It’s official. The local media really doesn’t have much for this game. The Citadel scored 3 points and 35 points in their first two games. Both games, though, saw them give up 35 or more points. So while there is potential on the offense, the defense has shown nothing to this point.

Here’s the thing, they are a military style institution with many of their alum serving admirably and with distinction in the armed services. It’s hard to mock them, especially in this present climate, without looking like a complete dick. A big switch from the 90s — when there were lawsuits over admitting women and a paralyzed former player, with a famous dad, who only now reconciled with the school — where the school was an easy target. Add in the fact that it is located in South Carolina and it only multiplied the ease with which to rip them.

Now, things are different. The Citadel may not be a national service academy, but the students who are willing to go through the process are accorded more respect. Plus, the loyal alum were even willing to shell out the cash to bring the Summerall Guard up for the game.

Arguably the 2-1 record accurately reflects that.

Yes, Virginia and Cinci were bad teams and Michigan State is a slightly above average team. Still, while incredibly frustrating, there has been progress from last year to this year. The team won a game on the road. The defense has shown flashes of skill and real tackling. The offense appears capable of putting together some drives and scoring points.

Of course there was plenty of bad from the Michigan State game. The defense still can’t handle a mobile QB, and in fact let it affect everything it was trying to do. They fell out of position, forgot about real tackling — reverting to hitting and arm tackling — and got sloppy. The offensive line still can’t run block for a full game and struggles with the blitz.

So the defense gets another chance to work on their defense of the option against The Citadel.

At his weekly news conference Monday, Coach Dave Wannstedt said he expects to see a heavy dose of the option from The Citadel given the success Michigan State had with it.

“We did a poor job executing,” he said. “This is a very similar attack so we are going to have to work real hard this week to get those things corrected as both coaches and players. I am kind of looking forward to getting the opportunity to go out and prove ourselves again. Sometimes [the problems] have been technique. Sometimes it is as simple as our guy taking a bad angle, and sometimes the other guy just makes an athletic play.

“The bottom line is we didn’t play good up front, we didn’t play good as linebackers, we didn’t play good in the secondary and we didn’t coach very well, either. It wasn’t even close to our standard of defense, but we’ll bounce back and play well this week. I’m not even concerned about that.”

No, he shouldn’t be concerned this week. The team should be physically superior to The Citadel and the players will (hopefully) have the lessons fresh in their heads.

Pitt defensive end Joe Clermond said if the Panthers are going to have more success against the option, they will have to do a better job of executing their assignments. He said the Panthers weren’t overmatched or physically dominated by Michigan State, but they just didn’t play a very smart game or tackle well.

“There wasn’t anything spectacular about what [Stanton] was doing. We did a lot of damage to ourselves” Clermond said. “It wasn’t like we didn’t know what they were going to do or how to stop it. We just didn’t. It is the little things that add up. Maybe one play a guy didn’t get into his gap correctly or took the wrong guy or we got to the ball then missed the tackle. We have to be more focused. We can’t let that happen again.”

H.B. Blades isn’t worried that Pitt will take The Citadel lightly. He does know Pitt needs to play with strong fundamental defense.

“That’s the main thing, wrapping up ball-carriers,” Pitt senior linebacker H.B. Blades said. “We just can’t tag off and let them run by us and say, ‘I would’ve made that play if it was live.'”

Not after Michigan State rushed for 335 yards in its 38-23 victory over the Panthers. With The Citadel running a spread option offense similar to the one the Spartans employed, Pitt will get another chance Saturday at Heinz Field to correct the flaws in its tackling form.

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We were in the places we needed to be,” Pitt redshirt sophomore free safety Eric Thatcher said. “We just weren’t taking the extra step, or we weren’t wrapping all the way up. You’ve got to take that extra step to bring that ball-carrier to you and bring him to the ground.”

Part of the problem involves preparation. When the players know their assignments, they spend less time thinking about a play and more time reacting to it. That confidence was evident in the Panthers’ first two games.

Playing an offense that features the spread option adds another wrinkle for the defense. Players are isolated in single coverage, with one defender responsible for the fullback on a dive play, another for the quarterback on a keeper and a third for the running back on a pitch.

“There’s nowhere to hide. It’s pretty simple, it really is,” Wannstedt said. “The importance of it becomes more and more magnified in certain offensive attacks.”

Then, that’s as much on the coaching and preparation. Hmmm. Who’s been the DC preparing this team for the last 6 years that keeps getting burned by the spread and option? Wonder if there’s a connection?

The offense can’t get a pass either. Especially the O-line.

Much has been made of The Citadel’s option rushing attack, but Pitt coach Dave Wannstedt believes the Panthers have to be as prepared for the Bulldogs’ defense. The Citadel has caused six fumbles and recovered four in its first two games, while the Panthers have committed seven turnovers in three games.

“More than any team that we have faced this year, they are a huge blitz and pressure team,” Wannstedt said. “They make you earn it.”

There should be no excuse for Pitt’s O-line this week, but they will still have to execute and demonstrate any ability to block and stop the blitz.