Pitt-Cincinnati at Noon

 Just in case you wondered - the Pitt-Cincinnati game on Dec. 5th at Heinz Field will be a noon kick-off and will be broadcast on ABC.

MSG picks top moments of 75 years of college hoops

PITT-BINGHAMTON PREGAME

            PITT-BINGHAMTON PREGAME

           Pitt coach Jamie Dixon spoke after practice today on a number of topics, including Jermaine Dixon's foot injury, the unusual start time for tomorrow's game and some of the team's shortcomings in the opener against Wofford.

            *In case you missed the breaking news earlier in the day, Jermaine Dixon will miss the next two games at least. He will have another x-ray Friday and Jamie Dixon did not put a timetable on his return.

            After games this week against Binghamton and Eastern Kentucky, Pitt plays Nov. 23 against Wichita State and Nov. 24 against either Texas or Iowa. Wichita State is a solid mid-major program, and the Panthers could use Jermaine Dixon in that game.

            Jamie Dixon said today that Jermaine’s second injury was a one in a million occurrence. Jermaine did not fracture the fifth metatarsal in the same place the second time and that is part of the reason this injury is taking longer than expected. I wrote about the freak nature of the second injury when it occurred, but I thought it was worth repeating. The good news is Jermaine has kept in good shape and should be able to return to the court shortly after being cleared to play.

            *It should be interesting to see what kind of crowd comes out for the game tomorrow evening. A 5:30 p.m. weekday start is unprecedented at Pitt. Not only are most people working until 5 o5 6, but the traffic getting to Oakland will be interesting to say the least at that time of the day. Jamie Dixon said today he has no idea what to expect.

            *Look for the Panthers to play with much more patience on offense in this game. Dixon said that was the main point of emphasis the past few days.

            “We really thought we practiced well going into [the Wofford] game and made some strides,” Dixon said. “We got away from that to start the game. We weren’t getting great shots.”

            Said senior guard Chase Adams: “Our offense in practice was completely the opposite of what we did in the game. In practice we’re way more patient, we set better screens. Everything we executed in practice we didn’t take over to the game. I don’t know what it was, first game jitters or something. But it’s nothing like how we play. Our focus this week was setting good screens and getting people in the right spots.”

            *The other point of emphasis since the Wofford game was rebounding. Dixon was not happy with the way his team rebounded in the opener.

Pitt 27, Notre Dame 22 - News, Notes and Analysis

People keep waiting for this team to fail but for whatever reason, they just won't cooperate. I'm sure Pitt fans started to get that sick feeling in their stomach after Golden Tate's 87-yard punt return for a touchdown late in the game but the Panthers stood tall and wouldn't be denied.

If I were giving out game balls to Pitt players I'd say the entire offensive and defensive lines all deserve one, Jonathan Baldwin deserves one and Dion Lewis deserves one.

The victory was a milestone win of sorts:

** The first time since 1981-82 that Pitt has won nine games in back-to-back seasons.

** The first win by Pitt over Notre Dame at Heinz Field.

** The first back-to-back wins over Notre Dame since 1986-87.

** Pitt has won eight home games in a row for the first time since a long stretch of home wins that ended in 1981.

And according to Dave Wannstedt it was an important win for this reason - there were 100 recruits or so in attendance and they were treated to a great crowd, a prime-time game and a team that actually plays an exciting brand of football these days.

** Bill Stull was a little bit off but still made some nice throws, made good decisions and made a great throw to Jonathan Baldwin on the 36-yard touchdown pass. But, and this should be filed in the ridiculous department, the story that will not die regarding Stull popped up again last night during the telecast when ABC showed Stull's parents watching the game in the second level from one of the ramps and Lisa Salters, the ABC reporter, talked about how they were so far away because the fans near their seats booed Bill early in the season and have been tough on Bill all season since. To their credit the Stull's declined to do an interview with Salters but how exactly did she find them and how exactly did she find out they were standing so far away from their seats because they didn't like how the fans were treating their son? Either way, it is a ridiculous story to still even have legs this far into what has been a magnificant season by both Stull and the Panthers. I asked Stull after the game if he'd like this story to go away and his answer was "I'd like to, but it is not. It is the way it has been all year, I'm just happy for them to be there, my family to be there and cheering our team on."

** Say whatever you want to say about Golden Tate and Michael Floyd -- and those two are special and Tate made some big-time plays -- but Jonathan Baldwin was the star of stars in this game with his performance. Baldwin caught five passes for 142 yards and a touchdown but he had three receptions which were Larry Fitzgerald-like - a diving 36-yard touchdown reception, a leaping catch on a 51-yard reception down the sidelines and he went up and made a great catch for a first down across the middle. He is really becoming a great football player and the best is still yet to come. Incidentally, his 142 yards gives him five 100-yard receiving games this season and he also has now recorded at least one catch of 40 yards or more in six games this season.

** Dion Lewis and Ray Graham both had 50-yard runs (Graham's was actually 53) and Lewis, ho hum, had another 100-yard rushing performance (he finished with 152 yards). For those keeping score, Lewis has played ten career games and he's had 100 yards or more in seven of them. He nows has 1,281 yards rushing for the season, which is the second most for a Big East freshman. The guy whose record he is about to break? Yep, you guessed it, LeSean McCoy, who set the record in 2007 when he rushed for 1,328 yards as a freshman. Lewis is also coming up on a number of school records for freshmen -- he has 13 rushing TD's (McCoy had 14), he has 14 total TD's (McCoy had 15) and he has 84 points (McCoy scored 90).

** Remember when the defensive line was making people nervous because it seemed to be underachieving? Yeah, neither do we. My goodness, that offensive line from Notre Dame was billed as one of the best in the country but my guess is they'll be having nightmares about Greg Romeus, Jabaal Sheard, Gus Mustakas and Mick Williams for a few weeks - especially Sheard and Mustakas who both had tremendous games. Romeus blocked at least two passes and he blocked an extra point - his fourth career blocked kick. Sheard has two tackles for loss, a sack, four quarterback hurries and he knocked down a pass and Mustakas has two tackles for loss. The unit, simply put, dominated the Irish and really made it tough on Jimmy Clausen to do much of anything.

** Pitt made it through for the most part healthy except for two key injuries which likely changed the outcome of the game, or at least the final score. First Aaron Berry went down with a shoulder injury (and did not return) and then Ricky Gary went down with an undisclosed injury and as a result, Pitt had to finish the game with only one healthy experienced corner and the Irish clealry took advantage of it. Gary is OK but Wannstedt said he's not sure what is going on with Berry's shoulder and won't know until today. Berry can miss the WVU game - the Mountaineers don't pass that much anyway - but Pitt absolutely needs him to have a chance to beat Cincinnati.

** Max Gruder led the team with 11 tackles and probably had his best overall game. Like I've written before, he is clearly getting better and a little bit of patience has paid off. He made two really big-time tackles to save first downs and he has showed he is a physical player as well.

** One Notre Dame item which is noteworthy -- Golden Tate (113 yards) and Michael Floyd (107 yards) both eclipsed the 100-yard receiving mark for the second consecutive game. That's the first time in school history that the Irish have had two 100-yard receivers in back-to-back games. It is the third time Floyd and Tate have accomplished that this season - and file this one under the whole "you must run to win" talk -- and oddly enough, Notre Dame is 0-3 in those games.

** Winning football? How about these stats - Pitt did not turn the ball over and had only one penalty for five yards.

QUOTABLE

** Dave Wannstedt -- "It was a great win for the program, a great win for the kids, particularly those who were around here five years ago when we had a bad experience.It was great to walk out of here tonight with a little better feeling."

** Jonathan Baldwin - "The crowd was pumped and we were pumped. We just had a good time out there."

** Jabaal Sheard - "In the past, I was getting predictable with my moves. This week, I really studied my opponents and with the help of Greg Romeus getting a good push, I was able to get some good pressure. I think we can match up against anyone. I don't doubt us against any offensive line in the country."

** Dion Lewis - "We've accomplished nothing yet. The next two games are going to be tough and right now we're just going to take them one game at a time. Our focus is now on West Virginia and we'll go from there."

** Bill Stull - "[Baldwin] is awesome. You have to have faith and know who you are throwing the ball to and I knew who I wasx throwing to with him. We look for matchups and that's what we're trained and taught to do."

** Charlie Weis - "We were playing pretty conservative in the first half. We got down by two scores, then three and that forced us into a mode that we didn't want to be in. Mentally, it is tough to be in that situation. We came out conservative. I call a game differently on the road than when I do at home. We were doing pretty well when the score was 3-3."

** Golden Tate - "I wanted to make it count on the field and I made play. I go out and play every game like it is my last. I can only speak for myself."

** Jimmy Clausen - "That's a tough loss. It felt like we were moving the ball but we ran into some penalties and some miss reads and that fumble in the end. We let it slip away."

Halfway Home - Pitt 10, Notre Dame 3

The first half was not very exciting and frankly, considering this is a non-conference game with not much at stake - well, I guess except for Charlie Weis's job -- played with remarkable conservative playcalling on both sides. I know, there wasn't much good field position for either team but still neither team seemed particularly interested in going down the field and making big plays - and there are a lot of them to be made.

Part of Pitt's problem on offense is that Bill Stull - save for one really good throw to Jonathan Baldwin for a touchdown and one throw that Baldwin made a great play on for a first down - has not been very good. He's missed Dorin Dickerson twice on easy big plays, he missed Dion Lewis on a touchdown pass, he missed Cedric McGee late on an easy throw that would have put Pitt in field goal range and then he tried to force one to Mike Shanahan. And he also, on the first drive, made an awful decision to try and throw on the run on third down instead of running for an easy first down and perhaps even a touchdown. It hasn't been his best performance, that is for sure.

The defense, on the other hand, has played remarkably well and have gotten plenty of pressure on Jimmy Clausen but part of the Panthers success has been the very strange gameplan of Weis, who seems to be more interested in trying to keep the game close than actually winning.

Things to look for in the second half...

1.) I'd expect a little more scoring as both teams go after each other a little bit more. There is just too much offensive talent on the field for it to stay like this, though stranger things have happend.

2.) Look for Golden Tate to be more involved in some plays down the field and for Pitt to look down the field some as well.

3.) If all else fails, there is always Neil Diamond.....

Pitt's Top Ten Wins Since 2002 - Plus an ABC coverage map for Pitt-Notre Dame game

OK, I got a lot of responses on my “Ten worst losses for Pitt since I started covering the team in 2002 a few weeks back” and the comments I got the most were “Why do you have to be so negative?” and “How could you leave all four of the Rutgers losses off the list”.

To the second point first, the four Rutgers losses – I think Pitt should have won at least two of them but really let's examine them closer and when we do, I think you'll see why none of them really deserved to be in the top ten (though last year's could have been honorable mention) –

2005 - Pitt got down like 28-0 or something and came back and lost by only a touchdown. Yes, the Panthers played poorly in the first half, but really, it was more a matter of dropped passes and turnovers – and Rutgers making a few big plays – than anything I would call “head-scratching” or “mind-boggling.” Pitt just got beat up that night.

2006 - A bad Pitt team played its tail off against a team that was within a few points of winning the Big East title. The Panthers even had a chance to win as they trailed only 13-10 until Ray Rice, a great player, made a great play and went about 70 yards up the middle. Nothing to be ashamed of in this one as a win would have been a very nice - and surprising -- upset.

2007 – In all of my years of covering Pitt, I’ve never uttered these words about any game but this one – Big East officials robbed the Panthers. I don't believe officials cost games, I don't buy into referee conspiracy theories, but, the phantom pass interference call on Oderick Turner at the end of the game (it would have been the game-winning touchdown as Pitt trailed by four and more importantly was one of a handful of glaringly bad calls that the Big East reviewed at the end of the year that got the ball rolling to some of the changes made in the official linuep of referees as well as the philosophy and way refereeing in the Big East would be approached as a new regime began), thrown by an official halfway up the sidelines and late, is one of the worst and most ridiculous calls I’ve ever witnessed. Pitt should have won this game but got hosed. That’s not really on the Panthers, especially since this was a team with all of those quarterback issues which fought hard and never quit. It deserved better.

2008 – Pitt took a “you know what” kicking. That’s the bottom line. If there was something a bit disappointing about this game it was that the defensive game plan made no sense and was not adjusted, or at least didn’t appear to be adjusted until it was too late. Despite that, Pitt had a chance until two late turnovers – one by Aaron Berry on a punt and an interception thrown by Pat Bostick – sealed its fate. This one could have made the list probably given the fact that it wasn’t the smartest game played by Pitt, but Mike Teel was on fire that day and sometimes you just have to tip your hat to the other team’s scholarship players because they make plays, too.

Now, to the first point – about me being too negative – it is laughable, particularly since I have an inbox full of e-mails from angry out of town fans (particularly from fans of that team in the middle of the state who swears they don't care about Pitt) calling me a homer. I just call it as I see it. But to prove I am a kinder, gentler beat reporter, and in the interest of fairness, here is a list of “Pitt’s ten best wins” since I started covering the team in 2002……

1.)    Pitt 13, West Virginia 9 (2007) – What more can be said about this one? In all my years of covering this team, this is the only game which I can say the outcome took me totally by surprise. I make predictions, some are wrong and some are right (of course, I always hear about it when I am wrong) but even when I make predictions, I almost always can come up with an argument for how it could go the other way. But I remember talking about this game leading up to and saying "I just can't see any realisitc scenario in which Pitt wins this one" and if you didn't say the same thing or something similar, you are lying. One could argue that this game changed the landscape of college football because -- if WVU wins it goes to national title game (and probably beats Ohio State). Rich Rodriguez is likely still at WVU, Les Miles, whose team would not have been going to a national title game, likely is at Michigan, Bo Pelini might be the head coach at LSU and not Nebraska....And just because I know it never gets old for Pitt fans.....

      And here are a few clips, one of the game and a few of the aftermath from the winning and losing sides, starting with this clip of the losing coach trying to explain what happened while listening to the Pitt players celebrate:

      And of course, that was the most disheartened I've seen a coach in a postgame since, well, 2001 when I covered WVU and the same coach had a hard time talking about the fact that the Mountaineers had just been upset by Temple in Morgantown.

     Oh, and here are a few shots of the locker room celebration -- thankfully for Pitt's sake the players proved to be much better at playing football that night than they were at dancing and singing.

2.)   Pitt 16, West Virginia 13 (2004) - Yes, the Panthers technically clinced the BCS berth the next week down in Tampa but this was for all intents and purposes the battle for the Big East championship. And this was also the last home game coached by Walt Harris. WVU came in highly ranked but were without a couple of their high-profile knuckleheads (I think both Chris Henry and Pac Man were suspended for this game) and the Panthers, led by Tyler Palko scored late to come-from-behind and win the game.

3.)   Pitt 20 Boston College 17 (2004) - Pitt had won some games during this season in dramatic fashion but it wasn't until this game - complete with the Tyler Palko running over the safety on the sideline - that the Panthers showed they were not only tough enough, but resiliant enough to beat a really good team. The Panthers went the distance to get back into this game then won it with a Josh Cummings kick in overtime. This is the game that really got them headed in the direction of the Fiesta Bowl.

4.)    Pitt 31 Virginia Tech 28 (2003) - The game lost a little bit of luster because the Panthers got smacked around by Miami a few weeks later but what more can be said -- Lousaka Polite up the middle for a late touchdown to win the game. ESPN Gameday was in town and the victory put the Panthers in position to win the Big East. But like we said - the Hurricanes spoiled the party.

 5.)   Pitt 24, Cincinnati 17 (2007) - People laugh when I talk about this win being a big one for Pitt, but remember the Panthers were pretty bad this year and the Bearcats were ranked and on their way to a 10-win season. This was one of the best defensive efforts of any of the teams I've covered and frankly I'd say this game - not the West Virginia upset a few weeks earlier - was the turning point for the Dave Wannstedt era because it showed that he had indeed recruited a good group of talented players and if they could get a little better play from their quarterback, they could be a good team. 

 6.) Pitt 41, Notre Dame 38 (2004) - This game produced two of the all-time classic lines from Tyler Palko - and not the one you are thiking about. Palko, who was one of the most quotable players I've ever covered, a guy you just had to let the tape roll and he'd give you something good, was asked that week leading up to the game about the tradition and mystique of Notre Dame and his response was "That's for the birds, bro..." which, no doubt, got under the skin of more than a few Irish fans and pundits. Then, after the game he dropped the now-famous F-bomb but that next summer when he was asked about it he produced this "You know, Notre Dame fans were mad at me for swearing on national television. They should have been mad at me for throwing five touchdowns against their defense." That was classic.

 7.) Pitt 28, Virginia Tech 21 (2002) - This was the coming out party on national television for a freshman receiver named Larry Fitzgerald and probably one of the best road wins of the Walt Harris era. Actually, this is one of the best road wins of the past 20 years. Fitzgerald had three touchdown receptions and the Panthers proved that when they played mistake-free (something they didn't always do that season) that they could be a very good football team.

 8.)    Pitt 21, Iowa 20 (2008) - This game answered a lot of questions about the mental toughness of the 2008 team and laid the groundwork for what was a very successful season. It also taught this team how to win games. Every season has a point where it turns for the better or worse -- this is where the season really took a big step forward. It also wiped away the bad taste from the loss to Bowling Green a few weeks earlier. And one other thing - it gave Greg Cross his 15 minutes of fame thanks to one highlight reel play.

9.)    Pitt 36, Notre Dame 33, OT (2008) - It is always a big deal to win at Notre Dame. But to come from behind and do it and do it in overtime was pretty impressive, especially considering it looked like the Panthers were in big trouble, down 17-3 at the half. And imagine the simplicity - yet brilliance -- of throwing three fade patterns in a row to Jonathan Baldwin before it finally worked for the game-tying touchdown to send it to overtime.

10.)   Pitt 41, Furman 38 (2004), OT –  An overtime win over a I-AA team? I know, but before you say "are you nuts" hear me out. This was the game that the team matured and learned how to win - and those things came in handy down the stretch when they won four games coming from behind in the fourth quarter. Pitt was down by 17 in the second half in this game but, behind Palko, came storming back and won the game in overtime. Walking off the field I said to one of the people next to me that "the Panthers learned how to win today" and I really believe this is when that team - which went on to get to the Fiesta Bowl - came together and rallied behind Palko.

Honorable Mention: Pitt 38, Oregon State 13 (2002 Insight Bowl); This year - Pitt 41, USF 14

AND FINALLY, HERE IS THE ABC COVERAGE MAP FOR THE PITT-NOTRE DAME GAME.

    The game will be shown in 83 percent of the country, so that's a lot of television sets:

More on JJ Moore

 Pitt coach Jamie Dixon had a big day in recruiting today when he got J.J. Moore from South Kent Prep in Connecticut to give him a verbal commitment. Moore, a 6-foot-190-pound small forward, chose Pitt over Louisville. We don't have a big sports section tomorrow, so a lot of this won't be in print tomorrow. The loyal redshirt diaries readers can read here here some quotes from Moore's coach at South Kent Prep, Kelvin Jefferson.

On his eligibility:

"The plan is for him to qualify for 2010. I know there have been a lot of rumors about him academically. He has some things to finish up his senior year and we'll go from there. But the plan is for him to be at Pitt next season."

On fitting in with Pitt

"He'll fit in very well with Pitt. He is a very talented guard with size, and he has a great frame to put on muscle. He's a very athletic guard who can finish above the rim. He can also make long 3s from the perimter. The one thing he has to work on is slashing to the basket and being a penetrator."

On why he picked Pitt over Louisville

"I know he wrestled with the decision a lot. The one thing he liked was the staff. He felt at home there. And he liked the city of Pittsburgh.

One other note, South Kent Prep is the same school Gilbert Brown attended, so there was already a Pitt pipeline established.

Pitt Notes, Odds and Ends

Day Two of Notre Dame Week is in the books. But as I had written before, I was a little under the weather (OK, a lot) so there were a number of little odds and ends, some I've dealt with in the Q&A, that I need to wrap up. So here we go....

** A lot of people want to know and I've gotten plenty of e-mails about the Gator Bowl with respect to Notre Dame. Here is the best answer I can give you. If Notre Dame is 8-4, they are a lock to go to the Gator Bowl unless an 11-1 Cincinnati team is available. But even under those circumstances, there is still a chance Notre Dame could be selected because there is no offical "two-win" rule in any of the contracts. Now, the Gator Bowl has told the Big East it would honor the two-win rule if there was indeed a double-digit winning team available but there is nothing written in stone. So make it simple on yourself --  If Pitt finishes second in Big East at 10-2 and Notre Dame is 8-4, get ready to go to Charlotte or Birmingham. If Pitt finishes 10-2 and Notre Dame is 7-5, well, I suppose you just need to hope that the organizers of the Gator Bowl honor their word. It could be interesting, particularly since this is the final year in the deal and the Gator Bowl and thus there is no need for either side to try and play nice if push comes to shove.

** Another popular question - what is going on with Greg Cross? Well, I asked and the answer is this - he is indeed redshirtting this year, running the scout team quarterback and next year he'll be given a shot at either receiver or a Dorin Dickerson like role. Take that for what it is worth -- again, the use of this guy has been more puzzling than just about any player I've ever covered.

** One more very popular question -- When can Dion Lewis declare himself eligible for the draft? Well, this answer is not so cut and dried. It is true that he did not go to prep school as a post-graduate student - but he did enter high school in 2004-05 (and apparently repeated one year) which means he was supposed to graduate in May 2008. Why is this significant - because if you look at the NFL rules, it states "No player shall be permitted to apply for special eligibility for selection in the Draft, or otherwise be eligible for the Draft, until three NFL regular seasons have begun and ended following either his graduation from high school or graduation of the class with which he entered high school, whichever is earlier." (I got this straight from the NFL because I looked into this issue last week). The second part of that sentence is the significant part -- because that would seem to make it clear that he is eligible after his sophomore season. However, here is the rub - the people at Pitt believe he is not eligible until after his junior year for a variety of reasons and the people at the NFL, which obviously and for obvious reasons would not comment specifically about Lewis (nor did I ask them specifically because I wanted a better chance of getting a real answer), were not commital about whether or not being held back a year or repeating a year in high school counts the same as going to prep school or redshirtting a year. So the short answer is this - there is no definitive answer yet because all of the facts are not in but it is not out of the realm of possibility that he could be a two-and-done kind of player.

** Of course it is Notre Dame week and that means, yes, the annual "Notre Dame has a lot more material" lines from popular college football commentator and historian, Beano Cook. This year Cook has riled up the Pitt fan base because he said on several different shows that "Pitt only has two players that Notre Dame wanted" and also saying that in short, very few of Pitt players would start at Notre Dame. Now, I didn't hear him say it specifically this time, but enough people have talked to me about it and I've heard very similar sentiments from him in the past so here is what I'd say to Pitt fans who are all worked up about it -- he is probably more right than wrong when he says that Pitt only has two guys Notre Dame wanted.

   In fact, Chris Peak, the recruiting guru from Pantherlair.com - a very fine Pitt site by the way -- talked a lot about it today and he did a little research in his database and we could only come up with two guys on Pitt's roster -- Jonathan Baldwin and Shayne Hale - who actually had written scholarship offers from Notre Dame. A couple of the other guys who had big-time offers, like Aaron Berry and Dorin Dickerson, didn't seem to have an offer from Notre Dame and both said they couldn't remember. The bottom line is this - there probably is less than five guys on Pitt's roster who had an offer from Notre Dame. But that, of course, is only half the story -- there are a handful of others who Notre Dame wanted or would have taken had it not been for some academic issues (and that doesn't mean Pitt took bad students, but there are some academic challenges to getting certain kids with certain kinds of transcripts into Notre Dame) or had they not recruited for the same positions elsewhere. Remember, Notre Dame recruits nationally and Pitt recruits regionally, so naturally, there isn't going to be nearly as much overlap as there would if the Irish recruited the same areas as Pitt. And while there is no question that Notre Dame has better players from top to bottom and higher profile recruits - - I'd venture to say there are plenty of players in Pitt's two-deep who are not only good enough to play at Notre Dame but likely be starting. In short - while it is always fun to listen to Beano talk about Notre Dame's material and even more fun to watch the meltdowns among Pitt fans who take it very personally, the truth is the difference in talent is much closer between the two teams right now than recruiting rankings would seem to reflect. Sure Notre Dame has an edge and more depth of good athletes, but I'd venture to say if you put player for player among the starting 22 from both teams and said "pick the all star team among them" there'd be more than a few Panthers in that lineup. So relax because what Cook is saying about the number of Pitt players who were offered scholarships by Notre Dame is accurate - but it is incomplete.

** Here are some good news on next year's schedule - it appears as if the Panthers will avoid the dreaded "two Division I-AA teams in the same year" curse to fill that final opening. As I had written earlier, the two Division I-AA opponent route was looking more and more like it was going to become a reality to fill that spot but the athletic department is close to reaching some sort of a deal with a Division I-A team (not a BCS conference team obviously, but at least a Division I-A team). That means the non-conference schedule will be home against New Hampshire and Miami (Fla.), at Notre Dame and at Utah and at home against a mid-level or lower-level Division I-A team. I know the final game isn't likely to be a great one but it is important that it was a I-A team for a lot of reasons. And if the deal get finalized, Pitt won't have to make any apologies for playing two I-AA teams and that's a good thing because that's a public relation's nightmare for a program which has done well to build up good will over the past year or so.

** On another scheduling note - yes, I've seen the whole "Boise State will play anyone anywhere in 2011 with no return trip" story that has been circulating and I've also received plenty of "tell Steve Pederson about this, let's get them on Pitt's schedule" e-mails about it as well. Please stop dreaming about this matchup for this very important reason -- Pitt does not have an opening in 2011. The Panthers already have five non-conference games booked - Buffalo, Utah, Maine and Notre Dame at home and Iowa on the road. So there is no way Pitt could play Boise unless it broke a contract that has already been signed. It was a good thought, though. Now, if Boise has an opening in 2012, that could be a different story....

Pitt 37, Syracuse 10 - Good, Bad and Ugly

Welcome back folks to the Pitt football blog -- I missed last week of blogging because I was battling a very nasty flu bug (if you notice, I wrote very little for the paper as well). But now we're back, healthy (almost) and ready for the stretch run of three good games.

The next three will certainly define this season but as I wrote this morning's paper - none of the three games remaiming look nearly as tough as they did a few weeks ago. That doesn't they will be easy or that Pitt can show up and win but  please raise your hand if you think Notre Dame or West Virginia look as formidable as they once did and the same can be said about Cincinnati, which gave up a lot of points to Connecticut this past Saturday.

But we will spend plenty of time looking ahead in coming days, as for right now it is time to look back at the Syracuse game, which, in the grand scheme of things the only outcome that mattered was the Pitt won. It didn't have to be pretty, it didn't have to be by a lot of points, just win the game and get on with the season and that's what the Panthers did.

THE GOOD

** Pitt won. Yes, I know, Syracuse is awful and beating them is no accomplishment. But beating them was all Pitt had to do and they not only did it, they did it going away. Pitt needed that win to keep its Big East title hopes alive. And sometimes (see USC-Washington, Oregon-Stanford, Notre Dame-Navy) the games you are supposed to win easily are the games that give you fits - particularly when you are looking ahead to the stretch run the Panthers are facing.

** Frank Cignetti. Yeah, I know players make plays but Cignetti did a great job of putting together a game plan that took advantage of the things that the Orange do well on defense. The reverses created some big plays in the running game, the short passes opened some things for the running game and the shots down the field forced Syracuse to think twice before loading up the box. Cignetti each week has come up with little wrinkles to get the ball to guys like Dorin Dickerson and it has really paid off for the offense.

** Dorin Dickerson. While we are on the subject, I think you'd have to think long and hard to come up with a player who has gone from three years of almost complete non-factor to one of the best players in the nation at his position during his senior year. He did a great job Saturday with seven catches for 118 yards and a touchdown. Dickerson has become a major factor in every game because he is such a matchup nightmare for most teams to try and stop.

** Dion Lewis. I often go back to something my old boss Jan Hubbard - probably the best writer I've ever known or read -- once wrote about Michael Jordan when people ask me about Lewis --- "How many different ways can you write the guy is great" -- and that's about where I am. Lewis, a true freshman by the way, could be on this list every single week and he had another 100 yard game against the Orange. He is really an old school running back, too, as he starts off slow but gets stronger and tougher to tackle as the game wears on and he starts to get rolling.

** The Line Play. Pitt's defensive line started the season slow but has gotten warmed up and has really played well in recent weeks. Against Syracuse, the line was responsible for five of the team's six sacks and had seven tackles for loss. Greg Romeus also made a ridiculsously athletic play to intercept a pass and it seems like the future is in great hands with Brandon Lindsey (two sacks), Chaz Alecxih (two sacks) and Myles Caragien. And the offensive line allowed a sack - the reason that is significant is because it has been so rare. But against a defense designed to stop the run, the offensive line still opened up enough holes to allow the Panthers to rush for 247 yards. I've said it before but I'll write it one more time for the cheap seats - I've covered the team since 2002 and this is the best offensive and defensive lines Pitt has had since then. These two units probably don't get enough credit for the team's success but winning in the trenches every week is the way to win every week.

** Dan Hutchins - You generally don't give a kicker kudos for making only three of four - but the one he missed was 47 yards and at Heinz Field that is a very difficult kick. But he has developed into a really reliable kicker and his two in the first half were the difference between the Panthers winning and losing until late when Greg Williams made the interception that changed the game.

** Greg Paulus - Bear with me on this one. Yes, I get it - he is not a very good quarterback. And he was always that annoying guy on Duke's team we all rooted against in a past life. But here is the thing - what this kid has done is pretty special. To play four years of college basketball at the highest level and be a starter for a lot of your career, then come back to football and win a starting quarterback job at a Division I school is unbelievable these days, particularly for a guy who is not blessed with freakish size or athletic ability. I mean, he's clearly a good athlete and he really has a grasp of what it is coaches want him to do. He's been remarkably effective in some ways given a four-year hiatus from the sport. It is one of the best stories in college athletics this year.

The Bad

** Someone in the press box made the comment that maybe the Panthers need to look to graduates of a high school other than Gateway to find a punt returner. It was a funny line and meant to draw some chuckles, which it did, but really what Aaron Smith and Cameron Saddler did catching - or failing to catch -- punts Saturday was a little bit scary. I mean, perhaps the sun was in their eyes but those kinds of mishaps cannot happen the next three games if the Panthers are going to win. Both Smith and Saddler are good players and both will be back getting a shot to return punts again Saturday but the hope is they do better.

** Kevin Harper was supposed to be the "long" field goal kicker. But his effort on that 51-yarder was suspect as it was not only wide right, it was short. This was a guy who was recruited as one of the top kickers in the country and he does have a strong leg but he needs to start showing that he can handle the kicking duties and give the Panthers another weapon.

** First-half game plan. With all due respect, the Panthers played scared in the first half and it seemed like they were ultra-conservative. A great example was the first series. Pitt drove all the way down to the 11 and had first-and-10. Dion Lewis runs for 9 yards on first down to set up a second-and-1 from the 2. On second down, Lewis got stopped. But instead of running Lewis or Henry Hynoski again, it is a waggle pass and fails miserably? Then on fourth down, Pitt kicks the field goal. It was a win for Syracuse. Pitt should run the ball on third and fourth down in those situations and pick up the two yards that way. But it was clear with the third down call that the decision had already been made that Pitt was settling for a field goal if it didn't get the first down. Then right before the second field goal of the game - Pitt had a third-and-7 at the 28 and ran Ray Graham on the draw for no yards. Once again, the message was loud and clear "make sure we get the three and get the lead". That's self-defeating thinking. Frankly, it would have been interesting to see how things would have played out had Syracuse tied the game before the half instead of Greg Williams interception, which clearly helped the Panthers exhale a little bit. I understand not wanting to make a mistake to lose the game but a mistake is made when you allow the other team to hang around by not being more aggressive. Pitt is way too good on offense to be as conservative as it was in the first half.

The Ugly

** The clock management was a little interesting right before the half. On second-and-1 from the Syracuse 45, Dorin Dickerson catches a pass with about 25 seconds left and gets six yards. Pitt has one time-out left and uses it......why? The clock stops on a first down and Pitt had plenty of time to get up to the line and run a play. Then, the Panthers, with nine seconds left, decide to kick on third down - the 51-yarder by Harper - instead of taking one more shot to the sidelines to get a few yards closer. Nine seconds is an eternity. And if Pitt hadn't wasted its time-out, it could have even thrown one down the middle and then stopped the clock. It is a little thing, but it is the kind of thing in big games that can be the difference between winning and losing.

** Of all the bad marketing/game day atmosphere ideas I've seen over the years - and believe me there have been a lot of bad ones -- this "Lil Jovi" thing that the people at Heinz Field seem to be trying to get started is the absolute worst.

For one thing - it is a rip-off of what Rutgers does and a very bad imitation of it, by the way. Perhaps the funniest thing is -- the fans, outside of a few, haven't yet figured out that when the little kid is on the Jumbotron playing air guitar (during the song Living on a Prayer) everyone is supposed to cheer. Then the camera goes somewhere else and everyone is supposed to boo - so as to say "no, no, please put the kid back up" and then they put the kid back and everyone cheers again and on and on. It was mildly charming when it was done at Rutgers and the kid was somewhat good at it because he clearly had rehearsed and knew the words to the song. After about two games of that, however, it would certainly become stale and somewhat annoying.

But at least Bon Jovi is from New Jersey and all of that stuff. The kid at Heinz Field has no idea what the words to the song are and frankly, if you must do this at least pick a song from Poison - you know, with lead singer Brett Michaels from Butler -- or Donny Iris,, or the Clarks, or someone else with some ties to Pittsburgh or Western Pennsylvania. Actually on second thought, scratch that, just refrain from this whole thing because it is silly and like I said, a bad imitation of something which was started at Rutgers..... 

Pitt-Coker live blog

Coker making a comeback!

Coker is on an 11-9 run and has cut the lead to 59-17. Travon Woodall continues to play well, although it's really hard to figure out what any of this means. It looks like Jamie Dixon is going to play his reserves a bunch the rest of the way. Nasir Robinson has not played in the second half. Dwight Miller and Talib Zanna are playing power forward. Robinson left the game in the first half with a hand injury.

Halftime

It's 41-6 at halftime. Coker finally made a field goal with 3:56 left before halftime. Travon Woodall leads the Panthers with nine points. Gary mcGhee has seven and Dante Taylor six.  

This is ugly

Coker just called a timeout. It's 32-2. Coker's two points came on free throws.

Second media timeout

It's 13-1 with 11:48 remaining in the first half. Dante Taylor and Dwight Miller scored the last two buckets. Nasir Robinson went to the locker room with what appeared to bea hand injury.

First media timeout

Unlike last week, the starters got off to a good start. It's 9-1 with 15:51 remaining in the first half. Every starter except for Brad Wanamaker has scored. Dante Taylor and Chase Adams just checked into the game.

Today's starters

It's the same starting lineup as last week's exhibition game against Slippry Rock: Ashton Gibbs, Travon Woodall and Brad Wanamaker are at the guard positions and Nasir Robinson and Gary McGhee are at power forward and center.

Jermaine Dixon not looking happy

I was just out watching warm-ups and Jermaine Dixon is still in a walking boot. I know the early speculation was that Dixon might be ready for the season opener, but that's looking highly unlikely now. The Panthers play the regular-season opener against Wofford in five days, Friday night. Dixon would need at least a week to get into some kind of game shape.

I spoke with coach Jamie Dixon earlier this week and he was cautiously optimisitc that Jermaine might be ready for the Binghamton on the 17th. That's nine days away, so we'll have to see. I do know that Jamie DIxon is not all that concerned with Jermaine being in shape when he comes back. Jermaine is a good worker and has been doing cardiovascular work in the pool and on the elyptical machine. As of earlier this week, he had not done any kind of weight-bearing exercises.

Jamie DIxon could have an update after the game.  

Check here for updates throughout Pitt's final exhibition game against Coker College. The game tips at 4 p.m.

I'm not sure what kind of test this will be for the Panthers today. The Division II Cobras were picked to finish ninth out of 12 teams in their league, and they left five players at home because the flu bug is going through their team.

More later.