I’ve paid zilch attention to this in the last week. Barely skimmed some of the dispatches. Didn’t want it to be like this. Didn’t expect it to. I can only hope that somehow the kids care and put more effort forth than I have.
It’s a nooner (of course it is) on ESPN. Joining me in running the liveblog is longtime commenter and liveblog participant, Maz. I will be with you until 2pm, when I have to switch to the Marquette-Pitt basketball liveblog.
We will try to discuss the game, though, I’m sure there will be some talk of the coaching mess at the moment.
Just remember it is a moderated chat. Abuse won’t get through. Trolls will be watched. Frustrated as we may all be with the process and this past season, taking it out on the players just won’t fly.
Liveblog is below, but if you need to break the liveblog out, Click Here.
LOL, go ahead and go pro, move on. Good freshman year, next years, promise and unfufilled expectations……
Kentucky beat Louisville, South Carolina, Akron, Vanderbilt, Western Kentucky & Charleston Southern. Vanderbilt was by 3 and Louisville by 7. The others were blow outs.
They lost by 3 to Auburn, 7 to Ole Miss, 7 to Miss St, 13 to Georgia, 10 to Tenn and were blown out by Florida. 6-6 overall, 2-6 in SEC…
Every one of your posts is either ani-Pitt or pro-south. Why don’t you find a forum more in keeping with your interests?
I’ve really warmed up to the idea of Christobal after having a chance to take a look at his background and his approach.
From what I’ve read and heard, he’s got an ultra-aggressive coaching style on both sides of the ball and is not afraid to get creative on offense. Said to be a very high-energy guy and a relentless recruiter. Really good offensive mind. I’m sure he could establish a good presence for Pitt in Florida.
I know the mainstream media here would take one look at his coaching record and blast the hire, because that’s all a lot of them seem to get about college football. But I’ve heard/read more than one person that said if Pitt is looking for a coach to elevate their program, he might be the best bet.
The ONLY drawback may be that he probably wouldn’t be here long, but that’s a chance I’d be willing to take. I’d trade what we’ve had the last six years for a couple of BCS bowl games over the next four years.
Another winning season and bowl win.
A first place finish (tie) in the BE.
Head coach: gone.
Competent assistant coaches: gone.
Great recruiting class: gone.
Chances for a BCS bowl game in 2011: very unlikely.
Football program: in a state of chaos.
Hey, but on the other hand, DW is gone and that pleases many.
Do youi know anything about sports?
LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Support your team
LOL
http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/sports/college/s_717253.html
Comment by Upittbaseball 01.08.11 @ 12:23 pm
Any other predictions Upittbaseball?
Obviously they didn’t want a later start since the NFL playoffs are on. DAH
These numb skulls who claim to be Pitt supporters come on here and do ANYTHING but support Pitt.
For once I agree with you. This team can play when they want to. If they’d played up to their capacity more often, DW would still have a job.
Leaseman and Big guy:If we hire the right coach this will be happening more often. This is a team with talent that is waiting for their new coach. The right coach can pick up where Wanny left off, and, hopefully take the next step. That doesn’t sound like “chaos” to me.
That is a long f*cking time. I hope we see it again before another 30 years passes. And that
hair brained fan base better hope so too. Because they will be called out.
I think Stevie’s fate is all but sealed.
Now we can hire Bradley, Fire Pederson, and move on…
GREAT JOB PREPPING THIS TEAM COACH WANNSTEDT. You didn’t run from your responsibilities and go sulk somewhere like some on this blog suggested. You got this team through one of the most tumultuous times in Pitt history, if not the most tumultuous. You got the players focused on the task at hand, winning the bowl game and they did a fine job. It is a reflection on you
Some of us alumni are very proud of what you have done for Pitt over the last 6 years. You have guided Pitt to it’s best 3 year run since the early 1980′s when we had a NFL Hall of Famer as quarterback and some the greatest players to ever play in the NFL. You left the team in great shape with several years of outstanding recruiting classes for the next coach to work with. We also appreciate very much for you bringing the PITT logo back to usage as that is what we’ve always and will always been known as.
You are and will always be a Pitt man.
You have truly represented the University with class & dignity and many of us bode you farewell and good wishes for the future. Thank You for coming back to your alma mater and helping restore Pitt football.
Hail to Pitt !
Good job guys. Good win. Against an SEC team. Yes, mid pack, and without QB, but, nonetheless, an SEC team. If they would have lost, some people would have said they couldn’t even beat a team with a 6-6 record or no QB.
Bottom line, they could have tanked it with all the chaos going on, and some would have been beating on them for losing. Enjoy it, not pretty, not great, but a good win for Pitt and a great win for those guys staying with it and hanging in there.
Now, hire an effin coach, and let’s get going!!!
Seriously, can anyone give an example of an assistant coach who was with one school for 30 years and then went on to be a successful head coach either at that school or another?
I wholeheartedly agree. Good Job Coach Dave for getting this team to play when Rome was ablaze around them. Good job Coach Bennett, your defense was awesome today even with no Jabal Sheard & Miles Caragein. Pretty much shut down the guy who led the vaunted SEC in total offense from scrimmage, Randall Cobb.
Pitt’s O-line controlled the line of scrimmage as we ran for over 250 yards. And we won convincingly even though we only completed 9 passes. Way to close out the Wannstedt era with a BIG W over a team that beat the SEC east division winner, South Carolina and only lost to Auburn by 3 points.
Let’s get Bradley and those other PSU asst’s and keep this thing rolling.
1) Crowd was very animated and very supportive of the team. A very good turn out. I put the PITT number at about 12-15K in the stands. Not a lot of booing or talk about the current coaching situation. Very supportive of PITT. A lot of “let’s go PITT” chants and the band played “Sweet Caroline” after the 3rd Q. Crowd sand along and made an impact. UK fans and players looked to the PITT side with intrigue.
3) Coaching. Solid job on both sides. Would give them A’s. Coach B did a great job keeping them focused and it showed. They were a little rusty at first (due to lay off) but after the fight at midfield they put UK away. Not really a game. Was interesting to see how few coaches were actually on the sideline which is even more of a compliment to the job that the remaining coaches have done in preparing. Would recommend taking a strong look at Coach B and the remaining coaches and possibly offering them jobs with the next guy.
3) Players.
Overall they were very composed. Executed reasonably well. Tino made decent throws. Struggled on the out pattern (NFL level throw) but did a nice job overall. Baldwin disappeared. Dropped a critical long ball late but to his credit he didnt complain. Just got back in the game. Decicco did a nice job. Two punch of Lewis and Graham was unstoppable. If Lewis leaves (he shouldn’t) Graham will more than fill in for him.
Good to see the team finish on a good note given all of the distractions. At the end of the game the team came to the sideline to greet family and fans. They looked like they won the National Championship. It was nice to see the excitement in the players faces after such a tough month.
Hail to PITT.
http://twitter.com/thecatbasket
FWIW
DaveD
Frankcan, you wrote: “If we hire the right coach this [winning] will be happening more often. This is a team with talent that is waiting for their new coach. The right coach can pick up where Wanny left off, and, hopefully take the next step. That doesn’t sound like “chaos” to me.”
I heard this recording when Foge got fired; when, Gottfried got fired; when Hackett got fired; when Majors II got fired; when Harris got fired; and now when Wannstedt got fired. I’ll be hearing it again when the next (unproven) coach is hired and then fired. Ah the grass is always greener, but it’s not.
(PS, I don’t understand all of the venom directed against DW. The posters may state, “It’s not personal”, but from my perspective, it sure is.)
Big East is now 5-0 against the SEC in the BBVA Compass Bowl in Birmingham.
ESS-EEE-CCC
That chant was odd when heard in person coming from the UK side. The PITT side responded with repeatedly chanting “Let’s Go PITT”. The PITT team and coaches thanked the fans for their support at the trophy ceremony at midfield following the game.
Coach B is a class guy folks!
Thank you Phil Bennett! HTP!!
Kentucky senior defensive tackle Ricky Lumpkin admitted the Panthers were more physical than even he thought and he said they let Pitt’s physical play get into their heads. That was a pretty interesting admission, I thought, but it does show how hard Pitt played.
“[Pitt] looked like an SEC football team, the way they run the ball they remind you of Auburn and Mississippi State,” Lumpkin said. “You could see on film how physical they are and what they would do after the play but we didn’t revert to our training and not retaliate [when they felt like Pitt was blocking too long after the whistle] and that is what hurt us and honestly, they got in our heads and the next thing you know we are hitting people out of bounds. We usually don’t do that, we’re usually disciplined.
“We knew what they were going to do, we were out there on the field calling out that they were going to run the ball and yet, we couldn’t stop them. That hurts.”
Pitt simply outplayed Kentucky for the entire game. It was great to see the guys rally around one another and come together as a team. Now if we can just hire a coach, we can have something to look forward to next season.
** I asked Bennett in the post-game if he was interested in interviewing for the head coaching position or if his work this past week at least should have earned an interview with Pitt’s administration and he laughed then gave an honest answer.
“If they were smart they’d have done that a long time ago,” Bennett said. “That is just the way it works so I’m looking forward to going to Baylor.”
Hat’s off to coach b and the players. Let’s hope they follow up this classy performance with another classy act the following weeks while we look for a coach.
HTP!
That was a nice win and a good way to finish out the season. Kinda makes you wonder why we hadn’t seen this type of effort against similarly talented teams until today? I’m not saying anything as I don’t know.
Baldwin, no where to be seen and not blocking down field on running plays?!?! Good luck in the draft brother. You have been big in plenty of games for Pitt but you mailed this one in and it did nothing to help your draft stock. I think its a mistake leaving early as you still have plenty to learn but it’s your future not mine.
Deon Lewis will be fine in the NFL and with the potential labor issues looming leaving may not be a bad idea.
We know we have a talented returning starters and there are plenty of red shirt freshmen that can fill in where we are losing players. Now they need someone to step up and coach these guys so we get this type of effort every week.
It’s a great day to be a PITT fan!
Damn, that felt good!
Congemi did an excellent job trying to be fair. (he even lobbied for UK to get the ball on the Sunseri lateral pass to Graham that bounced off his shoulder pad and was initially ruled a backward pass, later overturned and to be honest it did look that way) That was a huge overturn by the way.
They spent minimal time discussing Pitt’s coaching circus the last month, I think they brought it up only twice in the ENTIRE game.
I think they did wait to long to discuss Pitt’s possible candidates for HC as that was in the mid 4rth quarter when they did that.
But overall they did a very good job and I think it was interesting that ESPN chose them to do the game. It could have been a lot worse and embarrassing for the University, then again ESPN is a business partner with the BigEast and different conferences.
Right on Glen Frankenfield, it get’s to be too much when this turns into a big Pitty party.
If the various media reports have any veracity, Graham is the guy. If he is announced, I think the buzz will be mixed. He may, and probably will, win. If that is the sole objective, no matter how short lived, then his selection will mollify those who are only concerned about the next game and there is something to be said for that given Pitt’s record since Jackie left for greener pastures. But make no mistake, Graham is a mercenary. He will be gone within four years, probably sooner, one way or the other.
I am on the Bradley wagon because I think this is the last, best opportunity to mend fences in our own back yard. I know many don’t agree with that and I respect that view. But the boil needs lanced in the McCoy/Hatfield feud so we can get back to future. General Motors found out the hard way that Chevrolet’s biggest competitor was not Pontiac. I think Nordy and Steve are headed down the same path. Hope I am wrong, but in my view Pitt doesn’t need a whore for a coach, they need a healer, both internally and externally.
I believe many people on this site got in completely wrong asking for wanny’s head. Before the season many experts predicted that pitt could be 10-2, to 8-5 depending on qb play, development of the offensive line, secondary, linebackers, and not mentioning the injury to our all American d end…
BTW wanny has had as many all Americans during his tenure than any period after 85. Also, look how many players will be drafted this year? Don’t forget about current pitt players in the NFL.
We lost recruits and hamper our program because many fans didn’t see what current players and recruits saw…
Dave.. thank you and sorry many fans couldn’t see the direction you had the program heading…
Hail to Pitt
DW had a good group of players and coaches, just didn’t utilize them to their potential. Running the spread would be a mistake as the talent isn;t there to run it -and it would take 3-4 years to get the type of talent, plus those that were recruited to play a pro-style (Lewis, Hyno, Meyers(?)) would transfer or leave early.
Too bad the management team wasn’t smart enough to look at Bennett – the team looked like they were prepared to play.
The heart may have been DW’s, but the head wasn’t. Maybe that was at least part of the difference.
How blind are they? Bennett’s been there for how many years and flew under the radar for how long?
Jeez, blind, deaf and most certainly, DUMB. SP’s been called arrogant but this takes it to another level.
This was our first win on national tv in a long time. Is it a coincidence that Wanny was not there? We will never know, but those of you that say he should not have been fired are grasping at straws. He had a lot of fine qualities, he just did not win. He is gone, it is time to let it go.
I think Bennett and Cignetti should have been given interviews, one more reason that SP should also go.
Oh excuse me though, I mean SEC Conference since that’s how smart they are down here in the Southeast to call it….
If there has been a bigger cluster F than this, I’d like to hear it. Thought a lot of Nordenburg before this, to me this incompetance taints the entire institution.
You maybe happy or sad to see DW go but you have to admit SP’s handling of DW’s exit was classless and down right embarrassing to the University of Pittsburgh. Dave deserved better and so did all Pitt fans and alumni. If Peterson wanted a change in the football program, he could have waited until after the bowl game. Peterson should resign effective immediately. He created a schism between generous fund giving alumni and the University that we love.
Now that SP gets a do over in selecting a head coach, he is being more diligent and interviewing more potential candidates. This due diligence should have been done the first time but was short circuited in Pete’s haste to select a head coach in a vacuum, his vacuum.
DW deserved better from his University and so do we as fans and alumni. Steve, do the right thing and please resign, now. HAIL TO PITT!
If delay of game penalties fall completely on the shoulders of DW, the failure to adjust in game falls on the shoulders of DW, the special teams shortcomings (which WERE the responsibility of DW) falls on the shoulders of DW, on field mistakes by players fall on the shoulders of DW, how much responsibility and blame goes to the former coordinators and staff involved share?
Don’t get me wrong, DW had many issues in regard to philosophy, etc., but I think it will be interesting to see over the next couple of years how successful (or not) coaches like Cignetti, Hafley, Gattusso and Bennett are in their new positions.
I wish them all well and hope they are successful, unless they play Pitt of course.
For all of you Graham supporters (the hot young coach that seems to have an unlimited ceiling). Lets not forget how that approach worked for Michigan and RichRod.
I felt at one time that I would never live long enough to see the Steelers win another Super Bowl after the 79 season. Likewise, I also hope to live long enough to see the University that I love return to their rightful place in the world of college football.
Hail to Pitt!
I think it was Smizik who said that DW was a great coach “Sunday to Friday”. He just did not produce during games for whatever reason(outcoached, outexecuted, poor decisions, lack of adjustments, etc..).
I am willing to support “the right choice” deemed by Pederson and Nordenberg if “the right choice” meabs that the coach continues to sign great athletes, good students, good reresentatives of PITT and the coach gets the players to perform up to their potential. That is what we have lacked the last few years. DW had what some are calling a successful last 3 years. That is a matter of perspective. This past season I do not call a success even though we shared first place in th BE. As a team we could and should have accomplished much more in a mediocre at best BE. That outcome I will never call a success.
I love my PITT PANTHERS and as a dedicated fan, I am ready to support fully the new HC, whomever that may be
… things that will bring the fans back into the fold after the administration totally screwed this up.
We can only hope.
Well, for all the Bradley supporters (the veteran defensive assistant and local guy with strong area recruiting ties), let’s not forget how that approach worked with Pitt and Foge Fazio.
I mean, you could play this game all day. There is no one “type” of coach who is guaranteed to succeed. Or guaranteed to fail. Every candidate has his own strengths and weaknesses, and there is some risk that the program will regress regardless of who the choice is.
The Bradleymania sweeping the Pitt fanbase is bizarre, to say the least. This guy has been an assistant at the same school for 32 years…there’s no guarantee he has what it takes to be a successful head coach. He could be another Bob Stoops or he could be another Foge. We just don’t know yet. In my mind, he’s at least as big a risk as Graham, if not moreso.
That said, I’ll be happy if they hire Bradley, Graham or Foster. All 3 are very strong candidates.
“You remember the furor when Harris ordered quarterback Tyler Palko to slide at the end of the first half to set up a field goal at Connecticut in 2004, a decision that all but pushed Harris out of the door?
Wannstedt’s strategy was every bit as bad, maybe worse.
Pitt took over at its 10, down 23-17 with 4:45 left and three timeouts. Lewis ran for 3 yards on first down and 2 on second down as Wannstedt, as usual, played things conservatively. I swear the man can’t win a lot of days because he’s so afraid to lose. What’s the worse thing that could have happened there? A Sunseri interception? Heck, take a chance and live with the result.
Wannstedt’s explanation? “We knew we were going to try to go for it on fourth down. And we were trying to get in a manageable fourth-down situation.”
Apparently, fourth-and-5 wasn’t manageable for Wannstedt after Sunseri’s third-down pass was batted down. Nothing wrong there, except that there was massive confusion on the Pitt bench after the third-down play. Wannstedt ended up using a precious timeout to …
Can you believe it?
Punt.
Shouldn’t that decision have been made before the third-down play in the event it was fourth-and-5? Isn’t a head coach supposed to be better prepared than that?
“We weren’t real comfortable with the plays we had and the situation,” Wannstedt said of his decision to punt rather than go for it on fourth-and-5.
What an amazing admission by a head coach. Exactly whose fault is it that he isn’t comfortable with the plays? You got it. The head coach himself.”
Read more: http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/10283/1094109-87.stm#ixzz1AYSSpX3M
“As I reported last night, Tulsa coach Todd Graham and Pitt officials are talking about the framework of a contract to make Graham the next head coach of Pitt.
And late last night for the first time since this process began, a source told me that Graham believes Pitt may just step up enough with its offer to get this deal done.
And while I’m told the job hasn’t officially been offered to Graham yet, that is more semantics than anything else because they aren’t going to officially offer the job to anyone until they are sure he is going to take it and right now they are trying to finish an offer that they know he would at least consider taking.”
The scroll on ESPN said that Pitt big money donors are pressuring the administration to fire Pederson.
Pederson is gone, it is only a matter of time (my guess – a week or two after the new coach is announced) until he uses the resignation letter he typed up for Wanny and puts his own name on it.
THANK GOD!!!!!
Mygawd, what has this country come to?
The first time around, SP recruited guys to pick us up off the floor. As we saw yesterday, the cupboard is not bare. There are no sure things, but because a guy does well at Tulsa does not impress me, the same way a good season at Miami of Ohio left most of us scratching our heads. Maybe Graham will be the next Urban Meyers, but I doubt it. as I said before we know what Bradley brings to the table. He will not be another Foge. By most accounts he has been running the PSU program for at least five years. Rooney’s endorsement is enough for me.
If Pederson is on his way out, do you think his heart is in it to find us the best coach?
I too am starting to wonder about Nordenburg, I thought he was going to take control. In my opinion, it certainly looks like things are way out of control. They have a search committee with no expertise. Why not put Mark May, Bill Fralic and perhaps some others to assist. The committee is made up of competent administrators, how about someone with football expertise?
“the way the program was going”????? You mean stuck in absolute mediocrity, never winning a meaningful game, a game on national t.v., lots if not most high school and college football players love their coach!!! STOP!! he’s gone!!
Yes, the mistake Smug Smile Steve made, among tons these past years, is when he fired him, he should have effin’ fired him. “Today we dismissed DW, he will not be coaching the bowl game, and he will not be hanging around the campus, especially so he won’t pull one of the most embarrassing (for himself, the university, the players, the fans, etc. etc) press conferences ever witnessed!!
He’s done, gone, so long, enough. If I don’t see any more apologist non sense, I will not mention his name again. Fade away Dave. If you really love your university like the way you say you do, you will not be a distraction!!!
Rivals BP for crisis management.
Good thing Pitt is a basketball school.
Bradley is the only logical choice. Graham has no contacts in the area; he has a mediocre team; and will go to the highest bidder. How many fans to you think he will put in Heinz Field?
If Graham is hired instead of Bradley, I hope to see a lot of folks falling on their swords.
>
>KY 27 Pitt 17 – FYI this 11 CST start proves how >bad this bowl really is.
Hope you didn’t have money on that, Mr. Negativity!
>We have a back-up coach & back-up Roc.
What happened to Roc? Don’t tell me Pederson fired him, too!
Why – they didn’t have anything more prudent to think about? What – want to make sure Steve’s feeling don’t get hurt?
I wouldn’t mind at all for Pitt to take a gamble here (plus he’s affrdable)
I highly doubt the conspiracy theory that SP would worry about that in the midst of what he’s going through… I’m sure someone in the department/facility figured it may assist their job security long term to make that decision instead of having to explain why there would theoretically have been signs everywhere (not that I saw or heard anything beyond individuals voicing their opinion in the crowd).
I think that’s the question we have all wanted to ask over the past 6 years… Regardless, from all appearances the ADMIN wanted nothing to do with hardly ANY of the current coaches…
Also, anybody on here actually ever meet Bradley or Foster? From all reports Austin is a knockout personality, interviewer & recruiter… I was wondering if Bradley & Foster might struggle in that area of interpersonal coomunication…
I agree that Braadley is least risk, safest option…Does that make him the best choice? Your guess is as good as mine. Foster would seem a close 2nd in that regard.
Graham’s resume is less impressive to me than Haywood’s was. I am intrigued by Austin & Cristobal…
If SP picks him, especially after all that has transpired over the past month, then the questions arises: Is SP truly this moronic or does he want to tank the football program?
Arrogance alone cannot explain his behavior.
http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=6004851
One guy that won’t be coming with Graham. I just hope he isn’t the better half of this offense. Dan Hawkins anyone
He’s a beast in the living room too, aparently. Good salesman.
Not selling the guy, just information from s fan. Take it FWIW.