Tons of stories today. Kind of expected as yesterday was media day. That allowed the sportswriters to collect quotes to sprinkle into articles they had been writing or already written. The result is that I’ll have to do about 3 posts to cover everything.

Let’s start with a Smizik column declaring when the turning point for the Pitt season came:

Many people, including some of the Pitt players, will tell you it was the Temple comeback, after which the Panthers won five of their final six. Other players say it was no one thing but rather the maturation of an inexperienced team.

Here’s my vote:

The Hit!

There have been more ferocious hits during Pitt’s season but few with the implications of this one.

The Hit took place a week after the win against Temple. It came when the Panthers were in the midst of a lethargic performance against Boston College, a game in which there was scant indication the team, particularly its offense, had turned anything around.

On a first-and-10, late in the third quarter with Pitt ahead by four, quarterback Tyler Palko — who threw for 16 yards in the first half — scrambled out of the pocket and down the sideline. He was in the sights of Boston College cornerback Pete Shean. Most quarterbacks would have stepped out of bounds. Not Palko. He steamrollered Shean, who ended up on his back minus his helmet.

And so a season was made. And so a quarterback was made. Neither Pitt nor Palko were the same again.

Well, this was a big play. No doubt. All the fans and I’m sure the players loved it. It will be on his Pitt highlight reel, forever. It’s part of why Palko is a team leader. By example. It did not change the season, though. Or even the game. In fact, though, that drive resulted in 1st and goal, Pitt had to settle for a fieldgoal. Reveiw what happened: Pitt’s defense then gave up a long drive that led to a goalline stand for nothing, but Pitt then went 3 and out. Despite a massive punt (79 yards), BC then marched right down the field to tie the game and send it to OT. Pitt won, but it was not a game or season changing moment.

The players were right, this was a team that slowly improved all season. There were missteps and setbacks, but it was a progression. There was no “leap” or point where things really changed.

The smarter view actually came from a Utah columnist in his puff piece on Palko:

His Pittsburgh teammates love to talk about the play when he ran over a Boston College defensive back, knocking off the opponent’s helmet. And even Palko’s use of a particularly bad word in a live television interview after the Panthers’ victory at Notre Dame – for which Palko quickly apologized – impressed Utah quarterback Alex Smith.
…
Scrambling along the sideline during the third quarter of an eventual overtime victory, Palko plowed into cornerback Pete Shean.

“He just crushed him,” Pittsburgh offensive tackle Rob Petitti said this week. “The best thing was it was right on our sideline, so there were about 30 players surrounding this one kid. . . . [Palko] got everybody going. It was unbelievable.”

Tom Freeman, the Panthers’ offensive line coach, knows his players love blocking for Palko, because his passion for football makes him like a smaller version of a lineman at 6-foot-2, 220 pounds.

The collision with Shean “may live to be a signature play,” Freeman said. “That pretty well summarizes what Tyler means to the offense. He’s driving the bus, make no mistake about that. He’s an emotional kind of guy, and that’s the way he plays the game.”

It may have symbolized Palko and his drive, and maybe even something about this team. It was not about the entire Pitt season. It demeans the improvements and efforts of the entire team.

Coach Walt Harris actually put the turning point to the season at a week earlier. Their comeback against Temple in the 4th quarter.

“Despite all the adversity, we were able to concentrate and get better. Our kids were able to pull us through. We were 2-2 going into Temple. A lot of people might not respect Temple, but that’s our sister school. Winning that game in the fourth quarter gave our kids the confidence to start climbing the mountain.”

Check out the press release for other player quotes. Vince Crochunis seems to be having fun:

On preparing against Utah:

“There are so many responsibilities with this team. You can’t blitz and attack with a spread offense. If you miss, they gain 5 or 6 yards. You canÂ’t miss.”

On the bowl experience:

“It’s pretty amazing. I never thought I’d be in a national spotlight. I like being a media darling.”

Joe DelSardo got some love from some of the other papers.

Coach Harris talks about Greg Lee, and raves about how well he developed this year. Greg Lee thinks he is going to have a big game. Utah CB Ryan Smith, disagrees.