Pitt takes on Rutgers tonight
PISCATAWAY, N.J. (AP) – The usual excitement that comes with a Big East opener will be enhanced by an added feature when 1-3 Pittsburgh visits 2-1 Rutgers on Friday night. For the first time during his tenure as Rutgers head coach, Greg Schiano will go up against one of his mentors in first-year Pitt coach Dave Wannstedt.
When he was with the Chicago Bears, Wannstedt hired Schiano in 1996 to be a defensive assistant. Three years later, Wannstedt recommended Schiano to then-Miami coach Butch Davis as a defensive coordinator; two years later Schiano got the Rutgers job.
Wannstedt was impressed with Schiano from the start.
“He was outstanding, a great communicator, obviously very organized and very smart,” Wannstedt said. “When Greg went into Rutgers, he basically started from scratch and built the thing up. I know from being up there recruiting this past spring, what the coaches think of him.”
Schiano said Wannstedt made a huge impact on his career and still considers him a good friend.
“It will be a little weird for me, but once the game starts, we have a job to do,” Schiano said. “I don’t know who would have the advantage. I think the players have a lot more to do with it than the coaches.”
The Panthers are coming off a 41-0 thumping of Youngstown. Since blowing a late lead at Illinois, Rutgers beat Villanova and Buffalo before enjoying a bye last week.
Players said Friday’s Big East opener means the teams now start over.
“The whole locker room has to switch now,” Rutgers guard John Glass said. “It’s conference play, it’s different. The games mean more, you have to step up your level of play, because you know other teams will.”
Pitt will try and contain quarterback Ryan Hart and the passing game, while the Knights will try and establish a running game that has averaged just 136.3 yards per contest.
Rutgers has labored in the Big East, having just one winning season – in 1992 – since the conference was formed the year before. The Knights are 18-75-1 overall in the Big East, were 1-5 last year, and are 3-24 under Schiano. They are 3-19 against Pitt and have lost five straight to the Panthers, including last year’s 41-17 matchup.
“To win the opener is real important for our confidence as a team, and the character we need to develop as a team as the season goes on,” said Ryan Neill, Rutgers defensive end.
Pitt took a step toward restoring its confidence against Youngstown as an erratic offense finally ran smoothly under quarterback Tyler Palko. The junior has struggled this season after a solid sophomore season.
“I think there are some plays he’d like to have back, some turnovers,” Schiano said. “But that offense has been inches away from having some big plays. Some balls were dropped on them, some running plays that were an ankle tackle away from going for 60 yards. They’re real close, and last Saturday they finally converted.”
Pitt’s defense has also come around since allowing 42 points to Notre Dame on opening day.
“The last couple of weeks there have been some adjustments in the system from a year ago,” Wannstedt said. “The coaches getting comfortable with what the players do, and the players are learning the system. We’re rotating some guys, that’s a process that has to take a little bit of time.”