33 days.

Bob Smizik is ready to set the bar for success by Wannstedt rather high. He also sees the potential for a lot of excitement and interest for Pitt this season. In his high setting of the bar, he pays a backhanded compliment to Walt Harris.

Somehow, mostly because his superiors were eager to see him go, Harris was perceived as a failure at Pitt. He is viewed as a coach who left behind a struggling program. Consequently, Wannstedt is regarded by some as a savior.

Pitt doesn’t need a savior. Pitt has a strong program. Harris was not a failure. He was a success. Pitt won 25 games in Harris’ final three seasons. It hadn’t done that well since winning 26 from 1981-83, in Sherrill’s final season and Foge Fazio’s first two.

The cupboard is not bare for Wannstedt. It’s close to being full. He has one of the best quarterbacks in college football in Tyler Palko and a strong defense. He also has a schedule — as did Harris — with enough built-in victories to virtually ensure a winning season and a bowl trip. He’s in a conference that is the weakest with an affiliation to the Bowl Championship Series.

The Pitt program is in good shape and in position to expand on that.

I’m going to ignore the obvious shot at Smizik for deflecting all desire to jettison Harris onto the Pitt administration. The poorly feigned attempt to sound almost bothered by the action, when he was eager to lead the charge to toss Harris (when he was sure that there was plenty of support). If I don’t start ignoring it now, I’ll be forced to point it out all year. Still…

The Knight-Ridder Newspapers are running a countdown of the top-25 teams in reverse order each day. The pieces are written by their college football writer for the Fort Worth Telegram, but they run in just about every one of their many newspapers. Pitt was ranked #20.

Why Pittsburgh is No. 20: The Panthers should have one of the nation’s more productive offenses. The defense, if the line develops, should be capable of keeping Pitt in most games.
…
Jeers: In the spring, Wannstedt moved Blades, the team’s leading tackler, to middle linebacker. That meant that Session, who was second on the team in tackles, will be Blades’ backup. Whatever happened to that old coaches’ saying about getting your best 11 players on the field?

It all means: With 16 starters and 48 lettermen returning, there’s plenty of talent. If Jennings produces the way he did during spring practice, the running game should be able to take the heat off of Palko.

Datebook: The schedule is difficult at the start and the finish. Pitt opens against Notre Dame, which will be playing its first game under new coach Charlie Weis. Two weeks later, the Panthers play at Nebraska. The Big East title could come down to the Nov. 3 game at league newcomer Louisville. The season finale at West Virginia on Nov. 24 is always a brawl.

There is also a companion piece on Tyler Palko. It focuses on his brash statement when he signed with Pitt about winning 2 National Championships.

From a Louisville paper, one of their columnists and also an AP voter, has a Q&A up regarding Louisville, his biases and the BE.

QUESTION: Where do the Cardinals deserve to be ranked nationally in the preseason polls?

DR. BO: I’m uncertain if Petrino votes in the coaches’ poll, but I am voting in The Associated Press writers’ poll, which is no longer included in the Bowl Championship Series formula.

I plan to vote Petrino’s team ninth in the AP preseason poll. The offense is relentless. The defense should be solid and more confident than it was at the start of last season. And the schedule is kind, especially early.
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QUESTION: Which team is the biggest threat to the Cards’ push to win the Big East title?

DR. BO: West Virginia.

The Good Doctor knows Pittsburgh, not the Mountaineers, is the popular pick to finish second. But I’m here to give you three reasons to keep an extra linebacker keyed on West Virginia:

(A) The schedule: West Virginia gets Pitt and U of L at home, and the Panthers play the Mountaineers and Cardinals on the road;

(B) West Virginia is a tougher place to play;

(C) New Pitt coach Dave Wannstedt is a college football novice whose work with the Bears and Dolphins should not make Petrino sweat.

It’s going to feel like an eternity waiting for this month to end.