 Posted on September 21st, 2009 by Admin By David Whipkey | Pitt Panthers Gameday Correspondent
This is the defense many imagined Pitt would possess this season.
The Panthers defense, most notably the front seven, controlled Navy’s potent option attack during Saturday’s 27-14 win before more than 55,000 fans.
“I was pleased with our defense,” said Pitt coach Dave Wannstedt following the game.
Pitt held the Midshipmen to 129 yards rushing, more than 100 yards below their 238 yards per game rushing average.
Both the Pitt players and coaches knew they had advantages in physical ability and talent along the line. But staying focused and playing solid assignment football would be key to winning this game.
“It’s a big step for us,” said defensive end Greg Romeus. “We know today was a better performance, but we’re still not where we want to be. We’d like to have teams not score at all. It’s something that we are happy about, but we’re not satisfied at all.”
Filling in for an injured Adam Gunn, freshman Dan Mason made his first career start at middle linebacker. The highly-regarded Mason made good with the opportunity and finished with a game-high 11 tackles and two sacks.
For his performance, Mason was named Big East Defensive Player of the Week.
“I thought Dan Mason played better than I thought he could,” said Wannstedt. “As a freshman with his first start, I thought Dan was outstanding.”
Pitt’s defensive front performers, which included Mason, Romeus, tackles Gus Mustakas, Mick Williams and Myles Carragein along with defensive end Jabaal Sheard combined for 45 tackles and four sacks. The defense as a whole collected six sacks, giving the Panthers 15 total in three games.
Pitt led the conference last year with 33 sacks.
Saturday’s performance may have calmed some nerves regarding the status of the defense following last week’s 54-27 shootout win at Buffalo in which the Bulls racked up more than 500 yards of offense.
But coordinator Phil Bennett and his charges were committed to not allowing another such offensive outburst before the home crowd.
“Our defensive front played well and came up big,” said safety Elijah Fields, who made his first start. “That helped us out a lot. This week, we went over our assignments over and over again so we were comfortable out there tonight.”
The Panthers (3-0) will travel this Saturday to Raleigh, N.C. for a date with the North Carolina Wolfpack at Carter-Finley Stadium. Kickoff is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. and will be televised on ESPNU.
Pitt’s last meeting against the Wolfpack was a 34-19 win in the 2001 Tangerine Bowl.
Posted on September 20th, 2009 by Admin
By David Whipkey | Pitt Panthers Gameday Correspondent
Pitt’s storied football tradition includes many players who have moved on and excelled in the National Football League. Performers such as Dan Marino, Tony Dorsett, Mike Ditka, Hugh Green and Bill Fralic dominated both on the Oakland campus and in the professional ranks.
The tradition is continuing in a big way this millennium. PittPanthersGameday.com will highlight each Panther alumnus on Mondays during the NFL season. Week two’s highlights included:
Darrelle Revis, New York Jets cornerback: Revis continued his stellar early 2009 season by shutting down another premium wide receiver. One week after stifling Houston’s Andre Johnson, Revis again displayed his coverage skills by limiting New England’s Randy Moss to 24 yards receiving on four receptions. Revis also contributed five tackles and one interception of Patriots quarterback Tom Brady in New York’s 16-9 win at the Meadowlands.
Larry Fitzgerald, Arizona Cardinals receiver: Fitzgerald helped the Cards rebound after a disappointing season opening loss to San Francisco. The current Madden ’10 video game cover boy hauled in a 22-yard scoring pass from Kurt Warner in Arizona’s 31-17 win over host Jacksonville. Fitzgerald finished with four catches for 34 yards in the win.
Gerald Hayes, Arizona Cardinals linebacker: Hayes was a stabilizing force in Arizona’s defense during their 31-17 win at Jacksonville. Hayes finished with three tackles and assisted the defense in holding the Jaguars to 92 yards rushing.
LaRod Stephens-Howling, Arizona Cardinals kick returner: The rookie finished with 14 yards rushing on two carries and added 25 yards worth of kick return yardage.
Shawntae Spencer, San Francisco 49ers cornerback: Spencer is fast becoming a force in San Francisco’s secondary. Spencer finished with two tackles in their 23-10 win over Seattle and helped hold the Seahawks to 224 yards passing.
Andy Lee, San Francisco 49ers punter: Lee kept Seattle’s offense pinned deep all day Sunday. The sixth-year punter averaged 40 yards per punt on six boots in Sunday’s 23-10 over the Seahawks.
LeSean McCoy, Philadelphia Eagles running back: Shady made things happen Sunday when he touched the ball in Philadelphia’s 48-22 loss to the New Orleans Saints. McCoy finished with 18 yards on three carries and added 37 yards receiving on four receptions.
Posted on September 20th, 2009 by Admin
By David Whipkey | Pitt Panthers Gameday Correspondent
Pitt used an efficient offense and disciplined defense to upend Navy 27-14 Saturday night before 55,064 at Heinz Field.
Silencing some of his critics, fifth-year senior quarterback Bill Stull enjoyed a solid performance. The Seton LaSalle product finished with 17 completions in 24 attempts for 245 yards and one score. Stull directed an 89-yard touchdown drive on the Panthers (3-0) initial offensive possession. His six-yard scoring toss to senior receiver Oderick Turner capped the march.
The maligned signal-caller found eight different receivers on the evening. Sophomore sensation Jonathan Baldwin led all pass catchers with six receptions for 111 yards.
“We came in with a plan to throw the ball and I thought that we did that effectively, said Pitt coach Dave Wannstedt. “ I was very pleased. I thought Bill made good decisions and got the ball out quickly.”
Pitt’s aerial attack was needed on a night when the Panthers ground game was controlled by a tough Midshipmen defense. Panthers running back Dion Lewis entered Saturday night’s contest as the nation’s third leading rusher with 159.5 yards rushing per game. He was held to 79 yards on 23 carries. But the true freshman from Albany, N.Y. scored from six yards out late in the first half to give Pitt a 21-7 lead.
“Things were rolling today,” said Stull. “I was screaming a little bit on the sidelines to get the defense pumped up. The only thing that can stop us is ourselves.”
For the second year in a row, Pitt’s defense contained Navy’s potent option offense. The Panthers limited Navy to 218 total yards of offense; only 129 came on the ground. Navy entered the contest averaging 238 yards rushing per game.
The Midshipmen gobbled up 331 yards on the ground in a 48-45 win over Pitt at Heinz Field in 2007.
“This is a difficult scheme to prepare for and I thought our defensive coaches and our players really bought into what we were trying to do this week,” said Wannstedt.
Navy was able to move the ball at times Saturday night. Midshipmen quarterback Ricky Dobbs capped a 52-yard march by plunging in from the 1 late in the first period. Navy found the end zone again in the fourth when slot back Marcus Curry scored from four yards out to slice Pitt’s lead to 24-14.
But the Pitt ground game help seal the deal with a 79-yard drive that was climaxed by an 18-yard Dan Hutchins field goal that pushed the Panthers lead to 13 points with 5:02 remaining in regulation.
Navy never threatened to score again thanks to a Panthers defense that owned the line of scrimmage and pressured Dobbs into 15 incompletions in 21 attempts. The Pitt defense was paced by freshman Dan Mason, who was making his first career start at linebacker. Mason finished with 11 tackles and two sacks. Panthers defensive tackle Gus Mustakas added 10 stops and helped corral Navy’s offense throughout the evening.
“It’s like we’ve been saying all week, the big thing about this game was responsibility,” said Mustakas. “And everyone has to do their assignment. You can’t be heroes when you face this offense. We did a great job with responsibilities.”
Posted on September 17th, 2009 by Admin
By David Whipkey | Pitt Panthers Gameday Correspondent
It appears a full-fledged, no-holds-barred quarterback derby could be brewing for Dave Wannstedt’s Pitt squad in 2010.
Wednesday’s verbal commitment by Bethlehem Liberty senior signal caller Anthony Gonzalez will give the Panthers four scholarship quarterbacks next year. Filling out the roster will include veterans Pat Bostick, Central Catholic’s Tino Sunseri and Kolby Gray.
Many pundits and fans have been calling for the coaching staff to upgrade the position. The howls grew louder and louder last season as current starter Bill Stull performed inconsistently throughout the year. The nadir came in the 2008 Brut Sun Bowl, a 3-0 Panthers loss to Oregon State of the Pac-10. Stull’s 7-for-24, 52 yard day on New Year’s Eve was a performance that created questions amongst legions of Panther followers.
Stull supporters will point to solid performances against South Florida, Navy, Louisville and the first half against Rutgers as evidence the senior from Seton-LaSalle High School can perform at the Division I level.
A concussion late in the third quarter of a 54-34 loss to the Scarlet Knights at Heinz Field ended Stull’s day and may be a factor in his erratic performance down the stretch last year.
So far, Stull has shown he can manage Pitt’s attack in the early part of this season. His five touchdown passes combined against Youngstown State and Buffalo are more than half of the nine total scores he threw for last year.
But tougher tests lurk in the future for Stull as defenses from N.C. State, Notre Dame, South Florida and West Virginia await.
At least Pitt has the luxury of having a quarterback with a year’s worth of starting experience in 2009. That luxury will not be available come September 2010.
Even with the signing of Gonzalez and the coaching staff’s seemingly increasing infatuation with the local product Sunseri, Bostick should have the inside track on the starting job next year.
Remember, Bostick was the most heralded Pitt quarterback recruit since Rod Rutherford. Schools such as Tennessee, Penn State and others courted the Manheim Township product and for good reason. Bostick was selected as 2006 Gatorade Pennsylvania Player of the Year. His 7,259 yards passing is good for fifth all time in the annals of Pennsylvania high school football.
As a freshman, Bostick took over for an injured Stull and ineffective Kevan Smith. Though there were growing pains along the way and questions about his mobility and arm strength, Bostick engineered wins over ranked teams such as Cincinnati and West Virginia. Last year, he helped guide Pitt to a four-overtime win over Notre Dame in South Bend.
Both Wannstedt and offensive coordinator Frank Cignetti Jr. have raved in the past about Bostick’s desire to improve and his work ethic. But that does not guarantee he will take the reins next year.
Sunseri took his fair share of first-team reps this summer and appears to have a good grasp of the offense according to published reports. Coaches said they are also impressed with Gray’s athleticism and potential. But an arm injury forced the staff to bestow upon him a medical redshirt.
Added into the mix is the intriguing Anthony Gonzalez. Western Pennsylvania high school football fans should know him well. As a junior, Gonzalez put his Liberty squad on his shoulders and led them to a PIAA Class AAAA title game win over Bethel Park. Gonzalez received offers from powers Penn State, Florida State, Oregon, Missouri and Maryland before deciding to call Pittsburgh home for the next three to four years.
Gonzalez’ athleticism and talent is tantalizing. He also played defensive back in high school and was recruited by the Nittany Lions to play in their defensive backfield. If longtime Penn State defensive coordinator Tom Bradley believes you can play his secondary, you are a tremendous athlete.
Give Wannstedt and his staff credit. There will be legitimate options for the Panthers at the quarterback position in 2010, and for the first time since Tyler Palko was leading Pitt to a Big East title in 2004, the future is bright behind center.
Posted on September 17th, 2009 by Admin
By David Whipkey | Pitt Panthers Gameday Correspondent
No doubt Pitt coach Dave Wannstedt remembers what happened the Navy Midshipmen last played at Heinz Field.
Two years ago, the Midshipmen’s option attack rolled up 331 yards on the ground in their 48-45 overtime win. Pitt’s defense seemed clueless all night as Navy’s offense gobbled up large chunks of real estate and controlled the flow of the game.
“I don’t think we need to talk a whole lot about Navy,” said Wannstedt. “We know them. We know what a great football program they have, what good players they have, what they bring every time they show up on the field from an effort and attitude standpoint.”
Pitt earned a measure of revenge last year at Annapolis with a 42-21 victory over Navy. The Panthers defense atoned for the 2007 contest by limiting the high-powered Midshipmen option running game to 194 yards, nearly 100 yards below their average.
“This is a whole different deal this week,” Wannstedt said in reference to prepping for Navy. “On every play, everybody’s responsible. Last year when preparing for Navy, on the first two days, we did not use a football. When preparing for the wishbone, on every single play, someone is responsible for the quarterback, fullback and the pitch. You want to make sure that you are assignment clean.”
Navy’s attack has been status quo this year. The Midshipmen (1-1) average 238 yards per game on the ground. Quarterback Ricky Dobbs (four rushing touchdowns) and slot back Marcus Curry (three rushing touchdowns) average more than 68 yards per game each. No one ball carrier can be focused on by the defense, said Wannstedt.
“So that will be a big focus, when they change their formations, and change what they do, making sure that all the time we are clean on responsibilities. Who has the quarterback, who has the fullback and who has the pitch.”
In the season opener against then No. 6 Ohio State before 105,092 fans in Columbus, Navy accumulated 186 yards rushing and had the Buckeyes on the ropes before falling 31-27.
“They’re a mature football team,” Wannstedt said in reference to the Midshipmen. “They’re older guys who have been in the system for a couple years. They’re out there battling and playing this game because they love to play the game.”
Wannstedt added Navy was able to match up with the Buckeyes from a physical standpoint.
“They got to the ball. Ohio State made one or two big plays on them. It was athletic ability more than it was that guys were out of plays. You really didn’t see Ohio State knocking them off the ball,” added the Pitt coach.
Dobbs also adds the threat of throwing the football. In two games, Dobbs has completed 14 of 21 throws for 259 yards, two scores and only one interception.
“Their quarterback is as probably as good a passer as what they’ve had in the past several years,” said Wannstedt. “Even though they are a running team and they want to run the ball, they do pose the threat of run-pass.”
Posted on September 16th, 2009 by Admin
By David Whipkey | Pitt Panthers Gameday
For the past several years, Pitt fans have pleaded for the Panthers to bring in a top-flight quarterback that can become an impact player.
It appears those wishes are close to being realized.
Bethlehem Liberty (PA) senior signal caller Anthony Gonzalez has verbally committed to the Panthers. Programs such as Florida State, Maryland and Penn State were all in the running for Gonzalez.
The 6 foot 2, 195 pound senior is a dual threat at quarterback. As a junior, Gonzalez rushed for 1,697 yards and threw for 1,570 yards. He also scored 36 total touchdowns.
Gonzalez also engineered a 28-21 overtime win over Bethel Park in the PIAA Class AAAA title game last year in Hershey. In the contest, Gonzalez carried the ball 33 times for 205 yards and three scores. His performance propelled Liberty to their first ever state title.
“I just feel more comfortable,” Gonzalez told the Allentown Morning Call. “The place is just like Liberty. The coaches care about you. I feel like I can play right away. That’s my biggest thing. I’m not used to sitting.”
Gonzalez will be joining Liberty alum and receiver Devin Street on the Panthers squad.
Posted on September 14th, 2009 by Admin
By David Whipkey | Pitt Panthers Gameday Corespondent
A contest appeared to be on paper a low-scoring defensive struggle between Pitt and Buffalo became a back-and-forth shootout. Pitt’s 54-27 win may have exposed some defensive flaws, but also was encouraging on multiple levels. Here are some points of interest:
- Callers to talk shows and some pundits themselves have expressed that the Bulls passing attack may have shown some chinks in the armor of the Pitt defense. Making his second start, Buffalo quarterback threw for 400 yards and generally looked comfortable throughout the contest. Many of his throws were of the quick variety, as well as on the move.
- Pitt’s secondary should be taken to task. However, Buffalo receivers Naaman Roosevelt (six catches, 157 yards, two scores) and Brett Hamlin (12 grabs, 149 yards) could play for any other BCS-level program in the country. Think Terrelle Pryor would like to have those two targets at Ohio State, if only he could get the ball to them.
- Andrew Taglianetti’s season-ending knee injury is a huge blow to both Pitt’s defense and kick coverage units. Taglianetti was enjoying a Troy Polamalu-like performance in the first quarter Saturday with five tackles and a fumble recovery. Replacing Taglianetti will be the much-ballyhooed Elijah Fields, who at times looked lost early. But he recovered in time to make a key interception late in the fourth quarter.
- Much was expected from Fields since his 2006 recruitment to Pitt. Many personnel experts believe he has NFL-quality athleticism. He will need to live up to those expectations if the Panthers are to field a quality defense this season.
- Senior Adam Gunn appears to becoming a force at middle linebacker. He was named Big East Defensive Player of the Week following a three sack, 11 tackle performance at Buffalo. Gunn, who is replacing All-America Scott McKillop, has displayed a level of speed and athleticism that is expected from the coaching staff.
- Pitt may have a weapon in kickoff returner Cameron Saddler. The redshirt freshman totaled 80 yards on three returns and appeared to be one-step away from taking one all the way for a score. Ask any Pitt follower the last time the Panthers possessed such a weapon and they would be hard-pressed to remember such a player.
- The offensive seems to have three players that can create match-up issues for a defense. Freshman running back Dion Lewis (190 yards rushing, two touchdowns) is on his way to becoming a star. The Albany, NY native has shown a penchant for not only making defenders miss and breaking a long-gainer at any moment, but for also finishing his runs. Too often Lesean McCoy tried hitting the long ball instead of taking what is there. Lewis has a patience and instinct that coaches just cannot teach.
- This was clearly Dorin Dickerson’s coming out party. The senior from West Allegheny High School was courted by college programs such as Florida, Southern California and Penn State. After three plus years, he seems to have a home at the tight end/H-back position. No linebacker can cover him and he can overpower defensive backs. His eight catch, 71-yard, three score day may be the tip of the iceberg.
- Sophomore receiver Jonathan Baldwin kick started Pitt’s opening march with two first-down receptions. Although he only finished with four catches for 44 yards, the 6’5 receiver will serve not only as a big, inviting target, but take two defenders downfield, opening the field for Lewis and Dickerson.
- Finally, quarterback Bill Stull performed well as a game-manager. His downfield attempts were less than good, but as long as he gets the ball to Lewis, Dickerson and Baldwin in some capacity, the offense will move and score points. If Stull can play point-guard, all will be well.
- The offensive line allowed no sacks and paved the way for 210 yards on the ground, two stats that should provide a smile on Coach Dave Wannstedt’s face.
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