Thanks to Michael Franklin and Chelsey Rovesti

Big thanks to Michael Franklin for the idea,  Chelsey Rovesti for executing it, and both of them for the permission to use the image.

The press conference is scheduled for 3:30 pm on Tuesday. Presumably it will be streamed live on Pitt’s website.

I won’t lie. I am extremely curious to see how AD Pederson dances around the Haywood stuff. I’m guessing the focus on Graham will be on his on-the-field success. Not his integriy, discipline and intangibles.

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I’m kind of stealing that from Michael. It looks like it is all over but the official announcement.

Todd Graham appears to be the new head coach at Pitt. Reportedly a 5-year contract at about $2 million/year.  It may have taken the AD’s neck on the chopping block, and an unbelievable catastrophe for the first hire; but Pitt pried open the checkbook to pay market rates.

At this point, I think most are just relieved to have the search done. There is going to be a lot of work ahead for Pitt’s athletic department and the new coach and coaching staff.

Graham has to get his staff assembled quickly, while trying to meet and make peace with the players that have to be completely confused at this point. Not sure if there is anyone left to salvage off of the old staff, but if at all possible he should try. At the very least keep Buddy Morris around for this year.

Then it is to see what is left of the recruiting class. It’s a bit of a lost cause, but you have to try.

The athletic department, and I’m not exactly sure what the best way to do this at the moment, really needs to do some major, major ass-kissing and making up to fans, boosters and alum. There was some severe alienation.

Steve Pederson’s status remains in question. People are pissed at him for reasons that at points conflict with the reasons others are pissed at him.

There are people pissed about Dave Wannstedt’s dismissal. People pissed about the first coaching search. About how Pitt appeared to go cheap and conservative in hiring Mike Haywood. About the humiliation stemming from Haywood being arrested. About learning how any and all advice — no matter how important or influential the person — was completely ignored. About all the bad feelings from what Pederson did in his first run as AD. How Tom Bradley didn’t get the job. And you can bet that people will be pissed about how much Pitt paid to get Graham.

Suddenly, the hiring of the coach seems like the easy part.

The buzz on Twitter is growing that Todd Graham is going to leave Tulsa for Pitt. At least from Tulsa media people. Naturally the caveat is that he is reportedly giving Tulsa a chance to offer him  a new deal. Whether that means matching or coming close to Pitt’s offer, or something else is unknown.

For those of you looking to get back to your life, this means at least the Graham side of this could end by today.

Monitoring…

UPDATE (1:02): This article summarizes all that has been floating to this point.

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You can’t be serious. You cannot be serious.

Meanwhile, another coach’s name leaked over the weekend according to several Pitt sources, and it is a coach with Pitt ties who has yet to be mentioned in the search.

Alex Van Pelt was Pitt’s starting quarterback from 1989-92, and according to sources, he is also a candidate to be the Panthers’ next head coach as he talked with members of the search committee last week.

I like Alex Van Pelt. He had the unfortunate luck of having to do too much too soon in Pitt’s offense. Coupled with the loss and turning pro early of a couple quality backs. He sometime gets a bad rap as a pure stat guy in Pitt’s record books.

Having said that…

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Forget the coaching search for a moment. There’s one football game left to be played, and more importantly a contest with the outcome not decided.

After everything, the Pitt Blather Bowl Challenge has only two people capable of winning the whole thing.

Presently leading is N.Caffas with a score of 442. He has Oregon in the BCS Championship with a confidence pick of 8 points. If the Ducks win, he finishes with 450 points and the win.

Only one entry can catch him — in other words picked Auburn and with enough confidence to beat 442 points. Lee in Altoona sits with 430 points, but picked Auburn with a confidence level of 15. An Auburn win would put Lee at 445 points, the win and my tailgating crew would never hear the end of it if this happens.

Needless to say: Go Ducks.