The Pitt Panther Preview

By this time next week, we'll know how the season is going to look and we'll know how the first game went. Let's look ahead and preview our opponent....

I have read the Pitt blogosphere, and a few newspaper reporters, and the basic storyline behind the Pitt program seems to be:

"We've been waiting for Dave Wannstedt to do something, and we believe our program turned the corner on December 1 with the upset win in Morganhole."

I had to go back and check my recollection....because what I remembered was hardly a stunning triumph that signals a turnaround program....what I remembered was a Pitt team that beat a WVU team that had a major injury to its QB and a PAINFUL game to watch where neither team could move the ball.

And that's what the record shows. So, you'll forgive me if it doesn't look like much of a turning point.

Don't get me wrong, Pitt is a good team, better than last year, likely to make a bowl, playing at home and likely to beat us.

But, I don't see the game as unwinnable and I don't see Pitt as destined to be on the cusp of some breakout season, and I certainly don't think the win against WVU proves anything.

(Phil Steele, the all-knowing one, believes that Pitt will be one of the surprise teams in the country).

Last year, Pitt played 11 I-A games, and scored 20 points or less in 7 of them. They were in the lower half of all major offensive categories in the Big East.

However, this year promises to be better.

• Their QB is back, who was injured in the opening game.
• Their Stud RB, LeSean McCoy, who had the best FR year as a RB in conference history, should only get better. He should run effectively against us--until I see otherwise, I will assume that he will like everyone else has.
  
• They have an injured receiver back, which should give them a more two-dimensional attack.
• Their O-line, a weakness last year, remain a question mark. However, they have a new line coach imported from the NFL (ok, imported from the Jets) and they have some guys back and they will be bigger than us, at any rate.

Defensively, they were better and at least in the top half of their conference, and occassionally top ranked. Phil Steele says that this year they have the conference's top defense, esp in the front seven, where they can hope to feast on a Falcon offensive line still getting its sea legs.

Here are some sampling of Panther Blogs and what they have to say....

First, is Pitt Blather, who supposedly is going to exchange Q&As sometime next week).

Bowling Green is actually a decent challenge to open the season. They are expected to be the team to beat in the MAC East with 17 starters returning.

This comes from the Pitt Post-Gazette blog....

The Panthers are expected to have one of the best defensive lines in the country and they certainly lived up to the billing during training camp, particularly tackle Mick Williams and ends Greg Romeus and Jabaal Sheard. The unit should give every offensive line everything it can handle.

Here, the Pittsburgh Sports Report has Coach Wannstedt saying the right thing...

"The truth of the matter is that win [the WVU win] won't have anything to do with us beating Bowling Green," he said, turning his attention to the '08 season opener. "We've got to go out and tackle and block and protect the ball to win that first game."

Pitt Panther Prowl has taking a cautious view of the high expectations....

For the last three years we have tempered our expectations. Many of us are still doing so this year, believing that 8 wins is both achievable and a realistic expectation. With the national media jumping on board, there is only one thing left for Wannstedt and this Pitt team to do: win!!

The Trib-Review also has a review of Fan Fest...

* Bill Stull drew the first round of applause when he threaded the needle between cornerback Jovani Chappel and safety Dom DeCicco to find Oderick Turner in the middle of the end zone for a touchdown.

Cat Basket is not worried about a recent injury at LB...

This week, Shane Murray (reportedly) sprained his knee. Fortunately for our Panthers, we have recruited hard and recruited well at the linebacker position. Given that we finally have some solid depth at that position, it made sense that Tristan Roberts would be one of the guys stepping up to replace Murray. When you think about it, there are also some other guys who have played the linebacker spot and could step in such as Greg Williams, Nate Nix, Brandon Lindsay, Max Gruder, Greg Williams, Steve Dell, Joe Trebitz, and the highly recruited Shayne Hale.

Interesting...they seem to be reasonable fanbloggers in fact. Hopeful, but waiting to see it in action and not be disappointed again. Tomorrow, what does BG have to do to win the game....