Coach Graham loves his hyperbole.
We’re going to put it in the left lane and put the hammer down. The way we take the field, call the plays, execute the plays, are all high tempo. Guys are going to play Pitt football with a lot of passion, very physical, and flying around. Fans will hear, see, and feel Pitt football.
He also knows how fans can react.
He is hopeful the Panthers get out of the gates fast Saturday against Buffalo and pleases the crowd, but he knows there is no guarantee that will happen.
His first game at Tulsa showed him how fast things can go wrong.
“The first snap of the game, we snapped the ball over the quarterback’s head, and they picked it up and ran it back 65 yards for a touchdown,” Graham said, with a laugh. “A guy stood up in the stands and said ‘High octane my … ,’ “
Considering that Turnley will be under center for the first game there could be a bit of deja vu.
The other part in that story is something that should have happened at Pitt for years.
Pitt’s new standard defense is a 3-4, but the Panthers will show different looks, presnap movement and use zone blitzes to try to create sacks and turnovers.
It is a defense similar to the one used by the Steelers.
Pitt defensive coordinator Keith Patterson had several opportunities in the offseason to sit down with Steelers defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau and learn more about the intricacies of the defense.
LeBeau, of course, is considered the guru of the zone blitz, and Patterson said after talking to him he realized how much LeBeau knows and how much he had to learn.
“I’d have been crazy not to sit down with him, and he has been very gracious with his time,” Patterson said.
…
Patterson said he has an entire notebook of notes from his visits with LeBeau, and he checks them often.
He said that the thing that impressed him the most about LeBeau’s zone pressures is that his defense can pull them off while being one of the best in the NFL at stopping the run.
Whether it was simply because Pitt ran a 4-3 defense under Wannstedt or something else, Pitt never seemed to take advantage of sharing all of these facilities with the Steelers. There was lip service paid to the advantages and being able to talk to Steelers coaches, but there never seemed to be any follow-through.
Coach Graham also talked a bit about creating the high expectations.
Graham embraces high standards and lofty expectations like they are part of his family.
“When you are expected to win, you have a pretty good chance to do some great things,” he said. “If no one expects you to win, no pressure. I like that (pressure). I thrive on it. We’ll see, but I have a lot of confidence in our guys.”
If it wasn’t painfully obvious about how different he is from Coach Wannstedt in his attitude, that kind of clinches it.
At least he’s also told the players not to get too far ahead of things.
Graham tempers his praise with almost daily warnings to players to be disciplined and avoid turnovers and penalties.
“We haven’t done anything,” he said. “We haven’t played a game, haven’t made a first down. All we have done at this point is practice.”
In less than 80 hours that changes.
I would have never guessed that my girls would know who sings Sweet Caroline…much less know all the words too. If that doesn’t bring a smile to your face nothing will.
HAIL TO PITT!
Hail to Pitt!!!!
Thus, if nothing else, he is not shying away from the high expectations and one would have to believe that he will be very disappointed if Pitt doesn’t get double-digit wins. With 8 home games, several starters returning and a weak BE, it certainly appears to be feasible.
He named several players (something like 6 or 7) as captains including Tino, Shanahan and Tags (all juniors.)
“Graham said there also is a “unity council,” which is similar to co-captains.
They are Lucas Nix, Jordan Gibbs and Ray Graham on offense, and Chas Alecxih, Max Gruder, Jason Hendricks and Brandon Lindsey on defense”
How come this doesn’t surprise me in the least?
And, yes the conference landscape is about to be changed once more. Does the Big 12 select BYU as a replacement for A&M and try to attract other schools to remain viable? Does the SEC target Missouri as it’s 14th team or would it be Va Tech or NC State? Do any of the conferences go straight to 16 members? Will the Big East fall apart or remarkably grow stronger by benefiting from the inevitable chaos? Will the Domers remain independent? Where will Pitt end up? Only time will tell but it will be an interesting and wild ride. I’m not worried for Pitt.
Hail to Me!
Thius may present a bigger problem to the BE than any of the other scenarios.
OK guys, you got most of the questions right, but they were ONLY for DRW. haha
Here are the correct answers again:
1) Name the bars & restaurants that were side by side on Forbes Ave, in the early 1970?s (which is when you said you went to Pitt) from the corner of South Bouquet to the direction of
the Cathedral Of Learning?
From Bouquet: in Order, The Original Hot Dog (beer was available for consumption in lots of flavors), CJ Barney’s The Wooden Keg, Frankie Gustine’s (this became Hemingways in the 80?s)
2) What were the 3 nicknames of the 3 Dorm Towers?
The Towers were built in 1963, their nicknames were, Tower A = Ajax, Tower B = Babo Tower C = Comet (although alot of people called Tower B, Balboa)
3) What was the name of the Movie theater that was on Pitt’s campus?
I’m shocked no-one got this. The King’s Court
(sidenote: the Rocky Horror Picture Show played there like for a decade in the 1980-1990 period)
Here’s a pic for your entertainment:
link to cinematreasures.org
4) What was the name of the two 24 hour per day restaurants on Pitt’s campus?
Key to this question was they had to be on Campus.
1) The Big O 2) The White Tower
Ritter’s Diner, while certainly an entertaining place to go late night, was off Campus on Baum Blvd. Sorry to those of you who might have been too drunk or stoned to have noticed you were ‘off’ campus.
DRW… your grade = Fail
Comment by melvinbennett 08.31.11 @ 2:21 pm
I believe I mentioned yesterday MB has been Pitt’s ONLY ‘one and done’ player in Pitt history.
Played one year at PITT and then got drafted by the 1rst Round by the ABA and he was gone. He played at Peabody HS.
Had he stayed at Pitt he would have shattered all kinds of records.
Ritters was home away from home…a great cure for a hangover! The rude waitress’s were a bonus.
“Two sources told me today Pittsburgh continues to move up as a Big 12 target, and may even be moving into the lead. Pitt AD Steve Pederson is sending out signals the Panthers are content in the Big East.
But Pittsburgh would bring football and basketball tradition to the Big 12 as well as a large television market in the northeast. Considering Pitt makes about $8 million per year currently in TV revenue, the Panthers would probably love the upgrade in pay in the Big 12 (to between $17 million and $20 million) starting next year – as long as the Big 12 is still together at that point.”
Read more: link to postgazette.com
East: Syr, Rut, UConn, USF, Pitt, WVU
West: Cincy, Lville, Kan, KSU, Mo & KSU
(if by some chance this comes to be .. just remember where you read it first)
Don’t forget Wolftharth’s Pub in the 70s.
Hail to PITT!
-al-
NEVER FORGET THAT !!!!!
HAIL TO PITT ! WE ARE THE BEST !
Comment by melvinbennett 09.01.11 @ 1:08 am
Thanks Chas, you are the best !
Comment by melvinbennett 09.01.11 @ 1:19 am
Repost on the latest football blog
@Tampa T
I know if you were on Centre Ave., and went to the Luna you have to had known Wes.
And I bet you went to Mitchell’s and Haddon Hall !
The Good Times !
Comment by melvinbennett 09.01.11 @ 1:23 am
@BigGuy,
I remember the after hours club, it was across the street from the Howard Johnson’s or maybe Holiday Inn on Forbes, it was on the 2nd floor. The name escapes me at the moment, but I was there, I remember it and you are on the money.
Comment by melvinbennett 09.01.11 @ 1:48 a
I do remember hoisting more than a few at Wolfarth’s. There was also a great bakery called Wolfarth’s over on Penn Ave. in East Liberty and I actually met the owner’s son down in here in Charlotte. Guess what. He owns his own bar. haha
Wonder if the Luna EVER repaired their ceiling?
Wonder if the Luna is even still there?
I walked around the block, went back in 30 minutes later and sat at the other end of the bar. I got a pitcher of beer and one of the guys comes over and apologizes to me because his girlfriend was ‘trying to make him jealous’.
I said “Another pitcher of beer will make it right…”
