University of Pittsburgh Athletics
Meet the Press: Coach Wannstedt Discusses the Spartans
9/11/2006 12:00:00 AM | Football
Sept. 11, 2006
Dave Wannstedt
September 11, 2006
Opening statement:
They're a big, physical football team. It will be a challenge for us, we'll get tested in all phases of the game, there's no question about that and we have to get ready for the challenge. This will have to be a game where we can't turn the ball over two or three times and give these guys an opportunity to score easily. Against a football team like this, the penalties and the turnovers will be huge as far as determining the outcome of this game. Overall, I expect LaRod (Stephens-Howling) hopefully to work into practice today. (John) Simonitis will hopefully do something, he's doing a little bit better. Those are really the only two guys (who have been injured). LaRod we know didn't play last week and Simonitis twisted his ankle in the first quarter. He's doing a lot better and we're optimistic that he'll be able to do something this week.
On who will start in Saturday's game if John Simonitis is still injured:
If Simonitis couldn't go, we'll move Joe Thomas, he'll move over to the right side. What happened was we stuck Dominic Williams in there real quick and he did a nice job but I think that Joe brings a little bit more physical play to the picture and to our offensive line and that would be the move there.
On Joe Thomas' performance:
I thought he did okay. I'll tell you, that was a tough one for a young offensive lineman to play in. They (
On how Pitt's defensive line will match up against
Well, we don't have a choice, obviously. We'll keep those guys fresh and keep rotating them but the size factor is real. I know that our defensive line is playing better but this will be a whole different challenge.
On facing a Big Ten team:
It's exciting, it's another opportunity for our football team to play a quality opponent and
On the progress of Tommie Campbell:
He's making progress. Tommie has a ways to go but I think everybody needs to understand that he's played two football games at linebacker. He's a sophomore. I don't think the guy is 200 pounds right now, I think he's about 190 pounds and he's got to do everything he can to avoid 300-pound linemen. So it's a learning process. We threw him right in there and he's making plays. I think he'll just continue to get better. One of the better things we've got going is with H.B. Blades and Clint Session, they're both playing so well it makes it a good situation in the meetings where he can sit there and see this is what you need to do. So those guys are really doing a great job of performing and they're also a great influence to these young kids and from a work ethic standpoint, they're doing all the right things. That's all part of it.
On wide receiver Derek Kinder's performance:
You know what flashes into my mind every time Derek makes a big play, is, remember the first spring game we were at
On freshman defensive end McKenzie Mathews:
We're probably going to get McKenzie playing a little bit this week. That's a tough thing with some of these freshmen. Last week, Lowell Robinson played for the first time, T.J. Porter played for the first time, Kevin Collier got more playing time, Joe Thomas got considerable playing time, Nate Byham was about the same, Dorin Dickerson is getting real close. Nate Nix, Jason Pinkston, we've got about three or four others that are right there. You don't want to use that redshirt year. If you're going to play them you have to play them. I really think that watching McKenzie practice the past couple times that he can really bring something to the table, so he's a guy that we're probably going to play. I haven't made that decision 100 percent yet, but we're going to practice some, get his mind ready to play and we'll see how it unfolds.
On linebacker H.B. Blades:
He's playing better I think than he did last year. Why? I would say we're probably playing as good a run defense as we've played in a long time and you have to credit the guys up front. They haven't gotten the big runs on us. H.B. is going to be involved in just as many tackles, it's just that they aren't going to be 10 yards down the field.
On the progress of the running game:
I think one of the lessons, as I look back on it, is you probably have to be a little bit more flexible in college than what you have to be in the pros. We haven't scratched the surface of where I see a real running game but we're still running it 35 times in a game. There's something about still running the ball. We'd like to be making five or six yards a carry but we're not. We're making two or three. I think we're still benefiting as a team by running the ball. We'll just keep working on it. There's no easy solution. I believe that if you keep doing something you will get better at it. At the same time, we're not going to be hard headed on this thing and saying, "Oh we can't run the ball and that's the end of it." Tyler's (Palko) playing smart and we've got some weapons there, so we're not afraid to throw it. I think we've shown that. We're going to continue to try to keep that balance.
We have a lot of work to do there (with the running game). (The ineffectiveness can be attributed to) a lot of times the back making a cut. Inexperience. A lot of times it's a lineman. C.J. (
On what he anticipates
On defense they pressure people more than I thought. They get more blitzing than what we anticipated. They will pressure you. They're an aggressive attacking defense.
