Posted on October 1st, 2009 by David Whipkey

By David Whipkey

This was not the defense that many followers of Pitt’s football team expected this year.

However, there is plenty of time for said unit to come up big for the Panthers and help get the squad where it needs to go.

Those who watched Buffalo quarterback Zach Maynard and N.C. State signal-caller Russell Wilson torch the Panthers defense for a combined 736 yards and seven scores in two games are probably not encouraged by direction the unit is heading.

But there are several factors that could alleviate the concerned.

Pitt has a chance to rectify their defensive breakdowns and shortcomings on a national stage Friday night when they open Big East play on the road at Louisville for an 8 p.m. ESPN2 telecast. Even with the ugly loss at N.C. State, the Panthers can still earn the conference’s BCS berth.

There is no better way to begin that quest than with a win before a hostile crowd on the road.

Also, there is precedence for Pitt to get things right in a short period of time.

Last season, a highly-regarded Pitt defense was ripped apart by Rutgers quarterback Mike Teel in an October contest at Heinz Field. Teel threw for 369 yards and four scores in a 54-34 Scarlet Knights win.

Things looked even bleaker with a road game the following week against Jimmy Clausen, Golden Tate, Michael Floyd and the rest of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish. Pitt’s defense responded by holding the potent Irish passing attack to 271 yards in a 36-33 four-overtime win. The Panthers played solid defense down the stretch and stood firm in a 3-0 Sun Bowl loss to end the season.

According to Coach Dave Wannstedt, many of the issues that are plaguing the Panthers on the defensive side of the ball are correctable.

“I think every coach and player is very disappointed,” said the coach earlier this week. “Very disappointed with how we’ve played defense the first part of the season. Now, I do think everything is correctable. The guys have the right attitude. We’ve got to get on it and come back.”

Having new players such as linebackers Dan Mason, Max Gruder and safety Elijah Fields in the lineup also may have contributed to the inconsistent performance of the defense so far this year.

“We’re really young at the linebacker position,” said Wannstedt. “We had some mistakes that we shouldn’t have had. The inexperience did show up in some areas.”

Players such as Mason, Gruder and Fields are being counted on to step up their games. There is no reason to believe they cannot. Mason earned Big East Defensive Player of the Week two weeks ago and both Gruder and Fields were highly regarded defensive prospects coming out of high school.

Also, middle linebacker Adam Gunn was out with an injury the past two contests. His leadership and ability were sorely missed and will be a welcome sight if he is able to take the field Friday night against the Cardinals.

Pitt’s biggest defensive strength is their pass rush. Ends Greg Romeus and Jabaal Sheard along with tackles Mick Williams and Gus Mustakas have put ample pressure on opposing quarterbacks. The defense has compiled six sacks this season. Although they only got to Wilson once, they did apply pressure. Unfortunately, the mobile quarterback was able to escape and rush for 91 yards.

There is a good chance Pitt’s defense will not see a quarterback with his ability to both move and complete throws downfield, although Cincinnati’s Tony Pike could give the Panthers fits in the Dec. 5 season finale.

South Florida’s P.J. Daniels and West Virginia’s Jarrett Brown are both nimble and athletic but have yet to prove they can consistently hit their targets downfield. Notre Dame’s Jimmy Clausen has a rocket for an arm and is accurate; he is not exactly John Elway-like when it comes to escapability.

There is work to be done regarding fixing the defense, but there is evidence that can and will be accomplished.