Cinci is one of the top teams in the country at forcing turnovers. In their loss to Louisville, that didn’t happen. The Bearcats lost. Doesn’t seem like much of a coincidence since it cost them at least two field goals with 2 costly turnovers inside the 20. All the while not getting turnovers from the Cardinals.
The turnovers also make a big difference to the offense, which has benefited from extra good field position when the defense forces an error from the opponent.
But against Louisville, UC’s average starting field position was its 23-yard line and only began a series once in Cardinals territory. That makes life tougher for the Bearcats offense.
Conversely, on three of the four Louisville scores, the Cardinals only had to move the ball less than 55 yards to score a touchdown.
Pitt’s defense, by hideous contrast, has not forced a turnover since Grambling.
Pitt is among the worst teams in Division I-A when it comes to taking the ball away from its opponents. The Panthers are No. 110 out of 119 I-A teams in turnovers forced. They have just six in six games.
…
Wannstedt then cited Cincinnati’s turnover ratio. The Bearcats are the No. 1 team in NCAA Division I-A in forced turnovers with 25. He said there is a direct correlation between that number and Cincinnati’s 6-1 record and Top 25 ranking.
And all six turnovers Pitt has gotten have been interceptions and special team fumble recoveries. No fumble recoveries by the defense. At all.
Naturally, Coach Wannstedt blames it on the early deficits Pitt has been in.
“You don’t get a chance to force them into some bad throws,” Wannstedt said. “That has a lot to do with the lack of turnovers. We’ve played either even or behind against most of our opponents, and when that’s the case, quarterbacks don’t feel pressure. They don’t feel like they have to force anything. And the play-callers on the other side are a little more conservative. That probably has something to do with it, too. I know it does.”
Something I could buy into except that really only applies to the UVa and UConn games. Otherwise, the games were close and that excuse is crap. It was back and forth with Navy. Michigan State was never comfortable on offense. No turnovers by a defense that doesn’t attack.
P.S. What does all this mean to Pat Bostick? Lots of yards or lots of picks or both?
Dan,
I couldnt agree more, the coaches need to just stop talking to the media all together. It makes them look stupid and incompetent and just pisses all of us off.
I cant take this anymore. Thanks to all of our players for putting up with this bullshit and trying hard every week. Good things come to those who wait…I hope.
DW MUST GO!
Jesus Christ, I can’t take it either. Hell, I have been waiting for Pitt football to become significant since 1982.
Pitt’s village idiot AD at that time was Ed Bozik, well Ed was a real asshole and pissed off Jackie Sherrill and drove Jackie crazy. Eventually Jackie just got sick of Ed’s shit and left for Texas A&M.
Remember Foge took over a football program that was one of the elite of college football and Foge quickly ran the football program into the ground.
To save his ass and get one more season to prove himself DW is going to fire Rhoads and Dunn at the end of the season, but is that too little too late? I don’t know.
What really pisses me off is DW, he is set in his ways, and he is clueless and just lost regarding the college game. His press conferences remind me of a sitcom comedy, he just has no idea, he always brings up the old days and he always has excuses.
He has had 3 full recruiting classes, shouldn’t we see some progress because the knock on Walt was bad recruiting, smoke and mirrors, you get the picture.
DW has stated in the media that he knows what he is doing and he is building a national championship caliber program at Pitt.
I really don’t see it, does anyone else?
Foge was a Pitt guy and could recruit too, Foge like DW was a great defensive coordinator but Foge was not even a good head coach. Being a head coach is much different than being a coordinator; I think DW is the second coming of Foge.
Hell I’m frustrated too, I have been following Pitt football since 1964 and Christ I hope I live long enough too see them win and go to a bowl game.
I don’t think DW is going to ever have a winning season let alone get them to a bowl game.
One more year and yes it’s going to be very frustrating, the guy just doesn’t have it.
I finally have 0% confidence of us winning this game!!! What a relief!!! No more let downs for me.
I always feel like we have no chance, but when we lose, I always feel down. I think that last little glimmer of hope is finally gone……ahhhhhh……how liberating!
Thanks Pitt coaching staff! No more depressing Saturdays for me. Once you hit rock bottom, you have nothing to lose.
I wish Rutgers was stupid enough to fire Schiano after 3 years…I love how we’re trying to ensure we’re garbage for a long time to come.
There are two choices here: Keep changing coaches every three years, and be shitty forever, or give one person 5 years to see if they can instill in their players what they want, and then go out and execute. Actually, I don’t even see a choice here – one way guarantees losses, the other we at least have a chance, no matter how bad it is now.
SOMEONE, PLEASE, EXPLAIN ND TO ME. How is it they had decent records the first two years with Ty’s recruits and now suck with Weiss recruits (according to all of you who say they have had 3 full classes)? Can he coach, or not coach, or recruit, or not recruit? Would it be smart for them to go get a new coach this year cause they suck? Anyone know if Ty would have won those games? Is changing coaches every 4 years a good idea or what? Someone point out a program that has had success at doing that…
Stuart,
I really have no idea how you can be a Pitt fan and somehow defend DW and the damage hes inflicted on our program. I think you either have it or you dont and DW dont got it! Charlie Weiss still has something to prove, but look at the schedule they play and doing it with a true freshman qb. They will be better next year where as Pitt will not – thats the major difference. Our team has become a laughing stock and sadly we have now sunk to the level of Syracuse.
Its just not a fair comparison. Injuries are one thing, bad play calls, poor schemes, unprepared teams, and lack of creativity all fall on the coach. DW, please leave now and retire with some dignity.
1-11, 0-12, Wanny will never have a winning season at Pitt.
Keep hoping guys but more time is not going to help Wanny, he can recruit but not coach or assemble a staff.
What is this “Weiss has somethign to prove” crap? He’s been there the same amount of time as DW- why not let him get the same chance to prove he can win with his own kids? Don’t be hypocritical…
The frustration never ends. They should do us a small favor and just stop talking to the media. It’s bad enough watching the incompetence in real time, but it’s even worse hearing from them after they’ve had (and missed) their chance to figure out what happened. Still, they just dont F’ING GET IT. AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!