Okay, I’m putting this to bed as early as possible for once. There’s little that can be gained by picking at this open sore all week. I figure, most are already wondering what horrors will come with Notre Dame, if Rutgers can kill Pitt with the pass. Considering that is practically all the Irish do on offense.
On the bright side, at least even Coach Wannstedt knows that.
On the idea that future opponents will look to pass more:
“Yeah, I would think so. I would. Notre Dame may throw it 60 times this week.â€
On Notre Dame’s offense:
“We expect them to come out and throw the football. That’s what they’ve been doing. They have been throwing it and I think their quarterback is getting better. He’s got a lot of talent. Last year was a rough year on him but he’s gotten better. They have a lot of receivers who can make a lot of plays for him. He’s got a good supporting cast. They came out against North Carolina and ran the first 15 plays without a running back on the field. They went with four wide receivers and a tight end and throw it every down. They did that by choice. I expect them to come in against us and be balanced. They’ll probably run the ball and play-passes. It’s no different than they’ve been doing. They try to be balanced but they ran it 50 times last week against Washington for 250 yards. They are very capable of running the football.â€
Oh, crap, he’s going to game plan off of what they did against an 0-7 Washington team, rather than every other game this season.
For the record, they ran for 252 yards against Washington. In the other 6 games they had a total of 607 yards on 187 attempts for a 3.25 average. Focus on the pass defense. Please.
So, since we are looking back first, what happened with Rutgers and the offense?
On trying different schemes against Rutgers:
“Most of what they did was play-pass. You could double cover those guys but to be honest with you I believed that they were going to come in and run the football. Every time we’ve played these guys they’ve run the football, played defense and played special teams. That’s how they beat Connecticut the week before. So we went in thinking that on first and 10, we needed to stop the run and we got hit by a big pass.â€
On Rutgers Head Coach Greg Schiano’s game plan:
“I don’t know that what they did was his plan coming in. When they hit the first big play, they came back to it and had success. But that doesn’t have any bearing on it. You’re coaching with players you have and trying to utilize everybody you have. It changes every year and every game.â€
Over to you, Greg Schiano.
On Rutgers’ running game against Pitt
Well, the plan going in was that we probably weren’t going to run it quite as much. Just because we had some things that we thought we might be able to do in the passing game. When that came to fruition, we kind of rolled with the hot hand in Mike. I thought we did some things — we ran the ball when we had to and I thought that there were some positives. Now, again when you’re playing against an experienced front and a strong front like Pitt has. We’re not at the point yet — physically — where we can manhandle people. We’re still young and we’ve got to get there. Right now, we’re not. I think we’re getting better, but right now it’s going to take a little time to really be the kind of running football team that can just overpower people.
So, you know. Stopping the run is a strength of Pitt’s this year. We haven’t really done a good job of running. So, why not throw the ball until they could stop us?
Back to Pitt. At least there were adjustments.
On defensive changes in the second half:
“We did a couple things differently. But really, when they were running those routes in the first half, they kept both backs in and the tight ends. They were sending two receivers out and it was maximum protection. They neutralized our defensive line – I think they only ran five or six running plays the whole first half so Scott McKillop wasn’t much of a factor. They blocked us up front on play-pass but not on third down. If you look at third downs, I think they converted five of 15 third down conversions. So when they knew it was pass and we knew it was pass, we did a decent job. We’ve been around the thirty percentile every week – which is pretty good. It was the first-and-ten play passes that cost us.â€
Those other times. Well, not so much.
At least it was something that hadn’t happened in a while.
Rutgers quarterback Mike Teel had a record-setting day against Pitt’s top-ranked pass defense, throwing for 361 yards and six touchdowns in what Pitt coach Dave Wannstedt labeled “the most disappointing defensive performance since I’ve been here.â€
Pitt hadn’t allowed 50 points since 52-31 loss at West Virginia in 2003. The last time Pitt allowed 50 points at home was in 1993, when the Panthers allowed 63 points in consecutive losses to Virginia Tech and Ohio State.
Rutgers’ 34-24 halftime lead grew to 48-31 by the start of the fourth, leading Pitt’s defensive captain to agree with Wannstedt’s criticism.
“We didn’t come out and play,†said linebacker Scott McKillop. “…It’s very disappointing.â€
Small corrections. Pitt allowed 54 points to Ohio State at home in 1995 as well (Pitt also lost to Rutgers 42-24 that year). In 1996, Pitt gave up 52 points to Temple at home (to Temple?) but won 53-52.
Still, this was an achievement. Under Wannstedt, Pitt had only allowed scores in the 40s — Louisville (twice), WVU (twice), UConn, Virginia, Navy, ND and USF. Never before had the 50 point barrier been crossed.
I have to admit, I think Paul Zeise is more upset about Pitt’s loss than anyone else. Both in his Good, Bad & Ugly segment and the Q&A.
Like I wrote earlier in this — anyone who has watched Rutgers this year knows there are only two players on that offense who can hurt you — the two receivers. And thus every team has played some sort of deep zone and forced Teel to make tight throws underneath — which he is not very good at. And they also didn’t worry about the play-action stuff because RUTGERS NO LONGER HAS RAY RICE and their running game scares nobody. Again, let’s review — a team with no run game is able to play-action pass you to death — that tells me the defense was gearing up to stop what is a non-existent running game. And this much was unfortunately confirmed when you consider the coach said after the game he was expecting Rutgers to run the ball, not pass it. The fact that Elijah Fields can’t get on the field on a day when the secondary is providing the least resistance possible is amazing to me. I don’t know if the guy knows his assignments — the party line as to why he is not on the field that much — but I do know this — he can’t possibly be worse at covering receivers than what we saw on Saturday — and lining up to do that doesn’t require much thinking. Just when I think I’ve seen it all…….
Yeah, if you think you are pissed about the secondary and keeping Eric Thatcher out there, Zeise is right there with you.
Q: What is the obsession at Pitt with playing slow safeties who can’t cover? From Tez Morris to Sam Bryant to Eric Thatcher, it’s painful to watch these guys try to make plays against receivers. This staff has failed miserably at recruiting players who can actually cover.
ZEISE: At least all of those guys KNOW where they are supposed to be and they don’t miss assignments, so they automatically have to play because when the tape is graded, they all grade out very high in terms of missed assignments and mental mistakes, because they don’t make them. Of course, forget for a minute the fact that knowing your assignments is only one-half (and I’d say maybe less) of the equation — the ability to actually be able to get to where you are supposed to be and make a play once you get there is a the other half . If you ask me, give me a kid with a lot of athleticism and speed and size and all the measurables and some idea of what he is doing over a kid who knows the defense and knows his assignments like the back of his hand, but is a little too slow, a little too short or a little too small to make most of the plays you are asking him to make. There is a reason that Princeton, Harvard, Vanderbilt, Duke and Stanford aren’t the five best teams on the planet. Yes, I’m sure those kids, as smart as they are and as “blue collar” as they are, they don’t ever or they rarely miss assignments and get graded highly after games by their coaches. But when they play against kids who are bigger, faster and stronger, they usually get clobbered…
It’s not the two losses that bother me, it’s who they were against! I figured if we had two at this point, they’d have been against USF and Iowa.
Then again we could get back on track, beat ND and WVU, end up in a 4-way tie for the Big East crown, have EVERY commentator in America whine that the Big East doesn’t deserve an automatic BCS bid, and go to the Fiesta Bowl to play against an undefeated Utah “BCS Buster”. I will decide to drop some mega-bucks AGAIN and sit with 5000 Pitt and 60000 “non-drinking” Utes fans while we get worked over by 28 points! Is it 2004 again?
Go Pitt Beat ND!
Personally, I don’t really care which Bowl we go to – BCS or not. I just want a decent W/L record and a Bowl game this season. Oh, and if we lose games I want them to be close, hard fought games – like last year. I can live with that, as opposed to what we saw last week.
I thought about the same thing. The record at 5-2 is acceptable at this point in the year. But who would have thought the losses would be to Rutgers and BG???
However the more I thought about it I was wondering: would I feel “better” if we had lost to Iowa and SFU?? I dont think so. The fact that we beat those teams tells me that the talent and ability is there. In other words we can compete and there is hope. Losing to BG and Rutgers tells me that this team hasn’t quite learned how to win. Something is missing, but they have shown that when they put their A game on the field they can play with anyone. Losing to SFU and Iowa would have told me we are just a mediocre team that beats the cupcakes and cant compete with the better programs. Having said that, it is still extremely disappointing that we seem to play down to our competition. These are the games that good teams beat and do it easily. Its also tough to take it on the chin everytime you start to believe this team has turned the corner. When do we get around this corner???
I agree 100% with your assessment. I don’t think we’d feel better if we lost to SFU and Iowa. I think that people would then be complaining that we can win the “big” games. Let’s hope they get it together this weekend so that I don’t have to hear it from the ND fans.
rpastir
We are fortunate to be 5-2 after winning the close Buffalo and Iowa games. Despite that, we still have a chance to win the conference or atleast get one of the better Big East bowls.
I don’t think we need to act like the entire season is lost, but we also need to realize that the team is not above us questioning them.
Not to bash Dave Wannstedt, but when has ANY OF HIS TEAMS LIVED UP TO OR EXCEEDED EXPECATIONS. Yes the players have to play, but the coach has to put them in the position to succeed. Dave just does not do that.
Time to get off the Pitt marketing dept. hype and see the team for that which they are – a mediocre mid major. Until you really make a committment to changing that (better coaches with reputations, recruiting in big high school football areas, advance scouting) it will all be the same.
Joe Paterno had 2 “sub par” years, and was nearly told to retire – you think PSU would tolerate this? No. They would tell a legend to retire…but we cant/ wont fire someone who has not achieved anything as a head coach at the college or pro level. The alumni wanted him, now they have to wake up! Sure he is great cause of his connections – but wouldn’t you want a winning team instead?
If the coaching staff has not adequately planned for the upcoming game you cannot expect the players to be prepared. Look at our losses this year (or even last year). Things start going South and the team cannot adapt and adjust. A well developed, coached and prepared team does not implode at the first sign of trouble. Glimmers of hope in the second half you say? I say watch the ball go over the secondary’s head for the 3rd time.
I am unsatisfied with our record, this team and the coaching. I have heard excuses long enough and frankly my patience are worn thin. I know we can’t win them all, but at least show me a decent, hard fought game. There is no reason why a team with Pitt’s resources, playing in this conference cannot have a winning record and a trip to a bowl game every year.
wvu82, go spank one out to your dick rod poster and dream of that 2007 national championship “that could have been”….
I will be in South Bend on Saturday hoping the Panthers can right the ship.
13-9
Hail to Pitt!!
Hey douche, go to the ESPN.com comments section where the rest of the 8 year olds arguing about a bunch of bullshit are.
(Off topic, but there are two things that make me lose faith in humanity: Youtube and ESPN.com comment sections.)
• Pitt coach Jamie Dixon said LeVance Fields will do five-on-zero workouts this week but will not participate in any contact drills. The plan for Fields, recovering from foot surgery and an infection that occurred after the procedure, is to go two days on, one day off for the foreseeable future. Dixon said Fields is due for X-rays to check on the healing of the foot on Monday.
How many dramas do we have to have to prove it.
I sat at the Navy game and while we won, we made 12 agregious mistakes which I will be more than happy to name.
The fact that we stayed in a 7 and 8 man front while our safeties (slow as they are) were getting singed is a testiment to the mediocrity of this staff. I love Wanny as a person and dearly love Pitt Football.
I take great umbridge to those who say we shouldn;t criticize the obvious. Forgetting about the talent on this team, imagine what a great fundamentals coach like Randy Edsell at UCOnn would to with this team? We will never beat UConn this year because his players will always be well trained to think on the field and ours are not.
Sorry, those are my opinions formed on the basis of four pitiful years of Wanny evidence!
So, yeah, we had a rocky start with a new coaching staff, but Coach Stew and our boys will be tickled to come up there in a few weeks and spank your pansy asses.
And Rex…bite me.
Joker,
On another, I believe more important,
point Zeise made I think he is right on target:
“Like I wrote earlier in this — anyone who has watched Rutgers this year knows there are only two players on that offense who can hurt you — the two receivers. And thus every team has played some sort of deep zone and forced Teel to make tight throws underneath — which he is not very good at. And they also didn’t worry about the play-action stuff because RUTGERS NO LONGER HAS RAY RICE and their running game scares nobody. Again, let’s review — a team with no run game is able to play-action pass you to death — that tells me the defense was gearing up to stop what is a non-existent running game. And this much was unfortunately confirmed when you consider the coach said after the game he was expecting Rutgers to run the ball, not pass it. The fact that Elijah Fields can’t get on the field on a day when the secondary is providing the least resistance possible is amazing to me.”
How is it that everyone else can shut down Rutgers except for us? I mean only 3 td passes all year then 6 against us? In their loss to Navy, Teel threw for only 131 yards and no TDs! And we all know how weak the Navy defense is.
Let’s hope the coaches do a better job this Saturday!
Hail to Pitt!! Beat ND!!
I believe the PITT adnimistrations over the years have been satisfied with this, and while they would probably love to have a big season or two, it is not high on their list of priorities as far as school missions go. You really have to look no further than where we play our home games to understand the level of real dedication PITT has to the football program.
Personally, I can understand it and don’t necessarily disagree with it. I just sense that the level of outrage regarding the happenings on the field is really confined to a select group of people, small in number, and pretty impotent in the grand scheme of things. PITT has clopped along in this fashion – sometimes a bit better, sometimes a bit worse – for 60 years now and I don’t expect it to change, ever.
You are a “loser”. Take your shit degree from your shit institution back to your shitty trailer. You lost last year, get used to it, there will be more losses to come. And I don’t want to hear you “squealing” about it either.
Also, sign up for some classes at the local community college (kindergarten level should be a challenge)and learn how to spell before you come on our blog.
Watch the FIRE you see from our young men this saturday against ND.
I will says that Phil Bennett need to have his and defensive line and LBs ready for the screen and flats to rbs that Charlie likes to call. The Also, ND will take their share of of shots down the field.
Berry needs to have short term memory. Learn from your mistakes and grow.
DW will put us in positon to win. The players wont quit. We have to hope to get the magic bounce that we did not get against Rutgers.
Kudos to Teel.. you had a career day against us but this wont stop the pitt train from moving forward
HAIL TO PITT
PITT 34- ND 31
PS- We need to support Bostick becasue he is a very veyr good player that will only get better
Thank you for stating “I believe the PITT adnimistrations over the years have been satisfied with this, and while they would probably love to have a big season or two, it is not high on their list of priorities as far as school missions go. You really have to look no further than where we play our home games to understand the level of real dedication PITT has to the football program”
I was a student when Pitt committed to basketball over football for a revenue-generating sport by tearing down Pitt Stadium. Sure they used all the excuses surrounding why they need to play outside of Oakland. Bottom line: ask anyone that has followed the team over the last decade where they would rather watch the games – 8 of 10 will say Pitt stadium DESPITE the negative aspects of its location and parking.
I guess they just realize what we all should – as far as football in Pittsburgh goes, PITT is #3 behind the Steelers and High school.
I won’t stop supporting my alma mater; in saying that I hope they lose the rest of the season I am supporting them. We need a coach and staff who are bright enough to put someone of McCoy’s talents out there at ALL TIMES. Are we the only Div 1 team that cant figure out he is better than most other RBs in the college level today?
I didnt see Walt Harris not playing Larry Fitz at every opportunity. The coaches just do not get the ball into playmaker’s hands enough – what is the use of all of these “top 10” recruiting classes if they arent used or developed?
