”
To be honest, that is the one thing that has me hesitant to believe it will happen. There does appear to be a snowball going that way, but I am not quite there.
The other thing, is that the meeting has no set date. Over the next few days is rather vague. I also wonder if Pitt and AD Pederson would make this happen before Saturday. Do they really want to pre-empt/upstage the big Tennessee-Pitt game at the Con?
So if the meeting gets pushed until next week, then I might be further inclined to believe that Head Coach Wannstedt is done
Guess we are all in for waiting and speculating. Whee.
1. Home against Bowling Green
2. Home letting up 56 to Rutgers in 2008
3. At Cinci in 2008
4. At NC St.
5. Home against Cinci in 2009
6. Home against Miami
7. Home against WVU
A total of 7 games in 3 seasons. That isn’t just two plays in two games. Luckily I didn’t go to the bowl game in EL Paso.
Be careful what you wish for.
We must realize changing coaches does not vault us into automatic big east champs annually.
1) Is irrelevant nationally
2) Garners little to no local attention (see attendance numbers at Heinz)
3) Wins very little in a BCS conference that is putrid
I would rather take the chance at trying for a great hire to take us far. If it fails, so what? No Compass Bowl or Beef O Bradys Bowl? WHO CARES? I want to win the conference and play in the BCS games!
Your name begets the only reason Dave W was here as long as he was…his only signature moment was that score right there.
If you go back in Ziese’s blog several weeks ago…Dave was on the hotseat to be let go prior to that game…his coaching team worked their butts off and won the game.
Even the second rate crew that covered a recent game (the color guy) stated that Wanny has been milking that win for a while now.
Just find a sense if Irony behind it…
DaveD
Pitt fires Wannstedt
Dave Wannstedt has been fired as coach of the Pitt football team.
After three non-winning seasons in 2005-07, Wannstedt appeared to have the Pitt program turned around with nine wins in 2008 and 10 in 2009. But the team is 7-5 this season and on its way to a minor bowl game.
While not shocking — there were ample reasons for the firing — it was surprising. Wannstedt enjoys an excellent relationship with Pitt chancellor Mark Nordenberg.
But Nordenberg either agreed with Pederson’s decision or chose not to overrule it.
The season was immensely disappointing for Pitt, which was the pre-season favorite to win the Big East championship. But not only did it lose non-league games to Utah, Miami and Notre Dame, it also lost twice in the conference.
Although Pitt finished in a three-way tie for first, it was no consolation. The league was ripe for the taking this year and Wannstedt and his team could not get the job done, could not get Pitt to a BCS game.
There are many candidates to replace Wannstedt and most of them are unfamiliar to Pitt fans. For example, before hiring Walt Harris, Pederson tried to hire Mark Richt, who was a fairly anonymous coordinator at Florida State. Richt said no and felt he could do better, which he did at Georgia.
Mike Leach, the offensive guru who made a name for himself at Texas Tech, will be mentioned. So will Al Golden, who has been able to win at Temple.
But much like four men who achieved great success in Pittsburgh — Chuck Noll, Jim Leyland, Bill Cowher and Ben Howland — there a good chance an unknown will succeed Wannstedt.
The espn article says that Wanny will remain in the athletic department, if this is true and lasting, I think its great. Wanny will be a great ambassador for the school and has arguably done a pretty decent job recruiting, the game-coaching and planning was the big problem for him. Hopefully this can help hold together the recruiting process.
Anyway, Le roi est mort, vive le roi…who is our next coach?
This is Steve Pederson’s big chance. He fired Frank Solich and hired Bill Callahan and almost ruined Nebraska football in the process. Now Pederson has the opportunity to make the Pitt football program right.
You don’t understand brining up Callahan? If Pederson makes a decision like that, we’ll be in the same league as Duquesne getting our butts beat.
I understand getting rid of Wanny, but Pederson doesn’t have the best track record….that was my point.
There’s no question it had to happen, and now. Still, I can’t help but feel sad about it. Wanny could just never seem to adapt.
The most logical candidate right now seems to be Cignetti. Although I would prefer Gattuso, or some other fresh face. I just hope its not a retread, like so many times before.
Motivating the team to play is a big a part of college football as execution, recruiting and game plan. Bowling Green, BackYard Brawls, Oregon State, UCONN, Miami, Notre Dame are just a few examples where the team didn’t show up to play and got beat. At a certain point that falls on the coach. The offensive line woes go back to recruiting. In game adjustments were often notably absent. The blown lead to Cincy also comes to mind where we took our foot off the pedal. So let’s be careful blaming kids for the state of the program and how the season turned out.
I don’t think we need to bash Wannstedt any more, and I do even feel bad for him that he failed, but the reality is that he simply didn’t get the job done and its time to move on.
Only to find out the recruiter at Pitt had been let go. Didn’t sound right and no one at Pitt athletics would discuss it further. Said to call back on Wednesday…
With due respect to Rev George – Thank you God!
There was a lot of locker room and off field stuff that contributed to the firing. I have also been through 6 Pitt coaches being fired or leaving .and considered the alternative not being any better….but the overwhelming Wanny poor management was too much to bear.
Evidently he was allowed to resign. Can we finally have some peace on this site.
I have NEVER rooted against Pitt ….but had with Wanny. Hail to a new era at PITT!!
It is now up to Pederson to make a BOLD move to bring in a proven winner. I do not want to see an assistant coach elevated to HC at Pitt. Does anybody remember the name Charlie Weiss??
In order to bring in a talented leader for our program it will take $$$. Hopefully our University will loosen the purse strings to step up in class with a coach who will be a credit to our program. Pitt is a GREAT University…there is no reason as to why we can’t excel in the class room and on the field too.
Pitt just fired a Pitt man just one year after a 10 win season.
This, if nothing else, shows that Pitt is DEAD SERIOUS about not being mired in mediocrity as a football program.
I’ve been waiting a long time for confirmation of that.
Having said that, it was time for him to move on. He had lost much of the fanbase and I thought throughout the season he had lost the team. That is partly some players’ fault but not all their fault… It is best for him & the program for him to resign and move upstairs. Now, can we get the hire we need? IN my lifetime I have seen only 3 Pitt fb hires that had some success: Gottfried, Harris & Wannstedt. I’ve also had Fazio, Hackett & Majors II. I started with Sherrill. Will we stay mediocre, more to pathetic or shoot for excellence?
That’s one interesting sentence!! But the truth is, Zeise is one of the most opinionated sportswriters this city has ever seen. He has no problem trashing everybody else, but with Wannstedt he wouldn’t do it. He was too easy on him year after year and it fooled people in to thinking Wannstedt was better than he was!!!
Over on the Pitt board at Rivals, there is talk that this move was decided on after the ND loss and that Peterson has been working on a replacement since then. I have no idea if this is true – one poster that is well-respected says that the coach will be named before the weekend so he can be introduced at the Pitt-Tennessee game. he also says people will be quite happy with the choice.
I am quite intrigued now. I have no clue who it could be – I am assuming someone that is not in football right now. Interesting.
“I have it from my Golden Panther Alums in Pittsburgh that Pederson has a replacement already and it will be an assistant from a major program. So Please, no John Gruden speculation because it is not going to happen.”
Great News. I literally had to get off the treadmill after work when it ran below ESPN.
You make an excellent point. What goes unsaid is the administrative support these guys didn’t find at Pitt. I don’t know if the group you listed were terrific coaches or not. I do know when Pitt starts to be successful the chancellor has raised academic requirements. The Pitt chancellor has been one of the big obstacles to sustained success. We see now that Wannstedt had the tools he needed and he couldn’t produce. Clearly it becomes his issue as a coach not the school leadership as has been the case in the past.
I don’t see us bringing in a big-name, and I am fine with that…just keep our fingers crossed that things work out now…
WANNSTEDT ANNOUNCES RESIGNATION FROM PITT
PITTSBURGH–Dave Wannstedt announced today he will resign as head football coach at the University of Pittsburgh. Wannstedt informed Pitt athletic director Steve Pederson of his decision Tuesday.
He will remain at Pitt in the capacity of special assistant to the athletic director.
“The past six years have been among the most gratifying of my entire career,” said Wannstedt, a 1974 graduate of Pitt and former standout offensive tackle for the Panthers. “To be the head coach at my university was the realization of a lifelong dream. It has been an honor and privilege to serve Pitt and its football program.
“I’ve always told our players that the University of Pittsburgh will mean more to them than just four years of school and football. It will influence and inspire everything they do long after their last class and final game. I know that firsthand. I owe so much of my life to the education and experiences I had here. Pitt has always been, and will continue to be, an incredibly special place for my family and me.”
“On behalf of the University of Pittsburgh, I’d like to thank Coach Wannstedt for his passionate and committed service the past six years,” Pederson said. “This has never been just a job for Dave. He is wholeheartedly committed to Pitt and its people. We are greatly appreciative of his efforts to build a strong program on and off the field.”
Wannstedt was named the 34th head coach in Pitt football history on December 23, 2004. He has compiled a 42-31 record over six seasons. The highlights of his tenure include:
Three consecutive postseason berths, including this year’s BBVA Compass Bowl. The Panthers also advanced to the 2008 Sun Bowl and 2009 Meineke Car Care Bowl, where they defeated North Carolina, 19-17.
A 10-3 record in 2009, the program’s winningest season since 1981. Pitt’s 10 victories secured a final national ranking of No. 15 in both polls, the Panthers’ highest final listing since 1982.
A 26-12 record from 2008-10, the program’s most successful three-year stretch since the 1981-83 seasons.
One of the most celebrated victories in school history — a 13-9 upset of West Virginia in Morgantown on December 1, 2007. The Panthers knocked off the Mountaineers, who were ranked No. 1 in the USA Today coaches’ poll and on the cusp of playing in the BCS title game.
Four first-team All-Americans, including defensive end Jabaal Sheard (2010), tight end Dorin Dickerson (2009), linebacker Scott McKillop (2008) and linebacker H.B. Blades (2006).
Six Big East Player-of-the-Year awards since 2006. The honorees under Wannstedt include running back Dion Lewis (Offensive and Rookie, 2009), defensive end Greg Romeus (Co-Defensive, 2009), defensive tackle Mick Williams (Co-Defensive, 2009), linebacker Scott McKillop (Defensive, 2008), running back LeSean McCoy (Rookie, 2007) and linebacker H.B. Blades (Defensive, 2006).
An Academic All-American and Big East Football Scholar-Athlete of the Year in placekicker Conor Lee (2008).
Fourteen NFL Draft selections, including first-round picks in cornerback Darrelle Revis (New York Jets, 2007) and offensive tackle Jeff Otah (Carolina Panthers, 2008).
Pederson said a national search for a successor will begin immediately.
I wish him well, but the anger and angst he caused all of us in the 6 years will stay for a long time.
Obviously they found some alums to buy out his contract
I have to laud our AD here. Somewhere into the the process he accessed the players’ opinions I’m sure. And from what little I know, it must not have been pleasant.
Despite the poor performance we should thank Dave for his time. He was a breath of well needed fresh air after Walt Harris and for that we should all thank him. He is a PITT man after all and gave it his best shot.
Time to move on.
TERYL AUSTIN!
TERYL AUSTIN!
TERYL AUSTIN!
After the ND game, I suggested that they kick Wanny upstairs to the old Johnny Majors role. wbb also suggested that later on.
Looks like that’s what they’re doing. Saves some face for him and Pitt gets something for the money they’ll have to pay him
anyway. Smart move as long as he stays out of the new coach’s way.
I got no ill wishes for the man and hope he enjoys his “life’s work”. But I gotta tell you when I first heard the news the first thing that popped into my head was “ding dong the witch is dead”.
Ironic that I got the call from the university fund raisers just last night and I told them to call me back after Wannstedt was gone. I will call them tomorrow, give them my pledge and get on the list for season tickets again. See you at Heinz.
I will, however, concede that he brought in bigger, stronger, and faster guys compared to Walt. That’s about it…
BUT….
AND THIS IS A BIG ONE…
Please stop with the “Wanny helped bring us back or moved the program forward” crap…he did not.
If anyone deserves more credit for Pitt’s FB climb to mediocrity is Walt Harris. Walt Harris inherited an absolutely abysmal program, stuck in the dark ages with facilities, with MAC level talent (as a whole), and brought us back to a level of average. Walt will never get credit with the Yinzer media, and was quite an enigma, but if anyone should get credit for actually improving the program…it is Walt.
People conveniently forget how much better our conference was at that time….7 or 8 wins in the old BE was aaverage/slightly above… 7 or 8 wins in the new BE is below average.
Walt was a great hire at the time, and I will argue did a great job considering the talent and condition of Pitt FB. Granted, he probably would have never gotten us to the “the next level”, but his hire (at that time) was great for Pitt.
Time to get a young, hungry, former coach at the DI level that can strategize, execute and inspire players, coordinators, and the fans.
Hail to Script Pitt on the Football Helmets.
Kill the Dyno cat.
I’ll live with the vegas gold/blue and block Pitt on the rest of the teams….
Tue Dec 7 29 Memphis W, 78-67 72 85% Neutral
I wanna hear more Teryl Austin, Josh McDaniels, Gus Malzohn, Etc type guys….
I hope everyone from the administration, the staff, the players (BIG TIME), and us the fans realize we all contributed to this failure. I hope the players care enough to realize they let this man down. The players need to play better, the fans need to show up more, and the staff needs to coach better.
Thanks for trying Wanny, here’s to hoping we make a good decision.