LOSING OUT ON FOSTER

On Friday, Pitt lost WR Rober Foster to The University of Alabama.  This one hurt.  I listened to the experts and just like the original Dorian Johnson decision, that came back to haunt me.  I even had my youtube clip all picked out.  The problem is this: As I hurried back from my office Christmas party to stream the decision live, I felt it coming.  Most Pitt fans probably did.  When something is too good to be true for Pitt fans...that is when we get kicked directly in the balls. 

What we know is that as of Thursday evening, Pitt was it for Foster and he had even told family of that decision on Wednesday.  He had a change of heart at the last minute and shocked everyone, including the Pitt coaching staff by selecting the Tide.  Look, I've always liked the Tide. It goes back to my childhood when they would play Penn State, but man...it's like the rich 16 year old getting a Porsche instead of a Mercedes.  Damn..I was leaning towards cheering for the Irish in the National Championship...now I think I will go for Notre Dame.  Sorry Tide.  his one put me over the edge.

I don't know about other Pitt fans, BUT, I do wish Foster nothing but the best in Alabama. He seems like a good kid and should not have to deal with childish and hurtful messages on twitter because of what he felt was best for HIM.  I did not see a whole lot and I am hopeful that what I saw of good indication that most of the Panther faithful was wishing him well.

Now we turn our attention to Tyler Boyd. As you will know, Boyd is a "Pitt lean" according to all the experts, but I think we've heard this before.  I won't be holding my breath...yes, I will.  I'm a Pitt fan and of course, I fully expect the best outcome leading up to it...no matter what.

HAIL TO PITT!

SOME DOWN TIME THOUGHTS

Let’s have a little bit of a rundown on what’s gone on in the last week since the Bowl Game was announced, shall we?  I know, I know, the Steelers lost and you are all depressed.  Reading this blog would be like giving a heroin addict another hit of smack, but take your chances and read on anyways:

The best news of all is that Pitt and Penn State announced that they would not only play in 2016 and 2017, but also in 2018 and 2019!  This is VERY exciting news.  I can’t tell you how much I have really missed this rivalry.  I would rather get the shit kicked out of me and settle it on the field, rather than not play and wonder what if…especially with a rivalry game.  I feel like it is good for Pitt, PSU, and the state of Pennsylvania.  Penn State will travel to Heinz Field in 2016 and 2018, while Pitt will visit Happy Valley in 2017 & 2019. PSU leads the all-time series 48-42-4…well, 46-42-4 since that whole scandal took away victories in 1998 and 1999.

Next on the list of issues is a little tweet that was sent out by former Panther Scott McKillop last week.  The former linebacker sent out a tweet saying that there is a rumor going around that Pitt will be breaking out the Pitt Script for the bowl game on January 5^th!  Now…this is JUST a rumor.  This is NOT official.  It brings up the whole should Pitt do the Pitt Script again?  The answer is simple….YES!  This is not a hard issue to tackle.  Pitt is moving to the ACC and it would be nice to make a big splash and make the alumni and fan base happy and create some more talk.  The change in uniforms would do it and they can do it VERY easily.  Break them out for the bowl game….then do them for one home game and one away game a year!  Everyone wins!  Pitt gets more money from merchandise, they don’t have to spend money to change the logo and colors of the school, and it creates a buzz.  Why is this so difficult for some to understand?!?!?!?!  If you have not already, please do two things….follow @PittScriptLogo on twitter and PLEASE go to his site and sign his petition.

Speaking of the bowl game, as mentioned before Pitt goes to Birmingham, AL to take on Ole Miss on January 5^th.  If you are a male Pitt student and thinking about going to the game…on the fence about going to the game, or just don’t want to go, I plead with you to get down there.  Why?  Because they are playing Ole Miss!!!!!!  No one does tailgating or has better looking girls than Ole Miss.  There will be a huge party with hot girls…why not go down there and have some fun and support the Panthers!  Don’t believe me?  Do yourself a favor and google two things: “Best College Tailgating” and “Hottest Girls at College Tailgates” and see how far down the list Ole Miss is on there.  They are pretty high both lists.  Also check out Dixieland Delight by Clay Travis if you need more proof.

 

Last on this little rundown…Pitt had another big recruiting weekend.  It went pretty well by all accounts.  I was waiting to post this as I was hoping Chris Peak, at Pantherlair.com would send out a commit text to members, but he has not as of yet.  Some of the bigger targets were OL targets Alex Officer and Jaryd Jones-Smith, DL Justin Moody, RB JoJo Kemp (who sounds really close to coming to Pitt), and CB Jaleel Hytchye.  I would love to see Moody and Jones-Smith commit more than anyone, but Hytchye would be really nice.  Hoping to hear a commit soon!

That’s all for now…try and not stress about the Steelers too much, as it was fun to see Nate Diaz lose, the 30 for 30 Bo Jackson special, and the Ravens and Bengals both blew it badly today!  So, keep your chin up Pitt fans!

RECAPPING USF

Pitt is going bowling!  The Panthers brought their record to an even 6-6 and kept with the 2 game streak of this season earning them yet another trip to the BVBBNSBSDFKLHSDKFJHSDLFKJS Bowl in Birmingham, AL.  Look…I’ll be honest, I live just north of Philly and I was REALLY hoping for a Backyard Brawl in the Bronx, but anytime Pitt plays football, I am pretty happy, so I will take it.  Pitt will take on Ole Miss January 5^th at 1PM.  Not only do I love to watch Pitt football, but I have always enjoyed watching SEC games…particularly the pretty cool uniforms of the Rebels, so I can’t wait for the game.

On a surprise note in the game, Senior Cam Saddler did not make the trip due to disciplinary reasons. This was a surprise to many (including myself) as Saddler has always been known as team-oriented and very likable guy.  Circumstances surrounding his discipline were only characterized as breaking “team rules.”  This is a big reason that I am very happy for a bowl bid, so that Cam can go out from Pitt ON the field and not off it.  That would have been a bad way to end his Pitt career. Despite not reaching the standard that many felt Saddler would hit when he committed to the Panthers, Cam has always been one of the more fun Panthers to read about and watch.

Tino Sunseri was steady, save for an AWFUL 30 yard loss and fumble on a sack.  He continued his mistake free streak with over 200 yards and 1 TD pass.  Ray Graham chipped in with almost 100 yards and 2 TDs, and Rushel Shell came in to take care of business late with his bruising running style.  Mike Shanahan also had a strong game on the offensive side of the ball with over 100 yards receiving.  The offensive line continued their maddening streaky play of the season with a less than impressive effort which kept South Florida in the game early.

The defense was dominant and gave up just over 100 yards on the day and forced four turnovers.  If you watched the game…it really should have been more turnovers as the Bulls were BAD on the offensive side of the ball.  The defense was strong and my GOD…we are running out of adjectives for Aaron Donald.  I almost felt bad for the USF center/guard combo that was in charge of trying to block the big man.  I really hope Donald sticks around for his senior year, as I think this defense has a chance to be special next season.

Onto another aspect of Pitt football and a pretty important one:

Two local super prospects have announced they will make their college choices on certain dates.  Central Valley’s Robert Foster will go first on December 21^st and will announce from his high school.  He is down to Alabama and Pitt.  Clairton’s Tyler Boyd will announce on January 4^th before he plays in the US Army All-Star Game and he is down to Pitt, WVU, Arizona, and even Rutgers and Michigan State are being thrown around….as is Penn State, but he did cancel a visit there.  Pitt fans take a cue from this kid for these two dates.

 

The next few weeks will be full of information with commits, bowl practice, and other notes and I will try and keep up with everything.  Pitt has a HUGE recruiting weekend coming up on Friday-Sunday and will probably result in a commit or two…..stay tuned.

PASSING NOTES ON USF...

Things are coming fast and furious on a lot of Pitt football related fronts as the Panthers prepare for their last Big East football game (I know, I know…I’ll give you some time to cry and gnash your teeth). I plan on doing a few posts after this game to keep up to date as best that I can.  Let’s give a brief of good news for ACC fans. It was announced today that the ACC slapped Maryland with a lawsuit in North Carolina to force the school to pay the full $50 million dollar exit fee.  Perhaps more important was that this was supported by all ACC schools…well, except for the Terps of course.  We will see how that unfolds, but forcing the full amount would be a HUGE win for the ACC to stop other teams from leaving.

Now…time to pass some notes on the South Florida Bulls.  The Panthers will travel to Tampa for a Saturday night tilt on ESPN2…don’t ask how this game got on that time slot, but my wife is not too thrilled. The Bulls enter the game with a 3-8 record and looking more like a MASH unit than a football team.  Before we get to the numbers, we will pass this one along to you: 3,832 yards and 27 TDs.  That is how much will be missing from the South Florida offense on Saturday night.  Senior QB BJ Daniels is out with a broken leg and sprained ankle, while Senior RB Lindsey Lamar broke his collarbone a few weeks ago, and WR Juniors Terrance Mitchell (head) and Derrick Hopkins will also be missing.  That is a lot to replace and it is really catching up to the Bulls.

USF is 68^th in passing, 59^th in rushing, and 97^th in points for on the offensive side of the ball.  Taking over for Daniels is Freshman QB Matt Floyd.  Floyd is getting his feet wet still and he is struggling.  Pitt has to put the pressure on so that he doesn’t start clicking on Saturday night.  In his limited play, he has thrown for 373 yards and is still looking for his first TD, while tossing 2 picks.  He has also been sacked 5 times in limited time.  When Floyd looks to hand the ball off, Senior RB Demetris Murray is the main man.  Murray has 652 yards and 6 TDs, while being complimented by Junior RB Marcus Shaw.  Shaw pitches in with 241 yards and still in search of the end zone this year on the ground.

Despite injuries to the receivers, when the Bulls go to the air, their main target is still on the field.  Sophomore Andre Davis is solid and has 522 yards and 6 TDs despite the problems at QB.  With Mitchell and Hopkins out, Senior Victor Marc has been stepping up with 19 grabs for 222 yards.

Pitt will be looking to take to the air when the defense of the Bulls is on the field.  South Florida ranks 73^rd in the country in sacks and dead last in INTs.  The unit is 60^th in points against.  Look, I think we can all agree that we want to see the real Pitt Panthers step up finally.  Is Pitt the team that took Notre Dame to the limit, beat up on Rutgers, and took care of Virginia Tech with ease or are they the team that lost to UConn and Youngstown State?  It is always fun to watch Pitt football, but ever growing bald spot is getting bigger with this year’s team. One way to find out is to win on Saturday and extend their season and see if the Panthers can break that 2 wins, 2 losses streak they have going this year.

Hubie Graham and Devin Street are questionable for the game.  They would be a big help for Pitt as the offense will look to take advantage of the lack of sacks and INTs South Florida has generated this season.  What is my prediction for this game? Well, if you want to look back at my picks this year, you will want me to choose USF in this game….no dice though.  Pitt 24 USF 10.  Let’s hope for a Backyard Brawl in NYC..as I could actually make that game!

Of note also is that Pitt is setting up a pretty big recruiting weekend next week with several big targets coming to town.

RECAPPING RUTGERS

I found out that I would be making the awesome turnpike back to Philly from Washington, PA trip instead of being in front of the TV on Saturday during the Pitt-Rutgers game.  Thank God for XM Radio!  I pushed in order to get home for the fourth quarter and was lucky enough to be home for the last quarter.  The drive made me realize how much I miss listening to Bill Hillgrove and it gave me an opportunity to really listen to Pat Bostick, who is REALLY good.  I enjoyed it very much.  Of course, it helps that Pitt once again played to their competition and beat up on Rutgers 24-6.

Tino Sunseri was efficient and the one-two punch of Ray Graham and Rushel Shell gave Pitt a big lead early and they never let Rutgers back into the game.  The offensive line should be pointed out as being very effective against a solid Scarlet Knights defense. One down side is that Junior WR, Devin Street, left the game early and did not come back.  Ed Tinker filled in and came down with a big TD pass, but make no mistake, Street is needed.  My fingers are crossed for a quick recovery.  On the defensive side of the ball, have we mentioned that Aaron Donald is good?  We haven’t….oh we have…yea, that still holds true…HE’S REALLY GOOD!

The win over Rutgers and the loss by Louisville reminded me how very little I will miss the Big East.  It seemed like almost every year since the raid on the Big East the conference would get a couple of teams (sometimes even 3) that would VERY slowly build up into the rankings.  This would lead to me running my mouth about everyone who was always on the conference for being weak.  Almost without fail over the last decade, the teams that had built themselves up…lost unexplainable games late in the year to drop out of the rankings leading to TERRIBLE bowl match ups and other fans laughing at us.  I will NOT miss this!

Pitt now moves into a 5-6 record and needs to take out South Florida at 7PM on Saturday night (yes, you read that correctly….7PM, not noon) in order to become bowl eligible.  If Pitt should win, it will start my favorite thing about Pitt fans….bitching and moaning about going to a bowl game with just 6 wins.  Maybe it is just me, but I love Pitt football…I don’t care where they are playing or who they are playing, I get excited to watch.  I know…I love punishment.  So….WHY ON EARTH WOULD I NOT WANT THEM IN A BOWL GAME!?!?!  Selfishly I want them to back into the Pinstripe Bowl and not really because of a possible match up with WVU, but more because I just need to hop a couple of trains and I can be in attendance!  Unfortunately, I believe they will end up in Birmingham again…again, I don’t care…I just want more Pitt football, so I’ll be pulling hard on Saturday night, while the wife is less than pleased with a romantic evening of Pitt football!

PASSING NOTES ON RUTGERS AND OTHER THINGS

Before we get to this week’s passing notes on Rutgers, we should take a few quick glances at some other important Pitt Panther football news. 

First…Pitt received a HUGE commit from OT Dorian Johnson from Belle Vernon.  This was huge for so many reasons.  He is an offensive lineman, from Western, PA, gets along with two other big recruits…the list goes on.  His recruitment was a long journey and a roller coaster ride for Pitt fans (and more importantly, for him), but I am glad he ended up at Pitt.  NOW…if we could just get Robert Foster and Tyler Boyd to pull the trigger!

Second, it was announced that Maryland will be leaving the ACC and Rutgers will take off from the Big East to go to the Big Ten:

 

 

Now…it is a big issue to keep an eye on as we do NOT want to see this hit anymore teams.  There are lots of rumors about what the ACC will do.  I feel like they should take on Louisville first, UConn second and above all else…try and land Notre Dame as a full time member.  UConn/Syracuse would allow the ACC to control the number one market in the US.  NYC is a Syracuse/UConn town…if anything….not Rutgers. I lived there for two years and still go back several times a year….I think maybe I saw one Rutgers fan there.  Louisville can compete with the big boys in both basketball and football.  Now is not the time to think too much about academics if you want to survive this latest expansion.  My head has been spinning with the rumors swirling around about who is next, so I just don’t even want to think about it anymore and will stop now.  The main thing though is that no one else leaves the ACC.  This cannot be happening again!

Finally, let’s pass some notes on Rutgers.  I attended last year’s 34-10 debacle that featured the dreaded penalty of having two players on the field at the same time with the same number for Pitt….HI NOTRE DAME!  I will always remember it for that and more importantly for the Rutgers fan who critiqued me and Pitt for bolting the Big East for the ACC….hmmmm, wonder what he thinks of the latest circumstances that just happened?  I’m sure he has a MUCH different take and reason why this is okay.   Fortunately, Pitt will play the host this weekend to Rutgers, who comes in for a noon kickoff on Saturday.  The game will be on ESPN2 and Rutgers is 9-1 and sports a number 18 ranking in the BCS.

This Scarlet Knights team should look familiar.  A strong and aggressive defense leads them into the game and the offense kind of plugs along.  Rutgers is 85^th in passing, 87^th in rushing, 88^th in points for and finally, 4^th in points against.  One thing to keep in mind is that Rutgers lone loss was to Kent State and besides them, the best team (arguably) other than that on their schedule so far was Cincinnati, who they edged out 10-3 last week.  So just how good is Rutgers?  They will find out over the next two games with traveling to Pitt and then playing Louisville in their finale.

As pointed out, Rutgers defense leads the way.  Like always, they are aggressive and are lead by Ray Graham’s brother, Khaseem Greene.  Greene is all over the place and leads the nation in tackles per game.  He also chips in with 5.5 sacks for the year and even has gotten his hands on 2 picks this year as well….so yea…he’s pretty good!  Pitt will need to locate him and get a helmet on him to establish the run, but Rutgers is a unit that plays together and Pitt will have to be clicking to come out on top.

When the Scarlet Knights come out for offense, they are led by Sophomore QB Gary Nova.  Nova has thrown for 2,125 yards on the year with 19 TDs.  Do not be misled by the 12 picks….half of those came in their lone loss to Kent State.  When Nova puts the ball in the air, he has two favorite targets.  The top one is 6’6, 220lbs Junior, Brandon Coleman.  Coleman leads the team with 36 catches for 552 yards and 8 TDs.  When Nova wants something else, he usually finds WR Mark Harrison.  Harrison has hauled in 34 balls for 403 yards and 5 TDs.   Rutgers does still like to pound the ball though.  The man with the rock (USUALLY) is Junior RB Jawan Jamison.  Jamison is approaching 1,000 yards and has hit pay dirt 4 times this year.  However, Jamison was hobbled last week with a bum ankle and may not be able to go.  If he doesn’t, Rutgers does have the capable Sophomore RB Savon Huggins.  Huggins compliments Jamison with 344 yards and 2 touchdowns of his own.

The bottom line is this.  Pitt’s defense has to force some turnovers and the offense HAS to click to win.  It could be a sloppy game, as the WPIAL championships will be played the day before and the field WILL be in less than ideal conditions.

 Oh yea….I almost forgot….LET’S GO PREXIES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  Sorry Quips, but I will ALWAYS be a Prexie. 

Sorry…back to the game.  The offense will be forced to make some plays and Tino Sunseri will want to go out with a solid game.  Sunseri plays a solid game and Pitt takes care of the ball, I like their chances.  Unfortunately, I don’t see it happening.  It will be close, but I see Rutgers walking away with a 17-13 victory on Saturday.  The good thing is if you go back and look at my predictions throughout the year…I have been REALLY off…so there’s that.

Enjoy the game and enjoy your Thanksgiving.

BYE WEEK POST

There are two things I want to tackle in this blog during the bye week.  One is this coming weekend for the Panthers football team and the other is a topic that has been an issue discussed among Pitt fans for several years now.

Let’s start with the quick one and that is the upcoming weekend.  Pitt has the big three coming in for their official visits.  High School seniors (and mega-recruits) Dorian Johnson, Robert Foster, and Tyler Boyd will be on the Oakland campus where Pitt will try and pull a major coup for the future of Pitt football.  These guys are difference makers.  I will be honest.  I’d be happy with just one of them, but to gain all three???  Let’s all keep our fingers crossed.  I do not believe any of them will commit this weekend, but a positive impression could set the tone for the future of this program. 

 

 

The second topic is one that I have recently taken a different tone on and it involves the uniforms.  I used to hear the cry to bring back the uniforms of my youth and I always took the side of “winning cures all,” and “who gives a shit what the uniforms look like!?” Then I got on twitter and heard the side of @PittScriptLogo.  PLEASE…I implore you to take a look at his twitter account and check out some of his images of what new uniforms could look like.

Let’s be honest, whether it’s Georgia’s black alternate uniforms, Boise’s crazy horse helmets, one of Oregon’s 7,896,043 uniform combinations, or even Maryland’s terrible uniforms….when you see a unique college football uniform, it creates a buzz.  Pitt is in dire need of a buzz and needs to have a cool factor about them.  Take a look at what the recruits and younger players are saying to @PittScriptLogo.  Go look at Rushel Shell’s twitter account.  They love it!

OK, OK, OK, I know….I know that changing back to the Pitt Script would be a major undertaking and cost a lot of money, but it doesn’t have to be that way.  Why not just create an alternate uniform?  WHY?!  What is the harm?  Do you have any idea how many alumni, fans, and students would purchase new merchandise should Pitt have one…just one away and one…JUST ONE…home game per year where they could wear the new retro Pitt uniforms!?  There are so many opportunities to make some money on this that it baffles me the administration would not take this chance.  What if it doesn’t work??  What happens?  NOTHING!!!!  You don’t have to change the whole face of the school or colors…you can do it by just doing an alternate jersey twice per year.

Do yourself a favor…if you agree with this, please do go visit the @PittScriptLogo twitter account and sign his petition at this link.  If you feel so inclined contact the Pitt athletic department and let them know your desire.  Two groups could really use their voices to help if they are in favor and those are season ticket holders and students.  Bring back the Pitt Script!

GROUNDHOG DAY! RECAPPING UCONN

I was a sophomore in high school and I wrestled for my school.  To say I was mediocre is to say I’m tall.  I’m not tall, nor was I good at wrestling.  I started for all three years mostly because no one else at my school was as small as I was and could not make 103 pounds.  My sophomore year, I won 1 match.  During that year, I wrestled someone that had lost to the only kid I beat.  I lost to him.  When I came off the mat, the coach pulled me aside and insisted that I took him lightly.  I kept telling him that I did not.  Over and over, he responded, yes you did…you just don’t know it.  I’m not saying the Pitt Panthers did not care about the game on Friday or didn’t think they had to show up, but in the back of their heads, they ABSOLUTELY felt they could show up and win.  After all of the trouble this program has had in playing up to their capabilities AND their trouble specifically at UConn in past years…I don’t know how this happens!

I won’t rattle off any stats.  I will tell you that there was a familiar feeling before the game happened.  I picked Pitt to win big (by 17) and yet, as soon as the game started, I was not even close to being in shock.  I felt it happening, as I am sure many other Pitt fans did.  A terrible offense and Pitt could not stop them at all in the first half.  The defense looked to have all of the intensity that I have when I get up to take a piss at 3AM.  Terrible effort and yet…not surprised.  I’ve seen this movie before.

From the look of the stats, someone who did not watch the game, may think Tino Sunseri had a good game.  According to multiple reporters, who were at the game, he most certainly did not.  According to those tweets, Sunseri missed a good amount of receivers down the field and to be blunt about it, several times it was Devin Street that he had on a pay no mind list.  To clarify…I don’t mean he missed as in overthrew…he simply did not see them.

If we can take one silver lining in this debacle, it was that LB Shane Gordon played the second half and played well.  Unfortunately, the Panthers everyone expected to see only played in the second half.  Why they could not bring that intensity in the first half is beyond me.  Going down 24-0 was typical of a Pitt team coming off a few strong games and when that happened, every true Pitt fan KNEW they would make a comeback only to fall short.  YOU KNEW IT WOULD HAPPEN!  It happens every year….every year! Watching Pitt football is very much like the below.

 

 

PASSING NOTES ON UCONN

OK  - it is time to officially put the Notre Dame game in the review mirror and start passing notes on the Connecticut Huskies.  The Panthers will travel to UConn and take on the Huskies on ESPN2 on Friday night at 8PM. The Huskies come in sporting a 3-6 record and are on a 4 game losing streak.  They have a VERY solid defense, but a struggling offense.

Pitt will be looking to regroup from the triple OT loss to the Fighting Irish and a big key will be how Paul Chryst can get the Panthers to focus on the Huskies.  Considering the series with UConn in the Big East is 4-4, Pitt should have no trouble at all zeroing in on UConn.  One new injury to report for Pitt and that is it does not look like reserve LB Emmanuel Rackard will be available Friday night.  This is important if Shane Gordon can still not go in the game.  It would leave Pitt with just 4 linebackers if Gordon sits out, so having him would provide the linebackers with a little needed depth.

UConn’s defense is their strength.  They are 21^st in points against, 14^th in passing defense and finally 21^st in rushing defense. The Huskies are led by Sophomore LB Yawin Smallwood.  He has 91 tackles on the year and averages 1.63 tackles for loss per game.  He is their rock and Pitt got a good taste of what it takes to go against a good linebacker group on Saturday, so hopefully they can take the success they had on the ground there and continue Friday.  Ray Graham keeps getting better every week and will be looking to complete his comeback against the team he was hurt against last year….UConn.

The offense for UConn is struggling, but they are young, as their leaders are largely Sophomores.  The Huskies come in at 58^th in passing and 120^th in rushing.  They are also 120^th in points for.  The offense is under the direction of Sophomore QB Chandler Whitmer.  Whitmer has 2,115 yards on the season, but his TD to INT numbers are 7/13 and he has been sacked 26 times this season.  When he puts the ball in the air, he has three favorite targets.  Sophomore Geremy Davis and Senior Michael Smith lead the wide receivers with 36 and 26 catches respectively.  When UConn gets in the red zone, they LOVE to go to their Senior TE, Ryan Griffin, who has 20 catches, but 4 of them are for touchdowns. 

The weakness of UConn’s offense is their offensive line, so Aaron Donald should be licking his chops.  He has played well all season and could be looking at a big game.  Shayne Hale has officially been tabbed as a starter at defensive end for Pitt and he could be looking to prove Pitt’s coaching staff correct on that change in the depth chart.  Running behind this offensive line will be Sophomore RB Lyle McCombs.  McCombs has not had a lot of room, but he has made the most of it with 547 yards and 4 TDs.

On paper, Pitt should win this game, however right now is a VERY familiar position for Pitt fans.  The Panthers won 2 games in a row and then went to the house of the number 3 team in the country and went blow for blow with them.  Pitt has shown some strides lately and for Panther fans, this is when they are used to being let down.  It is a short week and Saturday was emotional.  I feel like this is a new coaching staff and they know how to get the team ready week to week.  I thought weather may play a factor with the East Coast storm coming, but it will be out of the area in a plenty of time for the kickoff. UConn has had trouble with turnovers and Friday will be no different as Pitt has been a good team since week 3 in that department.  The Panthers will win 27-10.

RECAPPING NOTRE DAME...

What to say?  Really….what can I say?  I really don’t know what to say.  Starting towards the end of the fourth quarter, I literally had a headache.  I had to actually calm myself down and just sit there with my hands on my head and calmly watch the rest of the game and not get too excited.  It worked somewhat, but my stomach was in knots the entire game.  In the end, Pitt went toe to toe with a very strong Notre Dame team (despite what you think, they are good), but ended up coming up short in triple OT, 29-26 at South Bend.

I really don’t have a lot of words.  One reason is that I have a long-standing tradition that, unless they are extreme….REALLY extreme circumstances, I do not blame refs for losses.  I just don’t do it.  VERY RARELY will I resort to that child-like behavior.  I feel like there are many other things that one’s team CAN control that they can blame more than what the refs call.  I am having a difficult time with this one today, so in order to ensure that I do not turn this into a whining post, I have asked a couple of friends to provide me with electric shocks if I come too close to blaming the refs for yesterday’s loss.  Anytime, I get close to doing that, my friends will make sure I stay on course.

Now, let’s start with some positives….shall we?  Pitt played WELL….forget everything else, Pitt hung in with a good Notre Dame team and at times REALLY took the play to the Irish (did anyone else see Ray Vinopal’s block on a big punt return by Cam Saddler?).  Ray Graham had 172 yards rushing on the number 2 ranked rushing defense in the country.  Tino Sunseri played well.  Not great, but well enough.  The defensive backfield for Pitt also played VERY well.  The Irish ended up with 291 yards passing, but much of that happened with the furious comeback.  Fifth year Senior LB, Joe Trebitz filled in well piling up 13 tackles, but they were missing that big play from the MLB position.  Want proof?  Shane Gordon played one snap.  On it the Irish were forced to settle for a field goal, because Gordon completely blew up Theo Riddick for a 4 yard loss around the goal line.  Hopefully Gordon can go next week….a little depth would be nice at LB.  Trebitz though, played his butt off and should be praised for it.

Now, Pitt lost, but absolutely had their chances. The Irish had the ball at about the 25 yard line of Pitt with a  4^th and 4 and a little over 10 minutes left in the game.  The pass fell incomplete, giving Pitt the ball and total control with a 14 point lead.  HUGE play by K’Wuan Williams….HUGE!  Unfortunately, the refs felt that Williams was too physical on the play and gave Notre Dame a fist down on pass interference. Two plays later and the Irish scored a TD to pull within 8.  The call was somewhat questionable.  Replays appeared to show that Williams had good coverage on the play.  I don’t see how they called it….a terriblecall….I CAN’T BELI….

Sorry…won’t happen again….I swear.  Let’s look at Pitt’s missed field goal in OT that would have won the game, had it gone through.  No question that Kevin Harper should have connected on it, but I saw something curious on Ray Graham’s second down run that pulled Pitt to a 3^rd and 1.  After the play, in pretty plain view, Notre Dame’s Louis Nix III blatantly punched Pitt’s JP Holtz in the head.  It was pretty bad and two Irish players QUICKLY grabbed Nix III to get him away from the play.  Instead of first and goal from inside the ten, Pitt missed the first down on the next play and brought on the fateful field goal attempt by Harper that missed wide right.  The play was pretty much right in front of an official and he did not throw a flag.  It was odd that he missed a call that wasRIGHT IN FRO…..

ALRIGHT!  Sorry!  That is the last time.  Regardless of that misstep, Pitt was granted with a field goal that Kevin Harper should have made.  It was pushed wide right and they played on.  It was brought to my attention that the missed field goal actually should have been called a first down for Pitt.  At least according to Post-Gazette’s Sam Werner’s twitter account, Notre Dame had two players on the field wearing #2 on the missed field goals.  He actually quoted a Notre Dame source as confirming it. As embarrassed Pitt fans will tell you from last year’s Rutgers game….that’s a penalty and should have given the Panthers a first down.  These are starting to pileup….WHAT ARE THE OFFICIALS THINK….

OK, I have to wrap this up, because it’s really starting to get to me.  One thing that REALLY bugged me that Pitt could control (besides the play-calling, which deserves its own post) happened after the game.  I have stuck up for Tino Sunseri a fair amount.  I have bashed him a fair amount.  I have bashed him far less than a lot of other people and have gone toe-to-toe with people on twitter and in life about how much blame Sunseri  deserves.  His quote after the game was indefensible.  It simply was out of line.  To show you what I mean, Sunseri said after the game, “We missed a field goal, that’s why we lost the game.”

If there is one player on Pitt’s roster who knows how awful it is to be thrown under the bus, it’s Tino.  If there is one Panther’s player who had teammates defend him in the press, it’s Sunseri.  If there is one player who should NEVER blame another player on his team for a loss….look no further than #12.  I really can’t say much more, but I hope that someone (PaulChryst) took aside Kevin Harper after the game and had a talk with him.

Harper struggled early in the year, but was kicking well coming in and made 4 of 5 FGs in the game.  He is NOT the reason Pitt lost.  I have bashed Harper a good amount here, but HE did not lose this game….if anything, the officials los…….DAMMIT!  OUCH!  OK, that’s it, I have to go now before I have my own meltdown.  See you for the UConn preview later on this coming week.

PASSING NOTES ON NOTRE DAME

OK – thanks to Hurricane Sandy, I was without power for a while and of course that led to trying to do work from a phone and then a make shift office for a while.  It hit the Philly area hard.  All of it put me behind and leads to a rather less than stellar (yea, like that is something different for this blog) preview.  Let’s get to it!

I am not going to mince words here….Notre Dame is for real this year.  After a big win AT Oklahoma, the Fighting Irish come in at number 3 in the BCS for Saturday’s 3:30 kickoff in South Bend, IN.  The defense ranks 2^nd in the country and their front seven are VERY good.  They are led by Heisman Trophy candidate (yes on defense) Manti Te’o.  He’s a linebacker and you will be seeing him a lot. 

On offense, the Irish love to run the ball.  Whether it is QB Sophomore Everett Golson, Senior RB Theo Riddick, Senior RB Cierre Wood, or even Sophomore RB George Atkinson III….Notre Dame goes against Brian Kelly’s reputation and runs the ball a lot.  They are 33^rd in the country in rushing.  With not a lot of time to put this preview together, I will make my main point here: THIS WORRIES ME!!!!  It worries me almost as much as the new Nor’Easter that may hit us next week (I’m not kidding…go look it up).  With Shane Gordon already out with a high ankle sprain and Dan Mason’s comeback story taking a bad turn with a season ending injury, Senior linebacker, Joe Trebitz will get his first career start.  Against a team  like Notre Dame, this spells trouble. 

The key for Pitt is for Tino Sunseri to take advantage of one of the few Irish weaknesses (and that is being picky) and that is the pass defense.  The Pitt defensive line and outside linebackers MUST play out of their minds and Trebitz just needs to play his game.  That may be a lot to ask, but Pitt has played Notre Dame tough lately.  I think they will hang tough early, but the Irish win this one, 31-10.

Look, I think it will be a tough game, so I leave Pitt fans with something fun: 

EDITOR'S NOTE: LATE LAST NIGHT, IT CAME OUT THAT RAY GRAHAM, LAFAYETTE PITTS, AND DEVIN STREET WILL BE HIT WITH SIMPLE ASSUALT CHARGES.  ALL THREE WILL PLAY ON SATURDAY AND DENY INVOLVEMENT IN THE INCIDENT.

RECAPPING TEMPLE

Greetings from sunny and beautiful Bucks County, PA!  Yea….this blog post might be the last one for a little while, depending on what Hurricane Sandy does to our power and internet service.  Without further procrastination, let’s take a look back at the game on Saturday between Pitt and Temple.

To the surprise of many, Pitt came away with a 47-17 blowout win over the Owls. Tino Sunseri and Ray Graham led the way for Pitt and the offensive line opened up some nice holes, and pass protected well. Pitt winning the game was not a shocker, but let me be clear about this: Temple is NOT a bad team.  They are not the Temple of old.  They are not world beaters, but if you look at their games….they have not been manhandled in the manner that the Panthers did to them on Saturday.

The really good news for Pitt was that Ray Graham had a few runs where he looked very much like the old Ray Graham.  One run, in particular, Graham showed off his shifty moves from the past couple of years nicely.  This was the second week in a row that he played without a knee brace and it appears to be making him more confident and comfortable.  That would be VERY good news for Pitt.  Graham finished with 109 yards rushing and 71 receiving. 

Sunseri threw for 321 yards and 140 of that were to Devin Street. Those two seem to be forming a nice bit of chemistry and hopefully that will continue.  In addition to playing smart football, Sunseri threw a couple of VERY effective screen passes for the third week in a row.  That is a nice weapon that has always been lacking in Pitt offenses and with Graham and freshman, Rushel Shell (79 yards rushing) can be an explosive play at any time.  In closing on the Pitt offense, there is not much more fun than watching Shelllook for a defensive back to run over in the secondary instead of running outof bounds.

The defense played effectively and despite a few lapses in the third quarter, played solid for the most part and again, Dan Mason continued to defy odds.  Mason had another strong game and for the second week in a row tracked down a running QB to end a drive late in the game. Unfortunately on the play, Mason seemed to injure his mid-section.  With starting linebacker, Shane Gordon, still on the mend, they need to keep people healthy.

Also on the banged up list were offensive guard Ryan Schlieper and tight end Hubie Graham.  The blocking of the offensive line was strong and those two were a big reason why, so hopefully they can stay in the lineup.

Notre Dame is up next for the Panthers and saying it will be difficult may be the understatement of the year.  Hopefully the Irish will be caught feeling good after a HUGE win AT number 8 Oklahoma.  Also I am hopeful Hurricane Sandy will allow me to preview this one before they kickoff on Saturday.

 

PASSING NOTES ON TEMPLE...

High noon on Saturday at Heinz Field will renew the Pitt-Temple rivalry….ok, so it’s just for one year, but it is nice to see the Owls back in Pittsburgh.  I was glad to see Temple get the invite back into the Big East, as I always felt like they should not have been kicked out.  For some reason though, getting kicked out of the Big East made the north Philly school look harder at their football program, so maybe it was a blessing in disguise.  Temple has been to a few bowl games lately and performed well in the MAC before coming back home.  They are holding their own pretty well in the Big East this year and bring in a 3-3 record (2-1 in the Big East).  Do not overlook the Owls!  I’m warning you now Panther fans.

The Owls rank 120^th in passing, which bodes well for the Panther secondary that comes in ranked 27^th against the pass.  Yes…despite the Louisville and Youngstown State game, Pitt has played nicely against aerial attacks for the year.  Due to the low passing rank, Temple likes to run the ball.  They come in at 60^th in the country in that category and are 88^th in points for in the FCS.

The offense of Temple runs through Junior QB, Chris Coyer.  I am glad Pitt went up against Alex Zordich on Saturday, because it was the same type of QB they will face this weekend.  Coyer’s passing is not impressive.  He only has 727 yards on the year and 7 TDs to go along with 3 picks and he has been sacked 12 times.  However, like this past weekend, the Panthers defense better be ready for the running of Coyer.  He has 332 yards and 2 TDs.

When Coyer does not keep the ball, his supporting cast consists mostly of Senior RB, Montel Harris.  Harris is averaging 4.4 yards per carry.  His total yards right now stands at 391 yards and 3 TDs.  The Owls’ receiving leaders are Sophomore WR Jalen Fitzgerald (236 yards and 2TDs) and Junior TE Cody Booth (87 yards and 2 TDs).

Temple has leaned a good amount on their defense this season.  They do not rank high, but the unit is opportunistic.  They have 9 fumble recoveries and 4 picks on the year and are 29^th in turnover margin.  Freshman LB Nate D. Smith leads the team with 48 tackles and has also chipped in two sacks this year. DE Marcus Green also has two sacks on the year and the Senior is a leader on the defensive line.

Temple lost on Saturday to Rutgers after hanging tough for a while.  It should be pointed out that Rutgers was trailing and then threw 4 TD passes in the second half, while the Owls were without DB leader, Vaughn Carraway due to suspension.  Carraway missed the game due to a flagrant foul against UConn.  They also hung in with Penn State before bowing late to the Nittany Lions.  As a matter of fact, Temple’s three losses came to teams that have a combined record of 16-5!

Pitt should get Shane Gordon back for this game, as well as maybe Hubie Graham and Drew Carswell, which would be a nice boost.  Unfortunately they could be without LB Manny Williams for a while, as he is out with an ACL injury.  Pitt needs to come out on fire, because the second half has been one of Temple’s problems.  Pitt also needs to protect the ball and Tino Sunseri, as Temple is averaging almost 3 sacks per game.  I think Pitt will do that and bounce back from a sloppy effort in Buffalo.  It will be close and that’s not because Pitt sucks, but more because Temple is not as bad as people think.  Pitt wins a close one 24-20.

RECAPPING BUFFALO

Some folks on twitter said it very well at the end of Saturday’s 20-6 Pitt victory when they compared the game to the Sun Bowl.  YES….THATSUN BOWL!  Thankfully the difference was that Pitt was able to come out on top.  While the game was never really in doubt, it is unsettling that Buffalo outgained the Panthers and gained more first downs than Pitt. 

Look, here are the negatives:

·         Chryst’s refusal to allow Tino Sunseri to go down field early.  I don’t care what the weather conditions were…the Bulls’ pass defense was not good.

·         ESPN3’s broadcast!  Where do I begin???!!!!  It started out with seeing the opening kickoff and then having technical difficulties for the first two possessions of the game.  From there, it looked like someone was filming with a 1987 camcorder in the rain!  Besides that, when Sunseri would drop back to pass, I would have to wait for the ball to come flying out of the screen downfield, because…well….you couldn’t see Tino once he took the snap.  EPIC FAIL ESPN3!

·         The constant refusal to play Devin Cook over Bryan Murphy.  I just don’t understand it.

·         Has anyone seen Tyrone Ezell?  Aaron Donald is all over the place and fighting through double teams.  What happened to the Ezell we heard about terrorizing the Pitt offense in pre-season?

·         Pitt needs some injured people back!

OK, enough with the negative…Pitt did win and they are now 3-4.  The last negative above is something I think that is being overlooked right now.  Jack Lippert, Hubie Graham, Shane Gordon, and Manny Williams are missed badly.  3 of those are on defense and I feel like they would make a big difference for this team.  That being said, Dan Mason played well and it is amazing what he is doing.  The last defensive play of the game was fun to watch.  Buffalo QB Alex Zordich, who is a good athlete, was running  towards the end zone and Mason tracked him down and made a strong tackle to keep him short and end any threat of a Bulls comeback.  It was a play that won’t be remembered much, but it was something to see him close on that play.  That being said, Gordon is the man in the middle that brings explosive plays.

Look….I’m just going to say it.  Pitt has a good amount of players coming back next year, but dear Lord….please…OH PLEASE (if a Pitt student is reading this, send this to Aaron Donald)….PLEASE let Aaron Donald come back!!  He’s a beast!

The game was not fun to watch, but as stated before, the Panthers did enough and a win is a win.  Some news today is good and bad for Pitt.  As expected Corey Clement de-committed from Pitt.  Did anyone really think he was going to stick with Pitt?  He was still visiting schools the entire time.  While he left, Pitt picked up a new tight end in Devon Edwards.  Edwards picked Pitt over some pretty decent offers and gives Pitt much needed numbers at the TE spot.

PASSING NOTES ON BUFFALO

It is time to pass some notes on the Buffalo Bulls, as the Pitt Panthers travel to upstate New York to kick off at 3:30 to take on UB.  The game will be on ESPN3.com for me, while most of you can see it on the Big East Network or some variation of that.  The Bulls are 1-5 and 0-3 in the MAC.  Pitt cannot overlook Buffalo, as they are in their second 2 game losing streak of the year and really need to bounce back strong to regain any hope of a decent season.

Buffalo’s passing attack and their points for are both 96^th in the country, so they have some problems on the offense.  Despite some injuries in their backfield, the Bulls are 34^th in rushing.  The Panthers secondary needs to play strong to continue the Bulls’ trend of having a difficult time in the passing game.   After last week, Pitt cannot afford to give up another big day….especially to a bad passing offense.  The Louisville game can be forgiven.  As I stated in my recap, they are a good team and Terry Bridgewater can flat out play.

When the Bulls take the field, they are led by dual threat Junior QB, Alex Zordich. He is not completing a good percentage, being only 78 of 151 and he has 971 yards passing.  Zordich has tossed 8 TDs and 6 picks, while being sacked 6 times.  He will run the ball as well, which has helped greatly with the Bulls’ injured backfield.  Zordich has 355 yards on the ground and 1 TD.  When they turn to their backfield, it’s a question mark.  They have three running backs and two are trying to bounce back from injury this week.  Juniors Brandon Oliver (426 yards and 3 TDs) and Brandon Murie (105 yards and 1 TD) have been battling injury.  I do expect one of them will be back on Saturday, giving some help to Freshman Devin Campbell (244 yards and 1 TD), who has been carrying the load the last couple of weeks.

The passing game has not been productive, but the Bulls do have Junior WR, Alex Neutz.  Neutz has pulled in 32 passes for 512 yards and already has hit the endzone 7 times this year!  He can hurt you if you are not ready, so the Panthers have to bounce back and have a strong game.

The Bulls’ passing defense is very weak, which should be good news for the Panthers’ suddenly potent passing attack.  Buffalo does have a stud on defense that is capable of taking over a game.  Junior, LB Khalil Mack leads the Bulls in sacks, tackles, and tackles for loss.  An LB that dominates the game in a big way and is around 19 or 20 years old and his last name is Mack....I knew Alvin Mack of the The Program would leave his mark on the NFL somehow.  Pitt has to get a body on him to control the line of scrimmage and give Tino some time.

I mentioned the Bulls’ injuries and Pitt is no different.  Jack Lippert will not play and Manny Williams and Shane Gordon are also iffy.  The Panthers have to overcome these injuries and it would help a lot if Gordon could play.  I think one of the two plays on Saturday and Pitt rides Rushel Shell early to set up Tino taking advantage of a weak secondary.  Pitt 34 Buffalo 13.

RECAPPING LOUISVILLE....

Alright I am trying to get back into it, but it will take a little time.  It’s time to recap what I know of the Louisville game on Saturday.  My wedding ended at about 1:30AM on Saturday morning.  I woke up and it was time to greet the remaining family members/wedding goers at brunch.  At about 10:50, I decided to gather up everything in the room to get ready for our little half honeymoon weekend in Cape May, NJ.  I was able to see Pitt’s first drive and Louisville tie it up.  After that, it was hit and miss, and then I was able to turn on the radio (thank you XM) for the drive down to the shore and listen to the second half.

Let’s get a few things straight….I did not get to watch the game or gather the information to really form an opinion, but here is what I do know:

·         Whether you like it or not, Louisville is a pretty good team.  Pitt hung around with them and the defensive effort was disappointing, but it doesn’t change the fact that Pitt was right in it at halftime and even had a chance late to pull within 7 points.

·         Get it through your heads!!!!!!!!  Tino is not the problem here!  I’ll repeat that.  TINO IS NOT THE PROBLEM!!!!!!!

·         Rushel Shell is the man and Graham will come in to change the pace from here on out.  They can’t hide it anymore.

·         Pitt fans are impossible to please.  They hated Wanny’s passive approach to the game and playing it safe.  Now, they hate Chryst for going for it.  Kevin Harper has been TERRIBLE and yet, they wanted Pitt to try a field goal instead of going for it late.  Look, I don’t agree with everything Chryst does, but the reaction to his anti-Wanny way of coaching goes to show that Pitt fans are pretty impossible.

That’s about the best I have for this one.  It sucks that Pitt lost, but try and keep it in perspective that Louisville is pretty good.  Pitt now has two winnable games in a row and they are must-wins if the Panthers want a bowl game this year.  I don’t know if that is the goal right now….so much as improving as the season goes on.  I may be a little late on the Buffalo preview, but I will get one up this week that is a little more in depth than the last several posts.

PASSING NOTES ON LOUISVILLE...

As stated before....I'm getting married tomorrow.  Therefore, I will be traveling during the game on Saturday.  Thank God for technology.  If I can't get near a TV, I will be checking twitter and the smart phone for updates.

Doesn't this just feel like a game Pitt will win?  I don't know if they will....my gut says yes, my head says no.  I'll go with my gut and say Pitt 21 Louisville 20.

There will not be much of a recap after this one....as I won't even be back until Monday late in the day.

RECAPPING FINALLY....

As I told you before, it's wedding week for me, so this will be short, as will the Louisville preview later and the Louisville recap.  This....was a tough one to swallow, but it seems like I write (or a variation of that) a lot and I've only been doing this blog for a season and a half now.

I guess I'll recap it with a personal story of mine.  My entire family went to Topsail in North Carolina a few summers ago.  My youngest niece, Ayla, was four at the time.  One morning she woke up, had a big bowl of Lucky Charms, got her swimsuit on, and headed to the beach.  She played for a little while and was having a blast.  She decided to test out the ocean.  She was knocked on her ass by the first wave that came her way.  She struggled to her feet, coughing out ocean water and looked at my sister and proclaimed, "this is the worstest day ever!"

That is how I feel with Pitt football.  The morning of game days for Pitt football are just like Ayla's day started out.  It doesn't matter what their record is or who they are playing...I get up and am excited.  It's a great day.  I feel just like Ayla felt eating her Lucky Charms and walking to the beach and being in beautiful weather.  Unfortunately, I usually turn the TV off after at least half the games and say some form of "this is the worstest day ever."

Not too much to say...it's already been said about the game last Friday. They should have won.  No question about it.  One more thing before I go....I'm REALLY, REALLY, REALLY sorry Tino bashers, but this is NOT his fault.  Sorry guys, I won't even listen to arguments about this.  NOT HIS FAULT.  He had a great game. 
The preview will have a little twist later in the week and I hope you guys like it.  It won't be a long one, but it will be a little different. Things are crazy right now and going to get crazier leading up to the Friday evening ceremony.

PASSING NOTES ON SYRACUSE

The bye week is over and it’s time for Pitt to get back to the field.  The Panthers will travel up to Syracuse, NY to take on the Orange at the Carrier Dome at 7PM on Friday night.  The game will be on ESPN (apparently Syracuse/Pitt gets the prime time slot, while Louisville/Pitt gets stuck with a morning time kick off – can’t wait to be in the ACC).

The Orange are also coming off their own bye week and stand at 1-3.  Do not be fooled by the losing record. Syracuse almost pulled off a dramatic comeback over now #24 Northwestern before losing in week one.  They also hung with USC for a while, and lost a tough one to Minnesota, so it is not like they have been drug all over the field this season.  Their lone win came against Stony Brook, which was a 28-17 win. 

Syracuse is 10^th in passing and 83^rd in rushing, and finally 68^th in points for in the NCAA.  The defense has struggled somewhat, coming in at 81^st in points allowed per game.  Pitt will have to build on their Virginia Tech and Gardner Webb games to keep Syracuse’s passing game off the field.

When the Orange offense takes the field, they are led by Senior QB Ryan Nassib.  Nassib has 1,367 yards in 4 games, 10 TD passes, 5 INTs, and has been sacked 6 times.  Nassib has tons of experience and will also take off on the run from time to time.  When Nassib is not putting the football in the air, Junior RB, Jerome Smith is the main man to run the ball…..for now.  Smith has put up 227 yards, so his numbers don’t jump off the page.  Junior RB Prince-Tyson Gulley has been getting a little more of the load lately and now has 182 yards and 2 TDs.

The receivers are led by Senior WR Marcus Sales.  Sales has pulled in 27 catches for 382 yards and has already hit pay dirt 5 times this season.  Sales is complimented by Jarrod West, who has 267 yards of his own and scored once.

Syracuse has their own struggling kicker this season in Ross Krautman.  The Junior kicker is 4 for 7 and has missed both kicks from 40+ yards. Pitt can relate when it comes to those struggles, so it would be interesting if this came down to the kickers.

This game is shaping up to be a close one.  BOTH teams are getting healthy right now, as Syracuse should be getting their stud left tackle, Justin Pugh back on Friday.  Also returning from injury could be (not definite yet) WR Adrian Flemming and CB Brandon Reddish. Pitt is also getting healthier at the moment with Aaron Donald and Hubie Graham expected to play after sitting out the Gardner-Webb game. Jack Lippert also could return, along with the anticipated return of LB Todd Thomas.

Pitt must keep Syracuse’s offense off the field and control the line of scrimmage.  As I pointed out, Syracuse’s offense is good when it is clicking and they are getting a big lift with Pugh coming back on Friday.  This team is NOT as bad as their 1-3 record indicates and the Carrier Dome can get loud.  I think Pitt continues to improve and I believe both teams will be better each week moving forward.  I like the Panthers in a tight one, 27-24. 

My apologies for the lack of information and fun links in this preview. The recap of this game and the Louisville preview and recap will be VERY short.  My wedding is only 10 days away, so time is getting VERY tight. 

Also....breaking news just now as athlete Reggie Green has committed to the Panthers!