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September 18, 2008

The question — such as it is — regarding Iowa is whether Ricky Stanzi or Jake Christensen will be the starter remains. On the Iowa depth chart there is the ever-popular “OR” between the two. Both have played and alternated in effectiveness and putridness. Does it really matter?

For a somewhat non-coach speak assessment of Iowa quarterback, we go to Pittsburgh.

It’s not much, but here’s what Pitt Coach Dave Wannstedt sees in Jake Christensen and Ricky Stanzi.

“Stanzi might have a bit of a stronger arm and he might be a little bit more accurate but he’s probably not as athletic,” Wannstedt said. “But they aren’t going to change their offense regardless of who is at quarterback. We’ll prepare for both. Obviously, one’s right-handed (Stanzi) and the other is left-handed (Christensen) but that won’t change our preparation much.”

For coach-speak, here’s Iowa Coach Kirk Ferentz’s Tuesday afternoon glimpse into the situation.

“I don’t know. we’ll just see how things go. If the guy’s throwing a shutout …” Ferentz said. “Guy walks the first six batters, we might be going somewhere else, too. Yeah, I’ll go with that one.

“In obvious situations, we’ll do the obvious.”

I expect Christensen will start. He started every game last season and lost the starting job against FIU. Then came back strong against Iowa State after Stanzi flailed about. Figure it was the cliched “wake-up call” for Christensen, and along with his experience he’ll be given the start on the road.

The bigger concern for Pitt is stopping Iowa running back Shonn Greene.

“The running back, because of the way things have unfolded, is a guy that gets your attention,” Wannstedt said. “He’s as physical a running back as we’ve seen in a while. This guy does not come down with an arm tackle. You need to find a way to get him to the ground.”

Iowa was just happy to find a way to get him back in school. Greene rushed for 116 yards against Ball State as a freshman, becoming the school’s first rookie to break the century mark since Tony Stewart in 1987.

But he played mostly special teams after that, and academic difficulties forced him to spend last year at Kirkwood Community College. He returned to the Hawkeyes in mid-June.

Greene rushed for 109 yards on 22 carries against Maine, had 101 yards on nine carries in the first quarter alone against Florida International – the first time an Iowa back had done so since 2002 – and is coming off a 120-yard performance against Iowa State.

“You always talk about backs running with their pads down. He delivers blows. If you don’t bring the wood, you’re going to get the wood,” Bennett said. “In each game, he’s had what I call decisive runs that set the game and put other teams at the break point.”

So, is this game a “key” game for Pitt and Wannstedt? They think so in Iowa.

Look at the facts: Saturday’s game between the Panthers (1-1) and the Hawkeyes is at Heinz Field, where the Panthers have already lost once this season — a 27-17 stunner against Bowling Green. Another non-conference home loss and Pitt’s bowl hopes — it hasn’t been to one in three years — start to look iffy.

Coupled with expectations for the season, at home and a bye week and they see it as a no-brainer. Over at Cat Basket, there is a different view.

This game is the type of game Wannstedt always loses; home against a manageable opponent when we are the favorite and after a bye week. A narrow win would only mean that we are around the same level that we were coming off of the Buffalo win and a loss means we are back to square one. Iowa having some profile in college football is the built in excuse for the coaching staff if we lose this game.

I sort of agree. A loss, and nothing has changed. It is the kind of game Pitt loses, and Iowa would be 4-0 and almost a lock for a bowl game. Ergo, Pitt lost a game to a quality opponent and the usual litany of excuses.

A win, though, would make this different. 0-5 off of byes. 1-5 versus BCS opponents. 0 wins in the non-con against 1-A teams that finished with winning records. That’s Wannstedt’s tenure to date. In that respect, a win would be big. It actually gives hope that the team is getting it together.

It may be false hope from facing a team that is almost the equal to Pitt with a lack of offensive innovation, but it would offer hope.





This game is absolutely HUGE. I don’t think its importance can be overstated. A win can save the season, but a loss and they are in a world of hurt- bad Big East or not.

I’m just praying they don’t come out and play the same boring uninspired offense they have been putting on the field for the past 3+ years. Not holding my breath, though.

My prediction: PITT 20, Iowa 17. Hail to Pitt

Comment by Dan35 09.18.08 @ 2:09 pm

Guys – no one is talking about our O-Line, which is going to get man-handled on Saturday. Consider it ‘the next shoe to drop’ (ala Lehman Brothers).

Stull will get sacked a bunch, runs blown up in the backfield, etc. But, we WILL pull out Cross / Shady in the Wildcat in the 4th quarter, score a TD and wind up losing only by 4 … so will be able to say “we almost had ’em”.

We are better on paper (Iowa’s really not very good), yet we won’t be able to handle what they throw at us. Again.

As has been proven, Pitt’s coaching staff lacks the diligence, confidence and innovation necessary to lead a major program today.

Comment by NYC Panther 09.18.08 @ 2:56 pm

This game is a tell-tale sign of whether Dave will be here beyond this year or possibly next. In other words, if he doesn’t start winning these games, we’ll be looking for a new coach within 2 years. As for the excuses I’m just tired of it, either you can win at the college level or you can’t, the results at the end of the year don’t lie. And 6-7, 6-6, 5-7, and 1-1 just don’t cut it for me, not at all!

Comment by Marc 09.18.08 @ 3:15 pm

They have 2 starting quaterbacks which means neither are ang good. Pack the box,make one of them beat us.

Comment by alcofan 09.18.08 @ 3:23 pm

My key to the game: Iowa has yet to give up a touchdown. Pitt is 105th in sacks allowed. Do the math.

2nd key: Iowa’s tight ends versus our linebackers. Iowa’s offense looked awful last week overall, but the tight ends looked good.

If we can neutralize these, we have a chance to keep it close, only losing because of a Shady funble at the 2 when he was trying to score the winning TD.

Comment by Kevin 09.18.08 @ 3:27 pm

If we are sitting here trying to justify how we *might* be able to pull off a win against Iowa then there is a problem.

Let’s face it. We aren’t getting better and I doubt we will. If a coach cannot show improvement by season 4 or 5 then they never will. Let’s scrap the year and hope for a new coach, a good coach. Quit worrying about coaches with “ties” to Pittsburgh and hire somebody with a plan to win.

Sorry to be such a downer but after 20 years of mediocrity (OK there have been some bright moments) I am about at my wits end. I am sick of supporting a program with both time and money that gives me nothing to look forward to.

Comment by Yeti 09.18.08 @ 4:50 pm

I think the vast, vast majority of fans are at that same point, but we’re stuck in this limbo of basically knowing that this staff just isn’t going to take Pitt where they need to be, but still holding out hope for the team and the long season ahead.

I’m just hoping for the players’ sake these coaches can get something done. If I have to watch one more game where an opposing coach makes an adjustment or 2 at halftime and Pitt does NOTHING and gets blown out (a la BGSU) it may become too much to take. The frustration is and has been boiling over for far too long already.

Comment by Dan35 09.18.08 @ 5:33 pm

I don’t think most of us have unreasonable expectations from the program. We aren’t asking for a coach that gives us a national title every year. We want between 8-10 wins every year. We want to have a shot at BCS bowls even if we don’t make them every year.

Just look at the hoops program for an example. Very few fans are complaining that we haven’t won a national title. Some are upset that we can’t get past the Sweet 16; but for the most part the fans are happy to see a competitive team that gets good wins, wins BE championships, and gives us reason to have high hopes.

The football team doesn’t need to become the next USC; the just need to do for the football fans what Dixon (and Howland) did for the basketball fans- give us a reason to believe we can win games.

Comment by The Prowler 09.18.08 @ 6:58 pm

I must agree with Yeti and the Prowler; Hell being competitive and 8-4 looks great (remember WALT?) but Wanny has a hard time beating the mid-majors (Ohio U’s and BGSU). Face it, we lost these games because of poor game day coaching or lack of.

Face it Wanny has not produced at any level, it has been 4 years, his players, has anyone ever listened to his press conferences?

They are an absolute joke and I still think he was a very bad hire.

I’m tired of dropping money for donations and fb tickets, he has to go, he took a team that went to a BCS game and over the last 4 years the program has regressed.

If they lose to Iowa they are going to go into the tank and the fans will no longer go to the games.

I want to see them win but Wanny just hasn’t adapted to the college game and 4 years is long enough, the man is clueless just listen to him.

Comment by He who took you to bowl games 09.18.08 @ 7:40 pm

this is what i want:

* top 25 and a trip to a bowl game almost every year
* compete for BE title most years.
* win BE title and/or trip to BCS bowl every 3-4 years
* compete for a national title 1-2 times per decade

given pitt’s tradition, facilities, recruiting base and conference affiliation, not an unreasonable expectation.

Comment by Scott 09.18.08 @ 7:55 pm

My heart tells me Pitt will win but my brain disagrees. My brain sees a 20-7 defeat.

Wanny should have started G. Gross at the start of both second halfs of the first two games. Work out the kinks and let Iowa see it. That just gives them more to prepare for.

Comment by joel 09.18.08 @ 8:36 pm

I just hope Durand Scott has a good time. Let’s leave it at that.

Comment by Jeff 09.18.08 @ 10:40 pm

Apparently WVU can’t be second to Pitt in anything, so since we Pitt fans claim to have the worst coach in history, they had to go out and find Bill Stewart.

For anyone who missed WVU crap the bed against Colorado, it was pathetic, and Stewart looked utterly lost on the sidelines. He made DW look like Vince Lombardi.

Comment by The Prowler 09.19.08 @ 12:12 am

What’s stunning to me is to read about the players just learning things like “not let them put their hands on me and grab me and instead getting my hands on them and planting my feet and using my leverage.”

Isn’t that the stuff you’re suppose to learn in Pop Warner?

Comment by steve 09.19.08 @ 5:56 am

From the PG—One other player Wannstedt wouldn’t commit to is junior-college quarterback Greg Cross. “It will be a situational thing, we’d like to get him in the game but we’ll see how things go.”

Why did they recruit this kid if they’re not going to use him!

Comment by Pittastic 09.19.08 @ 6:45 am

That THUD you heard last night was WVU dropping from the ranks of “elite” football programs. Wow, just wow.

And to think Mountaineer fans laughed at me when I brought up the name Foge Fazio….

Comment by ECH 09.19.08 @ 7:22 am

Pittastic,

The only thing I can think of is that Wanny has a learning disability or he is really dense.

My contention is that sooner or later he will be judged on W and L’s and terminated. Sure he represents the university very well but the honeymoon is long over. His W-L record speaks for itself. He has been there almost 4 years and sadly he has not even manged to have a winning season and sadly this year is going to be a repeat of last year.

Yes the BE conference is down overall but Wanny and crew are going to play Wanny ball (conservative, vanilla, read and react defense and boring) and snatch various losses from sure wins.

If they fall apart and lose to Iowa the they are going to go straight into the tank.

I agree with the Prowler, Bill Stewart is lost but I must make this point Wanny would have botched the game in regulation.

You can have all the talent in the world but if you can’t utilize it with good coaching and game day adjustments you lose.

Comment by He who took you to bowl games 09.19.08 @ 7:28 am

I am off to the game, usually a wonderful thought, sitting in the stadium on a beautiful fall day with old friends and fans.

I go with utter dread! Iowa will own us on both lines. One of my seatmates (Pitt 71) said nothing can ruin this Fall day at the stadium….not the same here. Never in my 44 years of going to Pitt games have I been this down and aprehensive. It’s not that Pitt may lose, it’s the awful coaching, preparing and lack of adjusting that I dread.

Please fellow Baldwin alum…and old friend Wanny..prove me wrong! For once…

Comment by dan 72 09.19.08 @ 10:25 am

This is why I love Stats…

Kevin above states we are 105th in the nation in sacks allowed, OK! But, we stand at 2.3 per game.

USC is 17th in the nation… at 1.3 per game. So we are to believe the difference of ONE sack per game (at two whole games played) is the difference between being poor and great.

Give me a break.

Comment by Reed 09.19.08 @ 5:52 pm

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