Pitt's Romeus Is Not In A Rush

Quarterbacks and offensive linemen all around the Big East were collectively disappointed to find out that defensive end Greg Romeus will be returning for his senior season with the Pittsburgh Panthers. The Big East’s Co-Defensive Player of the Year received a third round draft grade from the NFL Advisory Committee, which he understands is a conservative projection.

“I knew it could be higher than that, so it didn’t matter,” Romeus said of the grade and where he ultimately could get drafted. “Coach (Dave Wannstedt) basically told me that. If that (third round grade) was a reason (for me coming back), it wasn’t a big reason.”

More importantly, Romeus believes that another year at the collegiate level will help his career. He told College Football Insiders Radio that it wasn’t just one reason or another, but rather many factors which led to his decision to return to Pittsburgh for his senior campaign.

“The pros outweighed the cons,” Romeus said of staying in school. Like most college football players who must decide whether or not they are ready to make the jump to the NFL, Romeus leaned heavily on his family and head coach.

“It was a long decision. I didn’t make my mind up actually until the last week, a few days before the deadline. I talked to Coach. He talked to me. Toward the last few games he just told me he would look things up for me and tell me what the best option would be,” Romeus said. “He and my family all sat down and came to the conclusion that the best decision for me would be to stay. Every year it seems I have improved, not just physically but mentally, which is a big part of the game that you need to haave when it comes to going to the next level. I just think another year of experience would benefit me a lot more. There’s really no rush.”

Who else encouraged him? None other than Pittsburgh alumnus and current New York Jet Darrelle Revis, who provided advice and shared his own experience; as a junior, he was presented with the same choice.

“He (Revis) told me to just trust Coach,” Romeus told College Football Insiders Radio. Adding, “I knew Coach wouldn’t lead me in the wrong direction.” Wannstedt appears to have earned the type of trust in his players that can be the core of a program on the rise.

A high school basketball star, Romeus was a bit behind in the learning curve but made a solid contribution as a red-shirt freshman in 2007, recording 41 tackles, 11.5 tackles for a loss and four sacks. In 2008 those numbers leaped to 51 tackles, 15.5 tackles for a loss and 7.5 sacks. The 6’6”, 270-pound Romeus enjoyed a 2009 season in which he finished with eight sacks, 43 tackles, three forced fumbles, five passes defended and an interception on his way to Co-Big East Defensive Player of the Year honors, as well as an All-College Football Insiders third team selection.

So where does he need to improve? Romeus wants to lead the team and ensure they achieve all that they can in 2010.

“We have a lot of goals for next year and to come back and have a chance to win a championship would be something good. I’m happy with my decision and I don’t regret it.”

Next year, Pittsburgh returns some key pieces from a 10-3 team that nearly pulled off a conference championship. Something that will be vital is leadership, and Romeus is on it.

“Me, as a senior, I feel as if I have to get out there and lead the guys. I’m ready to take on that role, coming in there everyday and making sure we train as hard as we can.”

Romeus understands that next year could bring even greater opportunities for him, namely a college degree and a Big East Championship. He’s already gotten college football fans excited about the 2010 Panthers, admiring the program’s consistency.

“We’re just improving every day. Everybody understands that it starts in the off-season and it’s something that we’re all buying into. Every year that happens we see the results are getting better. We are looking forward to that.”

As for this coming weekend, if you think Romeus is rooting for Revis to win a championship of his own, think again. When asked if he would be rooting for the former Panther he answered in the negative.

“Living in my Miami, we learned not to like the Jets.”

Click Here To Listen To Entire College Football Insiders Interview With Greg Romeus

Photos Courtesy of Dennis Hubbard & University of Pittsburgh

Meineke Car Care Bowl – Pittsburgh 19, UNC 17

* Run Baby, Run: As he has all season long, freshman tailback Dion Lewis carried the load for the Pittsburgh offense. The Albany (New York) native turned in his 10th 100-yard game of the season and eighth in a row. His season-low 79 yards came on September 19th against Navy, which was also the only game he failed to average over four-yards per carry (3.4 versus the Midshipmen). Lewis’ 159-yard day against the Tar Heels was his fourth straight over 150 yards and seventh such performance of the season.

What the freshman tailback lacks in straight-line speed, he more than makes up for with burst—when he sees the hole, Lewis shoots through it. With excellent vision and instincts the Panther does a good job of weaving between the tackles, and is stronger than you think. His patience gives his linemen the opportunity to block. His first step is where the play is designed to go, after that it’s a lot of instinct. He’s extremely dangerous when he cuts back and goes against the grain. The little guy almost gets lost in between the tackles, then finds a little sliver and emerges from the scrum. Even in small spaces, he has the quickness to take a little side step to make someone miss. The lost fumble by Lewis is very uncharacteristic, the first of his career—he went 302 carries as a collegian without a fumble.

Lewis broke the legendary Tony Dorsett’s freshman rushing record at Pitt, which stood since 1973 at 1,686 yards. His 10 100-yard games matched Dorsett’s 1973 campaign, while Lewis’ 17 rushing touchdowns and 19 total scores are new marks for Panther freshmen. The rookie ball carrier finished the season with a total of 1,799 yards, second all-time in school history, passing Craig “Ironhead” Heyward (1,791 yards in 1987), looking up only to Dorsett’s Heisman Trophy season in 1976, when the Hall of Famer ran for 2,150 yards.

Lewis isn’t the next coming of Dorsett, but could anyone ask for more from the lightly recruited three-star recruit? After the game, head coach Dave Wannstedt evoked the name of not only Dorsett but Emmitt Smith and Ricky Williams as he spoke about how great backs get stronger as the game goes on. North Carolina’s Butch Davis compared him to a former Miami Hurricane.

“He reminds me of Clinton Portis,” Davis said of Lewis. “He has that same explosiveness in the hole as Portis. He can jump straight, sideways, spin and cut. Because of his speed and because of his quickness he doesn't take a lot of blows.”

We should also recognize Pitt’s fullback Henry Hynoski, who at 6’2” and 260 pounds has prototypical size for a lead back. He did a great job much of the day taking on North Carolina’s star-studded linebacking corps, neutralizing them on most of the Panther’s positive runs. Many of Lewis’ effective runs came following Hynoski into the hole. The sophomore also has decent hands making three catches on the day. Senior tight end Nate Byham did an excellent of job of blocking at the point of attack as well. At 6’4” and 265 pounds, Byham is a legitimate tight end.

* The Arial Attack: After getting away with a potential interception early on—when Bill Stull tossed one under pressure and overthrew his receiver, dropping the ball into the hands of a UNC defensive back—the senior signal caller had a very solid performance to lead the Panther’s to the victory. The Pittsburgh native completed 17-24 passes for 163 yards. He has a decent arm, and when given time to set and throw, he’s a pretty passer. Stull has nice touch on his passes and when he’s on, the quarterback can be fairly accurate. For the season, Stull finished with 2,633 yards, 21 touchdown passes and eight interceptions (65.1 completion percentage), almost shocking numbers after such an inconsistent 2008 campaign—2,356 yards, nine touchdowns and 10 interceptions (57 completion percentage).

Leading receiver, true sophomore Jonathan Baldwin had a quiet day—three receptions for 31 yards, as did senior pass catching tight end Dorin Dickerson—four receptions for 21 yards. The duo had trouble making things happen against the speedy and athletic North Carolina secondary. Baldwin did show off his upper body strength using his stiff arm to get extra yards after the catch on his first grab of the game. Not many receivers climb the ladder like Baldwin, who always uses his hands to catch the football. He is a good and willing blocker. Typically for a man of his size—6’5” and 225 pounds—Baldwin is impressive after the catch. Dickerson who is undersized for a tight end—6’2” and 230 pounds—can line up at fullback and H-Back, in addition to tight end. Dickerson struggled to make plays after the catch and needs to work on his blocking, otherwise he will be limited at the next level. The senior also dropped a would- be touchdown—he was interfered with (flag thrown)—but Dickerson should have made the catch anyway.

Stull’s favorite target on the day came as a surprise, as freshman backup Mike Shanahan led Pittsburgh with five receptions for 83 yards. He worked the deep in route to perfection. Shanahan got deeper than the UNC linebackers on a regular basis and caught passes in front of the Tar Heels’ defensive backs. He has great size (6’5” and 220 pounds), good hands and runs his routes well. On the Panthers’ go-ahead drive in the fourth quarter, Shanahan made a big catch, taking a big hit. Entering the bowl game, the freshman pass catcher had just 10 career receptions—Shanahan could emerge as a solid number two receiver taking advantage of all the attention paid to Baldwin by making plays across the middle of the field.

In addition to his run blocking, Byham was very good helping out in pass protection. Left tackle Jason Pinkston was also impressive as a pass blocker. For the most part the junior did an excellent job on North Carolina’s speedy pass rushers. On the other side of the line, sophomore right tackle OT Lucas Nix had his trouble keeping their ends out of the backfield.

* Best Pro Prospect – Pittsburgh: DE Greg Romeus, Junior – 3 tackles, 1 TFL, 1 PD, 1 FF

First off, don’t leave your tight ends to block Greg Romeus. North Carolina tried and the junior end shed the block with ease and engulfed the North Carolina runner in the backfield for a loss of three yards. For a player who did not play organized football until his senior season of high school, Romeus displays some impressive instincts. He made a nice read on an end around that he attacked perfectly on the weakside–Romeus was disciplined in containment and let the play came to him. The difference-making end didn’t make the tackle but the UNC receiver retreated to get around Romeus and wound up losing 11 yards on the play. The junior also does a good job of getting his hands up. On one particular play he read the screen and batted the ball down, using his amazing wingspan. He’s really learning the game, which makes one hope he returns for his final season, even though he appears headed towards being a second round pick. Romeus can bring it off the edge, but he can also stunt and bring pressure from the inside. The Florida native keeps playing to the whistle—he doesn’t stand around if he can’t get into the backfield. He’s also very strong, ripping the football out of the hands of North Carolina’s tailback, even when the runner had both hands on the ball. He is an impressive athlete, who on occasion even dropped back in coverage. Romeus is 6’6” and 270 pounds so size is not an issue.

* More Pitt Defense: In addition to Romeus, the Panthers have one of the more talented front sevens in the country, beginning with a deep, productive and versatile defensive line. Manning the other defensive end position for Pitt is fellow junior Jabaal Sheard, who at 6’4” and 260 pounds can more than hold his own. Sheard is capable of getting off blocks, which allowed him to record two tackles for a loss, including a sack. Throughout most of the game, Sheard lined up extra wide on the strongside, outside of the tight end rather than tackle.

Senior defensive tackle Mick Williams is one of the quicker linemen around, using that first step and footwork to get into the offensive backfield. Williams recorded two sacks on the day, although on one of them was completely unblocked. He is only 6’1” and 280 pounds, which is why he won’t be a high draft pick despite being co-Defensive Player of the Year in the Big East. Fellow senior defensive tackle Gus Mustakas (6’3” and 285 pounds) is your classic overachiever—a high effort player who finds a way to make in impact. Even with Williams, Mustakas and possibly Romeus on the way out, Pittsburgh has more than enough talent coming back. In addition to Sheard, keep an eye on sophomores Myles Caragein (tackle), Chas Alecxih (tackle) and Brandon Lindsey (end), as well as freshman defensive end Shayne Hale, who is already 6’5” and 250 pounds.

At the next level, sophomore Max Gruder and freshman Dan Mason were impressive. Gruder is very active against the pass, not allowing much after the catch. On one tackle in the short passing game, the weakside linebacker forced a North Carolina fumble. He fills in nicely and is a sound tackler. The sophomore backs up his linemen well and gets in the mix at the line of scrimmage. He was all over any pass play on the flat to a back or tight end. Gruder recorded a game-high 11 tackles. Mason had good coverage and showed solid hands on his third and goal interceptions, just outside the goal line. He fills the hole well and wraps up when he gets there. There is a lot to like about this young linebacker. Sophomore Greg Williams (three tackles) was relatively quiet, but is another piece to what should be a stellar defense in 2010. Senior MIKE Adam Gunn made seven tackles, but he’s in trouble when engaged with blockers. Gunn lacks speed and isn’t very big (230 pounds), lacking the measurables to play at the next level. Another senior, corner Aaron Berry didn’t do much to help his stock this season. He has put up decent numbers but isn’t very big (180 pounds) and he doesn’t possess the breakaway speed NFL teams look for in their defensive backs, which is why he won’t be able to play man-to-man at the next level. He did make a great read, dropping back into the end zone, making it a tougher throw for the quarterback. Berry will likely get a look as a priority free agent for a team that plays predominately zone coverage in the secondary.

* Decision Time: The North Carolina Tar Heels have four very talented juniors—defensive tackle Marvin Austin, outside linebacker Bruce Carter, middle linebacker Quan Sturdivant and safety Deunta Williams—who could be first or second round picks should they declare for the 2010 NFL Draft—all four could go, but none of the four has to go.

Most evaluators would list Austin as possessing the most potential of the group. He can be such a force at the point of attack, twice tackling Lewis after a short gain. He is so quick and explosive for a man of his size (6’3” and 305 pounds). Using that quickness, Austin exploded into the backfield and got to Lewis at the goal line, but missed the tackle—he blew up the play, which resulted for no gain, but it could have been a better play. That epitomizes Austin, glimpses of greatness, but more often than not leaving you wanting more. At times, he gets blocked one-on-one by average players, which shouldn’t happen with his ability.

Normally consistent performers, neither Carter nor Sturdivant were very impressive from their linebacker positions. Each made four total tackles—three solos by Sturdivant and one solo by Carter—with no interceptions, pass breakups, sacks or tackles for a loss. The 6’3” and 230-pound Carter is normally a big playmaker, but wasn’t very active versus Pitt. In the second half he made a great open field tackle on Pittsburgh’s Dickerson, where he got to show off his sideline-to-sideline speed. Sturdivant did a nice job of covering Dickerson on a passing play with the Pittsburgh playmaker coming out of the backfield after having lined up at fullback. He’s an effective blitzer, who plays a hard and relentless brand of football—he will make plays on the other side of the field—but more was expected of the junior MIKE. You wonder if the physical power attack of Pittsburgh was something the Tar Heels weren’t ready for and neutralized their speed and athleticism. We have been big fans of both Carter and Sturdivant, and while one game doesn’t tell the whole story, if they are thinking of making the jump, one would have expected a better effort.

Williams didn’t turn in his best performance of the season either. The junior safety allowed Dickerson to run right by him on a potential touchdown, which Dickerson dropped. Williams interfered on the play and not very well, as Dickerson still got in the open and the ball hit him on the hands. Williams was not very physical and on one missed tackle he was simply sloppy, not wrapping up on the ball carrier after attacking the line of scrimmage. He displayed good coverage ability, as he ran stride for stride with Baldwin, and positioned himself well between Baldwin and the ball, ensuring the Pittsburgh playmaker could not get to the football.

* The Senior Defensive Linemen: Defensive end E.J. Wilson had a good showing in his final game wearing Carolina Blue. The senior recorded five tackles, a sack and forced two fumbles. He is an all effort player, and his first forced fumble was due to that hustle—it came 30 yards down field at the UNC one-yard line just outside of the end zone as Lewis was headed for a score. On his sack, he blew by Pitt’s right tackle and got his hand on Stull to force fumble (Pitt retained possession). At 6’3” and 280 pounds, Wilson is also very strong and stout at the point of attack, which is why some view him as a potential 3-4 end at the next level.

Defensive tackles Cam Thomas and Aleric Mullins are rotation-type players. Thomas displayed nice pop off the snap. He is a legitimate run-stuffing space eater and a potential nose tackle at the next level. Thomas checks in 6’4” and 325 pounds. Not as big, but no small man is Mullins, who is 6’3” and 305 pounds. Mullins showed the ability to get pressure on the quarterback and he is capable of getting a push up the middle. Of the two, Thomas should get drafted, while Mullins may have to earn his way on to a roster as PFA.

* The Front Seven–Stars of Tomorrow: Maybe the brightest star on the entire Tar Heels team regardless of class is sophomore defensive end Robert Quinn, however against Pittsburgh he was a non-factor other than one hit he got on the quarterback. Quinn had trouble getting by Pittsburgh’s left tackle (Pinkston). The sophomore is athletic with prototypical size (6’5 and 270 pound) and should begin the 2010 season on many preseason All-American lists. Fellow sophomores Quinton Coples and Michael McAdoo should be back as well, with Coples the likely man to replace Wilson in the starting rotation. In the fourth quarter, he got good pressure coming off the edge to force Stull out of the pocket and on the next play, Coples picked up a sack. The end is quick and explosive getting into the backfield. Quinn, Coples (6’6” and 275 pounds) and McAdoo (6’7” and 245 pounds) would make a fine frontcourt for Roy Williams on the hardwood. Should Austin make the jump to the NFL, they still possess a former four-star recruit in red-shirt sophomore Tydreke Powell (6’3” and 300 pounds). At outside linebacker sophomore Zach Brown and freshman Kevin Reddick are two more talented defenders. Brown made two tackles, while Reddick finished the game strong, making several plays in the second half. The freshman has good size and speed; he’s a sure tackler versus the run and very comfortable near the line of scrimmage.

* The Defensive Backs: Joining Williams in the UNC secondary were a trio of juniors—strong safety Da’Norris Searcy, along with corners Kendrick Burney and Charles Brown. Burney, a two-year starter is also considering making himself available for the 2010 Draft, but would be wise to return. He was beat one-on-one by Baldwin early on, who used a stiff arm, but otherwise had a solid night. Burney likes to play near the line of scrimmage and is an excellent tackler who his capable of getting in the backfield. Burney (4 tackles, 1 TFL) can deliver a big hit once he bursts through on a run blitz. Brown (5 tackles, 1 TFL) was also active throughout the contest. He had good coverage on a deep route by Baldwin on pass to the end zone. With Pittsburgh backed up at their own end zone (at the two-yard), the junior cover man stayed with Baldwin down the field, one-on-one, with no help. He also made a big time play getting underneath the block of the right guard on screen pass and wrapped up well on Lewis—read and react. The only blemish on the night was a dropped interception. The least heralded of the Carolina defensive backs is Searcy, who probably had the best game of the bunch. The strong safety made eight tackles, six of the solo variety to lead the team. He did a great job beating a Dickerson block to make play in the backfield going wide. Later, he had good pass coverage on Dickerson. The junior can also creep up and make a play near line of scrimmage and deliver a big hit against the run. Searcy returns kicks (93 yards on 4 returns) and punts (28 yards on 2 returns) as well for the Heels, adding value. He is an underrated football player.

* The Carolina Offense: The best offensive player for the Tar Heels was junior wide receiver Greg Little. The first offensive play for UNC was an end around to Little for a 31-yard gain. The former running back is a player the Heels can’t get the ball to enough. He made several outstanding catches, capable of going up to get the ball and catch it at its highest point. Little is an impressive athlete, who is developing as a wide receiver—he has good hands and catches the ball away from his body, which is what you want to see. Little caught seven passes for 87 yards and two touchdowns, numbers which could have been bigger with better quarterback play. Little went over 60 receptions for fifth best single-season in school history. This was the first game in which Little had multiple touchdown receptions.

“For the first time Greg Little got to play the position for a full year for the position we recruited him to play,” Davis said afterwards. “When we recruited him to play, we said this is a prototypical, big time wide receiver. He is big, he's strong, he has great hands, he has run after catch. He didn't know anything about being a receiver. We wasted a lot of time trying to make a running back out of him just to get some speed at that position.”

Freshman wideout Erik Highsmith is the up and comer on the UNC offense. He can make things happen after the catch—quick acceleration and strong running with the football. But he also had a bad fumble—when turning up field the freshman needs to secure the ball better. Another pass catcher who could have a breakout 2010 season is junior tight end Zack Pianalto. In addition to his two receptions for 26 yards, Pianalto made a nice one-handed grab for a would-be touchdown, which was negated by an illegal formation penalty. He has soft hands and is a good athlete, who can make things happen after the catch. UNC moved the junior around—he lined up at split back and in the backfield. He needs to get bigger and stronger—he had no chance to block Romeus when asked to do so one-on-one.

The running game centers around power back Ryan Houston, who is built like a brick house (6’2” and 245 pounds). Houston is limited, purely a between the tackles runner, but he is good at what he does. The junior is a physical runner and once he gets his momentum going he is difficult to bring down—he either breaks the tackle or will at the very least fall forward. Typically, he won’t make many tacklers miss in the backfield, although he made nice cutback to make Romeus miss—it looked like he surprised the Pitt defensive end. Houston is an excellent short yardage back and often gives that second effort to get the yardage that is needed. He is tough to deal with late in games as a defense gets worn down.

Photos Courtesy of University of Pittsburgh, Dennis Hubbard & UNC Athletic Communications

Bowl Projections

Breaking Down the Bowl Game schedule, and some potential match-ups

THE TITLE GAME:

1.7.10 - Citi BCS Championship Game (BCS #1 vs. BCS #2) Texas vs. Alabama - A very satisfying Championship: Two coaches with rings and 13-0 squads. What’s not to love?

THE BCS BOWLS:

1.1.10 - Rose Bowl presented by Citi (BCS/Big Ten Champ If Available vs. BCS/Pac-10 Champ If Available) Ohio State vs. Oregon - Only thing you’d need is Keith Jackson to make it complete.

1.1.10 - Allstate Sugar Bowl (BCS/SEC Champ If Available vs. BCS) Florida vs. Cincinnati - An undefeated Bearcats team could prove themselves to all the Big East haters out there by knocking off the SEC runner-up.

1.4.10 - Tostitos Fiesta Bowl (BCS/Big 12 Champ If Available vs. BCS) Boise State vs. Iowa - Some other candidates for this bowl game would be…Oklahoma State, Penn State, Pittsburgh, Stanford or USC.

1.5.10 - FedEx Orange Bowl (BCS/ACC Champ If Available vs. BCS) Georgia Tech vs. TCU - Perhaps one of the most entertaining potential match-ups of any of the BCS games, it features pass rushers, quirky offenses and a galore of speedsters.

THE REST OF THE BOWL SCHEDULE:

12.19.09 - New Mexico Bowl (WAC vs. Mountain West) Nevada vs. Ohio - These are the glory years for Wolf Pack football…this would be their fourth consecutive bowl game.

12.20.09 - R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl (C-USA vs. Sun Belt) Southern Miss vs. Troy - The Troy Trojans have been sort of a dynasty in the Sun Belt.


12.19.09 - St. Petersburg Bowl (Big East vs. C-USA) South Florida vs. Central Florida - The winner will take home a trophy and an edge in the recruiting battle. Not to mention the right to talk smack all off-season.

12.22.09 - Las Vegas Bowl (Mountain West vs. Pac-10) Utah vs. Arizona - Could the Wildcats make it back-to-back Vegas Bowl wins?

12.23.09 - San Diego County Credit Union Poinsettia Bowl (Mountain West vs. Pac-10 or WAC) BYU vs. California - Could feature two pre-season Heisman candidates in Max Hall and Jahvid Best. Get your scoreboard ready!

12.24.09 - Sheraton Hawaii Bowl (WAC vs. C-USA) Fresno State vs. East Carolina - Christmas Eve football is always fun.

12.26.09 - Meineke Car Care Bowl (Big East vs. ACC) North Carolina vs. Pittsburgh - Head Coaches Dave Wannstedt and Butch Davis once hooked up in the NFL when the Dolphins defeated in the Browns. One of the two will get their first bowl victory at their current school.

12.26.09 - Little Caesars Bowl (MAC vs. Big Ten) Central Michigan vs. Iowa State - There’s a chance a Big Ten team would be in this one, imagine Michigan? We can’t either…

12.26.09 - Emerald Bowl (Pac-10 vs. ACC) Boston College vs. Stanford - Two of the more surprising teams of the year.

12.27.09- Gaylord Hotels Music City Bowl (ACC vs. SEC) Clemson vs. Auburn - Getting your money’s worth. These two teams could be ranked coming in.

12.28.09 - AdvoCare V100 Independence Bowl (SEC vs. Big 12) South Carolina vs. Kansas State - Two coaches who’ve seen better days (Steve Spurrier and Bill Snyder).

12.29.09 - EagleBank Bowl (ACC vs. Army/Conference USA) Duke vs. Marshall - The Blue Devils are one win away from becoming eligible, an amazing turn around from 1-11 in 2007.

12.29.09 - Champs Sports Bowl - (ACC vs. Big Ten) Florida State vs. Michigan State - Could be Head Coach Bobby Bowden’s final game.

12.30.09 - Roady’s Humanitarian Bowl (WAC vs. Mountain West) Idaho vs. Middle Tennessee State - Idaho A.D. Rob Spear refused to fly on Horizon airlines because their planes featured Boise State colors (and logo), now his team is likely to play on the Smurf Turf. Can anyone offer him a ride?

12.30.09 - Texas Bowl (Big XII vs. Navy) Texas Tech vs. Navy – Would Coach Mike Leach be more likely to twitter on the sidelines or run Navy’s triple-option?

12.30.09 - Pacific Life Holiday Bowl (Pac-10 vs. Big XII) USC vs. Oklahoma - Pete Carroll vs. Bob Stoops.

12.31.09 - Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl (Mountain West vs. C-USA) Air Force vs. Southern Methodist – Classic contrast: Run and Shoot vs. Triple Option.

12.31.09 - Burt Sun Bowl (Pac-10 vs. Big 12/Big East/Notre Dame) Oregon State vs. Notre Dame - A Notre Dame coach once got fired right before a bowl game facing Oregon State. Tyrone Willingham right before the 2004 Insight Bowl.

12.31.09 - Insight Bowl (Big 12 vs. Big Ten) Missouri vs. Minnesota - Gophers looking to end their Insight Bowl woes – lost in both 2006 and 2008.

12.31.09 - Chick-Fil-A Bowl (SEC vs. ACC) Tennessee vs. Virginia Tech – Expect bigger things in 2011…

1.1.10 - Outback Bowl (Big Ten vs. SEC) Wisconsin vs. Georgia - Two underrated teams, two hardnosed running games.

1.1.10 - Capital One Bowl (SEC vs. Big Ten) LSU vs. Penn State - Daunting defenses and classic jerseys, however a potential one-sided match-up.

1.1.10 - Konica Minolta Gator Bowl (ACC vs. Big 12/Big East/Notre Dame) Nebraska vs. Miami (FL) - 1984, 2001, 2010?

1.2.10 - International Bowl (Big East vs. MAC) Rutgers vs. Temple - It used to be a battle for the basement in the Big East, now is a contest between programs on the rise.

1.2.10 - Papa John.com Bowl (Big East vs. SEC) West Virginia vs. Kentucky - Sounds more like this year’s Elite Eight in the NCAAs.

1.2.10 - AT&T Cotton Bowl (Big 12 - SEC) Oklahoma State vs. Ole Miss - Features two exciting quarterbacks in Jevan Snead and Zac Robinson. Remember, in the pre-season these two teams were considered to be national title sleepers…

1.2.10 - AutoZone Liberty Bowl (C-USA vs. SEC) Houston vs. Arkansas - Over/Under around 83?

1.2.10 - Valero Alamo Bowl (Big Ten vs. Big 12) Northwestern vs. Texas A&M - For only the second time in school history Northwestern will be heading to back-to-back Bowl games. Now can they get their first post-season win since 1948?

1.6.10 - GMAC Bowl (ACC or WAC) Northern Illinois vs. Wyoming - The Wyoming Cowboys are just one win away from being bowl eligible.

Photos Courtesy of SEC Sports Media, Jaren Wilkey/BYU, FSU Sports Information, Dave
Stluka/Wisconsin

CFI Preview: Notre Dame @ Pittsburgh

Heinz Field, Saturday, 8:00PM ET, ABC

Overview

Charlie Weis returns to the site of his first college coaching victory when Notre Dame travels to Pittsburgh Saturday night to take on the Panthers at Heinz Field.

Much has changed for Notre Dame and Pittsburgh over the past five seasons. Weis and the Fighting Irish got off to a flying start, reaching a BCS game in each of his first two seasons at the helm.

The next three years have not been as kind. Notre Dame finished 3-9 in 2007 and 7-6 in 2008. The Irish had high hopes coming into this season but have fallen to 6-3 after last week’s 23-21 defeat to Navy. It was the first time Notre Dame has lost consecutive home games to the Midshipmen since 1961 and 1963.

Dave Wannstedt made his college head coaching career against Weis and Notre Dame in 2005. Unlike the Fighting Irish, Pittsburgh struggled initially under their new coach. After going 16-19 through Wannstedt’s first three years, the Panthers are 17-5 since.

The university’s patience with Wannstedt has paid off: The Panthers are ranked in the top ten of a national poll (#8 in the AP) for the first time since 1982, Dan Marino’s senior season.

This year’s game will feature plenty of offensive firepower for both teams. Pittsburgh is led by quarterback Bill Stull, freshman running back Dion Lewis, tight end Dorin Dickerson and receiver Jonathan Baldwin.

Notre Dame has quarterback Jimmy Clausen and two of the best receivers in college football: Golden Tate and Michael Floyd.

With so many offensive weapons for both teams, this primetime match-up could very well be a shoot-out.

Keys for a Pittsburgh Victory

1) Win the First Quarter: Pittsburgh’s home crowd will be fired-up when the ball is finally kicked-off shortly after 8pm on Saturday night. The Panthers can put themselves in a great position to win the game if they can feed off the crowd’s energy and get off to a fast start.

The Panthers have done a great job in the first quarter this season, outscoring their opponents 71-38 in the opening period.

Pittsburgh will be able to dictate the game’s rhythm if they can get off to quick lead. Early points by the Panther offense will allow the Pitt coaching staff to give the Notre Dame defense a heavy dose of Lewis and the running attack. Defensively, Pittsburgh can speed rush Clausen because they know Notre Dame will abandon the run game once they fall behind.

Most importantly, an early lead for the Panthers will be a psychological challenge to the Irish. Under Weis, Notre Dame has struggled to recover after disappointing losses. In the wake of a four-overtime defeat to Pittsburgh a year ago, the Irish were never the same, limping through the rest of the regular season with losses to Boston College, Syracuse and USC.

Last week’s loss to Navy may be the toughest yet. Should Pittsburgh build an early first quarter lead, the Irish may not have the mental fortitude to stay in the game.

2) Maintain Efficiency: Pittsburgh has been an incredibly consistent team on both sides of the ball this season. Offensively, the Panthers are well-balanced, rushing for 18 touchdowns and passing for 19. Stull leads a much improved Panther passing attack and has surprised everyone this season with his play. The senior from Pittsburgh is fifth in the nation in passing efficiency.

The Panthers also maximize their scoring chances. Pittsburgh is 17th in the nation in red zone efficiency. The Panthers have scored 37 times in 41 red zone opportunities; 27 of those scores were touchdowns.

Leadership and consistency along the offensive and defensive lines have been vital to Pittsburgh’s success. Both lines are filled with juniors and seniors. Their starting offensive linemen have played well and stayed healthy—all five have started every game.

Defensively, the Panthers get after opposing quarterbacks and do not make a lot of mistakes. Pittsburgh is 19th in the nation in scoring defense, giving up just 17.1 points per game.

Pittsburgh’s efficiency is a great asset when matched-up against a Notre Dame team that is inconsistent and undisciplined.

Keys for a Notre Dame Victory

1) Protect Clausen: The Notre Dame offensive line must do a better job of protecting Clausen. Against an undersized and less talented Navy defensive unit a week ago, the Irish gave up two sacks, one of which occurred in the end zone giving Navy a safety and two critical points with just over a minute remaining in the game.

This week the Irish face one of the most productive defensive lines in the country. Pittsburgh leads in the nation in sacks with 38. The Panthers are able to get consistent pressure up front without blitzing much. This allows their linebackers to fall back into pass coverage.

Up front, the Panthers are led by a group of experienced and highly productive players. Senior defensive tackle Mick Williams leads the team with 13 tackles for loss. Defensive end Greg Romeus has 7.5 sacks on the year. The junior from Coral Springs, Florida has made 22 consecutive starts.

Pittsburgh is not the first team that Notre Dame will face this season that gets a lot of pressure on the quarterback without blitzing its linebackers. USC is also highly disruptive without blitzing and the Notre Dame offensive line struggled mightily against the Trojans, allowing USC to sack Clausen five teams. Luckily the Irish were able to rely on their highly talented junior quarterback to lead them back into that game and almost pull out the victory.

Notre Dame needs a great game from one of its most experienced units if they’re going to steal one from the Panthers. Clausen’s effectiveness is directly related to the amount of protection he gets from his offensive line.

2) Slow Down Dion Lewis: The freshman running back has been a revelation for Pittsburgh this season. Not highly recruited out of prep school in New Jersey, Lewis has exploded on the scene, already rushing for 1,176 yards. Lewis has gone over 100 rushing yards in six of Pittsburgh’s nine games.

The Irish have struggled defending the rush this season, allowing the opposition to average 148.8 yards per game on the ground.

Notre Dame defensive tackles Ethan Johnson and Ian Williams will play the key roles in defending the run. At times this season, they and the Irish defense have been very good against the run. Notre Dame held two effective running teams, USC and Boston College, to more than 75 yards below their season averages.

However just last week, the Irish gave up 348 yards on the ground to Navy.

Notre Dame cannot allow Lewis to gash them for huge chunks of yards. Pittsburgh is very balanced on offense and once the Panthers establish Lewis, they will utilize Stull and the physical Pittsburgh receivers in play-action passes.

Notre Dame needs to implement a game plan similar to the one they used against Boston College: neutralize the Panther running attack and try to make Pittsburgh one-dimensional.

Prediction

Pitt’s doubters say the Panthers haven’t beaten anybody. Ironically, their biggest victory to this point is probably over a Navy team that beat Notre Dame last week. The Panthers will be motivated, in primetime, to show the nation that they are for real.

Notre Dame seems to be at yet another crossroads. Will the Irish recover from a disappointing loss? Will Charlie Weis be the Notre Dame coach next season?

Regardless of Weis’ job security, Clausen is too good of a quarterback to allow the game to get beyond Notre Dame’s reach. Pittsburgh’s balance and consistency will win out, but Clausen will make the game close. The Panthers will score a touchdown in the final minutes to earn a dramatic victory.

Score: Pittsburgh 42, Notre Dame 41

Photos Courtesy of Notre Dame Sports Information, University of Pittsburgh

CFI Countdown: #22 Pittsburgh Panthers

2008 Record: 9-4 (Big East: 5-2)
Bowl Game: Lost Sun Bowl to Oregon St. 3-0
Location: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Stadium: Heinz Field (65,050)
Head Coach: Dave Wannstedt
Overall: 25-23 (5th season)
@ Pittsburgh: 25-23 (5th season)
Link to Pitt Football Page

After three very disappointing non-bowl seasons to begin the Dave Wannstedt era, the Panthers made their first bowl since the 2004 season. Now it’s time to win one (last bowl win came in 2002) and who knows…maybe even a conference crown. Pittsburgh has one Big East title (shared in 2004) since joining the conference in 1993 and has not reached double figures in victories since 1981, when they rolled off the third of three straight 11-1 seasons.

When the Panthers Have the Ball

Offensive Coordinator: Frank Cignetti, Jr. (1st season)
Scheme: Pro Style
Starters Returning: Seven
Key Losses: RB LeSean McCoy, WR Derek Kinder, OG C. J. Davis, RB LaRod Stephens-Howling, FB Conredge Collins

Senior Bill Stull and junior Pat Bostick have taken most of the reps at quarterback the past two seasons. Neither has played well, much less taken hold of the job when the opportunity has presented itself. Stull appears to be the starter heading into 2009 and is respected for his leadership and intangibles. Bostick is considered the more physically gifted of the two, but has been shaky in the decision-making department. Regardless of who wins the job, he would be wise to throw the ball up to 6’ 5” sophomore Jonathan Baldwin as much as possible. They also have excellent depth at tight end in seniors Nate Byham and Dorin Dickerson, both capable contributors in the passing game. What the Panthers hope to replicate is the production they received from tailback LeSean “Shady” McCoy. Their most talented runners are a pair of freshmen, Dion Lewis and Chris Burns. Four starters return to what should be a solid offensive line, led by left tackle Jason Pinkston. If the line and the offense as a whole are to take the next step, two highly-touted sophomores will need to step up—Lucas Nix, who is expected to start at right tackle, and Chris Jacobson, who is competing for playing time at guard.

Top Pro Prospects: 1) WR Jonathan Baldwin (SO), 2) TE Nate Byham (SR), 3) OT Jason Pinkston (JR)

When the Other Team Has the Ball

Defensive Coordinator: Phil Bennett (2nd season)
Scheme: Multiple 4-3
Starters Returning: Seven
Key Losses: LB Scott McKillop, FS Eric Thatcher, LB Austin Ransom, DT Rashaad Duncan

It all starts up front for the Panthers defensively. Defensive end Greg Romeus showed flashes as a sophomore and is poised to break out this season using his speed and athleticism to get into the backfield. He also knows how to use his length—he blocked three of Pitt’s 10 blocked kicks. On the opposite side Jabaal Sheard got his hands on seven passes, making his share of impact plays. Keeping defenses honest will be senior tackle Mick Williams who can be a force in his own right. They must replace two starters at the next level, including defensive leader Scott McKillop, but in sophomore SAM Greg Williams, they add another dynamic piece to their front seven. Both starting corners are back, including senior Aaron Berry, who will make opposing quarterbacks think twice about throwing his way. As a unit, the secondary recorded 16 interceptions in 2008 and should be among the best in the country once again.

Top Pro Prospects: 1) DE Greg Romeus (JR), 2) CB Aaron Berry (SR), 3) LB Greg Williams (SO)

The Schedule

With Youngstown St., Buffalo (on the road), and Navy to kick off the schedule, the Panthers face a pair of 2008 bowl teams but should get off to a quick start. A game to circle is their trip to Raleigh to face the Wolfpack—a win there and Pitt could be headed towards a special season. They host Notre Dame in an out of conference game as well. As for the Big East race, they play South Florida and defending champ Cincinnati at home, with visits to Rutgers and border rival West Virginia. They play the Bearcats and Mountaineers in the final two weeks of the season in contests that could decide the conference.

Pivotal Point

It begins and ends with their quarterback play. Last season as a group they combined for 2,356 yards, 10 touchdowns, and 14 interceptions, while completing just 55.9 percent of their passes. That inaccuracy would begin to explain how a nine-win team that finished second in their conference was held scoreless in their bowl game. As a freshman in 2007, Bostick was the primary starter but was on shaky ground most of the way, throwing eight touchdowns and 13 interceptions. Stull stepped in last season and was not much better—throwing nine scoring strikes and 10 interceptions (Bostick’s 2008 ratio was one-to-four). Slightly above average play would go a long way.

CFI Final Analysis

Look for the 2009 Panthers to win nine or even 10 games, win the Big East conference, and make their second trip to a BCS Bowl. It will not only be the school’s best season under Coach Wannstedt—an alum who was brought here to bring back the glory days—but maybe their best season in over 25 years. They’re not there yet, but they have turned the corner in Western Pennsylvania.

College Football Insiders Top 25 Countdown:
The Next 25 (26-50) Plus 18 Bowl Teams
#25 West Virginia Mounainteers
#24 Tennessee Volunteers
#23 Clemson Tigers

Contact Daniel Mogollon via email dan@collegefootballinsiders.com

Photo Credit: University of Pittsburgh

Big East - Week One

By CHRISTOPHER MOGOLLON - BIG EAST INSIDER

Week One Standouts

Donald Brown, Connecticut: With junior Andre Dixon sidelined with an ankle injury, Donald Brown took the bulk of the carries in the Huskies 35-3 win over Hofstra. Dixon finished the game with 146 yards and four first half touchdowns. It was the seventh 100-yard game in Brown's career and his 23 carries were the fourth most he has ever registered in a game.

Dustin Grutza, Cincinnati: Grutza took his first snap in almost a year on Thursday night after losing his job to Ben Mauk. Grutza was efficient and made Bearcat fans forget about his past misfortunes with a four touchdown game. Grutza threw for 296 yards and completed 75% of his passes including a 47-yard completion to Marshwan Gilyard. Grutza also rushed for 33 yards and a touchdown in the 40-7 victory over Eastern Kentucky.

Alric Arnett, West Virginia: Pat White started where he left off, throwing five touchdowns and rushing for 63 yards in the 48-21 win over Villanova. Two of those touchdown passes were caught by junior receiver Alric Arnett. West Virginia has lacked a big play receiver and with four catches for 70 yards, the speedster might be just what the Mountaineers are looking for. Arnett's two touchdown catches included one in traffic and a 34 yard over the shoulder grab.

South Florida Defense: The Bulls held Tennessee-Martin to a total of 97 yards in their 56-7 victory. South Florida's defense did not allow a single point (The Skyhawks scored their only touchdown on a fumble recovery) and recorded a total of eight tackles for a loss. Tennessee-Martin could not run or pass the ball, converting just one of fourteen third down conversions. Senior linebacker Tyrone Mckenzie led the team with five tackles and a sack. Sophomore linebacker Sabbath Joseph also recorded five tackles. George Selvie did not have a sack but was putting on pressure all day long.

Laying an egg

During the off season, Pittsburgh was the sexy selection of the conference. They were all over people's sleeper boards and even broke into the Coaches Poll at number 25. Their opener versus Bowling Green was going according to plan as Dave Wannstedt and his Panthers held a two touchdown lead midway through the second quarter. However, the story of the game quickly became Pittsburgh's turnovers and inability to rush the football--they were held to just 46 yards on the ground over the final three quarters. Star running back LeSean McCoy finished the game with 71 yards and a touchdown but was not able to break any big runs later in the game. Pittsburgh’s final five offensive possessions resulted in two fumbles, a missed field goal, a turnover on downs and an interception thrown by quarterback Billy Stull. The Panthers out-gained Bowling Green and Stull was moderately efficient, but Pittsburgh was just unable to recover from their three fumbles and Falcons quarterback Tyler Sheehan's rushing touchdown in the fourth quarter. This is the first time Pittsburgh has ever lost an opener against a MAC school; not a great start to what was supposed to be a promising season.

The expectations for Syracuse this season were beyond low. Not only did everyone in college football have them slated to finish last in the conference, but the Orange were ranked in several magazines as the worst BCS school in the country. Syracuse's performance in the second half at Northwestern proved many of these projections correct. The first half between the two communications schools looked like an opener between two conference cellar-dwellers. But in the second half, the Wildcats took control of the ground and the game. Running Back Tyrell Sutton was able to run all over Syracuse finishing with 144 yards, averaging 6.9 yards per carry. On defense the Orange looked lost and many times out of position. Senior strong safety A.J Brown finished the game with 11 tackles. Linebacker Derrell Smith played his first game at the position and finished with an interception and seven tackles. Syracuse's passing game was inept--no big plays or consistent completions while Andrew Robinson was held to only 103 yards through the air. With few playmakers and nearly no depth the Orange’s 30-10 loss is just the beginning of a long season in upstate New York.

Hunter Cantwell and Louisville didn't get the start they wanted, getting blown out 27-2 blowout against in-state rival Kentucky. Cantwell, ranked the 5th best senior quarterback prospect by the NFL Draft Bible, threw three interceptions in the fourth quarter and was held to only 152 yards in the game. To be fair, Cantwell was pressured for most of the game and didn't have much time to complete many big passes. Sophomore wideout Doug Beaumont showed some nice hands in the game, catching nine balls for 77 yards. Louisville had only one impressive drive which ended in a blocked field goal.

Photo Credit: University of South Florida

Freshman Spotlight: Big East: Jonathan Baldwin

By Brian Vornberg

In the world of college football, it’s not often that you find a 5-star rated tight end prospect. Heck, even the 5-star receivers are hard to come by. But this year was different. Jonathan Baldwin, a tight end prospect out of Aliquippa, PA, proved that tight ends deserve some serious attention.

Baldwin, who was selected to play in this past January’s Army All-American game in San Antonio, Texas, is not just a multi-dimensional tight end, but a multi-dimensional all around player. In fact, in that same All-American game, Baldwin caught a 46-yard touchdown pass from Alabama quarterback to be Star Jackson with outstretched arms that was so reminiscent of Larry Fitzgerald, it was almost scary. The guy’s paws are enormous. He could have chosen basketball just as easily as he chose football, but football is obviously Baldwin’s passion (he was first team all-state in Pennsylvania for basketball as well). He also could have gone to schools with storied histories like Miami, Florida, USC, or Michigan. However, he stayed close to home and will add more talent to Dave Wannstedt’s already stellar recruiting class.

In addition to the potential to dominate in the red zone at 6'6" and 233 pounds, Baldwin also possesses 4.4-speed and the ability to get open. Jeremy Crabtree, an analyst for Rivals.com, said that Baldwin is “one of the top athletes in the country.” He reminds football fans of a faster Martin Rucker, the former Missouri tight end who will now play on Sundays. Baldwin is also a vastly underrated blocker, a rarity for most tight ends entering the college football ranks these days.

Keep in mind, there is a lot of pressure being placed on Baldwin to come in and perform as evidenced by the early comparisons to Larry Fitzgerald, probably the best Pitt wide receiver of all-time. He does have a couple of really good veteran wide receivers around him to help ease the transition and if talking to him as I did in San Antonio is any indication of his true character, he’ll handle the pressure just fine. Big East defensive backs, beware.