It was probably more apt when Pitt was a Dave Wannstedt coached team. The teacher and a pupil. The similarities and differences. Now they have a lot more differences than similarities. Yet there is one area where they are now a lot more similar than in the past. A love of blitzing and attacking defenses to get turnovers. Really, it’s been the only thing that has Rutgers with a winning record.
Schiano’s decision to overhaul the defense, making it faster and more athletic in the aftermath of last year’s 4-8 showing, appears to be one of the key factors for a unit that has eight interceptions and 10 fumble recoveries already.
“The more comfortable you are in a scheme, the less you have to think about your assignment, the more you can play with speed and confidence,” Schiano said. “I think putting faster people at the positions, by moving guys down a position, (it helps).
“Takeaways are such a fine line. It’s a tipped ball here and a recovered fumble there. If you’re a little bit faster you get to the ball faster. If you’re a little more comfortable, you react faster. I think that’s why good defenses (create turnovers). Very rarely do you see an inexperienced, run-of-the-mill defense have a lot of takeaways. It just doesn’t happen very much.”
While Schiano is a Wannstedt disciple with speed on defense and valuing the turnover battle, his biggest difference has been using that speed to bring blitzes and attack up front a lot more. Coach Graham is expecting it, if not more than in most games so far from Rutgers.
“They are going to blitz and attack and even more so, I would think, [because of] the fact that we have a lot of newcomers up front. But we have to prepare our guys. It will be a more of a challenge because of all of the different things we will see.”
Graham said the Panthers are likely to have three first-year offensive line starters with center Ryan Turnley and guards Ryan Schlieper and Cory King.
In Schlieper’s case, he would be making his first career start unless Lucas Nix’s injured knee improves.
The three newcomers played together in the final three quarters of the victory against South Florida. While they got some experience as a unit, this is a different test. The Bulls mostly rushed four players, but the Scarlet Knights will attack the offensive front from several angles.
Graham said the offensive line should be ready for what the Scarlet Knights throw at them because they have seen some of it from their own defense in camp and practices.
“I really like what Rutgers does defensively,” Graham said. “They have a really good system in place. They have re-configured their defense to create more speed. They are going to force the issue. I like what they do, and it is probably similar to what we’re trying to do.”
Yet, with three former Pitt coaches now on the Rutgers side of things, there will be a lot that looks familiar from their offense. If you watched suffered through the Rutgers-Syracuse game on Saturday, then you know just how familiar that Rutgers offense looked — only more inept. It really was like a bad flashback.
“I was thinking about it (Monday),” he said. “(Mike) Shanahan and JB (Jon Baldwin), they always used to get mad at me because I was jumping routes (in practice), because I knew what was coming.
“Hopefully, on Saturday, I can see some of those things and try to remember certain route combinations and different plays.”
Schiano recognizes the situation, but he expects Cignetti to disguise some calls.
“We have to make sure we aren’t too obvious,” Schiano said. “Frank is a very creative guy, as well as Brian Angelicho, his right-hand man.”
I’m hoping for the subtlety shown in the Syracuse game.
More similarities? How about an O-line in flux.
Three weeks after a major facelift along Rutgers’ offensive line, the unit is undergoing yet another in the wake of their poor performance in Saturday’s overtime victory against Syracuse.
The Scarlet Knights rushed for just five yards and allowed five sacks in their come-from-behind 19-16 double-overtime win at the Carrier Dome. The offense was bailed out by a stellar performance by the defense, which forced five turnovers, including a fumble recovery in the second overtime that sealed the victory.
“We’re trying guys at different positions,” coach Greg Schiano said following practice this afternoon. “We’re trying to get the best combination. I know that sounds like a broken record but until we get it we’re going to keep trying.”
To that end, offensive line coach Kyle Flood tried an array of combinations today in practice. In short, it was back to square one.
Rutgers had a bad O-line last year, and is still struggling once more. Pitt has had its O-line shaken up lately, albeit from injuries. But at the same time, it hasn’t been a straight run on the depth chart when there was an injury.
It is clear in talking with [Offensive Line Coach] Spencer Leftwich, Ryan Schlieper and Ryan Turnley that Lucas Nix is not likely to play and the team is preparing as if Schlieper is going to start. I don’t think that is a big surprise and when I asked why Schlieper got the nod over Matt Rotheram — who had been ahead of him on the depth chart — the answer was simple — Schlieper outplayed and him and earned the right to get into the game. That’s one thing I really like about this staff — you earn everything, there is nothing free and nothing handed out and you compete for your spot every day.
Coach Leftwich is getting positive reviews in the media. The O-line will get another big test this weekend. I am optimistic that the USF game showed things coming together rather than an aberration, but we can’t ignore the inconsistent performances in the first four games.
Since Pitt fans have not been shy in wishing for a change at QB this season — and I include myself in this group — Greg Schiano provides the darkside for being a too eager to make changes.
Three days after giving the hook to a seemingly entrenched Chas Dodd and replacing him with true freshman Gary Nova, Rutgers coach Greg Schiano still hasn’t announced a starting quarterback for Saturday’s game against Pittsburgh — and might not until just before kickoff, he said Tuesday.
Never one to shy from a quarterback controversy (see: Ted Trump and Ryan Hart; Hart and Mike Teel; Dom Natale and Tom Savage; Savage and Dodd), Schiano appears to be in the middle of one again.
If the choice winds up being Nova, he will be the eighth quarterback to start in Schiano’s 11 years and the fifth true freshman to do so.
And almost every controversy seemed valid at the time. Yet, some of the ongoing instability at the spot is being created by Schiano’s rather quick hook. Tom Savage was a 4-star, blue-chip QB prospect when he signed with Rutgers. Strong-arm, big, a prototypical pro-style QB (yes, the Mike Myers comparisons are fine). There was no shortage of people clamoring for him to get in there as a freshman. And he did, and showed promise in their first year after Mike Teel finished.
But last year, when the O-line really fell apart, he was getting killed back there, and Dodd got playing time because of injury, ineffectiveness and and definitely showing some jittery footwork by Savage. Dodd had some more mobility and held up better to the abuse. Dodd ended the year as the starter and Savage transferred to Arizona.
Now Dodd has continued to take a beating behind a bad O-line — and it began to show in getting happy feet and spooked. Now freshman (and onetime Pitt commit) Gary Nova did marginally better in relief versus Syracuse. More importantly, he was willing to stand in and take some hits — arguably because he hasn’t had a season worth of beatings like Dodd dating back to last year (sacked 45 times in 2010). Dodd has only taken five sacks this year; but the number of hits and hurries — if the Cuse game was any indication — leads me to say that. Nova stood in the pocket more than Dodd and already has taken 5 sacks (4 from Syracuse).
It’s one thing to say just put that young QB of the future in there. Let him get that experience. The question becomes, though, what kind of experience?
Respond to site if interested.
You know, rising hope followed by crashing, largely unexpected failure.
It’s part of what it’s meant to be a Pitt fan for the past 30 years or so. Here’s hoping TG has really charted a new course.
HTP
To those of you who thought/posted that Voytik is going to come in next year and start. Forget it.
As I posted back in training camp or maybe even way back in the spring, if they give the job to Tino again for 2011, we’re going to be stuck with him for 2012 as well. No way they’re not going to start a senior qb named Sunseri. Enjoy !
Uh huh. Really. And I have a bridge in Brooklyn I’d like to sell you.
Graham and Co. also really like Trey Anderson also. Just because he hasn’t played much doesn’t mean they don’t have faith in him – they very much do.
Myers will most probably be gone but if he does return he’ll have already used a redshirt, his 2010 season, so right there are two solid returners and possibly three experienced QBs on the roster.
Voytik coming in as a true freshman without having experience in this system at the college level will place him lower on the depth chart. He’ll get some experience with this system in the camps then work with the scout teams to keep him fresh in case he’s needed because of injury during the season.
Voytik has skills but he is by no means a lock to be better at this level, especially in his first year, then Sunseri is now. I certainly could see him redshirting and think it would be the thing to do if Sunseri’s play suffices next season. That way he’s a rsFR when the QB competition really opens up in 2013… if he wins the starting job and plays well we then have a possible four year starter.
Just consider ..
– Shayne Hale and TJ Clemmings haven’t exactly set the world on fire since arriving on campus
– Anthony Morelli was also selected to attend the Top 11 High Scool QB camp .. and had a mediocre career at U of PS (although in fairness, I could not imagine anyone having more inept QB coaching than he received)
Tino needs to protect the football and not commit TOers.
However…
Tino’s lack of a long ball threat is only manageable if he has an excellent RB threat that can keep defenses honest with elusive running and YAC on screens AND he is capable of making short/immediate passes with high efficiency to slot and TEs.
The 2012 question then becomes… will Tino be as successful without a stud RB (assuming Ray leaves and his replacement does not match his star power) with his limitations (assuming he does not progress beyond running & throwing at 2011 levels). Or, will his limitations expose the flaws, affect scheme, and necissitate a change.
When Tino leads the team on a game winning drive or completes a few 30 – 40 yard throws or makes plays when the rest of the team is struggling, then I will become a believer.
I hope he succeeds, he’s an excellant young man, obviously works very hard, and deserves success. It was a satisfying win on National TV. But one win does not a season make. Except for 13-9.
Rutgers is the opportunity to start a streak or return to the mean. I’m not from Missouri, but show me.
IF Tino can continue to run the offense like he did against USF, he’s clearly the starter this year and again next year.
The ideal scenario is that Trey will get some regular game reps this year and next to prepare him for 2013 and Voytik will redshirt barring injuries to either Tino or Trey. Anderson goes into 2013 as the #1 QB with Voytik as #2. Anderson runs the team for 2 years and Voytik gets his reps and rotates in as a Junior just like Anderson did previously. And, there’s a top notch Freshman or rsFreshman in the wings to repeat the process. Like I said, that’s the ideal scenario.
Bowden ran this every two year QB rotation at Florida State and had his teams ranked in the Top 5 for an amazing string of years. It allowed for more strategic recruiting and having QBs who were comfortable in his system and prepared to succeed from the get-go. We should be so lucky if TG can duplicate that.
I played safety in high school and there was nothing better than knowing the QB couldn’t hit a downfield pass over 12 yards with any consistency, so you could just unload on their running backs with almost total abandon. Graham looks like that scene in Star Wars where they’re dodging through the asteroid field, with guys flying at him from all angles. Anything he gets is almost completely on his own merit and Tino alleviates ZERO pressure and instills ZERO fear. Just saying. Regardless, HTP and jonesing to see Anderson or Myers get more than three snaps and an ‘attaboy’.
This time last week we were mostly all agreed that Tino should be benched for whoever. While I agree he played much better than previous weeks, I reserve judgement.
Was USF’s defense really bad? maybe…. the previous week they gave up to 24 points to UTEP. And UTEP’s QB actually threw for more yards and TD’s (240 yds & 2 TD’s) than ours (216 yds & 1 TD). Problem was, he also threw 3 picks.
Thinking maybe UTEP got all this yardage and points in the 4rth quarter of a blowout. Wrong,
they scored all 24 points thru 3 quarters. (we had 34 pts thru 3 qrts.)
So we really need our QB to start playing more consistently and obviously TG will NOT be calling for many or any long passes.
On the rankings front. PITT is getting votes again in BOTH the AP & USA Today polls. (believe it or not)
In USA Today Poll we got 11 votes for which placed us as #33.
In the AP Poll, we only managed one vote (must have been Bob Smizik, lol) which equated to #36
HTP !
Are we expecting RG to get almost 10 yards EVERY time he TOUCHES THE BALL. Some of you guys are living in fantasy land.
“Tino’s lack of a long ball threat is only manageable if he has an excellent RB threat that can keep defenses honest with elusive running and YAC on screens AND he is capable of making short/immediate passes with high efficiency to slot and TEs.”
“The 2012 question then becomes… will Tino be as successful without a stud RB (assuming Ray leaves and his replacement does not match his star power) with his limitations (assuming he does not progress beyond running & throwing at 2011 levels). Or, will his limitations expose the flaws, affect scheme, and necissitate a change.”
Tino is being given the job this year and they will stick with him because he is a leader of the previous “Wanny Roster”.
If Tino plays like he did last week I anticipate he will be the starter next year with Voytik getting playing time. If he falters anywhere along the way this year Graham will live with it and all 3 will compete for the job next year. Voytik Fits the system…….Trey is not ready.
You remind me of the horse from Animal Farm and we all know what happened to him. Tell me, does Graham pattern his running after some sort of system or is he simply using his talent to try and stay alive out there? If he adhered to a ‘system’ and didn’t deviate, what do you think our record would be about now — I’m thinking 0-5 with staggeringly shameless losses to Buffalo and Maine. The only, repeat, only thing that won those three games for Pitt is Ray Graham’s remarkable running ability, and nothing else. So where’s your ‘system’ guys?
However, when you combine your BEST players with a reasonable system that leverages their talents, then you have something. You by the numbers, by the ‘system’ guys never get it and never will. Did Auburn, Florida, USC, LSU, etc. etc. etc. win their national titles because of total adherence to some ‘sytem’…of course not. They won by putting their best players on the field and putting together sensible game plans that allowed their playmakers to flourish. Its not accounting fellas, its athletics…if you ever played varsity sports and were any good at all, you’d recognize this…and recognize how much damage a coach can do when showing great inflexibility or stubborness in acknowledging who gets the job done and who doesn’t. My money is on Graham adjusting and benching Tino if he f’s up again hard and loses the Rutgers game for us…I hope.
I was at Pitt during the seventies when we were kicking everyone’s derrieres. Those were great times. My first year living in the towers as a scholarship athlete I saw many kegs rolling in through the doors for floor parties. What a shame all that has changed.
My thoughts on Tino are that he is getting better. Having not sent him to spend time with a sports psychologist I would hope the coaching staff truly believes his ability to hit the long passes in practice will transpose over to the games. The team could really use his abilities this week against RU, especially having a coaching staff that knows so many Pitt player’s tendencies.
I live outside of Filthydelphia and obviously don’t make the games every year. I’ll be there next week. Hail to Pitt!
You are ignoring the fact that most everyone has said, “If Tino can perform like he did against USF…” to start their statements.
No one is diminishing Ray’s performance or his importance to the offense. The conversations here just always seem to center on Sunseri.
Most of us are well aware that as Ray G goes, the Pitt offense goes. But, Ray himself said Tino’s play and leadership made a difference against USF in a post-game interview on ESPN.com. He offered that without prompting from the interviewer.
Sunseri simply did enough to keep USF off balance, which helped the offense live up to the hype for once. That’s what Graham wants of him in his “system”. Every successful coach has a system, Matt N. And the really successful ones are able to recruit highly talented players who fit their systems, or any system for that matter. That’s why they go hard after some while ignoring others.
Sure Sunseri has flaws as a lot of us point out regularly. He can’t connect on the deep ball. He holds the ball too long. He throws off his back foot, etc., etc. No one’s calling him a Heisman candidate all of a sudden. I just think his leash just got a little longer.
I was the first to say after the USF game that I’d hoped Anderson would have gotten some reps.
I liked what I saw against Maine. I didn’t like what I saw against ND, which is why I’d like to see more.
I think TG sees a lot more of both and he still says Tino is the guy who gives Pitt the best chance to win right now. I think I’ll believe what the coach says in this case.
And, we’ll see what the opinion is after Saturday’s game and beyond.
We are overstating the obvious. If Sunseri plays well for the REST of the season, only a special talent, Hall of Fame QB will replace Tino next year.
Let’s focus on the fact that the team looks light years ahead of the beginning of the season in terms of “getting it”. I heard someone mention that the defense is “getting it” also in the form of Holley calling out adjustments and moving players to get them into position to make plays.
These are the types of things that should and hopefully will continue to progress as the season advances. These adjustments and recognition are signs of comfort with the system. If that comfort level continues to grow throughout the season, we will know that we have the right coach to lead us and we will challenge for the BE Championship and a great Bowl Game as a reward.
I never ignored anything people said…that’s why I responded..if I ignored it, I’d be introducing a brand new subject, wouldn’t I.
My point was not whether Tino plays well or not — as I’ve stated several times, I don’t think he will play very well and has not since he became starter…to say, “if he plays well..” adds no value to a point really. Of course things will be better if he plays well and not if he doesn’t.
My point, which you seem to have ignored, is that systems don’t win games, excellent players do — and of course every coach has some sort of system or ‘game plan’ as it used to be called. I allowed for that and you seemed to ignore that too. You’re just an argumentative dude always looking for an outlet it appears, and always personalizing things. Again, I feel sorry for your son.
Expound all you want but those qualities are very much the ‘system’ that Graham is using.
So, just because you don’t use people’s screen names, you don’t “personalize” your arguments with comments like the one above?
I played HS ball too. Started at CB for three years on a conference champion team. Big whoop. That and $5 gets me a cup of coffee at Starbucks.
I guess we have different views on making things personal. I didn’t call you names. I didn’t say the fact that you played HS football was irrelevant to having expertise in coaching. I just disagreed with your point.
Many including his star teammate do think Tino played well against USF and hope it continues for the good of the team. That was my point. Good systems allow for some players be adequate and still have team succeed. Sure you need a star or two. Ray G is ours no doubt, and Shanahan is usually money when the ball is anywhere near him. That allows our QB to be adequate as long as he can keep the opposing defense off balance by making smart decisions in the triple option. That was my other point.
EMel and I talk back and forth all the time. We agree. We disagree. Neither of us take ourselves too seriously and we enjoy the banter. We even hope to meet up in an ACC city in the future.
Obviously, you take yourself way too seriously and can’t have a conversation without turning to insults or snarky comments.
On that note, you don’t need to feel sorry for my son. We have a great relationship, which is one of the main reasons I’ve remained in Tampa. My comment on him that you seem to want to continue to reference was when he was a smart ass teenager like many of us were. He’d be the first to admit that. That was many, many years ago. He’s grown up.
Just a brief attempt at sanity/insight and then I’ll leave it alone. First, Reed, not sure how to respond since it seems like you didn’t read what I said..oh well.
TampaT — I’m betting I’m not the only one on this site who finds many of your comments arrogant and argumentative (perhaps I’m wrong). Yet even that wouldn’t bother me too much but for the fact you always call people out by their name and drop a condescending remark their way when they are simply stating a non-personal view. By definition, something can’t be personal if its not directed toward any particular “person”…so my comment about playing sports can only be construed that way by someone who is just being argumentative.
You say you’re not looking for trouble, yet how many arguments do you get in? You’re the only person who consistently calls me out, so don’t get all huffy and hurt when I respond. Try not using names when making snobby comments and you’ll likely find less people annoyed with you…unless that’s what you seek. If that’s the case, its time for quiet reflection.
You think I’m arrogant, argumentative and condescending. You have your right to your opinion, although my intention is usually to elicit comments from others to either start or continue a dialogue I find interesting.
I do admit I tend to go after people who personally insult others, including the players. Go back and look at posts where as you say I get into arguments. You’ll see that’s mostly the reason. And you’ll also see that 99% of the time, I’m agreeing with or defending some other poster who is being attacked.
This is not ESPN.com or some other national board where people insult each other because they are from rival schools. We’re all supposed to be on the same team here.
Go look on the latest thread and see my conversation with EMel, who was also named in my post that got you all riled up. He and I disagree on points all the time, but we’re still buddies because we understand we’re both just passionate about Pitt.
Feel free to have the last word. I’m done with this conversation.
Q: To state Myers has not been given a chance because he is a pro-style QB makes no sense, since Sunseri was a pro-style in high school and in Pitt’s system last year.
Also, Chad Voytik, the recuirt QB from Tennessee is classified as a pro-style QB. Finally it is arguable that Myers has much more upside as a Divsion 1 QB, based on his size and arm strength than Anderson in any type of offense.
What is the real story with Myers?
Dennis Wagner, Atlanta
ZEISE: And how many times have you seen Mark Myers play? I’m asking because if you are basing your entire premise that “Myers has more upside than Sunseri” on arm strength and size than nothing I am going to tell you will help you out in this as your mind is clearly made up.
Myers is big and strong and he has a strong arm. But he doesn’t have a quick release nor does he have quick feet. He would be perfect in a pro-style offense where he is asked to drop back five or seven steps and stay in the pocket. He isn’t as suited to run this kind of offense as Sunseri is, who has a quick release and is a little bit better of runner. So he fits this offense better than Myers does.
As for Voytik, he runs a spread offense in his high school and one of the main reasons he picked Pitt is to play in Todd Graham’s offense because it is so similar to what he is doing in high school. In other words, the real story with Myers is of the four quarterbacks currently on the roster and the one coming in, he is the worst fit for this offense. That doesn’t mean he isn’t a good player, it doesn’t mean he isn’t capable of going Joe Flacco some day and starring somewhere else before becoming a high draft pick. It just means that his skill set is not a great fit for this particular offense that Pitt is running.
Who knows, maybe if Pitt is let out of the Big East for next season, he’ll be allowed to transfer to Rutgers where he would be a perfect fit for the offense.
Does that sound familiar?
See Chas, in this religious period, your prayers are being answered. Not only will the OL start 4 underclassmen (who played very well last week), it appears that Matt Rotheram (redshirt frosh) may be able to step in next year … not to mention the transfer Ricketts and the new Fox Chapel commit.
Your devotion to your faith is very well appreciated by the rest of us.