For this, I don’t actually blame Coach Wannstedt. No really. This issue actually coming up now, seems more in response to being asked by reporters since there will be two years on his contract after this season, and it’s the common time for extensions to happen or “lame-duck” arguments to begin.

He is in the third year of a five-year contract and, although he has talked with the chancellor about a contract extension, he said it is not his current top priority. Instead, that top priority is getting the Panthers on the winning track.

“I’m going to be here, I have had very good conversations with the chancellor,” an upbeat Wannstedt said yesterday.

“We’ve spoken about the direction of the program and what we are trying to accomplish, and he’s been very supportive. We are doing things the right way, but ultimately, we have to start winning some games, and nobody understands that better than I do. I know if we can get a few more good recruiting classes here, we’ll get to where we need to be.”

It is all informal at this point. I don’t think an extension is going to happen at this point. Again, that whole lack of an AD thing.
Then there’s the obligatory article on how a lack of an extension could be a drag on recruiting from a recruiting analyst. Of course a lack of winning is also a drag on recruiting so…
Ron Cook decides that Wannstedt should get an extension. In a very tepid way.

This is going to sound insane, but this is the time Nordenberg should be thinking about an extension for Wannstedt. Not a five- or 10-year deal, but one year. If Nordenberg believes Wannstedt still is his man, he has to do it. That would carry more weight than a vote of confidence. That wouldn’t just help Pitt’s recruiting. It would let Pittsburgh know the Pitt administration is prepared to ride out the storm with Wannstedt.

That’s not easy to do — public sentiment has turned dramatically against Wannstedt since the horrible home losses to Connecticut and Navy the past three weeks — but that kind of strength has been known to pay off. I’m thinking of Greg Schiano at Rutgers. His first four teams went 2-9, 1-11, 5-7 and 4-7, but Rutgers stuck with him. I’m also thinking of Frank Beamer at Virginia Tech. His first six teams went 2-9, 3-8, 6-4-1, 6-5, 5-6 and 2-8-1.

It’s nice to think Wannstedt also will reward that same kind of patience.

Oh, please. Times are different, and the programs he is comparing them to were in completely different places. Not to mention that there was still some improvement on those records, with at worst a minor step back. Not this.

A one year extension seems almost like a reasonable compromise, I will concede, but I just don’t see the point or necessity. It still screams out, “coach on the hot seat,” only it has the subtext of concern for recruiting. Yippee.

Really, the most surprising thing is that Cook is now ready to give up the ghost on Rhoads.

I’m always hesitant to put too much blame on coordinators because the head coach is the boss and has responsibility for the product. There’s no excuse for Pitt’s defense to play so poorly when Wannstedt has such a strong defensive background. But defensive coordinator Paul Rhoads always has said he should be blamed if his defense doesn’t respond to him. Well, it’s not responding and hasn’t for a few years.

Wannstedt wouldn’t comment about Rhoads or any of his coaches yesterday, including offensive coordinator Matt Cavanaugh, who took big-time heat for his play calling at the end of the Navy game, or offensive line coach Paul Dunn, who has his critics. But, after saying he has “all the confidence in the world” in his staff, Wannstedt acknowledged, “I’ll sit down after the season and make the decisions that are in the best interests of the Pitt program, not in the best interests of Dave Wannstedt. I’m not 35 years old trying to make a name for myself. I’m going to do what’s right for Pitt.”

Cook wants to blame Wannstedt for this defense, but has just argued that Wanny needs more time. That only leaves Rhoads. Tick-tock. Tick-tock.

Interesting sidenote. Pitt has never comeback from a halftime deficit under Wannstedt. Guess who else has not?

And his 0-15 mark when trailing at halftime is hilarious. One day soon, we’ll look back on this 2007 season and study just how poorly Callahan handled these Huskers in practice and on gameday.

Hmm.

One more Wanny-Callahan comparison, courtesy of Orson Swindle at EDSBS.

Neither coach did what Pete Carroll openly admits he had to do in what he believed to be his last shot at coaching success: change. Both are now in deep danger of losing their jobs. Species that don’t change, disappear–this rule applies to NFL coaches heading to the college ranks as much as it applies to college coaches heading to the NFL. When Merrill Hoge sneers at the next college coach to fail in the “man’s league” that is the NFL, let that 7-6 nightmare and the reigns of Gailey/Callahan/Wannstedt stand as testimony that failure is a two-way street.

Disturbingly true on so many levels. Wannstedt hasn’t tried to change anything in his approach. He remains wedded to his system, his way and his losses.  The belief/hope that when Wannstedt was hired he’d be a lot like Pete Carroll because they were both “rah-rah, players coaches” whose schtick just didn’t work in the NFL, but college would be different. It ignores that Carroll has changed things in his approach and style. Not being a player’s coach and semi-cheerleader, rather the substance of the practices and preparing the players.

When Carroll says the best player starts regardless of class status — it’s true. Not so with Wannstedt who still overvalues experience and upperclassmen despite what he says.

As I said before, I’m still catching up with a lot of stuff. So, a little bit backtracking to post-Navy. After the game, the fan anger — once past the call on 4th down — was about the defense being it’s sieve-like self. Same as it has always been with Rhoads in charge. The Zeise on-line chat the day after was all about that.

DontTaseMeBro: After watching the MSU game, I thought the D-Line was making progress. After watching the O-line of Navy just blow Pitt off the ball, Im starting to think the MSU game was a fluke. Im having a hard time thinking navys players are superior physically so Im thinking this falls on coaching. Is this coaching or just people playing out of position?

Paul Zeise: Well — the one constant on this defense since 2003 hasn’t been the players — so you tell me.

PittAT: Paul, Do you expect anyone from this coaching staff to be back next year?

Paul Zeise: I would expect the head coach to be back regardless of what happens. After that, who knows what will happen.

B_Dubb: I suppose coach will say our defense is young but why won’t he allow these boys to attack? Mark May even said all they do is run into their blockers. They don’t try to fill gaps or make plays. This is all coaching. They want to bend don’t break but da-it all we do is break. It is not working. Try something else. Their stubborness drives me insane

Paul Zeise: I know, I can already tell this is going to be a venting session for frustrated fans who can’t figure out how a defense can be this bad year after year after year and nothing is adjusted or changed. If you want to see a defense play the way it is supposed to play — like its hair is on fire — go to the next home game and watch Cincy’s guys fly around the field and make plays. They are aggressive, they fly to the ball, they mix it up and there is nobody who will ever be able to convince me they can do that because they have better players than Pitt does on that side of the ball because they don’t.

You know, I came across this bit via MGoBlog regarding Bo Pelini with defense.

Head coach Les Miles said he knew he’d gotten a gem when he plucked Pelini away from Oklahoma following the 2004 season.

Miles was the head coach at Oklahoma State when Pelini was at Nebraska. After watching game tape, Miles thought he’d figured out a way to expose the Cornhuskers’ defense.

“But when we played them,” Miles said, “they ended up using a totally different scheme. They beat us, and after that I started watching more and more of their film. He was coming up with different plans every week. Each game it evolved.”

Quite novel after years of Rhoads. Different schemes. Different approaches. Competence.
Eric Hall at the Beaver Valley Times noted that it was the defense that was the problem and might cost Wannstedt his job.

But for a coach whose platform is rushing and defense, Wannstedt hasn’t provided the goods. Not this year. Certainly not last year, when the Panthers allowed every team from a major conference to steamroll them.

Maybe the problem is defensive coordinator Paul Rhoads, whose defenses started to break down during the Walt Harris era. Possibly, it’s recruiting. Or execution. Or a combination of all three.

Here’s some truth you won’t hear from the coach at his weekly press conference: Whatever the reason, the lack of a defense will cost Wannstedt his job.

Of course, the next day he wrote how Wannstedt should stay (but some assistants need to go).

Zeise also — kind of — tackled the issue in a Q&A.

Q: Hypothetically, if Dave Wannstedt was asked to replace some of his staff next year, would he do it or would he rather go down with the ship and be fired himself?

ZEISE: Not only is that a possibility — staff changes that go beyond just a few cosmetic changes — I’d say it is probably. Dave is a very loyal guy, he has a lot of characater and he isn’t one to throw others under the bus, but he also understands it is a bottom-line business and ultimately, regardless of how many good things you do, you are judged on wins and losses. And there are areas on this team that aren’t getting it done and he will do whatever it takes to make upgrades.

Why won’t they just say it? Defensive coordinator Paul Rhoads and O-line coach Paul Dunn are the minimum in staff changes needed, wanted and expected after this season.

Wow, is this damning info:

The schedule only gets more demanding. Pitt faces three nationally ranked teams in No. 5 South Florida, No. 8 West Virginia and No. 15 Cincinnati and two teams, Louisville and Rutgers, which were ranked at the start of the season. Only Syracuse (1-5, 1-1) has a worse overall record than Pitt, but the Orange already pulled an upset at Louisville.

That doesn’t bode well for Pitt.

…

The Panthers might have to do the same on defense, which has allowed 839 yards and 92 points in the past two games.

And over the past 3 games it is 126 points and 1128 yards.

Now, Pitt gets a disappointed and pissed off Cinci team looking to take it out on Pitt. And of course, what kind of offense does Cinci use?

The extra days likely were welcomed by the Pitt defensive staff because the Panthers’ next opponent, Cincinnati, plays an unconventional spread offense that is predicated on putting constant pressure on opposing defenses.

At this point putting 11 guys out on the field and calling them the offense would put pressure on Pitt’s defense.

Coach Wannstedt’s press conference yesterday was not a fun thing. I guess defensive would be a good way to put it.

I’m encouraged. The attitude of our football team is good considering the tough situation that we are in right now. I thought our practice was good yesterday; the guys have been in watching tape. They are excited about playing at home and going out there, finding a way to win and getting this thing turned around. I think that our defense is a lot better than what we showed last week. You give Navy credit, but we did not execute as well as we are capable of and for us to beat Cincinnati we need to play `lights out’ defense.

To paraphrase Owen Wilson in Shanghai Knights, What in the defense’s performance makes you think they are capable of that?

I also learned that it has been 6 weeks since the last recovered fumble by Pitt’s defense. You mean, a non-attacking, read-react-watch them go by defense doesn’t generate turnovers? Wow.

I don’t know how that happens, but I think it’ll turn. We’re working on stripping the ball and we’re doing everything that the Steelers are doing. Trust me.

“…everything that the Steelers are doing.” Except blitz, defend the run, stop someone. Other than that, yeah, doing everything.
And yet, I’m still going to drag my ass out of bed sometime around 6 to go to Pittsburgh for this game.