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Thursday, 11 August 2011 14:17

Written by Paul Zeise

Just for the record, Pat Bostick is all right in my book, I'm not so sure about Chris Peak.....

Today's practice sessions were fun to watch if you like fast and athletic defense.

One of the coaches told me in the offseason that this would be like fast-break football, that it would be like watching the Runnin Rebels of Jerry Tarkanian fame -- well, of course, minus the scantily clad women, hot tubs, gold watches -- and I assumed he was talking mostly about the offense.

But here's the thing - this defense to me is much different than last year's defense and the best way to describe it is in basketball terms --- the defense under Dave Wannstedt was a lot like Pitt's defense in hoops under Jamie Dixon  -- physical, sound fundamentally, looking to bludgeon and muscle teams into folding, everyone in their place while taking very few risks.

This defense is more like what you would see from a team like Louisville under Rick Pitino - full-court pressing and taking chances all over the field without any fear of making mistakes. The theory of teams that press is to get the tempo of the game moving faster than most teams want to play and force opponents into mistakes.

Both philosophies can work if you have the right players, so I'm not saying one is better than the other, but I'm a guy who prefers watching athletes making athletic plays, I like speed and I like pressure defenses so this has been a lot of fun to watch.

It is not a perfect comparison because they are obviously two different sports - but it is close as this defense every single day has begun to seemingly get faster and faster and faster as the players get more comfortable.

The guys are taking chances, jumping routes, filling passing lanes and the good thing is, the defensive line is good enough to make plays as well on the quarterback as well. It is just a relentless wave of athletes on every play and the trade off is, sometimes they will get caught out of position or get caught cheating to make a play and the other team will make a big play.

It is going to happen but the bottom line is, when you have an offense that is willing and able to try and score 50 points and run 82 plays a game, the margin for error allows you to take some chances that you wouldn't usually want to take.

And I really mean this, it is like watching a basketball team that is good at pressing. And on a day like today, when it seems to be working, that means there are going to be a lot of turnovers forced. I counted at least four more interceptions, at least three forced fumbles and perhaps even more telling, at least six plays where the defensive backs or linebackers had the ball in their hands and dropped interceptions. In fairness, some of them would have been tough catches, like Buddy Jackson jumped seemingly all 42 inches of his vertical and got up over receiver got his hands on the ball but couldn't bring into his body as the receiver did a nice job of breaking up the play. But the larger point is - the defense is swarming and I think it is going to force other teams into a lot of mistakes.

This defense, once it gets all of the athletes in place (which may take a recruiting class or two) will be really fun to watch. But even now, the fact that the coaches are working so hard to get the most speed and athleticism onto the field - and the dominance of the defensive line -- tells me this defense is going to create a lot of turnovers and be a lot of fun to watch this year.

**** To that end - Shane Gordon and today actually took the overwhelming majority of the first-team reps at inside linebacker ahead of Tristan Roberts. Now, that doesn't mean he is going to be the starter or has jumped ahead of Roberts, it just means he is certainly making his presence known. As I've written over the past few days, this Gordon is a guy who really fits into the overall theme of speed and athleticism. And both coach Todd Graham and defensive coordinator Keith Patterson explained today is that the competition is ongoing at every position and the guys who get the first-team reps are the guys who earned them the day before. In other words, the message is simple - do your job every day, every play or you won't have a job.

Gordon had a collison with Ray Graham that seemed to knock the wind out of him a little bit but he seemed fine and Todd Graham said of that particular play "They are supposed to tag off on Ray," Todd Graham said, "but I don't think it is anything, just got a little bit of wind knocked out of him." It is pretty clear that coaches don't want Ray Graham taking big hits for obvious reasons but Gordon is another one of those guys who only knows how to play at one speed. 

*** Patterson gave me the best way to describe how fast they are moving as compared to a lot of teams "We're getting 55 plays in a 15-minute period. A lot of other teams are getting as few as eight or nine." And then he said "our defense, when we play against teams who speed it up, well, we'll be standing around waiting on them."

Again, the pace of this thing is pretty impressive right now.

*** The offensive line - and this is my tenth Pitt camp and this seems like a subject we discuss every year -- is still a work in progress. I think Cory King is slowly but surely taking ahold of the right guard spot. He's been taking almost all of the first-team reps so he is obviously in the lead, but beyond that he is doing some good things and each day showing a little bit more development, which is all you can ask from a younger player with no experience. He is a big old boy, though - 6-foot-6, 325 and he can move so I've liked what I've seen from him so far. The key obviously will be how things shake out with Ryan Turnley and Chris Jacobson snapping the ball but it seems like the next guard in the rotation is Matt Rotheram, who from what I've seen, has been struggling with consistency. But I can clearly see flashes of a good player from him so it is just a matter of getting some experience. The other thing that is clear to me - and I sort of hinted at it yesterday - the Greg Gaskins era as Pitt's center is over and he's going to be back at tackle full-time, if he already isn't there. Gaskins struggled getting the snap right and in this offense, that snap has to be perfect every time. Todd Graham said today he was impressed with Gaskins and Juantez Hollins and the work they've done at tackle and he stressed the importance of it. Let's face it - there are only two tackles ready to play right now, Lucas Nix and Jordan Gibbs, which means if one of them gets hurt, well it could be bad. Jacobson, by the way, took a lot more reps with the second-team at center, which means he didn't much of a break. But they need to get him ready either to start or to be the back-up at center so there is no other way to do it.

*** Antwuan Reed had an interception today and seems to be almost up to full speed. Remember, he didn't play in the spring and so it took him a few days to get used to the speed and tempo of this new brand of football the Panthers are playing. But he has slowly but surely worked his way back into the first-team reps and he and Buddy Jackson are splitting them. I would think that Reed is going to eventually be the starter opposite K'Waun Williams because of his experience, but Jackson should get lots of run this year. And the other guy I have been extremely impressed with is Lafayette Pitts, who unlike a lot of freshmen who come through over the years, is physically ready right now to step on the field and play. I'm not saying he is Darrelle Revis so let's make that clear. But the last freshman defensive back I remember who stepped in and looked the part immediately and was physical enough to step in and make tackles and shed blocks was Revis and Pitts is very similar. He's strong and he is put together.

*** One player who was noticeably absent today was tight end Brock DeCicco, leading to some speculation that he may be at home considering a transfer. It is obviously a tough situation for DeCicco as he is a traditional tight end in a non-traditional offense. He doesn't really fit into what they are looking for at the three-back (H-back) position and they don't use a traditional tight end in many formations. But I know him and I know his family well and I know that he loves Pitt and they love to have him at Pitt so I'm sure, if this is indeed the case, that is what the discussions are. In the past we have had guys who have gone home for a few days to think things over and ultimately came back and maybe that will be the case, here. I remember when I covered West Virginia I was there during the transition from Don Nehlen to Rich Rodriguez and Sean Berton, who was a tight end from Hempfield, just didn't fit into the offense so he transferred to N.C. State and ended up playing a few years in the NFL. I talked to Berton at the Music City Bowl that year and he told me he was transferring because he didn't have a position in Rodriguez's offense. He said it made no sense for him to stay and I'm sure DeCicco is feeling some of the same things. It is different for Hubie Graham because he has played that three-back spot a lot and seems to fit the mold, at least better than DeCicco did.

** Finally, the most improved player may just be kicker Kevin Harper, who today boomed a 57-yarder and has been very consistent. Harper clearly has talent, that has never been in question, but he has struggled with consistency and he has struggled with focus. That doesn't seem to be the case any more as the light may have turned on. And as Todd Graham said today, that's a good thing because it means he may be able to score a lot of points in this system. If Harper can bring that weapon - the 50 to 55-yard field goals, into the arsenal, well, then there is no question this offense can indeed score 40 points per game. He's worked hard and he seems ready to finally fulfill some of that potential we've been waiting to see.

Comments (13)

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written by Joe D, August 11, 2011 - 05:16 PM

Is it possible that the defense is getting all these interceptions and pass deflections.... because Sunseri sucks!! He doesn't have an arm and underthrows them!!

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written by Jimbo Slice, August 11, 2011 - 07:02 PM

Hey Paul,

Have you ever NOT written that the OL is a work in progress? Just wondering if you think it's an issue of all OL's needing time to gel in the college game or if it's unique to Pitt. Just seems strange that you're always talking about OL in camp and it being questionable, especially in light of how much of an emphasis the previous coach put on smash mouth style ball.

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written by originalether, August 11, 2011 - 09:35 PM

The 2009 o-line ended up being pretty good, and the same thing was written about it during the summer camp.

Part of it, of course, is because of how strong the d-line has been the past few years.

As for why Pitt's OL always being questionable, I've seen a few theories. To keep it short, one of them it that your prototypical elite o-lineman from suburbia don't want to go to urban schools like Pitt.
Another theory has to do with Pitt being in the Big East.

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written by pittnh, August 11, 2011 - 09:39 PM

joe d, real brave of you anonymously insulting players. Get a life.

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written by BigJohn, August 12, 2011 - 05:04 AM

originalether -

your prototypical elite o-lineman from suburbia don't want to go to urban schools like Pitt.

OSU is an urban school. They seem to do allright.

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written by PittofDreams, August 12, 2011 - 07:20 AM

Personally, I'm not ready to buy in quite yet to the defense.

Patterson does not have the best record putting together the best defenses.

Maybe better, more athletic, players will make a dfference for him.

I'm much more expecting to see a higher scoring offense... provided the coashes are able to teach Sunseri how to better go through his progressions and not stare down his primary receivers.

Hope this is the case.

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written by Joe D, August 12, 2011 - 08:23 AM

pittnh,
I call them like I see them...
Last year, Sunseri would always underthrow the reciever or loft it up there for a jump ball or stare down his first reciever and throw it to him anyway... but it was Baldwin who could make those catches.... anyother reciever, it would be an interception or pass deflected.
Soooo... I believe Sunseri has not improved... he has a weak arm... and we are in for a long season unless Meyer is put in.
Hey, and I knew Sal while in college... no disrespect, but Tino is no chip off the ole block..

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written by originalether, August 12, 2011 - 08:36 AM

OSU is an urban school. They seem to do allright

Somewhat true, but as a giant land grant school, I don't think they get labeled with the same incorrect assumptions that Pitt gets tagged with (unsafe and with poor academics).

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written by originalether, August 12, 2011 - 08:45 AM

Post hidden due to low rating

Well, the blog on the Trib reported that Sunseri threw 1 interception, the walk-on Anderson threw 1, and Myers threw 2 interceptions. Looks like they all had issues.

May want to get your facts straight before spouting off.

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written by pahnd em dahn, August 12, 2011 - 02:05 PM

although I have always been a huge fan of the Wannstache and really pulled for him to succede, I think the program is heading in a better direction. Will we land in the Sugar Bowl every year and contend for a national championship, maybe not, but the program seems to have the leadership in the Head spot it needs to capitalize on the current weakness befitting the big east. The Stache is a great defensive mind but as a head coach, his effectiveness was questionalble. We have the horses and I think Graham and the program will be OK. Just concerned about the buyout clause in two years....

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written by Imma Man! Im 40!, August 12, 2011 - 02:17 PM

Playing college-style football in college, what a refreshing concept!

I think it was Lee Courso who I heard say that every time a defense blitzes, one team's or the other's band plays. Here's hoping that Pitt's band gets to play early and often! Because there certainly wasn't very much blitzing by us the past six years. (Opponents? Oh, they blitzed plenty...).

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written by Imma Man! Im 40!, August 12, 2011 - 02:37 PM

Request for clarification from "originalether": Since when has Pitt had poor academics? Pitt is an excellent academic university, at least in any of the departments with which I'm familiar. I'm an engineering grad, and last time I checked Pitt was tied for 20th best in USA with Colorado School of Mines, which is the MIT of the West. No brag just fact.

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written by originalether, August 12, 2011 - 03:01 PM

I never said Pitt had poor academics.

Most of us Pitt pans know better, but I definitely think a lot of people - sadly, a lot of them from Pittsburgh - think of Pitt as some second rate city school. Which of course, is incorrect.

We saw a lot of that attitude when that kid from Upper St. Clair committed.

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