Univ of Pittsburgh-Football Question.. Should Dave Wannstedt be fired ? (Baldwin: how much, university)

[RockLobster]

Despite some positive recruiting results head coach Dave Wannstedt has failed once again to deliver a championship season to Pitt. How much time should he be given to deliver such a year ? With the Backyard Brawl loss to WVU it look's like another non Big East championship year. Should coach Dave be let go ? If so whom would you name head coach ?

[marcopolo]

As a Husker, I can tell you that your athletic director has a sure fire method to turn a program around.

1. Fire a decent coach.
2. Hire a terrible coach.
3. Get fired along with the coach.
4. Let somebody competent come in to hire a good coach.

Good luck!

[TelecasterBlues]

I've thought about this for what feels like an eternity...honestly, I know the recruiting is slightly better..but is he REALLY even all that much of an improvement over Walt Harris even? I like Dave and want him to win, but he's honestly not going to take the program beyond 6-8 wins each year. Dave is good enough to get the program over the hump and give it some notoriety, however he absolutely SUCKS at winning the big games or holding any consistency at all. I'd say to get rid of him, but what are the odds that we'd be able to get somebody even as good as Dave to come in for the job? Pitt isn't even as big of a program as WVU these days and I don't think we could really snag somebody better than Dave, as sad as that sounds. He's not terrible yet he's not great either...he's just "Dave", and these are "Dave's Panthers". Pretty much a lock for a 7-5 or 8-4 season year in and year out with some contention for a very, very weak Big East Conference's title.

And even worse yet...after all these years, why in the world hasn't a student section plastered themselves with tacky 80s moustaches and started a cheering section named something like "The Mighty Moustaches"? I mean this IS college football afterall, so what gives with not cashing in on the obvious?

[DaBurgh]

No - do not fire Dave Wannstedt. The program is still on an upward swing, a slow, painful, upward swing that is.

[Craziaskowboi]

Why so many Italians on Pitt's football team?

[Katarina Witt]

Originally Posted by DaBurgh

No - do not fire Dave Wannstedt. The program is still on an upward swing, a slow, painful, upward swing that is.

As a Pitt alum, and as a resident of Colorado for years, I can tell you, that's what they kept saying about Dan Hawkins, until about a month ago. Now whether his firing was a good idea, we won't know for a while, but sometimes you do just have to make a decision and go with it. The Buffs have done better in the last couple games.

[DaBurgh]

Maybe those that don't want Dave around will get lucky, and he'll resign. He could probably get an assitant coaching job in the NFL pretty easily.

[MathmanMathman]

I say fire Wannstedt. I've patiently waited for his "set of recruits" and I think he's worse than Walt Harris. Well, that's not fair. Walt Harris was ok, but Wannstedt is not a head coach, professional or college. This is a weak Big East this year with a weak WV and the Panthers can't beat them or even win the conference. We should have known when he had those abysmal years at the beginning. He only understands "his game". A good coach can read his own team as well as the opposition. That means that a good coach can pick the right offensive and defensive styles to suit his team's talents as well as the opponent's. Even Walt Harris was smart enough to know to give up on the Spread Offense when it wasn't working and he salvaged a season and won a bowl.

There are plenty of coaches to hire out there. Shoot, bring back Harris as an offense coordinator or even a quarterback coach. He's good at that.

[DaBurgh]

Originally Posted by MathmanMathman

I say fire Wannstedt. I've patiently waited for his "set of recruits" and I think he's worse than Walt Harris. Well, that's not fair. Walt Harris was ok, but Wannstedt is not a head coach, professional or college. This is a weak Big East this year with a weak WV and the Panthers can't beat them or even win the conference. We should have known when he had those abysmal years at the beginning. He only understands "his game". A good coach can read his own team as well as the opposition. That means that a good coach can pick the right offensive and defensive styles to suit his team's talents as well as the opponent's. Even Walt Harris was smart enough to know to give up on the Spread Offense when it wasn't working and he salvaged a season and won a bowl.

There are plenty of coaches to hire out there. Shoot, bring back Harris as an offense coordinator or even a quarterback coach. He's good at that.

The Pitt offense lit up a very good WV defense for most of the day, so I think they actually need more help on Pitt's defense.

Sunseri -sophomore
Lewis - sophomore
Graham - sophomore
Baldwin - junior
Shanahan - sophomore

At the start of the year, they had 3 new starters on the offensive line and at QB.

Next year they are going to be nearly unstoppable on offense.

I can see why people think Wannstedt should be fired, and can't begrudge that opinion. I think he deserves one more year though. The university could learn from the Steelers in that long-term stability in coaching leads to long-term overall success.

[nuwaver88]

Pitt was a pre-season top 15 team. That usually projects to a one or two loss team that is headed to a major bowl. They just lost their fifth game, and will be 6-6 if they lose at Cincinnati next week. There was a consensus that Pitt DOES have talent. They have two very good running backs. Their defensive line was supposed to be great. Granted, they did lose pro prospect Greg Romeus for the year. Still, they under achieve and cannot win the ones that will take the program to the next level.

On the other hand, basketball coach Jamie Dixon took a bunch of young and inexperienced players to another sweet sixteen performance last season. They continuously go into hostile enviroments and succeed. I do understand that they have trouble getting past the Swseet Sixteen, but that has more to do with a lack of a bonafide superstar than the fact that Pitt puts a bunch of good but not spectacular recruits on the floor. However, Pitt hoops is getting more high caliber recruits and it is only a matter of time before Pitt gets to a Final Four.