CSNbbs

Team speed was a big concern coming into this season and the first 2 games looked awful slow. Now i think the biggest reason for looking "slow" was due to learning schemes more so than actual foot speed or change of direction issues. However, there have been a number of posts and a few threads on the Pitt Scout and Rivals boards about team speed. I thought Pitt looked really good on Saturday (obviously!), but I would still say that VT is definitely faster than Pitt overall. I think Pitt will look like a B1G school playing in the ACC over the next several years. I think Pitt can get faster, but I think we will NEVER get "FSU or Miami" fast (SEC fast).

What do you guys think? I'd love to see VT fans comments here as well since this is the first Pitt and VT has played each other in awhile, and Pitt is different from those 2001 - 2003 years in team make up and philosophy.

I think you made a really good point prior to the VT game. It's not that Pitt lacks team speed physically - it's a mental issue. The players weren't playing fast because they still weren't comfortable with their assignments.

That said, we're not a super fast team to begin with but there's just no way we're as slow as we looked the first two weeks. I think the VT game showed us that.

As for future makeup - I agree with you again. I expect we'll be stronger more than fast. Chryst wants maulers and I think we may just be able to find some of them for him from western PA and the surrounding areas.

I was more impressed with the power of the OL and Rushel Shell. The only team like that in the ACC currently is BC. You will force ACC defenses to get stronger in the middle (which is a good thing w.r.t. national competition)