SI.com is listing 15 games to watch this season.
#14 Pitt at Louisville. Shockingly, the ND-Pitt game isn’t on the list. I suppose in the scheme of games that mean something for the BCS it isn’t that important. For intrigue, curiosity and hype though, it is huge.
They also do a thing on the five “guttsiest” and “wimpiest” non-con schedules (subs. req’d). Pitt doesn’t break either, but another school from Pennsylvania ranks #2 on the wimpy scale.
There’s an easy explanation for the Nittany Lions’ scheduling three cupcakes at home: Penn State has gone 0-5 in nonconference road games over the past five seasons.
Go Bulls! Go Bearcats!
No one, though can top Texas Tech with Florida International, Sam Houston State (I-AA), Indiana State (I-AA). Wow. If I’m a Red Raider season ticket holder, I’m more than a little pissed about having to pay for those games.
Other thing to note, Mike Phillips gets a puff piece on his move from Cornerback to Strong Safety. Phillips plays it humble.
“Camp’s been going pretty good, but there’s a lot of learning for me,” Phillips said. “So, I’m just coming out here and trying to put everything together for the first game. The spring really helped me a lot, because I learned everything I needed to know to play safety at this level.
“In camp so far this summer, I more or less learned how to put it all together. I’m just glad I was able to help the team by moving to safety, and now I have a chance to start. I’m happy to get that chance, and I’m looking forward to more playing time this season.”
While Phillips’ presence should make Pitt’s secondary a strong point, he quickly dismissed his role in that. He preferred to give just about everybody else credit.
“It’s like a committee,” Phillips said. “It’s not just me back there or Tez, because we have Eric Thatcher, Tommie Campbell, a great group of guys. And the cornerbacks, Darrelle, Josh, Kennard Cox and Reggie Carter … everybody plays a part. So, it’s not a one-man show out there.”
Pitt defensive coordinator Paul Rhoads said that the transition for Phillips has been so seamless that he hasn’t given it a second thought.
“It’s just been so smooth by Mike,” Rhoads said. “He had just a handful of days in spring practice and picked it up very quickly because he’s an intelligent young man, and he’s very conscientious. So, he’s with the No. 1 unit right now, and he’s done very well there.”
The article also notes that Coach Wannstedt mentioned off-handedly that he had been approached from other college programs before about being their head coach. That’s not exactly a shock. He’d been rumored for LSU, Miami and others in the past.
