The question is whether the frustration will be on the Hawkeye or Panther side of things. The styles of play may not be similar, but the talent level, expectations and concerns by the fans sure seem to run parallel.

If you want to stereotype Big Ten football, perhaps even moreso than Ohio State, Iowa under Kirk Ferentz has been the conservative, physical poster child of Big Ten football.\

“They’re not going to panic,” Graham said. “I think the key in this game is going to be playing hard-nosed, smash-mouth. A 3-yard gain is a positive gain for them. That doesn’t bother them one bit. They’ll line up and do it again and again and again and again. And you’re going to have to stop the run.

“This is going to be the best offensive line we’ve played. They’re very big, physical, and grind it out. Their center [James Ferentz] is an outstanding player, left tackle [Riley Reiff] is an outstanding player.”

Pitt defensive coordinator Keith Patterson said that the key against a team like Iowa that has a big, physical offensive line and employs a vanilla, pro-style system is playing physical.

He also said they can’t be lulled to sleep by the Hawkeyes offense and must understand that, in what likely will be a close game, every snap matters.

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All the things that have been discussed this week, the conversation keeps coming back to Tino Sunseri. Is he going to get better? Is he regressing? Will things finally click after a couple games? Is this the best he will be? All  he will be?

I don’t know. None of us actually know. There are plenty of opinions. Many of them quite hardened by this point. Not after simply the first couple games in a new system, but based also on what was seen last season.

What we really do not know, though, is what Todd Graham is thinking. He’s stated that Sunseri is still his starter. That he hasn’t lost faith in him, and that he believes in him. At the same time he didn’t mince words about what Sunseri is doing wrong and that it can’t continue. Is it a threat? A public challenge?

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In the podcast I did last night, I hemmed-and-hawed for a bit before reluctantly giving Iowa a 1-point win in predicting the outcome for Saturday. Considering the oddsmakers are favoring Iowa by 3 to 3.5 points at home (and most say that homefield is worth about 3-points), it seems that most are really unsure about this game. As easily as Pitt could be on the losing end of this game, Pitt could very well win this game.

As frustrated as many of us are over the way the team has performed in the first two games, that frustration is mirrored by Iowa fans. The difference, Iowa is running its same system. It may have players in their first year of starting (like their QB) and there will be obvious improvements for them as the season progresses. Pitt is in a new system, going through growing pains and is more likely to see bigger improvement as the players get more comfortable and the coaches make adjustments based on what they see the kids can and can’t do.

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No, I haven’t forgotten about Iowa this weekend. In fact, head over to Iowa site, Black Heart, Gold Pants where I participated in a podcast Adam and Patrick about Pitt football, no more Wanny, our AD, expansiopocolypse and the upcoming game. Not recommended for the very depressed as they are still coping with losing to Iowa State and I’m worried about so many aspects of the team at the moment.

Later today, I’ll be on WPTS to talk about the blog and Pitt athletics. That one should be live around 4 pm.

You know, I put this together at the end of last week, and didn’t get around to posting it. In part, because it was coming right up against an actual Pitt game. Now little has actually changed, but it feels like stuff is a lot closer to happening. Consider this an update and some good reading material on what is happening.  Right now it is nothing. Some speculation. Some talking out the ass. And some smart observations.

The threat of a lawsuit from Baylor and other Big 12 members  — Kansas, K-State, Iowa St. and Mizzou — is not a real deterrent for the SEC to take Texas A&M. It is just the excuse for a chance to pause.

The explanation that makes the most sense is that this is simply SEC commissioner Mike Slive taking advantage of the threat to try and get Larry Scott and the Pac-12 to move first. It’s unlikely to work, but Slive has the time to give it a go. And indeed, Slive is now speaking in terms of “when,” not “if” with regards to A&M.

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Reed has been all over the issues with the QB controversy disgruntlement. Everyone is frustrated by the continued exploitation of the linebackers. The O-line has its issues. The area that really has me bothered, though, is the secondary. Unlike the O-line and linebackers there is experience, talent and some depth in the secondary.

Antwuan Reed, Buddy Jackson are K’Wuan Williams may not be the absolute best, but they are more than adequate. Williams has been picked on as the youngest player in the secondary. What’s troubling is that they haven’t been aggressive as expected. They have played soft in the coverage and given the receivers in the two games space. This is not part of the aggressive defense we expected. Few if any attempts made to jump routes

The Buffalo game was baffling with that issue even to Coach Graham — other than possibly old instincts from the previous coaching regime kicking in — but the Maine game could at least be explained because the Maine game plan involved using short passes and slants before the Pitt defense could really get coverage. Exploit the weakness in the pass defense with the linebackers.

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It’s mid-week between our win over the might Maine Black Bears and our upcoming scrum against the corn fed Iowa boys.  Last game has generated more discussions than any since the Cincy loss in 2009 I think.  First and foremost the debates and bitches have been on the QB play so far, setting aside the defense which I can’t bear to talk about.

   Todd Graham took some time to go into (surprising) detail on the subject of where we stand at QB right now, how the starting QB has performed and what is expected from the QB in his offense:

“We are a timing passing team — 1-2 and out on our quick passing game; 1-2-3 and out on our drop-back passing game,” Graham said. “The play has no chance because we are not reading what we are supposed to be reading, and we are not getting the ball off on time.  “There are about 10 or 12 plays a game like that. Then, the play breaks down, and it becomes a mess. Fans get frustrated. We get frustrated.”

Basically you need to be able to count to three and throw the ball.  Here’s one example of this problem: “Pitt quarterback Tino Sunseri threw two interceptions against Maine, but Graham said an even bigger issue is Sunseri “freelancing” on some plays rather than trusting the offense and executing it.  He said one of Sunseri’s interceptions Saturday was a ball thrown to a receiver “who wasn’t even in our progression.”  That had to be the sideline INT where Sunseri forgot which color uniform we were wearing. (more…)

con·tro·ver·sy

1. a prolonged public dispute, debate, or contention; disputation concerning a matter of opinion.

2.  contention, strife, or argument.

   First off, let’s make something clear.  Todd Graham, and the media who have quoted him, have it all wrong when they say there is “no QB controversy”.  Why? Because it really doesn’t matter what Graham said.  He may be truthful in stating that in his mind the decision is already made to stick with Sunseri, but by definition there’s a controversy if a ”prolonged public dispute” ensues… and there sure as hell is one now. There may not be a question in Graham’s mind about his course of action, there may not be debate in the Staff’s offices on this issue, but every blog, every message board, every newspaper article and thousands of PITT fans were, and are, talking about little else following the game yesterday.

   Blather readers who have read my stuff on here may have noticed two things about my opinions on our QB’s.  First, I’ve said that I thought Tino Sunseri would be a success in this new offensive system.  I based that on his physical skills and the assumption that he’d progress as a gameday quarterback from year one to year two as a starter.  I’ll say now that, at this point, I was mistaken. If anything he’s regressed in what is perhaps the most important aspects of successful QB play, his confidence, the ability to remain cool under pressure and to effect correct decision making.

Second, since Trey Anderson was recruited to PITT and signed up as a walk-on, I have championed him as a player where the common preconceived notions that a true freshman walk-on QB couldn’t be ready to play at the Div I BCS level didn’t apply.  Especially now, after seeing him play yesterday, I’ve strengthened that opinion.  I do understand fan’s concerns in this area but feel that a lot of the pushback is because they really don’t know what kind of a player, and person, Anderson is.

   If you really want to understand, and be able to logically discuss, what we have in our #2 QB then you have to watch this video detailing Anderson’s play over the course of his 16-0 Texas state championship senior season.  Remember as you watch it that Pearland plays in the biggest (“five star”) HS football conference in that state.  It wouldn’t be too much of a reach to say that it is the highest quality of HS football in the U.S.  Please, take some time and watch it as we’ll be talking about this issue all season.

  All that said; circumstances have combined to create a controversy.  Mostly this is the result of Sunseri’s play last season and his poor play in the 1^st half of the Buffalo game, good play in the second and very uneven play throughout the Maine game.  He has lacked consistency in six out of eight quarters of play so far this year.  His decision making is, at best, head scratching.  Aside from the blatantly obvious interceptions he threw, two examples of this in the Maine game come to mind.

In the 3^rd quarter Sunseri was forced to rollout.  He didn’t see that Shanahan had noticed and broken off his route to come back to help.  The DB was five yards downfield from the WR when Sunseri missed Shanahan’s action and purposely threw the ball into the sidelines right in front of the receiver.  Later on in the game Sunseri had defensive pressure, held the ball too long and ran out of bounds for a two yard loss as opposed to getting rid of the ball to save the lost yards.  Both of these plays should never be done by a second year QB.

   After Sunseri’s second INT Graham called Anderson’s number and was rewarded with 5 of 7 passing over the next two series. The first series resulted in an 11-play, 52-yard scoring drive.  Both times Anderson moved the team crisply down the field and positioned us for scores; the second being a shot at a makeable 33 yard FG.  You could see just how comfortable Anderson was in the shotgun and running this offense; his experience in this system showed through.  Plus, it was pretty evident in seeing that the offensive players were re-energized when he went in.

   Regarding the substitution Zeise of the P-G wrote:  … the timing of the change raised a few eyebrows because it came right after Sunseri threw his second interception of the game.  Graham had this to say:

“We planned on putting Trey in anyway, it wasn’t that I pulled Tino, it was a planned deal, we were going to play [Anderson] anyway. I still have 100 percent belief in Tino and like I told you at the beginning of the year, he has a very difficult job, he has a lot on his plate and we’ve got to execute better at that position.    OK coach, sure.

   I do feel the HC will stick with Sunseri as the starter until we actually lose a game based on Sunseri’s play.  However, I don’t believe that it was just a coincidence that Anderson was put in directly after Sunseri’s 4^th quarter INT from Maine’s 30 yard line just as we were holding onto a 13 point lead.  Maybe Graham was sending a strong message to Sunseri with that move, at least I hope so.  But I also feel that Graham has all the confidence in the world that Anderson can be successful running this offense.

   We saw what Anderson could do in his first action and it was very impressive, especially considering we haven’t seen what may be his strongest attribute yet; the ability to run with the ball. Let’s hope the HC won’t hesitate with the hook if needed because he doesn’t want to hurt Sunseri’s confidence.  Sunseri’s a big boy, or should be, and must take it in stride if it happens.

   One last point; spare the “but a true freshman going into a crazed Iowa stadium on the road is putting too much pressure on him!!!” refrain.  I heard that over and over from Colin Dunlap on 93.7’s post-game show and I’ll counter with this; the kid took a huge underdog Pearland team into the Texas state championship game in front of  43, 321 people, completed 17 of 23 passes and came out with a win… I’d say he already knows what pressure is and so can handle it at this level.

   Where to start? There are many areas to be critical of what we saw yesterday and to go into each one would fill volumes.  Let’s just say this about the most glaring, the pass defense needs no discussion in my opinion because it is so bad there may not be any resolution to its faults.  It’s due to either totally ineffective coaching or our talent level in the linebacker and defensive backfield corps is so bad that there are no alternatives.   Either way, I can’t come up with any solutions that are even worthy of discussion.

Graham’s take on this?  “I am not going to sit here and make excuses about a new system,” he said. “It’s new assignments, it’s new alignments, but you still have to tackle. Football is football.  Let me add that you also still have to cover a receiver once in a while.

   Our offensive line play is left wanting also.  I’m not about to panic over the seven sacks though as Sunseri was directly responsible for, at my count, five of them because of his indecision and lack of good judgment under fire.

On this subject the Trib’s Jerry DiPaola wrote:  “Coach Todd Graham said his junior quarterback needs to quicken his decisions in the Panthers’ new up-tempo offense.

“He’s holding the ball like he did in last year’s system,” Graham said. “Our system is not one that holds the football. It’s 1-2-3, ball’s out. We’re trying to get that across.”

The offensive line had its faults. Sunseri was sacked on back-to-back plays in the third quarter, the latter coming after center Ryan Turnley snapped the ball early and Sunseri and the rest of the offensive line was caught off-guard.

Saddest thing of all about the sacks?  This… “We studied a lot of film and saw their (Pitt’s) feet weren’t the greatest,” said sophomore defensive end Michael Cole, who had 2.5 sacks. “We were told to fly off the ball.”

But the best quote though may be from Sunseri himself:  “Mistakes happen in the heat of battle.  When you’re out there you have to make fast decisions and sometimes you make improper decisions.”  Perhaps he can add that last bit as a tattoo written backwards across his chest so when he’s flexing in the mirror it can serve as a motivational tool. (more…)

My back is doing better, but it is still a little balky. Since I have to attend a wedding next week in Pittsburgh, I made a late decision to spend this weekend giving it a little rest so this doesn’t drag out any further. I feel guilty about it, but this is what happens when you start to get old.

On the bright side, I get to do the first liveblog of the new season. A little tricky with the game on ESPN3.com, but I’m going to make it work. I have the laptop to do the liveblog. The big screen will have a regular game on it, and the basement computer has been networked and is ready to stream the game.

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Has it come to this? Is the SEC that afraid of the empty threat of a lawsuit that they are hesitating on taking Texas A&M? Could it be true that the ACC showed more intestinal fortitude than the SEC is showing?

Nah.

This whole lawsuit threat is merely something that gives everyone a chance to pause. The SEC is willing to step back and wait because there is no need for them to rush.

The Pac-12 gets to think a little longer about how much it wants to take Oklahoma. All the Big 12 members are willing to take a step back for the moment. The only place that is really pissed off about this are in College Station, Texas.

“We are being held hostage right now,” Loftin said of being forced to stay in the Big 12. “Essentially, we’re being told that you must stay here against your will and we think that really flies in the face of what makes us Americans for example and makes us free people.”

Uh, yeah. Hyperbole much? And the recommitment and public statements about sticking with and supporting the Big 12 in the prior year? Well, those don’t count.

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Coming out of an admitted lackluster opening game, the next opponent is 1-AA patsy, Maine. For their troubles, the Black Bears will get a $375,000 paycheck. That kind of payout for a 1-AA patsy is part of why the Big East had to get to at least 9 teams, and why conferences are increasingly going to or leaning towards 9 conference games. It drives down the demand for the overall number of non-con games by BCS programs and will keep down the costs of paying for a guarantee game.

Obligatory, “not that Pitt is taking Maine lightly comment” (unlike me).

“We look at it as, any opponent that comes in, they have a chance to make this a signature win,” Graham said.

And, he added, “If you’re not humble, you’ll get humbled.”

“They’re a very well-coached football team,” Graham said of Maine. “The strength of their team is the offense of their quarterback (Warren Smith) and tailback (Pushawn Brown), who operate very, very efficiently.”

Maine head coach, Jack Cosgrove has a simple formula for beating a 1-A program.

“I’ve always felt that in order for a team of our stature to be successful against a team like theirs, they have to play bad and we have to play great,” Cosgrove said of playing and FBS team.

That might do it. Speaking of obligatory, here’s the “just because they are 1-AA, doesn’t mean they are intimidated by a 1-A team” story.

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A couple good stories to read today. One short, one long.

This short post on the Rice Marching Band (known as the MOB). They got some attention over the weekend with their halftime performance against Texas where they spelled out “$EC.” In the past they also had some fun at the expense of Coach Todd Graham — who left Rice for Tulsa after one season.  But A&M is a favorite target for a reason.

The MOB certainly seems to enjoy gigging their former Southwest Conference foes. During Saturday’s show, the band took on Texas Gov. Rick Perry (a proud A&M grad) and his presidential bid. The announcer declared, “The next time you go to the polls, ask yourself: Is your candidate smarter than an Aggie?”

The MOB will take on a sacred cow “wherever we find it,” says Throckmorton. “The thing about A&M is everything is sacred there. It’s sort of a match made in heaven.”

One more reason why A&M will fit right into the SEC.

Then there is the long, sad story of Daryl Turner.

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Up to this point, it has been maneuvering. It has been rumors, positioning, intent and supposition. Today, the bleep gets real (probably).

School officials spent Tuesday preparing for a news conference at Kyle Field to celebrate the move, pending a favorable vote from SEC presidents to extend an invitation. The SEC presidents met Tuesday night and discussed an invitation to A&M, and sources said one final hurdle must be cleared before the deal is complete.

The SEC made no formal announcement. A&M’s announcement could be delayed until Thursday.

And that vote appears to have gone through, though, Baylor is doing whatever it can to stop everything.To the point where this may actually be delayed longer than merely a day.

When it happens, though, it will set in motion three different tracks in the great expansiopocolypse of 2011, Hmmm. This will definitely bleed into 2012. Think this is what the Mayans really meant about the end of an age? Starts to make some sense now.

Those fear of lawsuits from the Big 12 and member schools against the SEC appeared to be  a thing of the past. Well, except for one school — Baylor.

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Thanks to Reed for the post-game review. I hurt my back the week before and go figure — extra driving to and from Pittsburgh and crashing on a friend’s couch Saturday night along with everything else did not help it feel better. So I’ve been trying to give it some extra rest on Sunday and Monday to at least remove the constipated look on my face everytime I take a step and feel the pain in my back. I’m sure plenty of you have experience to varying degrees of back pain. The most frustrating thing, is that there is very little you can do about it. You just have to try and rest it and let it heal at its own pace.

In a rare variance from the usual, my group of friends ended up in one of the luxury boxes for the game. It was one of those convoluted, multiple degrees of separation of friends, family and work that put us in that situation. They are definitely plush, and with good food, several TV monitors and an open bar. Was a little creeped out for some reason with the framed and signed Joe Namath jersey in the bathroom, but that was about the worst of it. I wouldn’t do it on a regular basis, though. Much like being in a press box, you can’t help but feel a bit disconnected to the atmosphere in the stands and on the field — even with the windows slid out of the way and being able to cheer.

The open bar and food meant we cut short our outside tailgating in favor of going into the stadium around 4pm.

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