Late start. I was stuck with an unconscious infant on my lap for the first 9 minutes of action.
Adam Nettina at Pitch Right is liveblogging (1st half and 2nd half) the game as well.
Well, they are letting Bostick throw a bit, but not much downfield. The O-line is horrible (nothing new), as the undersized D-line is getting disturbingly easy penetration. Pathetic. Not sure why they have McCoys deep to take hand-offs. With the penetration by Navy’s D-line.
Pitt’s second drive is looking a lot better. Actually mixing up the run and pass creates more offense. Go figure.
Collins takes it in for the score. Lee ties the Pitt record for consecutive XPs.
7-7
A brief word about the defense’s first effort. Typical from a Rhoadsian D. The most disturbing thing was the sideline report right after Navy scored. The observation that the Pitt sideline coaches and defense coming off the field was being stunned by the speed of Navy. Oh, that was a puckering moment.
8:36: And on the kickoff to Navy, Campbell takes it out past the 40. Great.
8:41: Navy is just moving the ball with ease. Actually, “ease” might not be a strong enough word. Excellent, an incidental facemask on Pitt as well. Just to help the Midshipmen along.
8:43: I should mention that the liveblogging of the defense will be brought to you tonight with the necessary aid of Elijah Craig 12-year old bourbon. Whether I shift to Newcastle Beer or Bombay Gin straight depends on whether the defense shows any signs of life making me want to see it through less than glossy eyes.
8:47: Astounding. Lou Holtz can’t even identify who is on the field. He just noted a stop and said, “I can’t even see which linebacker made the tackle.” It’s going to be a long game regardless of the outcome.
8:51: Of course, Navy made the 4th and 2. Now 1st and goal.
8:55: TD Pass to Reggie Campbell. I just can picture Rhoads on the sidelines paging through his notebook, saying, “Did we prepare for that?”
14-7 Navy. 13:05 in the 2nd Q. The drive took 5:09 and 61 yards.
8:57: LaRod Stephens-Howling with an outstanding kickoff return. 45 yards. Pitt starts at the Navy 44.
9:00: Pitt picks it up on 4th down, and shockingly the flag was offside Navy. I know I assumed Pitt moved early when the flag was tossed.
9:03: Bostick calls a TO as the clock wound down. Pitt didn’t get to the line quickly. Bostick actually showed some awareness to realize it and made the good decision to preseve being inside the 20 on 1st down.
9:05: Back-to-back McCoy runs for more than 10 yards to take Pitt to 1st and Goal at the 7.
9:07: McCoy takes it in for the TD. A nearly 4 minute drive. How very unnatural.
Conor Lee converts the XP to set the new consecutive XP record for Pitt.
14-14, 9:04 left in the half.
9:11: 717 Represent! LeSean McCoy being shown on the sideline has the area code for Harrisburg (and Hershey and Lebanon among others) on his eyeblack tape.
9:15: Here’s a stunner. Pitt can’t stop Navy running the ball. Classic example of where stats lie. They keep referring to Pitt’s team D rankings nationally. Well when two consecutive games had teams taking the second half off, it helps skew things along.
9:16: Dear god, Lou Holtz with a good observation. With the Navy offense, you can’t try to read it — as Pitt is doing — but attack. Of course, Rhoads doesn’t know how to do that.
TD Navy.
21-14, 5:06 ’til halftime. A ten-play drive with not a single pass.
139 rushing yards by Navy so far.
9:21: Lowell Robinson takes it to about the 22 on the kickoff.
Pelusi sighting. He takes a short pass and gets 15 yards.
9:22: Bostick hits Turner, who actually got YAC. Looks like this drive is about the passes.
9:25: Hey LaRod Stephens-Howling gets a touch and takes it for about 10 yards.
And then only 1 yard on the next carry.
9:26: Wow. Oderick Turner must have had a fire lit under him about toughness. Turner fought and dragged defenders for extra yards. He must just be juiced at the concept of a forward pass.
9:27: Lou Holtz just threatened to bite Mark May on the nose. I don’t know what to say.
Bostick to Turner for a TD pass. Under review, depends on whether they decide he had control or not. Confirmed
21-21. 40 seconds left until halftime.
9:33: Aaron Berry just looked like a complete fool to actually let Navy pass deep on him. Berry never turned. He didn’t believe they would throw deep.
Good golly, Pitt kept them from the endzone. FG attempt with 7 seconds left.
9:37: Pitt calls timeout before the 35 yard attempt. Not at the very last second, though.
NO GOOD.
Pitt has 3 seconds to do nothing really.
Halftime. Pitt and Navy is tied at 21. The big problem in a game where neither defense is doing much. Navy gets the ball first. Pitt will have to keep responding and hope the defense breaks tradition and somehow gets a turnover.
Wanny didn’t seem surprised that Navy could run all over the defense. He was more agitated by how easily they could pass on Pitt.
Some Halftime Numbers:
Navy has 253 yards of offense. 147 yards rushing and 96 yards passing.
Pitt has 210 yards of offense. 85 yards rushing and 125 yards passing.
Pitt dominated time of possession 18:08 to 11:52.
Bostick was 12-16 on his passes.
Actual balance from Pitt with 38 plays 22 rushes and 16 passes.
9:59: Rece Davis just before the end of halftime, “The Pitt defense looks like it has no clue how to stop the Navy option.” Welcome to our world, Rece.
10:03: Ohmigod, Pitt’s defense makes a stop. Pitt defense made a stop. Let that sink in.
Nearly blocked the punt and Pitt takes over at their own 46.
10:05: As a Pitt fan, I know bad tackling. Navy doesn’t tackle well. Byham picks up a 1st and then Conredge Collins blows through the line.
10:07: I thought McCoy fumbled before the endzone. That better be a challenge if they rule touchback. Crap. An ACC crew calling the game. That explains the bad calls. Just ask ACC fans. They will concede that ACC football refs are the worst (Pac-10 replay refs suck worse than anyone else)
10:08: Phew, it will be reviewed and the replay is definitely hitting a Navy player and went out of bounds at the 2. Bails out McCoy who had a great run ’til the fumble.
10:12: Just off the phone with a friend at the game. The replay was not being shown on the jumbotron.
10:15: Second effort on second down by McCoy gets into the endzone!!!
28-21 Pitt 10:25 in the 3d.
10:18: So much for euphoria. A 60 yard return by Reggie Campbell to the Pitt 33.
10:20: Guarantee that Navy inside the 20 is in 4 down territory.
10:23: Too easy on the pitch left. TD Navy.
28-28, 6:54 in the 3d quarter. Plus Pitt was even offside on the XP.
Random question. Why doesn’t Navy go for 2 more often with the triple option? Especially against Pitt.
Well, Wanny said the offense and Bostick would need 28. Looks like more is needed. Why? Because the Pitt defense is letting Navy score at an even faster clip than expected.
10:29: Nice. Lowell Robinson with an excellent runback. Not sure where Pitt starts because it’s back to the sandwiches.
10:30: Good. Bubble screen to Turner goes for 15 yards. Hideous. Jeff Otah shaken up and grabbing at his right leg/knee. Left the field.
10:31: Conredge Collins busts a good run. Paul Zeise must be thrilled. McCoy shakes, jukes and moves for 7 yards to the 6. Otah back out there.
10:32: Crap. Why a screen now? Lost a yard and now Pitt is kicking a FG. Not a good idea in this game.
Lee hits it for a 31-28 lead with 4:57 left in the 3d.
10:38: Pitt defense does what it does best. Look confused and not know what to do. This drive has taken Navy over 200 yards rushing before the end of the 3d Q.
10:39: Navy fumble on exchange but Navy gets it back. Damn.
Now 1st and goal from the 8 for Navy.
10:44: Kaipo takes it in for the TD. An over 4 minute nearly 80 yard drive.
35-31 Navy with 19 seconds left in the 3d Q.
10:45: Pitt starts at the 32 with 12 seconds in the quarter. Now, Pitt has to score and the defense needs a turnover.
Crap. Turner had no idea which way to turn. Easy interception. Wrong turnover. Bostick didn’t help with the throw, but Turner turned the wrong way.
10:50: Wha’ happen? Did Pitt’s defense actually cause a 3 and out? Oh, golly. A fake and Pitt stopped it!!! McKillop maked the stop 1 yard or 2 before the 1st down.
10:53: All on the ground after the Bostick interception. Way to build the confidence in the QB. Granted Pitt is getting yardage, but you can visibly see that Pitt is not wanting to pass. At some point, even the Navy D is going to stuff until Pitt is permitted to pass again.
10:55: Clearly I’m an idiot. McCoy takes it 21 yards for the TD run. 140 yards rushing. He managed to keep his balance after a couple glancing hits.
38-35 Pitt in the 4th quarter.
11:07: Just methodically running Pitt over. Lou Holtz is loopy. He keeps calling Pitt’s defense very good. What is he seeing? Or drinking? Smoking?
Pitt finally got a stop on 4th and 3 inside the 20. Shockingly going to take a FG instead. Maybe.
36 yarder is good. 38-38 with 4:57 left in the game.
11:11: Ugh. Robinson flubbed the kickoff and only got out to the 18.
11:14: Mark, Mark, Mark. Never, ever, use 110% again for describing anything. Please. I beg you.
Conredge Collins stuffed as the defense penetrates. God help Pitt for daring to rely on the O-line.
Pitt going for it. They have to.
Balls. Bostick pass to McGee.
11:16: That was Bosticks first pass since the INT no less. Not surprised that Pitt went for it on 4th in this case but shocked they passed.
11:19: S**t. 1:33 left 4th and 3 near midfield. Pitt has to punt. If they don’t punt, Navy has plenty of time to score from midfield. Punting probably doesn’t give enough time.
Other factor. OT. That favors Navy simply because I would bet on Navy on a 2-pt conversion over Pitt.
11:21: Fair catch at the 16. 1:26 left.
11:24: Cripes. Navy might actually get to FG range at this rate.
11:28: What might have been with that tip at the line. Oh well.
FG attempt with 7 seconds. Wanny calls the TO — early — a 49 yarder.
Well short. 2 seconds left. I’d say OT is in the offing.
11:34: Welcome to OT. I won’t waste times with the rules. For the record, Pitt under Wannstedt is 0-2 in OT — Ohio (2005) and UConn (2006). I really shouldn’t be drinking at this point. I still have to get up tomorrow.
Navy won the toss. Pitt will — of course — start on offense. Crap.
11:36: I’ve tried to defend Cavanaugh. Give him slack with the offenses injuries. But really? A 4 yard pass on 3d and 8?
11:37: FG is good, but… Navy actually jumped offside. Holy crap. It’s first down.
11:39: LaRod Stephens-Howling with a change of pace and takes it just short of the goal line. Yay!
11:40: Bostick on the sneak… TD!!!!
45-38 Pitt. Navy’s turn coming.
11:42: Navy on a TD pass. Wide open. God help us Lou Holtz said it was there.
They’re going to review? For what?
Let me get this straight. Pitt hasn’t been able to stop the run against Navy with the safeties and LBs playing up and the corners soft to come up in run support? Oy.
Tied again. 45-45.
11:48: Navy gets to start on offense. Painful to watch. You’d think I’d be used to it by now. Apparently not. Navy just keeps going forward.
Oh, gosh. Mick Williams gets a sack! Navy went away from their bread and butter by going for a pass. Wow.
FG attempt goes through barely and almost blocked.
Pitt has to score the TD.
48-45 Navy.
11:52: Bostick calmly dropps back and hits Pestano for 16 yards over the middle.
McCoy runs for 5 yards. 3 yards from the endzone.
McCoy for 1 yard. 2 yards away. 3d and goal.
Incomplete but flag. Illegal motion declined and now 4th and goal.
Go for it. Win it now. Or lose it. Just be decisive.
11:55: Ballgame. Incomplete to Strong.
Um, uh, I guess you can say that you never expected that call.
12:03: I’m watching and replaying this play on the DVR. I may be doing this for a while.
Whether by design or incompetence, the Navy D-line just blew through Pitt. Bostick was being hit at the waist as he was throwing. Collins was supposed to block the defender but the player litterally dove high as Collins went low to get to Bostick.
Bostick was looking for Strong the entire time. The defender was clean. He was watching the ball and going up for it.
The defender had great position on Strong so he never had a chance to make a reception.
I’m not faulting going for it on 4th. I’m just stupified by the call. Not even going to Strong. It’s just that Pitt has all these TEs and WRs who had a fantastic game. Put in a 4 receiver set to help spread the field. Make Navy choose between crowding against the run or making sure everyone is covered across the field.
Maybe the coaches were afraid of having Bostick do too much with that kind of decisionmaking, but this call was not one that helped. Especially to the short side with no room for Strong to get there.
Why in the HELL don’t they just POUND THE SHIT out of it again?
That was unbelievably insane! This dude is just plain loco. He reminds me a lot of Ron Zook, including looks and mannerisms, except even worse. If that is possible.
we could be 5-1 right now with wins against similar questionable teams. Who have we played besides Va.
I would take that any day of the year now….
Not getting on you but we are the hugest embarrasment in college football
I think at the end of the day, Wannstedt just brings losing to everywhere he goes. Not much more to it than that.
Would AD be a role he is better suited for? I think he can grease palms and not damage the team.
I see promise with the players. The coach they have will not let them acheive greatness.
I am just so frustrated I don’t want to see another year of this.
DaveD
Wanny: We held them under their per game rushing average. Coach Rhoads deserves the credit for that.
Good luck the west of the way, Lou Holtz (amazingly) wasn’t just blowing shit when he said Bostick and McCoy have real futures.
I would have preferred McCoy get the ball on one of the last two plays. Overall the offense played very well. Yes, the OL still needs a lot of work but our two freshmen (McCoy and Bostic) played great. If we knew going into the game that we would score 45 points, I’m sure we would have thought it would be a Pitt win.
As for the defense…
TERRIBLE!! The announcers on both the TV and the radio commented that the defense needed to attack. Mark May pointed out that the splits of the Navy OL were tipping the plays. He and Holtz repeatedly stated that the LB’s needed to fill those gaps aggressively. I saw no adjustments during the game. Others have mentioned the defense continually lined up in the same formation. Very disappointing.
At this point we’re staring at a 2 or 3 win season. Certainly heads will roll. The offense played well tonight, but we’ll hold judgment until after we play a defense ranked higher than 111. My guess is tat Cavanaugh’s job is safe as long as the offense continues to show improvement. Let’s face it, we’re counting on true freshman to run the show. If I had money to bet, I’d say Paul Dunn will get the ax on the offense. The defense is another story. they seem to come up with ways to disappoint me on a weekly basis. No adjustments when there seem to be easy solutions. Paul Rhodes will definitely be the one thown to the wolves. Look for either DW to take over as defensive coordinator (a la Shiano) or Chris Ball move up from DB coach.
I said it earlier, the expectations from 2007 have been moved back to 2008. Will have a young but talented OL, new OL coach and new DC. Expect the team to start building toward 2009. Yep, we’re looking forward to 2009 already. What we are looking for now is some signs of improvement. Particularly in the play of the offense as McCoy and Bostic grow up. The defense will continue to be soft.
Pitt runs the ball on 3rd and 4th down with 2 to go.
You use your strength (OL size) vs their weakness (undersized line) and let the best man win.
If Navy holds twice you tip your cap to them.
But instead you ask a freshman QB who is improving but is still getting his sea legs (not to mention being in the toughest position to throw in the redzone). You completely go against your strength vs their weakness and try to get cute on tendencies.
Need I say anymore?
I don’t want him at AD. I don’t want him as coach. I don’t want him as a fucking RA at this point. Can’t one of the networks hire him away? Hey ESPN – want to replace Lou Holtz as an analyst? We got your guy!
Isn’t this the guy who promised to be the second coming of Johnny Majors? It sure is looking a lot like Johnny Majors’ second coming, isn’t it?
pat and shady: “here’s 45”
wannsetedt: “…. i know what i’m doing, i’m building a program”
! unreal
Fire Paul Rhoads…
Fire Matt Cavanaugh…
Fire Paul Dunn…
Fire the waterboy…
Fire the guy holding the clipboard…
Fire anybody and everybody associated with this team and do it tomorrow..
Hold a press conference and just say it…”the University of Pittsburgh after much thought and consideration has decided to move in a new direction in regards to our football program. Effective immediately Dave W. and his entire staff has been released.” Fire them all, I have had enough, I’m not wasting my money and time with these idiots leading this team. The player deserve more, the school deserves more, and dammit I deserve more!
Which leads to my second point…that worthless [extended REDACTED] Dumbest call ever.
Why give the ball to the kid with 165 yards?
Oh, I forgot, our secondary is absolutely worthless. They\’ve joined the level of the rest of the D – rock bottom, and beginning to dig.
[Edited by Chas Rich. Stuart, give it a rest. I try to cut some slack especially right after losses, but this isn\’t a message board that lets you trash and spew anything and everything about players.]
By gambling, Wannstedt appeared to be saying to his slumping team, “We’re going to win this right now.” But the play itself – one in which Strong went to the edge of the end zone and waited for the ball inches from the out of bounds line – was risky enough no matter the circumstances.
“I can’t say much as a player. You always go with the plays they call. … There’s no use pointing fingers at anyone,” Bostick said. “We can look at the film and say we could have done many things different.”
Think Wanny has lost this team?
…
Still so very upset, that I want to hear Wanny say, “I lost this game, we had time to prepare, and I didn’t put the team in a position to dominate Navy, let alone win at the end of the game. I don’t need to watch the game tapes, I wasn’t agressive in my defensive strategy, and I gave the ballgame away when i didn’t pound the ball at their tired, outmanned defensive line. I lost this game for a group of players, who deserve better.”
-al-
Hail to PITT
“Which leads to my second point…that worthless TE. In the third quarter, 3rd and 2, on the 5 yard line, Bostick hits [Strong] with the ball…and instead of turning it up, taking the hit and die trying to get the first down, [HE] RUNS OUT OF BOUNDS TO AVOID A HIT, 2 YARDS SHORT. We end up kicking a FG. Some people in life want to win, others are losers. Strong is a loser. Put either of the other TEs in there, I didn’t see them halfass anything. Then you throw it to [him] on the last play? Dumbest call ever.”
Why am I not allowed to call out a TE that has NFL aspirations? This isn’t “trash” or “spewing” – its an observation I made at the game, and confirmed it looking at the tape when I got home. Anyone can go back and look at exactly what I’m talking about.
I didn’t see the original message you posted before it was edited. But on that 3rd quarter pass you cited, Strong seemed to me to be a victim of his own momentum more than anything else. Bostick kind of floated the ball out to Strong. And with Strong running a route that was taking him almost perpendicular to the sideline, it looked to me like he had too much momentum going across the field and that’s what prevented him from making a hard turn up the field. When he caught the ball, I don’t think he had a hell of a lot of “vertical” room to work with relative to the sideline.
I don’t know…I only saw the play during the game and I didn’t tape the game.
As far as calling out the players, maybe there are games where it’s called for but I don’t think this was one of them. Just my opinion, but those kids were playing their asses off last night – every one of them. They lost because of the ineptitude of the coaching staff. Strong never should’ve been put in a position to make that catch not because of his talent level, but because the play never should’ve been called in the first place – I don’t care if they would’ve had Jerry Rice, Steve Largent and Larry Fitzgerald down in that corner. Not on fourth-and-goal from the two when they had a running game that was effective so much more often than not.
I’m not going to be an editor of comments. I don’t have time or inclination to do so. I’m not going to go clean things up so you can make your point. I’m just going to get rid of the offending area.
You weren’t just cursing and saying he wasn’t a good player. You were crossing beyond to the personal as to the person himself based on his on-the-field performance. That’s where I draw the line.
I will not get down on the players because I know in my heart that for the most part they give it their all. But you can give your all, but that is negated by bad leadership/management. Such is the case with my beloved Panthers.
The frustration/despair I feel inside this morning has nothing to do with the players, but everything to do with coaching. I give in to any hopes of Wannstadt leading Pitt to the Promised Land.
There is a reason he was fired in his two stints as an NFL head coach, he is a bad head coach. Some coaches are meant to be HCs; Wanny is not one of them.
Any HC with any sense knows you play not to lose at home, and play to win on the road. It is as elementary as hot is to cold. It is clearly evident that Wanny is deficient in the abstract thinking needed to be a HC.
Wanny is steadfast in his belief that his system is right, and that if the players execute it success will follow.
He fails to see the urgency of it all. Yes, proper execution of the system in a theoretical sense means success. But just as in life, belief in a theoretical proposition does not constitute success from said proposition.
There needs to be a balance in coaching, a balance of concrete, and abstract. While it is not bad to approach coaching from the concrete presupposition of one’s stated philosophy, it becomes fatal in the face of continued adversity when one fails to bring in abstract coaching philosophy.
Holtz was right when he stated that you need to attack an option offense, and that Pitt had the bulk up front to do so. Instead there was not initiative for Wanny to do so because once again he failed to think in the abstract, but rather clung to his concrete proposition that if the players executed his system the team would win.
It is the job of the HC to give the players the best chance they can to win. Can we honestly say that Wanny has? The answer to this rhetorical question is no. We as fans are in a no win situation. If Wanny stays most likely there will be no elevation of the program, if he goes what of the recruits who have come?
I could go on and on, but I think it best for me to look in the direction of the BB team.
