Another “youth movement” is on at Pitt story.

Former Pitt QB Rod Rutherford has been signed to the Steeler practice squad. He was with Carolina last year before being cut during pre-season this year.

Penn State’s big win got them a dividend. Eric Latimore, a DE from Delaware, made a verbal to them over Pitt and Miami. Rivals.com, though, still has Pitt ranked #7 in recruiting classes.

It’s not often that two losing programs crack the top 10 in the Rivals.com team rankings, but that’s the case with Pittsburgh at No. 7 and Clemson at No. 8.

The Panthers did it early by going out and keeping a lot of the top Western Pennsylvania talent at home. Coach Dave Wannstedt’s NFL background is attractive to recruits and despite the struggles on the field the recruits believe he is the right man to put Pittsburgh back on top of the Big East.

Scout.com has Pitt at #9. ESPN.com/Scouts, Inc. has Pitt at #19 (Insider Subs.).

This is the week that the BlogPoll officially lost any fun for me. The only solace I can take in putting Penn State in it, and as high, is that every other Big 11 team has proceeded to lose the minute they really started shooting up the poll. Here’s to that consistency continuing.

Really, after the top 15 or maybe 20, it becomes a struggle to find enough teams that actually fit being considered “top 25.” With all the mid-majors tanking early this year, none are even close to earning reconsideration barely half-way through the season. I mean, I look at the last 10 and I either question how high I have them or the fact that I’ve even got them in the poll. Then I look for anyone else, and come up blank.

1. Southern Cal – As long as they keep winning
2. Texas – I know I was half expecting the scoreboard to show an Oklahoma upset
3. Virginia Tech – Just toyed with Marshall
4. Georgia – Maybe this Shockley kid is halfway decent
5. Miami (Florida) – They may not have Temple any longer, but Duke is a worthy replacement for abuse
6. Alabama – DNP
7. Florida State – Wake gave them a start, and enough to ask more questions about the legitimacy of this team
8. Notre Dame – DNP. Either Weis will cement his legend early or the secondary will finally be exposed.
9. Louisiana State – Score looked good, but most was piled up in the 4th quarter against Vandy.
10. Florida – See above.
11. Penn State – Damn
12. Michigan State – Wow. The Land Grant Trophy game could actually mean something this year.
13. Ohio State – Good team, but not top-ten good.
14. Auburn – DNP
15. Tennessee – Which fan base is more infuriated with their head coach squandering talent? Michigan or Tennessee?
16. Texas Tech – Shouldn’t be bragging about beating Nebraska. Especially the way that bad Cornhusker offense actually was scoring.
17. Louisville – If I’m Coach Petrino, I show the players a two minute lowlight reel of the USF game before every game for the rest of the season.
18. UCLA – Nice going. Now beat someone outside of the state of California
19. Boston College – I’m trying to figure whether their a slightly better version of underachieving UVA teams or a slightly worse version of underachieving VT teams.
20. West Virginia – The Maryland win is looking better and so is the VT loss.
21. Baylor – I’ve ranked Vandy, now Baylor. What’s next? Indiana?
22. Oregon – Beat ASU in Tempe. Aside from the drubbing from USC, they are okay.
23. Cal – Smoke and mirrors exposed or just a glitch?
24. Colorado – The Big 12 North is like the NL West
25. Arizona State – Hanging on because there wasn’t anyone else I liked more.

Out: Michigan (and not back in until they can string together at least 2 quality wins no matter who they beat or what lack of teams to place), Nebraska, Georgia Tech and Wisconsin.

In: Baylor, Oregon, Penn State and Colorado

Scraping Standing by: Maryland, UConn?, Minnesota??, USF??? (at least their only losses were to teams now ranked pretty darn high). Any other suggestions of teams to watch? If the pattern continues there will be some new candidates needed to fill out the bottom.

Games seen in whole or part: NCSt.-GT; WVU-RU; Cinci-Pitt; UGA-Tenn; USC-AZ; Oregon-ASU; OSU-PSU.

Okay, I got the details on what high speed internet providers offer ESPN360.com courtesy of E.J. Borghetti at the Pitt Athletic Department.

The biggest provider to offer it is Adelphia Cable. Apparently Verizon DSL is in the works but that is a few months down the road, at least.

Otherwise the following regional providers also offer it (though, I’ve not heard of them):

Beld, Bend, Charter St. Louis and LA, Frontier DSL, Grande, Knology, Mediacom, Mid-Hudson, Spencer Municipal Utilities, Starstream Communications, Sus-com and Us Cable.

USF Head Coach Jim Leavitt had his weekly press conference today (the USF athletic department needs an editor for transcribing the quotes).

On the off week … “It is what it is. We hoped we used it in a favorable way. We had some guys who rested who were banged up a bit. We tried to practice through the week and keep things going. Weather [sp] it’s a good time or not, most coaches will say the same thing. We rested out played and worked on fundamentals. I imagine you would get the same answer from every coach in America; and we did a little bit of recruiting. That’s usually your three big things. Weather [sp] it came at a good week or not, I don’t know.”

On getting back on the field after a bye week … “I’m excited and anxious to play. I’m not a guy who likes to sit around much. I’m anxious to see if we can compete with Pitt and go up there and play the panthers.”
…
On USF’s first ever road conference game … “Every win in the BIG EAST is big. Everyone sees the BE as a great deal of parody. [sp (at least I hope so)] We don’t know until we go through the year. Everyone game is a championship game; regardless. You better be on and play well each week if you think there is any hope at a championship. We need to play a great game because they are a very good football team.”

Generally, rather stock answers.

Well, basketball practice starts at the end of the week if you can believe it. The preview guides have been trickling out. Pitt is predicted to be firmly on the bubble for the NCAA. No top-25 predictions for the team this year. Greg Doyel at Sportsline.com lists the best point guards in the NCAA. He puts Krauser at #16: “Tough guy is reckless but a winner.”

Krauser who has heard the comments about him all spring and summer is finally firing back.

“I’ve been the leader on this team ever since Brandin Knight left. I’m going to fit in fine this year,” said Krauser, who decided to return to Pitt for his final college season after a failed attempt at the NBA draft.

The demonstrative point guard, who succeeded Knight at the position at the start of the 2003-04 season, isn’t about to change his direct approach as the Panthers prepare to begin formal practices later this month.

The 6-foot-2, 200-pound Krauser, a second-team all-Big East Conference selection last season, is the leading returning career assists man in the conference with 226. It is a selling point in his sales pitch to Pitt fans everywhere as he attempts to convince his critics that he is more than just a scorer.

“You are not going to see another point guard like me in Pittsburgh, who plays through injuries, who is a vocal leader, who puts his body on the line,” Krauser said. “If it was about the money with me, I’d be overseas right now. I didn’t come back for anything else but to help this team with a (Big East) championship.”

I really wish there was a full transcript of the interview available. I don’t disagree with any of that statement above from him. Where he’s going to get in trouble is this part.

“When people say, ‘Carl is going to hog the ball,’ I’m saying, ‘Without Carl, what type of leadership and experience are we going to have?'” Krauser said. “Right now, I’m in the present. It’s about a winning program. When I came here in 2000, I picked it up and challenged Brandin Knight in practice. I pushed him hard, and we started winning games.”

[Emphasis added.]

Like I said, I really would like to see a transcript of the interview. He not only takes credit for Knight’s improvement, but the change in the team’s fortune. That is not going to sit well with a lot of people. Knight is still considered the ideal point guard, and one of the best ever at Pitt.

He has the date wrong, though. Krauser got to Pitt for the 2001-02 season, which he redshirted. Still, does he have a point? However badly it came out.

Brandin Knight’s numbers in 2000-2001 (the second row are conference games only, 19-14 season for Pitt).

                |---TOTAL---| |---3-PTS---|               |----REBOUNDS----|
GP-GS  MIN--AVG  FG-FGA   PCT  FG-FGA   PCT  FT-FTA  PCT  OFF-DEF  TOT--AVG  PF-FO   A  TO BLK  ST  PTS - AVG
----- --------- ------------- ------------- ------------  -----------------  -----  --------------  --------- 
31-26  999 32.2  91-235  .387  33-128  .258  70-115  .609   21  81  102  3.3  81  1 171  95  16  69  285  9.2

16-13  517 32.3  50-121  .413  19-68   .279  32-46   .696    9  40   49  3.1  42  1  78  56   6  38  151  9.4

This was the 2001-02 season (29-6 record)

35-35 1284 36.7 194-454  .427  93-261  .356  65-147  .442   27 140  167  4.8  87  1 251 112  16  82  546 15.6

16-16  616 38.5  87-210  .414  43-120  .358  36-88   .409   15  68   83  5.2  40  0 112  52   8  47  253 15.8

And according to the online bio Pitt has for Krauser, under the 2001-02 season it reads:

Redshirted the 2001-02 campaign…Practiced with team in 2001-02…Credited with helping Brandin Knight have an outstanding 2001-02 season with his play in practice…Knight was named both the Big East Conference co-Most Valuable Player and Most Improved Player.

So if he is being arrogant and taking credit for it, the Athletic Department isn’t exactly undercutting him. I wonder, though, if he has to take the blame for Knight’s bad free throw shooting?

“It’s a different personality we have on this team. It’s going to be very important for me to teach these guys the feel of winning in college,” he said. “A lot of it is being well-conditioned. We’re already tough. A lot of the new guys coming in are very tough, very strong.”

With Krauser and forward John DeGroat being the only seniors on the Panthers, the youth includes four new players, including three freshmen. But there are still others with experience. Center Aaron Gray, forward Levon Kendall and guards Ronald Ramon, Antonio Graves and Keith Benjamin join Krauser and DeGroat as veteran players.

But Krauser is the unquestioned leader, and he has already begun to send that message to the team.

“This definitely is a good opportunity for me to go out there and just show that this game of basketball is really a lot of hard work,” he said. “A lot of people think we’re given a free ride, but we work hard on and off the court.

“We’re student-athletes first. We’re role models for kids. We are here to win basketball games and bring joy to the city of Pittsburgh.”

The areas not addressed: making the players around him better on the court and playing in control (which includes turnovers).

This is going to be a very interesting season.

For Pitt, despite what the depth chart says, Rashad Jennings will be starting at tailback. LaRod Stephens-Howling is still “day-to-day.”

USF controls its own destiny in the Big East.

Now it is USF’s turn to claim to be seeking payback.

“They beat the dog out of us. We weren’t very competitive at all,” USF coach Jim Leavitt said.

“The only thing I remember is that they handed us our butts,” Bulls QB Pat Julmiste said. “They kicked us up and down the field. We still have that sour taste in our mouth because that was the last game of the season. So we had to go into winter, spring and summer with that taste in our mouth. We just want to go out there and give a better showing this time.”

I’ll settle for them giving a better showing, as long as Pitt still wins. Their QB Pat Julmiste is going to remain at starter despite his continued inconsistency and horrible outing against Miami in the previous game. USF had a bye this past week.

The main offensive weapon for USF is their running back Andre Hall. Hall is the 19th leading rusher in Division 1-A (104.2 yds/gm) despite being held to a combined 136 yards in his last 2 games. Pitt moved up to being only 77th against the run (161.3 yds/gm) after holding Cinci to 113 yards.

A piece from the Orlando Sentinel saying Wannstedt is still the same “loser” he was with the Dolphins.

Finally, according to the blog from Greg Auman — the St. Petersberg Times beat writer for the Bulls — Adelphia Cable offers ESPN360. This is interesting, though.

ESPN360 offers free access to both college campuses during the game, but said USF must go through the process of setting such access up in the next two weeks.

Neither school seems to have done so. I’m not sure if Pitt could, considering it might conflict with the internet broadcast rights it contracts out through Yahoo!. Pity.

Lots of questions about playing the younger kids at the Dave Wannstedt press conference yesterday. This of course led to stories about playing the underclassmen.

Pitt coach Dave Wannstedt has increased the playing time of several freshmen and recently opted to break the redshirt of two others to try to improve the Panthers’ fortunes. So far, 11 true freshmen have played and nine will continue to play as long as they are productive.

The fact that Wannstedt is giving more playing time to freshmen doesn’t mean he’s giving up on the season. He said that yesterday in his weekly news conference and said the areas he has used freshmen have all been areas of need — the offensive and defensive lines and running back.

He said the freshmen who have played have earned it and in most cases have improved the production at their respective positions. Pitt (2-4, 1-1 Big East) will play host to South Florida (3-2, 1-0) Saturday at Heinz Field, and Wannstedt said the players who get into the game will be the ones who give the Panthers the best chance to win.

“The upperclassmen know that we are being fair,” Wannstedt said. “We’re doing everything we can to win every game. There is no set amount of time that the freshmen are going to play, and I’m not playing anybody that I don’t think is giving us just as good a chance to win. I would never put a guy in there and jeopardize losing the game.

“If I wasn’t confident that they had the ability and they understood what we were doing, I wouldn’t play them.”

The article makes a very clear point that former Coach Harris’ recruiting classes from 2002-2004 have hardly paid huge dividends.

The Panthers signed 49 players in 2002 and 2003, which is the group that ordinarily would make up the core of the team because they are the players in their third or fourth year in the program. But only 19 of those players are on the Panthers first- or second-team offense or defense, 22 if you count specialists.
…
The class of 2004 (sophomores and redshirt freshmen) — Harris’ final class — is shaping up similarly. There were 27 players in that class, yet only 11 have contributed thus far.

The article observes that of the 11 true freshmen playing this season, 6 were signed by Wannstedt.

A big issue for Coach Wannstedt after the Cinci game is something that has been problematic for the Pitt defense for some time — poor tackling.

The day after the Cincinnati game, Wannstedt and his staff watched the videotape and noted every time a defender failed to wrap up a ballcarrier.

“We added it up,” he said. “Cincinnati had (312) yards of offense. There was close to, maybe over, 100 yards in missed tackles. We gave up too many yards defensively after contact.”

Wannstedt pointed to a screen pass that picked up double-digit yardage after two players missed tackles. In another instance, cornerback Josh Lay was trampled when he tried a single-arm takedown on 225-pound running back Bradley Glatthaar.

“We’ve got to work on the fundamentals,” linebacker J.J. Horne said. “The surface was kind of slippery (because of rain), but that’s no excuse. We’ve got to stay balanced, move our feet and keep gaining ground, and get to our target.”

Horne made six tackles (five solo) and broke up a pass, and was named defensive player of the game by Pitt’s coaching staff. Two of the team’s two four tacklers Saturday were safeties — Tez Morris (10 tackles, six solo) and Sam Bryant (five, all solo).

The surface is definitely no excuse. Poor tackling has been going on for some time. Some of it is simply a lack of speed by the defensive player to close and stop the ball carrier. A lot of it is plainly being out of position or trying to hit rather than wrap-up and tackle. A lack of fundamentals that goes to the coaching. That falls on Defensive Coordinator Paul Rhoads.

Another bright spot, though he didn’t get many opportunities was Terrell Allen returning kick-offs, along of course with Revis on punt returns.