Blogs

Dave Wannstedt opened training camp by revealing that “finish” was Pitt’s theme this season. It seemed appropriate for a team that lost five consecutive games to end the 2006 campaign, and even more appropriate now. The Panthers were finished before they started against Virginia, when Wannstedt gave up before the opening kickoff by attempting an [...]

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – Before Dave Wannstedt could commit his first act of desperation by turning Pitt’s offense over to true freshmen at quarterback and tailback, the Panthers coach attempted another. Wannstedt waved a white flag on the opening kickoff, trying an unsuccessful onside kick that gave Virginia its first of several drives starting in Pitt [...]

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – After spotting Virginia a 30-point lead, Pitt scored on LeSean McCoy’s 1-yard run to make it 30-7 at halftime. The Cavaliers were 6 of 8 on third-down conversions in the first half and, after scoring touchdowns on their first four possessions, settled for a 26-yard Chris Gould field goal to make it [...]

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – Virginia took advantage of Pitt’s self-inflicted wounds for a 27-0 first-quarter lead Saturday night at Scott Stadium. The Panthers allowed excellent field position and compounded their problems by committing eight penalties for 65 yards in the first quarter alone. On the opening kickoff, Pitt attempted an onside kick by Cody Sawhill, but [...]

Mike Gottfried has been watching Pitt football intently the past few weeks, and not just because he is a former Panthers head coach. Gottfried serves as a color analyst for ESPNU, which carried the Pitt-Connecticut game last week and will cover the Pitt-Virginia game tonight at 7 p.m. Although Gottfried could have every reason to [...]

It doesn’t take much prompting to get Pitt coach Dave Wannstedt gushing about Virginia All-America defensive end Chris Long, the son of Pro Football Hall of Fame member Howie and a future NFL player himself. “He’s quick, he’s strong. He plays so hard. He’s got it all. He’s the complete package,” Wannstedt said. “In my [...]

Even if he was just saying the right thing, LeSean McCoy showed maturity beyond his years by expressing a willingness to share carries with LaRod Stephens-Howling. McCoy’s attitude has made a strong impression on Pitt coach Dave Wannstedt, who named the freshman from Harrisburg Pitt’s starting tailback against Virginia. “He works as hard, with as [...]

Entertaining questions from the media probably ranks pretty low on Matt Cavanaugh’s list of favorite things to do, but the Pitt offensive coordinator was willing Tuesday to discuss everything from play-calling to the quarterbacks. What has to be disconcerting for Cavanaugh is that when the Panthers were averaging 31.8 points per game last season, the [...]

Pitt football coach Dave Wannstedt is looking for some direction after the 34-14 loss to Connecticut in the Big East opener at Heinz Field, trying to keep his head up while the Panthers are plummeting. On Saturday night, Wannstedt took responsibility for the “disappointing” defeat. On Monday afternoon, he made excuses. “For me to stand [...]

With a look of disappointment and resignation – but, to the disappointment of some Pitt fans, not a letter of resignation – an apologetic Dave Wannstedt took accountability for one of the Panthers’ most embarrassing losses in years. It wasn’t that Pitt lost to Connecticut, or that this was the second consecutive loss to the [...]