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ESPN calls the compass bowl a meaningless bowl and wannstedt says his star player who was injured won't play due to him being a high draft choice he shouldn't risk injury again.


Dave Wannstedt bows out of Pitt's bowl
January, 3, 2011 Jan 312:31PM ETEmail Print Comments21 By Brian BennettThe coaching circus continues at Pittsburgh.

Dave Wannstedt announced on Monday that he will not coach the Panthers in Saturday's BBVA Compass Bowl against Kentucky. Defensive coordinator Phil Bennett will lead the team in the bowl.

This has been an incredibly odd situation, to say the least. Wannstedt was fired a few days after the season finale but was given the option to coach the bowl. He did not tell university administrators until Monday -- less than a week before the game -- what his intentions were. I'm sure Wannstedt would love to coach his players again, but he is also angry at the school's administration and doesn't want to deal with the news conferences/attention in Birmingham (not that anyone there will care that much about the bowl, but still). And by dragging his decision out, he got to make athletic director Steve Pederson feel uncomfortable, which Wannstedt probably enjoyed.

Meanwhile, Wannstedt has been coaching the team during the bowl practices, as players wondered who would actually lead them onto the field at game time. There was Mike Haywood watching practice from the sideline during his brief tenure. Wannstedt's former staff members were all dismissed except for defensive backs coach Jeff Hafley, who bolted for Rutgers. Various outlets have reported that offensive coordinator Frank Cignetti will join Hafley with the Scarlet Knights. And Pitt now is searching for a new head coach.

The whole situation is reminiscent of Cincinnati's coaching sideshow at last year's Sugar Bowl against Florida. But at least the Bearcats had a head coach in place for the following season.

The "distractions" angle is often overused. But if any team has had distractions this bowl season, it's Pitt. Kentucky (6-6) is not a great team, but the Panthers must be considered a huge underdog in this game considering the massive amount of chaos surrounding the program.

(01-04-2011 12:34 AM)Stookey57 Wrote: [ -> ]Comments21 By Brian BennettThe coaching circus continues at Pittsburgh.
Kentucky (6-6) is not a great team, but the Panthers must be considered a huge underdog in this game considering the massive amount of chaos surrounding the program.

Obviously Bennett doesn't look at the odds--the odds were Pitt as a 3-point favorite, then after Wanny announces he isn't coaching, Pitt jumped to a 3 1/2 point favorite

No offense Yosemite, but I wouldn't be piling my dough into Pitt at this point, if I was a betting man. I won't begrudge Wanny and his anger, but the only ones who lose in this situation (as I know all too well) are the Pitt players. It'd be nice to see them rally around the situation, but it's a hell of an uphill climb.

BB is talking about the turmoil at Pitt creating an atmosphere in which success is almost impossible for the Panthers. They've lost their coaches, their best defensive player, and just about every recruit they had coming in. What gives anyone hope that Pitt can win this game?

Pitt will have 4 head coaches in a month when all is said and done.

(01-04-2011 09:24 AM)BJUnklFkr Wrote: [ -> ]No offense Yosemite, but I wouldn't be piling my dough into Pitt at this point, if I was a betting man. I won't begrudge Wanny and his anger, but the only ones who lose in this situation (as I know all too well) are the Pitt players. It'd be nice to see them rally around the situation, but it's a hell of an uphill climb.

Exactlly...I expect Pitt to look like poop against UK. Some of the kids will play well others will lay down...the remaining coaches will be going through the motions.

(01-04-2011 09:24 AM)BJUnklFkr Wrote: [ -> ]No offense Yosemite, but I wouldn't be piling my dough into Pitt at this point, if I was a betting man. I won't begrudge Wanny and his anger, but the only ones who lose in this situation (as I know all too well) are the Pitt players. It'd be nice to see them rally around the situation, but it's a hell of an uphill climb.

My days of football betting ended long ago, but those odds makers are usually pretty smart when it comes to making money for the house. It is incredible that THEY still see Pitt as a favorite after the Titanic-like episodes of the past month.

As for what I expect--I don't think it will be a nail-biter. I'm thinking a fairly comfortable win either way. Either the Pitt players put it all together and play like they were supposed to play all season or they just curl up and die and get creamed, no matter that UK is playing its 2nd string QB.

Saturday will be interesting, but I'll be flipping back and forth between the FB game (noon start ET) and #5 Pitt's hoops game against Marquette starting at 2 PM ET.

If Pitt sticks to the ground, they can win. But if they've decided to tank it, nothing will help. There's no way to tell at this point, Yosemite...

Odds-makers look at the money, not the game itself. They want the money to be split evenly on both sides. You can look at the line as nothing more than a sign of the where the money is.

(01-04-2011 12:34 AM)Stookey57 Wrote: [ -> ]Meanwhile, Wannstedt has been coaching the team during the bowl practices, as players wondered who would actually lead them onto the field at game time. There was Mike Haywood watching practice from the sideline during his brief tenure. Wannstedt's former staff members were all dismissed except for defensive backs coach Jeff Hafley, who bolted for Rutgers. Various outlets have reported that offensive coordinator Frank Cignetti will join Hafley with the Scarlet Knights. And Pitt now is searching for a new head coach.

Cignetti is already at Rutgers.