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+----- Thread: Dave Wannstedt new Pittsburgh Boss (/thread-55516.html)
- Maize - 12-23-2004 01:14 PM
Wannstedt change of heart complete
ESPN.com news services
Dave Wannstedt has accepted the University of Pittsburgh coaching job.
The coach told ESPN's Chris Mortenson that he had reconsidered after originially withdrawing his name from consideration last week and would return to his alma mater. A news conference is expected at 3 p.m.
"Yeah, I'm going to do it," Wannstedt said. "The more I thought about it and talked it over with Jan [his wife], I realized that this was the right job for me at this stage of my career. Jan said, 'Who are you fooling about doing TV? You're a coach. Let's go home.' "
Wannstedt is from Pittsburgh and played at Pitt. He has an undergraduate degree and a graduate degree from the University of Pittsburgh. He most recently coached the Miami Dolphins, but resigned from that position in November.
Panthers defensive coordinator Paul Rhoads and Baltimore Ravens offensive coordinator Matt Cavanaugh had been leading candidates after Wannstedt, the early front-runner for the job, withdrew his name from consideration last week
Wannstedt phoned Pittsburgh athletic director Jeff Long on Sunday evening, then the two spoke Tuesday about the job and the direction of the university's search for a successor to Walt Harris, who left the Panthers to become coach at Stanford.
Long had interviewed five other candidates: New York Giants defensive coordinator Tim Lewis, Carolina Panthers defensive line coach Sal Sunseri, Cavanaugh, Rhoads and Oklahoma co-defensive coordinator Bo Pelini.
<a href='http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=1952436' target='_blank'>http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=1952436</a>
- bearcatstubb - 12-23-2004 01:35 PM
congrats Pitt. This should secure any recruits already committed and will certainly add some coaching power to the NBE.
- SF Husky - 12-23-2004 01:37 PM
He is a PITT guy and he has been a decent coach in the NFL. Jimmy Johnson also said he is an excellent recruiter. Damn, rest of us has to fight harder to get all those Western PA recruits.
- Cat's_Claw - 12-23-2004 03:08 PM
SF Husky Wrote:He is a PITT guy and he has been a decent coach in the NFL. Jimmy Johnson also said he is an excellent recruiter. Damn, rest of us has to fight harder to get all those Western PA recruits.Thankfully coach Dantonio's main recruiting base is on the West Coast, Midwest and into the Northeast. Excellent hiring by Pitt, adds some prestige to the Big East and helps in keeping the current players and signing better players.
- RealDeal - 12-23-2004 04:12 PM
This is great news for the BE. I think Wannstedt has that Pete Carrol-type personality that will make him a much better college coach than he was in the NFL. Throw in NFL-caliber facilities, great in-state talent, and Penn St. stinking and I think you have a formula where Pittsburgh will win a national championship.
Pitt just raised the bar for the whole BE.