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May 7, 2010

This bit from Brian Bennett has been sitting in a browser tab for nearly three weeks.

Actually, Pittsburgh could have won the last the two Big East titles. The Panthers have arguably had the most overall talent in the league, but they couldn’t beat Cincinnati either year.

The program has steadily climbed under Dave Wannstedt, reaching the Top 10 last November, winning 10 games for the first time in more than a quarter of a century and beating North Carolina in the Meineke Car Care Bowl. But the Meineke Car Care Bowl is a long way from the BCS. And with the Bearcats going through a coaching change this season, the timing couldn’t be better for a breakthrough year.

“We’re a team that expects to win the Big East,” quarterback Tino Sunseri said. “We know what it’s like to see Cincinnati celebrating on our field. We understand how close we’ve been and what we need to do to go the extra step.”

There aren’t many excuses for Pitt this year. Lewis, the Big East’s reigning offensive MVP and rookie of the year, returns after running for 1,799 yards and 17 touchdowns as a freshman. Romeus, the Big East’s co-defensive MVP last year, decided to wait on the NFL draft and come back for his senior year. Jonathan Baldwin, a 6-foot-5 athletic freak who had 1,111 yards receiving last year, should challenge for the Biletnikoff Award this season.

“If you look all around the country, you can’t think of too many teams that last year had a receiver go over 1,000 yards and a running back go over 1,700 yards,” Baldwin said. “Teams don’t know what to expect, whether we’re going to pound the ball down your throat or throw it.”

Everyone is saying that Pitt has the most talent — not just concentrated at some skill position, but across the board. The point being, Pitt and Coach Wannstedt are the favorite to win the Big East this year.

1. Pittsburgh: The Panthers have some questions, notably on the interior offensive line. But they’ve also got Dion Lewis, Greg Romeus and Jonathan Baldwin and more answers on both sides of the ball than any other Big East squad.

There is a reason that so far in early top-25s. Pitt is the Big East team ranked the highest.

13. Pittsburgh Panthers With former Cincinnati coach Brian Kelly moving to Notre Dame, Pittsburgh might be the team to beat in the Big East. The Panthers were close to winning the last two Big East championships, but they couldn’t beat the Bearcats. With tailback Dion Lewis and receiver Jonathan Baldwin coming back on offense, and end Greg Romeus returning to harass opposing quarterbacks, Pittsburgh might be poised to clear the last hurdle. Tino Sunseri beat out Pat Bostick for the starting quarterback job during the spring, and he’ll replace departed fifth-year senior Bill Stull. The Panthers play an aggressive nonconference schedule, including a Sept. 2 opener at Utah.

Andy Staples at SI.com, has Pitt at #16. It is a safe bet to see Pitt ranked anywhere from #12 to #25 in the various preseason polls and mags.

Greg Romeus and Jason Pinkston were named to the Rotary Lombardi Award Watchlist for best lineman.

Romeus, Pinkston along with Dion Lewis and Jonathan Baldwin were named to the NationalChamps.net All-American team. More than any other program, period. Not just in the Big East.

Yes, there are questions about the secondary, the middle of the O-line and QB, but unless those spots absolutely fail, that shouldn’t be enough to derail the team.

That puts the pressure on the team to meet expectations. The pressure especially falls on Coach Wannstedt.

We’ve all seen the brain fart games. We’ve seen the games where Pitt took the foot off the gas and go conservative. We’ve seen the failure to adjust.

There was a big step towards Pitt and Coach Wannstedt starting to overcome the perception of underachiever and just not winning the big games. Yet the perceptions remain when you look at the 3 losses last season.

The NC State game showed poor game planning for the QB, the offense letting up after building a lead, and then not able to get it back.

The Backyard Brawl had a disturbing lack of intensity, focus and poor execution.

And the Cinci game. Simply not able to make the key stops.

Yes, these are oversimplifications. I am talking perception, though.

These games fit a narrative of a head coach and Pitt team — regardless of the coach — that don’t get over the hump and spit the bit when they have the chance.

Think of how most view, say Virginia Tech. A team that has talent, a very good coach, great defense and special teams. Yet, they almost inexplicably blow at least a couple games every year.

This becomes one of those seasons that can alter perceptions or confirm them.





Not to set expectations too high, but to think that Pitt could sit atop the Big East in both football and basketball is pretty exciting.

(Although it may a a sort of ‘last Tsar of Russia’ kind of thing, given the rumors of conference realignment.)

Comment by PantherP 05.07.10 @ 11:34 am

FWIW, I believe there is a case that WVU may be the favorite since they have 17 starters returning and Pitt only has 11. WVU beat Pitt and could have easily beaten Cincy away … holding Cincy to 24 pt their lowest output of the season … which leads to my next point that WVU actually had the best defense in the BE this season.

Having said all of that, WVU does have to play at Heinz so, at this time, I would think Pitt should win the BE in a close race.

Comment by wbb 05.07.10 @ 1:50 pm

Let’s try not to get too pittcentric. How many teams typically go undefeated in a given year?

And the answer is:

link to en.wikipedia.org

Comment by steve 05.07.10 @ 3:05 pm

On an unrelated note…

Remember the rumor that the athletic dept. had a big seceret meeting with all of the Pitt student athletes about a big11 move.

I talked to a female volleyball player and it turns out that there was a big random meeting at 630am with all the Pitt student athletes and going in they thought it was about a big 11 move. However, the meeting had nothing to do with that.

Just interesting to see how these rumors get started.

Comment by Pabs 05.07.10 @ 3:26 pm

You think if the university is going to hold a secret meeting regarding a move to the Big 10, the female volleyball team would be invited?

Comment by Todd Gack 05.07.10 @ 6:01 pm

Todd, why wouldn’t the women’s volleyball team (the only Pitt volleyball team) be invited to a meeting regarding a move to another conference? Their schedule would be affected too!

Comment by Annie 05.08.10 @ 12:27 am

why would any team be made aware of a move to another conference well before an official announcement is made … especially when that move would not take place for 27 months?

When the teams are called in for a morning meeting the same day a press conference is scheduled by the B10 .. then you have a scoop. But I cannot believe they would entrust telling a big story like this to several athletes way before any official announcement is made.

Comment by wbb 05.08.10 @ 8:17 am

why would any team be made aware of a move to another conference well before an official announcement is made … especially when that move would not take place for 27 months?

When the teams are called in for a morning meeting the same day a press conference is scheduled by the B10 .. then you have a scoop. But I cannot believe they would entrust telling a big story like this to several athletes way before any official announcement is made.

Comment by wbb 05.08.10 @ 8:17 am

Will Pitt break perception?

If the rookie Q-B comes through

If the middle of the o-line keeps him upright and makes a few holes for Dion

If Mason is the real deal

If the corners cover and all d-backs intercept in a timely manner

If Big time players make Big time plays in Big games

I can’t wait to find out. Hail to Pitt!

Comment by gc 05.09.10 @ 8:13 am

Breaking perception will start with the following…

1) Not losing to non BCS schools on the road
2) Not losing to good BCS schools at home
3) Not losing to average BCS schools on the road
4) Winning a big game at home to win the conference

We have the chance to break perception by…

1) Utah
2) Miami
3) Notre Dame
4) This year, probably WVU

Hard for me to believe we are going to go into Utah with a first year starter, and come out with a win. I do think that we are poised to beat Miami and WVU, and I have a feeling that our ND streak will continue.

Regardless, fun to chat about it!

Comment by Pauly P 05.09.10 @ 9:09 pm

first year starting QB…

Comment by Pauly P 05.09.10 @ 9:10 pm

Pauly is spot on. Pitt’s season PERCEPTION hangs on their fortunes in a Thursday night game before most other teams have taken their 1st snap of the season. The Sept 2nd matchup with Utah, depending on the outcome, will be touted by Pitt faithful as a great scheduling scheme with a Pitt win or a debacle with a Pitt loss. This game will be seen by the entire nation and will have a lot of interest if for no other reason than the college football fan base will be ready to watch some football after the long summer drought. If Pitt goes belly up against the Utes, even though this would have NO bearing on a Big East Championship, the nation’s take will be “same old Pitt, dropping the must win game again” and they will carry that perception deep into the season nationally. However with a win, they shoot further up in the rankings and the hype begins to build not only about Lewis for the Heisman but also on Pitt’s potential to make a go of it for the BE Championship if not a run on the National Championship. Don’t laugh, this team with a few breaks, quick development of some of the new starters and the right team chemistry, could run the table. Back in the day 1975/76 NO ONE had Pitt in the National Championship picture preseason even though Dorsett was all up in the Heisman hype. Not until after the Army win and the loss of the then #1 team on the same weekend did Pitt have beleivers start to surface on the national scene. This first game sets that stage. With a win on 9/2, especially if it is an impressive one, mark my words, there will begin to be some talk about National Championship hype all around the Miami game 3 weeks later. Beat the Utes then beat Miami because if that happens we can start watching replays of the Wanny new coach 1st press conference “I know what it takes to win a National Championship” speech, on ESPN. Will see, Hail to Pitt!

Comment by Dr. Tom 05.10.10 @ 8:25 am

I think winning a BCS bowl would be a fantastic season regardless of what happens in the non-conference regular season.

Comment by Tony Cancilla 05.10.10 @ 12:06 pm

Pitt “faithful” may call an opening game loss at Utah a debacle, but that will only be the case if we get blown out. I doubt that we will open that game as the favorite. Losing to Utah, Boise state, or TCU at this point in time is no black eye for any BCS School. Getting blown out by any school is what kills perceptions in the National media. The Utah game is great scheduling, I just wish it was at home!

Comment by HbgFrank 05.10.10 @ 12:23 pm

[…] Chas has a top notch post over at Pitt Blather about just how much a successful season this year means to Pitt football as a program when it comes […]


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