Pitt Redshirt Diaries : West Virginia

Some preseason Big East scheduling thoughts

Paul Zeise — Sat, 29 Aug 2009 14:44:00 GMT

A lot of people ask me what the Big East has to do to gain respect and why haven't people given the conference props for winning in BCS bowl games. The answer to both questions are simple -- win regular season games against real opponents and don't...(read more)

Zeise's preseason thoughts on Big East and Pitt

Paul Zeise — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 22:46:00 GMT

Welcome back to college football season. The Panthers begin tomorrow with training camp so here are some thoughts, observations and analysis from Paul Zeise, the Post-Gazette's Pitt football reporter.

First, let's clear up some things.....

1.) The idea that Pitt "turned down" a series with Michigan is laughable. The Cliff Notes version is this -- Pitt needed a home-and-home in back-to-back years to replace a Clemson series (Clemson asked out of the contract and Pitt gave in) which was scheduled for 2010-11. Michigan needed a game next year -- the two talked and worked something out for next season but it was clear that they couldn't work out the return trip to Pitt in 2011. When it became clear that Michigan (which agreed to a return trip but not until 2014 or so) couldn't make a return trip in 2011 - the talks died. It wasn't either sides fault, it happens all the time -- teams try to schedule games but sometimes the dates and/or logistics just don't work out. Pitt then turned its focus towards a home-and-home with California (the Pac-10 team) as an opening day ESPN game and it appeared as if that was going to work out but at the last minute Cal. pulled out for whatever reason. Next up was Utah and as you all know, that's how it all came about. Pitt can be criticized for a lot of things and most of them are probably valid -- but the idea that they were ducking Michigan or looking for an easier opponent is silly, particularly when they ended up with an opponent who (a) BEAT Michigan at Michigan last year and (b) has won two BCS bowls in the last five years.

2.) A lot of people have asked me about how Pitt came to be the favorites in the Big East. It is simple -- 24 guys voted and four different teams got first-place votes so it wasn't exactly a unanimous endorsement of Pitt. The difference between the Panthers in this poll and say Cincinnati is simple (who was voted third) -- they both got the same amount of first place votes, Pitt got more seconds and thirds and Cinncy got more fourths and fifths. In other words, this is a year when nobody really has any idea who is going to emerge so everyone who voted took some shots in the dark.

3.) I think it is rather clear to me that five teams - Rutgers, USF, West Virginia, Pitt and Cincinnati -- all could win the Big East, one team is a long shot (and by long shot I mean, extremely long shot), Connecticut, and two teams have absolutely no shot, Louisville and Syracuse.

So here is my easy take on the Big East (in nor particular order among the top five.........

South Florida

They will win the conference because: They have an experienced quarterback in Matt Grothe who makes a lot of plays on his own talents, they have a great defense and they have plenty of speed on both sides of the ball.

They will not win the conference because: They have a lot of holes to fill on the offensive line and they are one of the most undisciplined teams on the planet and often lose games because they take silly penalties and make bad decisions on the field. And as great as Grothe is at times, his decision-making is poor and as a result he seems to keep both teams - the Bulls and their opponents -- in every game.

Pitt

They will win the conference because: They are an experienced and veteran team with a lot of depth, particularly on the defensive line and they should have their best offensive line in a long time. They are also loaded on defense and at the skill positions and should be able to attack teams in a variety of ways.

They will not win the conference because: Did you see the Sun Bowl? And now that offense is going to have the same quarterbacks but be without LeSean McCoy? And generally it is not a good thing to be breaking in new kickers and long snappers when a major part of your overall team philosophy is to win the kicking and field position game.

West Virginia

They will win the conference because: The Mountaineers have an experienced and deep defense which should be much improved over last year's unit (though last year's defense was pretty good). They also have an experienced quarterback and tailbacks and that makes that read-option offense dangerous.

They will not win the conference because: They have some rebuilding to do along the offensive line and while Jarrett Brown is indeed experienced and savy, he isn't Pat White and he doesn't have the ability to break games open with a 75-yard run. And like Pitt, the Mountaineers are breaking in a new kicker, which could be troublesome given the number of close games they play.

Cincinnati

They will win the conference because: This should be the most explosive offense in the league and it features the league's best quarterback in Tony Pike. The Bearcats might struggle some on defense, but college football is an offensive game and no team is more equipped to win a shootout than they are. The Bearcats also are extremely well-coached and disciplined and that is worth a few wins per season as well.

They will not win the conference because: I don't care who you are -- replacing ten starters on one side of the ball is very difficult to overcome. Cincinnati lost ten starters on defense and that will prove to be its downfall. And of course, the Big East didn't do Cincinnati any favors as they must go on the road and play at Rutgers in their opener on Labor Day which means they likely start 0-1 in the conference and that could be tough to overcome.

Rutgers

They will win the conference because: Rutgers should have a great offensive line, a great defensive and a great running game. The Scarlet Knights aren't very fun too watch, they won't be very interesting, but they will grind and grind and grind with their running game and know how to win games 17-14 because they are so discipline.

They will not win the conference because: The Scarlet Knights revival at the end of last season was fueled by an explosive offensive featuring a quarterback and two receivers who are all in the NFL now. In other words, the passing game won't scare anyone and thus the Scarlet Knights won't be able to score enough points in some games to win despite a good defense.

Connecticut

They will win the conference because: Well they won't win the conference, but if they were it would be because some of the other teams knocked each other off and the Huskies won in some kind of a tie-breaker. The defense should be good enough to keep Connecticut in most games and I think Randy Edsall (few coaches in the country get as much out of less than Edsall does annually) will outcoach at least one or two of his opponents coaches and that's worth a few wins but will it be enough, not likely.

They will not win the conference because: There have been very few Pitt opponents over the past two seasons who had worse quarterback play than the Panthers - Connecticut is one of them. And now the quarterbacks must do it without the ability to hand the ball to bruising tailback Donald Brown 30 times a game. This could be a very tough offense to watch.

Louisville

They will win the conference because: They won't and I can't come up with a scenario in which they would. I love the people who work in this athletic department, it is a first-class operation but let's just say from what I can tell, basketball media day can't get here quick enough.

They will not win the conference because: They do have an excellent tailback and Steve Kragthorpe has done a good job of cleaning up some of the bad element that had tainted this roster but this is clearly a team in rebuilding mode. The foundation seems to be solid but it is still a year or two away.

Syracuse

They will not win the conference because: Speaking of rebuilding projects, Greg Robinson left this program in shambles. I met new coach Doug Marrone at Big East media day this year and my first impression is that he is an impressive guy. He has enthusiasm and he seems to have a really good plan and he has revived interest in this program. But let's be serious here - this is a big, big rebuilding job and will require some patience from the fans and fan base.

4.) Some quick observations from Pitt media day today and some general thoughts about the team.

A) A lot of teams talk about working hard in the offseason, this team at least passes the look test in that department. When guys like Joe Thomas and Pat Bostick look like they are chiseled, you know it has been a great offseason. This team looks pretty trim and strong and that's a good thing because this is a team that wants to play blue-collar football.

B) There were legitimate questions about Jonathan Baldwin's maturity and work ethic coming into last season. This quote about him should put that to rest "He is the hardest worker on this team this summer, bar none," quarterback Bill Stull said to me during the media session today. "I think I am a hard worker, but Jonathan was in at 5 in the morning watching film for two hours by the time we got here at 7 to do 7-v-7 drills and whatnot. And he harrassed all of us quarterbacks every day to find someone to throw to him. He really is motivated, he wants to get better, it really, really matters to him. He's got a different look in his eye."

C) Aaron Berry has seemingly put his immaturity behind him and is ready to be the leader of the secondary. Generally Berry has been the happy-go-lucky, loud guy at these kinds of events but today he was quiet, he was reserved and he was focused. He told me it is his time to step up and be the guy.

I've got to run now but keep checking back for more updates an observations throughout camp and don't forget to check in with my daily Pitt football Q&A which will be up and running tomorrow.

Was Pitt ready to play?

Ray Fittipaldo — Fri, 13 Mar 2009 23:03:00 GMT

By Ray Fittipaldo

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

NEW YORK – Was Pitt ready to play Thursday night against West Virginia?

That seems like a silly question before a Big East tournament game. The Panthers treat tournament games at Madison Garden with great respect. They were 23-8 in the Garden since 2001 before last night.

But West Virginia coach Bob Huggins and some WVU players didn’t feel like the Panthers were treating the game or the Mountaineers with much respect before the game. Check out the story in today’s edition of the Charleston Daily Mail.

WVU beat writer Mike Casazza reports that the West Virginia players thought the Pitt players were joking around too much during pregame warm-ups. Apparently, it was so over the top that Huggins made it part of his pregame speech.

I watched the Panthers go through part of their warm-up and nothing seemed out of the ordinary to me. This is a very loose team that likes to joke around. But it did strike me that other teams might not like the way the Panthers prepare for games.

When Pitt lost at Providence last month I thought the Panthers were too loose during the pregame. The Friars student section was whooping it up every time the Panthers missed shots during the pregame shoot-around. So DeJuan Blair started missing shots badly on purpose just to get a reaction out of the students.

That was the only time all year that I didn’t think the Panthers were ready to play. Now other people – more importantly opposing players – are picking up on it.

It’s good to be a loose bunch, but can they be too loose?

The Mountaineers thought so. And in the NCAA tournament there is no need to give opposing teams any extra motivation.

Big East tournament live blog -- Fields does not practice

Ray Fittipaldo — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 22:04:00 GMT

NEW YORK -- Pitt practiced this afternoon at nearby Baruch College, but senior point guard Levance Fields did not take part in the workout. That marks the third consecutive day that Fields has sat out practice.

Fields, who injured his tailbone and groin after a nasty spill against Marquette one week ago, did not practice last Thursday or Friday, but played 37 minutes in Pitt's victory against Connecticut on Saturday. Look for more of the same tomorrow when the Panthers play the winner of tonight's game between West Virginia and Notre Dame. Fields is being termed "probable" by a source at PItt.

Week 11 predictions

Ray Fittipaldo — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 22:44:00 GMT

Last week: 1-5; Season: 31-22

Pitt vs. Louisville: If this matchup came during basketball season it would be something to be excited about. But we’ll have to wait until Jan. 17 to see a couple of top five hoops teams battle it out. This is a game between two so-so football teams. Louisville somehow managed to lose to Syracuse last week. That alone gives me reason to pick the Panthers, 30-21.

Penn State at Iowa: This game could be tricky for the Nittany Lions. The Hawkeyes have the top-rated rushing defense in the Big Ten and the No. 3 scoring defense, giving up just 18 points per game. Penn State can afford to be patient on offense because the Iowa offense is not prolific. I like Iowa to keep it close, but the Lions will win, 23-16.

West Virginia at Cincinnati: The Mountaineers finally appear to be rounding into form with a healthy Pat White. The Bearcats have six wins, but none against teams that are currently ranked. Look for the Mountaineers to keep their winning streak alive, 28-17.

TCU at Utah: The winner has the inside track to a BCS bowl game. Undefeated Utah showed some signs of wear at New Mexico State last week when they eked out a 13-10 victory. TCU’s only loss came at Oklahoma and the Horned Frogs have run it up on just about everyone else on the schedule. I’ll take the Horned Frogs in a mild upset, 34-33.

Georgia Tech at North Carolina: A victory would give the Yellow Jackets the edge in the ACC Coastal Division and a place in the conference championship game. Other than an early-season slip-up against Virginia Tech, the Tar Heels have been impressive at home. North Carolina will muddy the ACC waters even more with a 27-20 win.

Alabama at LSU: Nick Saban won a national championship at LSU in 2003. Now his road to a second national title goes through Baton Rouge. The fact is this is not a very good LSU team. The Crimson Tide will roll to a big victory, 34-14.

Oklahoma State at Texas Tech: The Red Raiders must demonstrate that they can come down from the high of beating top-ranked Texas last week. This is a tough game for them for two reasons. Oklahoma State has a great running game and a stout defense, two components that shorten the game. I’ll go out on a limb and say the Cowboys pull the upset, 27-26.

Week 10 predictions

Ray Fittipaldo — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 18:30:00 GMT

Last week 1-5; Season 30-17

I don’t know who had a worse week last week – me or those Wall Street traders? Texas spared me the embarrassment of a winless week. That leaves me at 13 games over .500 for the season. Unlike the stock market, I fully expect my numbers to go back up. So let’s get to this week’s picks:

Pitt at Notre Dame: Will the NBC sideline reporter be allowed to interview the Pitt quarterback after this game? Will there be reason to? I’m thinking not. The Fighting Irish are getting better while the Panthers seem to be getting worse. Notre Dame will win in a blowout, 38-16, and the only profanities that will be heard in this postgame aftermath will be coming from living rooms across Western Pa.

West Virginia at Connecticut: Other than a two-week hiccup earlier this month at North Carolina and at Rutgers, Connecticut has been rather impressive. West Virginia, meanwhile, has rallied with four consecutive wins after two September losses. The difference in this game is where the game is being played. It’s in Storrs, Conn., where the Huskies have won all four of their home games. The Mountaineers are winless on the road. Connecticut in a field goal game, 27-24.

Texas at Texas Tech: The Longhorns have already beaten Oklahoma, Missouri and Oklahoma State in consecutive weeks. If they get by this one it’s a wide open path to the BCS title game. The Red Raiders have had Texas’ number in recent years, but this Texas team is different. Colt McCoy has another big game, and the Longhorns win, 49-35.

Florida at Georgia: The winner takes a big step toward the SEC East title and a berth in the SEC title game. Florida will be looking for revenge after the entire Georgia team celebrated in the end zone after the first touchdown of last year’s game. I like the Gators to win this game with Tim Tebow playing a starring role. Florida 34, Georgia 29.

Tulsa at Arkansas: Tulsa still has an outside chance at playing in a BCS game if Utah or Boise State loses. The Razorbacks have been struggling under first-year coach Bobby Petrino. Look for the Golden Hurricane to stay unbeaten, 45-31.

Northwestern at Minnesota: Minnesota can still earn a trip to the Rose Bowl. Penn State must lose one its final three games and the Gophers have to win their final four, three of which are at home. They’ll keep the dream alive against the Wildcats, 31-17.

Week 9 predictions

Ray Fittipaldo — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 16:51:00 GMT

Last week: 6-1; Season: 29-12

Penn State at Ohio State: The last time I picked against Penn State the Nittany Lions ran it up on Wisconsin, 48-7. So why am I picking against them again? I like Ohio State for a few reasons. The game is at the Horseshoe, where Penn State has not won since joining the Big Ten. Secondly, the Buckeyes defense is playing really well. And thirdly, Penn State has not been tested yet in a close game. This will be a close game and I think Terrelle Pryor makes one or two big plays, and the Buckeyes end Penn State’s national title hopes, 16-10.

Pitt vs. Rutgers: The company line at Pitt this week is that Rutgers is the best 2-5 team in the country. The Scarlet Knights have lost their past three games by a combined 12 points and are coming off a 12-10 home win against Connecticut. But this game is at Heinz Field against a rejuvenated Pitt team that is seeking revenge against the Knights, who have won the past three meetings between the two schools. Pitt wins, 31-20.

Auburn at West Virginia: This game sure looked more attractive in August than it does now. Both teams have dropped out of the rankings after some disappointing losses. The Tigers are among the worst offensive teams in the country, but the defense is still stout. The Mountaineers have beat up on some cupcakes after tough losses to East Carolina and Colorado. I’ll take Auburn in a field-goal fest, 12-9.

Texas Tech at Kansas: Get ready for some offensive fireworks. Texas Tech has scored 35 points or more in each of their first seven games. Kansas is almost as potent, scoring 29 or more in each of their games. I like Kansas because the game is at home and because the Jayhawks have faced better competition. Get ready scoreboard operator, 42-38.

Oklahoma State at Texas: The surprising Cowboys have a chance to get in position to play for a national championship with a win. Meanwhile, the Longhorns continue through a rugged stretch of games against ranked Big 12 foes. It should be another high-scoring affair in the Big 12, but I think the Texas defense clamps down when it has to. The Longhorns win, 35-26.

Georgia at LSU: Two one-loss teams in the SEC with the loser likely out of the BCS picture. Georgia has rebounded nicely with consecutive victories after losing to Alabama. LSU struggled last week at South Carolina before winning it late. I’ll give the nod to LSU because the Tigers are great at home, 24-20.

Week 7 predictions

Ray Fittipaldo — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 14:42:00 GMT

Last week: 5-2; Season: 19-8

For the first time this season there is actually an early afternoon college football game worth watching. Oklahoma and Texas will play a nationally televised game at noon. It’s a rarity anymore for two highly ranked teams to not be playing in primetime. It wasn’t all that long ago that playing the 3:30 game was a big deal and meant that everyone in the country would be tuning in. Now the best games are almost always at night. So put off cutting the grass one last time and do what Saturday afternoons were meant for: watch a good college football game on television. It doesn’t happen all that often any longer.

Another good week put me at 11 games over .500 on the season. Here’s a look at my picks for this week:

Syracuse at West Virginia: Alas, the last time I can pick against the Orange this season. I refuse to pick a game involving a bad team unless it’s against a local team, and Pitt and Penn State already beat the Orange. What will I do for my easy game of the week the rest of the way? The Mountaineers roll at home, 49-17.

Penn State at Wisconsin: This is a tough spot for Penn State. Wisconsin has lost two in a row, including a heartbreaker at home last week against Ohio State. For some reason, I can’t envision the Badgers losing at Camp Randall again even though the Nittany Lions are a legitimate top 10 team. Penn State’s national title run ends here. Wisconsin wins 34-25.

Clemson at Wake Forest: The two preseason favorites in the ACC Atlantic division have endured some disappointing losses. Clemson was routed by Alabama and lost to Maryland. Wake Forest, meanwhile, found a way to lose to Navy at home. Despite those setbacks, both teams still have legitimate chances of playing in the ACC title game. Wake Forest will take a step toward that goal with a 27-24 victory.

Texas vs. Oklahoma: The Red River Rivalry is relevant again. The No. 1-ranked Sooners and the fifth-ranked Longhorns play one of the most important games of the season. This is an interesting game. Oklahoma and Texas have not played a quality opponent and each has been an offensive juggernaut, albeit against inferior competition. I like the Sooners to outscore the Longhorns, 34-30.

Notre Dame at North Carolina: The Fighting Irish have won four of their first five, but this is the first game against a ranked opponent and it’s on the road. The Tar Heels are starting to come together under Butch Davis, who sure makes a better college coach than a pro coach. North Carolina is the pick, 27-20.

Oklahoma State at Missouri: I think Missouri is the best team in the country, but I’m in the minority. I think Oklahoma State is vastly overrated at No. 17. The Tigers will be ready to play at home in primetime. I say Missouri takes another step toward making believers out of the non-believers, 42-18.

LSU at Florida: LSU passed its first road test by beating Auburn, 26-21, at Jordan-Hare. Duplicating that feat at The Swamp will be difficult considering the Gators were upset in their last home game by Mississippi. The Gators won’t let it happen again. They win a close one, 30-26.

Week 6 predictions

Ray Fittipaldo — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 11:59:00 GMT

Last week: 6-1; Season: 14-6.

Pitt at South Florida: The Bulls have played three of their last four on the road, so they’ll be ready to play before the home fans for the first time since the thrilling victory against Kansas Sept. 12. Pitt is playing its second of three consecutive games on the road. For some reason, I think the Panthers will make this one interesting, but I like South Florida to win 30-24.

Penn State at Purdue: I know Penn State has a letdown coming soon, but I don’t think it’s going to be against Purdue. The Boilermakers are not a strong defensive team, which does not bode well when facing the Nittany Lions’ potent offense. Penn State wins, 34-27.

West Virginia vs. Rutgers: Do you think Greg Schiano wishes he had taken the Michigan job now? The Scarlet Knights’ only victory came last week against Morgan State. West Virginia has problems of its own, but the Mountaineers will win this one handily at home, 31-14.

Oregon State at Utah: We’ll see if last week’s victory against USC was a fluke because Utah is at home and has hopes of reaching a BCS bowl game for the second time in five years. The Beavers surprised USC at home, but this is the same team that got whipped at Penn State and managed to lose to Stanford. My pick is the Utes, 31-27.

Auburn at Vanderbilt: This is a huge game for Vanderbilt. The Commodores have had two weeks to prepare for Auburn, the game is at home and they’re in the rankings because of their impressive 4-0 start. The pressure is squarely on them. Auburn is playing on the road for only the second time this season. The first time the Tigers barely squeaked past Mississippi State. I’ll take Vanderbilt, 17-15.

Oregon at USC: Let’s see here, the Trojans were just embarrassed by Oregon State, the game is at home and because there is so much parity they still have legitimate hopes of winning a national championship. Bad timing for the Ducks. USC rolls, 42-16.

Ohio State at Wisconsin: The first road start for freshman quarterback Terrelle Pryor. He could be in for a long day. The Badgers will be looking to redeem themselves after blowing a 19-point second-half lead against Michigan. Wisconsin finds a way to get it done at home, 24-23.

Week 4 predictions

Ray Fittipaldo — Thu, 18 Sep 2008 14:51:00 GMT

Last week: 3-3; Season: 3-3

I picked against a couple of home teams last week and it cost me, but I'm a glutton for punishment. I'm going with four more visiting teams this week in my picks. Here's my take on seven of this week's biggest games, including my take on the Pitt, Penn State and West Virginia games.

West Virginia at Colorado: The Buffaloes and Mountaineers each had last week off, so there is no bye week advantage in this game. Neither squad has a very good feeling after their last game. The Mountaineers were embarrassed at East Carolina, 24-3, and the Buffaloes barely squeaked by Eastern Washington, 31-24. I’ll take Colorado for no other reason than the home-field advantage, 20-19.

Iowa at Pitt: The Hawkeyes have not allowed a touchdown in their first three games. The Panthers have had trouble moving the ball consistently on offense. This doesn’t seem like a hard game to pick, so why overanalyze? I’ll pick Iowa, 24-13.

Temple at Penn State: The Owls are 1-2, but they probably deserve a better fate. They lost to Buffalo last week on the last play of the game. Even if they were undefeated it wouldn’t mean a thing this week. Penn State is looking like a Big Ten contender and the game is at Beaver Stadium. I’ll take the Nits, 38-20.

Florida at Tennessee: We’ll have a pretty good idea over the next few weeks whether Phillip Fulmer will return as head coach of the Volunteers next season. In the next month, the Vols will play three teams that are currently in the top 10. Tennessee had better win this week because the Vols have to go to Auburn and Georgia on Sept. 27 and Oct. 11. I don’t think it happens, Gators win, 30-27.

Boise State at Oregon: Fresno State saw its BCS hopes take a hit last week when it lost to Wisconsin. Now the lone remaining BCS hopeful from the WAC goes to Oregon to keep its hopes alive. I like the Broncos to stay close, but Oregon is too tough at home, 31-24.

LSU at Auburn: It was apparent that Auburn has some problems on offense after last week’s 3-2 win over Mississippi State. This was a Mississippi State team, mind you, that lost to Louisiana Tech in its opener. LSU can play offense and defense, so I’ll take the Bayou Bengals in a low-scoring affair, 20-13.

Georgia at Arizona State: It is being hypothesized that the Sun Devils were looking ahead to this game, and that’s the reason they lost to UNLV. But good teams don’t let that happen. Georgia was solid in a road win at South Carolina last week, so I’ll take the Bulldogs on the road, 34-20.