You know, maybe I’m projecting a bit, but it seems Zeise is a little more down on the defensive coaching in his weekly chat after the UConn game. Not so much of the players so much as the schemes, calls and general competence.
pittfan: Do you think that LB’s cover the wr’s too often in this defense?
Paul Zeise: Yes and I think this defense plays too many soft coverages and it is evident when you see the same routes working in the same spots every single week.
…
Tired_of_Losing: Paul, I thought that the defense would come through vs. UCONN, and was very surprised by the performance. 1st half drives of 15, 8, and 9 plays, as compared to the previous week vs. Mich St. Any opinions on what led to what I saw as a breakdown on D?
Paul Zeise: Yes, I thought that Pitt got caught in several coverages and defensive calls that were bad given what Connecticut is capable of doing. I also can’t understand, after last year, how the quarterback scrambling thing wasn’t rectified because that was a big part of it too. The sad thing is, a very good effort by the defensive line was wasted because the back end didn’t take care — or in some cases wasn’t put in position to take care of — its business. Again, this team seems to never be able to do everything well at the same time and that’s a problem.
…
Run_the_Ball: Should we be concerned that there were signs of the bad tackling returning last week?
Paul Zeise: Yes, as well as the quarterback scrambling and the fact that second and third and long seem to be very manageable downs for opposing teams again. All of that stuff could have been just a bad game or could be a sign of things to come.
Of course, the issue isn’t whether the beat writers are starting to see the incompetence of Rhoads as no longer acceptable despite his being a “good guy,” but whether Coach Wannstedt does.
This year, Virginia seems to have a much better O-line to allow it to run more effectively.
The line, which has four returning starters and features five players with significant experience, is big and powerful. It is also is mobile and athletic, which means the Panthers could have their hands full trying to stop Virginia’s running game.
And while size usually gives the Panthers trouble, it is the athleticism of the Cavaliers’ offensive line that has Pitt’s defensive coaches most concerned.
Defensive coordinator Paul Rhoads said the Cavaliers are able to do so many different things when they are run-blocking because their linemen move so well. That is why the Panthers not only will have to play physical football, but also smart football.
“That is a huge offensive line,” Rhoads said. “The key to dealing with that offensive line, and really the key to having a chance to be successful against their running game, is how well you can defeat blocks in the open field, especially against 300-pounders that run like skilled athletes.
“They will cut you, they will get on you. If you are going to stop that running game, you will have to get off physical blocks in order to do so.”
Left Tackle Greg Monroe is still questionable for the game, but seems more likely to play now.
The Cavs running game is vital because they still don’t have any receivers. They do have good tight ends, so the safeties and the coverage is going to have to key on them since the TEs have more receptions than the WRs.
This might be the game where the field position works for Pitt. The Cavs punt coverage has been shaky. Not a lot of hang-time on the punts so there is a chance to have some good returns.
Some more love for LeSean McCoy as Gameday lists him #2 among rookie RBs.
Forgive the bitter rant. It just frosts me that the friggin’ USF Bulls, who were a 1-AA program 5 years ago and drew horseflies to the Pitt-USF game in 04 (the most recent truly impressive win Pitt recorded, given the stakes involved incidentally), are leaps and bounds above us and playing a humongous game tonight, while we are playing a recognized national college tomorrow yet are so inconsequential to college football that the game is on a ‘network’ that the largest cable channel doesn’t carry, nor will local Pgh affiliates bother to pick it up.
If we keep it close, the end of the game may be on ESPNEWS…or go to a bar.
Man I have never feared a Pitt opponent or looked less forward to a game ever. Not that Virginia is good…..it’s that they are not good that strikes fear in my heart. Once again we will make a average team look great, and on Monday morning I will hear “what happened to your Panthers?” as I do every Monday morning in the fall. I then try to change the subject to pro football which is difficult to do in Alabama. Plus, my dad went to USF and I get to hear from him every year after we lose to them how the just got a I-A team the previous week or whenever it was. OH YEAH!!! Well we won a national championship in ’76 to TAKE THAT!!!
I’m not knocking the whole “Pitt guy” thing at all, either. That was one thing I liked about Wannstedt. In lieu of the bridges Walt burned here with the local high schools, it made sense to bring in a guy who could repair the ties with the local schools and begin to keep that talent here. And as I’ve said before, they needed to bring someone in who believed in Pitt and believed in what the program could become.
(And Jon C, just so you know…by citing your comment about the ’76 team, I’m not lumping you in with that group…your comment just made me think of that discussion.)
I think the problems here stem from Wannstedt and the coaches trying to maybe force a pro-style system to be implemented, and it’s something that necessarily isn’t designed to work as well in college ball. Look at Penn State, Wisconsin,…some of these other teams struggling to score points. I’m not saying everyone needs to start running a spread option or spread-based passing offense, because sooner or later, everyone’s going to adjust and learn to defend it. But spreading things out, going to three or four receivers, going with bigger splits on the o-line…that’s all stuff that may suit Pitt’s personnel better right now.
I have never heard in my 42 years as a Pitt fan the vitriole about a head coach as I have this week with DW. On one hand very sad, on the other, at least apathy has not set in.
I am making my once a year road visit to VA tomorrow from Baltimore. Just want to see us competitive….
I think the reason for the grand hostility is that DW brought us hope. I mentioned before that I felt worse after the Uconn game than I did after the 72-0 OSU game. The reason is I have a lot of hope for this team, no one even cared enough to get pissed in the early and mid 90’s. We went to the games for the laugh factor. That and UConn is not a good team and we are much more talented. We shouldn’t lose to them.
As for Stull, that sucks, but can’t he get a med redshirt? If so, it would be good to have him back for another 2.
Well, at least my season is now complete. Fuck Penn State, and fuck WVU. Neither one wins the national championship, so I can sleep at night.
I don’t even care what people say about the big east, as long as WVU doesn’t win shit.
What happens if Bostick becomes good? Then what?
BTW don’t hold your breath, the game isn’t over yet (as I type this) and WVU is only within 8. Since my contention is that Satan actually rules sports (how else to explain the same evil powers tend to be the best teams all the time? Is it really better when Michigan beats PSU) … could happen.
I hate when people say that its not fair to mention USF and Rutgers because the coaches had been there much longer. But what you have to consider is the starting points. DW inherited a much better team than either of the USF (Div 1aa just a few years ago) or Rutgers (hadnt been to a bowl game in 30 years) coaches. And worst of all is three years in and not one sign of any progress what so ever, in fact the team appears to be regressing. Thats the sign of poor coaching, plain and simple. Not only are we not beating the better teams we’re getting our doors blown in. I mean Uconn 2 years in a row??? how embarrassing. Only one more year of DW thank god!
They do have a better scheme than us as i pointed out a few weeks ago – you never see a safety more than 5 or 6 yards off the LOS, and the CBs are put on islands most of the time. Or they put the safeties on the WRs and bring the corners to contain the edge. When I watched the Maryland game, on run plays the WVU line was pushing past the LOS on run plays…in this game, they were playing behind the LOS on all the runs – the D-line of USFs was getting off blocks in a consistent fashion. And I saw less than a handful of missed tackles the entire game. They always kept at least 7 in the box – no LBs in coverage at all – and sometimes it seemed like they were playing a 4-4 with 1 safety. They pretty much ignored any pass – and the CBs and safeties would jam the receivers on the line to prevent simple screen passes, and dare WVU to throw the longball. And i didn’t see them get any pass interference calls either, as far as i can remember. I guess USF has them figured out, like Michigan has PSU figured out.
I understand that there is a breakdown in the comparison between Pitt, USF and NJU but those two programs are the best arguments for fan to be patient.
DW got hired in late December of 2004 and basically had two months to recruit. He took on some lower level WPIAL guys in an effort to reestablish Pitt as player for better kids in WPA in the future. We’ve seen that starting to pay off. Pitt is at least a consideration of nearly every big-time player in PA. Dickerson, McCoy and L. Nix come to mind.
So, DW has really only had two classes that he can call his own. They are loaded with 3-4 star players and rank in every top 25. The trouble is that the area of biggest need (OL) also requires the longest time to rebuild. Kids that are 18-19 just cannot hold up to men 4-5 years older than them.
So, Wanny’s guys are basically true sophomores, red-shirt freshmen and true freshmen. The athletic department knows this and are sure to allow DW time to grow these players. He may have until 2009 before they give up on him.
As for us being in different starting points, I’d say yes and no. Yes in that Pitt SHOULD have better players on the roster than USF and NJU just by name alone. Plus, this team had just won (got handed) the BE title. However, NOONE believed that team was any good. The was a bunch of talk in the media of how the BE should lose it’s BCS bid, etc. When the Panthers got POUNDED by Utah (UTAH!!??) it got even worse.
I remember at the beginning of the 2005 season Joe Starkey, the Pitt beat writer for the Trib, went on TV as said the Panthers have the talent of a 1-AA team. Turned out he was correct. If not for Palko, Blades and a few others, Pitt’s record under DW would be worse!
My point is this, DW is NOT going to be fired anytime soon. Some assistants may go as early as this year. But he will be given the time to turn over the roster with his players. We need to look at USF and NJU as the way to build a program. Hopefully our results will be similar.
i agree completely with your post. rhoads will be used as a scapegoat. but lets get one thing straight, there is no way all those coaches should of been retained when dw took over.
rhoads and the defense couln’t have been any worse than last year but dw doesn’t make a change. after dw fires rhoads at the end of this year, this will buy dw himself another year. it doesn’t matter though because dw sucks a head coach. he needs to go back to the assistant role.
Really, he has come to let his hair down a bit, spreading blame between students and staff. But sh*t, anyone can be a critic without reprisal when the team for which you report SUCKS as bad as our Panthers do now. (Under the current circumstances, wouldn’t you, too, (supposing you’re the beat writer) let your dreadlocks down and fire away?)
You can further chalk it up to bright ideas like “daily†Q&A vs. the previous (and better) weekly format.
Zeise does the daily Q&A AND the weekly chat. Chat is every Thursday 12-12:30 and the transcripts are usually posted late Thursday or on Friday.
I think he’s been very level-headed regarding Pitt. Predicted 6-6 or 7-5 at best and said could see scenario of 3-9. Looks like he’s more in line than most Panther fans.
I also think he’s pointed to player when deserving and called out the coaches when deserving.
Overall I think he goes a good job. Combined with Gorman’s blog at the Trib and the news on Pitt Blather I get more information than my wife wants me to.
