Final game holds plenty of meaning

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Pitt Football: Final game holds plenty of meaning

-- Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Cynics and critics of the college football bowl system would say that Pitt (9-3) and North Carolina (8-4) will play a meaningless game this afternoon when they meet in the Meineke Car Care Bowl at Bank of America Stadium.

Meaningless, however, is in the eye of the beholder. While there isn't a championship on the line and the game isn't for position within a conference, both teams have plenty to play for, especially the Panthers.

Pitt is trying to get the "10-win monkey" off its back. The Panthers have not won 10 games in a season since 1981, a rather stunning fact considering the number of teams that have managed to win 10 games since then.

The Panthers are one of only three teams in the Big East Conference that have not had a 10-win season in the past eight years.

The other two teams, Connecticut and South Florida, didn't start playing Division I-A football until this decade.

Another reason this game is meaningful to the Panthers is that they are on a two-game losing streak and are hoping to finish the season on a more positive note.

"We want to finish the thing with a win, get that 10th win," Wannstedt said. "These seniors have put a lot into the program and I know they want to go out on a positive note. That is all part of it, I mean, if we win this game we'll probably end up ranked in the top 15, and that's something that we haven't done in a while.

"So there are a lot of things that we have on the line here. You'd hope the players understand this but we won't find out until [today]."

The Panthers indeed haven't finished in the top 15 in The Associated Press poll since 1982, when they finished No. 10. Given that they are ranked No. 16 or 17 in the three major polls, a win likely would put them into the top 15.

But while those reasons are all motivation for the coaches and returning players to win the game, Wannstedt said there is a lot more at stake for the Panthers -- and Tar Heels for that matter -- seniors who have visions of playing in the NFL.

He said bowl games are often the final chance for seniors to make a big impression on NFL scouts who no doubt will be tuning in.

"We have a lot of seniors who are right now being evaluated by NFL people," Wannstedt said. "Every NFL general manager and head coach and personnel person will be sitting at home or laying on the couch and watching this game the day after Christmas, so it is a great opportunity -- it is one more opportunity -- for players like a Mick Williams or a Gus Mustakas or a John Malecki or a Nate Byham to get out there and play well and make some plays.

"A good game will reaffirm to the NFL people, 'Hey, I can play,' so there is some individual motivation as well."

While all of those are legitimate reasons for why this game is meaningful for Pitt, the one Wannstedt touched on that seems to resonate most is this -- the seniors have put in way too much time and effort in the past four years to help rebuild this program to have it end on a three-game losing streak.

Particularly when you consider that Pitt's previous game ended in heartbreak -- a 45-44 loss to Cincinnati with the Big East championship on the line.

The Panthers led that game by 21 points but blew that lead -- and a 14-point fourth-quarter lead -- and lost a game they really should have won.

Wannstedt said it wouldn't seem right, given all this group has done, for that to be the final chapters in their careers.

"I think it would have been a crying shame if that game would have been the last time this team would have ever been together," Wannstedt said.

"If that feeling in the locker room, the heartbreak, if that would have been their last experience together, it would have been tough. This is just another chance for them to make things right and finish it right."

 

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Meineke Bowl Notebook: Panthers keep eye on wily offense
N. Carolina strategy similar to Pitt's

-- Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

-- North Carolina's defense is one of the best in the country and, not surprisingly, when people talk about the Tar Heels, it is the unit of which they focus most of their attention.

But Pitt coach Dave Wannstedt, whose Panthers (9-3) will play the Tar Heels (8-4) tomorrow in the Meineke Car Care Bowl, has watched North Carolina's offense on film for several weeks now and knows that his defense will have its hands full.

He said North Carolina's offense is a lot like Pitt's -- physical, efficient and patient -- and that makes the Tar Heels extremely dangerous.

"They are big and physical on offense," Wannstedt said. "They have great size up front and the running back [Ryan Houston, 6-2, 245] is the biggest we will have faced this year. He is just a big, strong tough guy. They have a tough tight end and a good talented group of receivers and they do a lot of things to put a lot of pressure on your defense.

"They run a lot of reverses and a lot of screens and a lot of boots and waggles and misdirection stuff that makes you play disciplined defense."

The Tar Heels aren't explosive on offense, but they are capable of making big plays, particularly off of play-action. They are balanced -- they average 174 yards per game passing and 138 yards per game rushing -- and average 24.3 points per game.

The trigger man for it all is quarterback T.J. Yates, who is a traditional dropback passer with a strong and extremely accurate arm. He has completed 195 of 323 passes for 1953 yards, 12 touchdowns and 14 interceptions.

"He is very similar to Bill Stull," Wannstedt said. "And their philosophy on offense is the same as ours; they are trying to run the ball, do play action and then play good defense and special teams. I mean, that is the formula and it is all over the tape when you watch it."
A brief holiday

Even though the Panthers are away during Christmas, Wannstedt is doing his best to make sure they stay in their standard game week routine.

The Panthers ate their Christmas dinner last night and will have a brunch this morning but will spend most of today -- like a normal Friday during the season -- in meetings and have a walkthrough at the stadium as well as early curfew and bed check at the hotel.

"The bowl activities pretty much have kind of come to an end," Wannstedt said. "Really now it is about getting some rest and getting our minds focused on the business at hand. We think our guys are right where they need to be. They have enjoyed themselves and they are ready to play the game. You can't play this game at a level we need to play in order to win if we aren't ready to go.

"It is a Friday, just with about three hours of Christmas in the morning."





Quick hits

The Panthers should be at full strength as they have no key injuries, they've stayed healthy throughout the practices for the bowl game (last year they lost Jason Pinkston to a shoulder injury on the last day of practices for the Sun Bowl) and most important, final grades are in and they didn't lose anyone to academic ineligibility. "Everybody has qualified and they've all handled themselves here the right way, so we're in good shape," Wannstedt said. ... A number of former players, including Sean Gilbert, have visited the Panthers' practices at Charlotte Country Day School this week. ... Wannstedt said that his team views this game as a chance to wipe the bitter taste from the season-ending loss to Cincinnati. "I told our guys after that game, 'Thank goodness we had another opportunity,' " Wannstedt said. ...