Wanny Wins a Big One, AGAIN!

Program Changing Win, Part II

The Pitt Panthers are 2-0 in their last 2 games against top 10 teams. The first one came in the 13-9 game against WVU to close the disappointing 2007 season, win 2 came hours ago as Pitt defeated 10th-ranked South Florida 26-21. The 2 wins both were big for the program, and both eerily similar.

Let’s take a closer look at how these 2 games break down. Since Dave Wannestedt took over Pitt he made it clear that he wanted his teams to be power teams that controlled both lines of scrimmage. Last year versus WVU, Pitt took on one of the best rushing attacks in football and out gained the Mountaineers on the ground 158-104. Against South Florida, a team that had held all 5 opponents to 76 yards or less on the ground this year, the Panthers out rushed the Bulls 146-116. When you control the trenches you also control the time of possession. Pitt was able to keep the high-powered WVU offense off the field last December, holding the ball for 36:19. The Bulls offense came in to the game against the Panthers as one of the most explosive in the Big East. Pitt managed to keep them off the field as well, controlling the ball for 36:54 of the game.

Shady McCoy was the workhorse in both these games as well. Against West Virginia McCoy ran 38 times for 148 yards. He carried the ball 28 times for 142 and 2 TD’s against USF.

But the biggest story of this game and the West Virginia game has to be the defense. The defense made play after play against West Virginia and did the same in Tampa versus the Bulls.

USF could have put the game away early after scoring a special teams TD, but the Pitt defense held tough. The next South Florida possession lasted all of 2 plays after Dom DiCicco intercepted Matt Grothe to stop any momentum the Bulls may have had after their first touchdown. The Panthers defense held tough the rest of the first half limiting South Florida, who came into the game averaging a Big East best 431ypg, to just 78 yards in the 1st half. The Panthers special teams also pitched in; by blocking a FG attempt in the 2nd quarter to help the Panther take a 17-7 lead into the half.

South Florida opened the 2nd half marching 76 yards for a touchdown to close the gap to 17-14, but the defense responded again. On the next 2 South Florida possessions they gained a total of –9 yards and were forced to 2 straight 3 & outs.
Dave Wannestedt clearly has a formula for winning and he used it to perfection again in Tampa. Pitt now is 4-1 overall and 2-0 in conference play, and maybe the current favorite to win the Big East this season.