As much as there might be concern about how there will be any fans in the stands next year, there is still at least one more game for 2010. Contrary to Coach Wannstedt’s protestations that he has no concerns about his job security or that there is anything wrong with his program, besides disappointing losses because of correctable mistakes, the truth may be a little more nebulous.
It has become clear that coach Dave Wannstedt and his staff need a good showing today and a strong finish to the season in order to ease some of the concerns of the university administration about the direction of the program.
And even if the Panthers win, Wannstedt likely will have to make some staff changes in the offseason and have a rebound season next year that shows the program is making progress.
Staff shake-ups are usually the interim/final step the year before a Coach loses his job — when things don’t change the following year. This story marks the first time there is something close to reporting there is some actual discontent. As opposed to columnists opining that Coach Wannstedt has to go.
It may be vague and less than many are hoping to read, but it is something. That and growing cynicism at every turn.
“Our preparation has been good,” Wannstedt said. “I think because we played West Virginia on Friday and had an extra day to come in here and turn the page and move on. The guys have responded good and know we have a chance still to do some good things by winning this game.”
The Panthers have said all the right things this week about bouncing back, but they said the right things last week, too, and then got hammered by the Mountaineers.
Yeah. Cynicism. The way to go to shield off from more disappointment.
man, you’d see all of the Yinzer media turn on him like a pack of wild dogs. As much of a game day idiot is Wanny, he knows who “butters his bread”…
The other part is the commitment from the players themselves. Today shows how a bad team stays bad -I’m talking about Cincy turning the ball over like it did today (and all year) even though Pitt tried to keep in the game with 2 redzone turnovers and another missed FG which as been too charcterisitic of this team this year. I believe the lack of focus and character by the players has been the main issue this year, and while the coaches are indeed responsible for not righting the ship, the players must take accountability also.
The NCAA may have come to Pitt’s rescue. The going rate for players is 180,000 $$$ with their blessing. Now we need some doners.
This is 2007 redux albeit with a slightly better record. After that regular season ended we read very much the same things about DW’s status…even though he had just been awarded an extension (like this season) on his contract he was supposedly ‘required’ to make staff changes and show progress. At least that is what the media tells us happened… And, wouldn’t you know it, by the looks of it Rhodes is out and Bennett is in and that was about the extent of it. The fact that Rhodes was offered a great HC gig is just never mentioned though.
What I’m most cynical about is belief among outsiders that the PITT administration will meddle in the staff’s actual football business at all.
Why? Because DW just delivered to the PITT administration exactly what they require from their HC… a winning season with a Bowl game attached.
IMO, and it’s got a track record, PITT doesn’t care nearly as much about the final season standings or BCS bowls as the fans do. Again – why? Because financially it doesn’t matter one damn bit if we go to a BCS bowl or the BBV bowl or any other bowl because the BE is a revenue sharing conference… we gets ours regardless. That’s all folks. Maintain the status quo, make it respectable and don’t embarrass the University off the field with any character issues on the HC’s part. Tag onto that, and perhaps as importantly, execute your responsibilities to the players as student athletes correctly, which DW does.
You must get it through your heads that a winning record is NOT a condition of employment for the current PITT regime. It didn’t matter one bit in Harris’ case… his firing wasn’t predicated on any set standard for on the field results at all – and neither is DW’s.
But, here’s what will happen, and back to 2007 redux. DW will return next season with a talented team and win more than he loses, probably much like the 2008 nine win season. The PITT administration will point to four winning seasons in a row and life will go on with DW at the helm.
Sadly, I think Reed is 100% correct in his post – Wanny will still be our coach, and Pitt will still be mediocre.
Seriously – the PITT fans, or maybe I should qualify that by saying the PITT fans who post their thoughts on the Internet, are way more negative about the football program than the PITT administration actually is IMO.
I may have misread you post, but I thought that your point was that Wanny will be back because the administration is satisfied with mediocre football, even though they should NOT be satisfied.
I agree that the admin is less negative towards Wanny than the fans; I side with the fans on this one.
I predict Wanny will be back, and I’m not happy about it.
But, in the honesty of full disclosure, I’ve not once called for Wannstedt to be fired this season. I’ve been pretty critical of the way he handled things for sure but I remember all too well the total and utter ineptitude of past PITT football, before and after our 1976-1983 run, to look at three straight winning, and bowl game, seasons and think “This guy has got to go”.
Besides, I’m a firm believer that a college HC is a 360 degree job as he is responsible for more things than just Ws & Ls on the football field and in that sense DW has fit the bill rather well.
Sooner or later the PITT administration may get fed up but financials will weight heavily in any decision making and I truly believe that PITT will allow DW to go out on his terms – albeit with a slight buyout to ‘retire’ early maybe.
