Meet the Press: Coach Wannstedt Talks about the Backyard Brawl
11/21/2005 12:00:00 AM | Football
Nov. 21, 2005
Dave Wannstedt
November 21, 2005
Opening Remarks:
With not playing a game last week, we're anxiously awaiting this football game. I think we've gone out there and had good practices. We'll go out there and get another one in today. Heck, our guys are probably ready to play right now. It's going to be an exciting night. We know everything that's involved with the history of this game, and I think for both teams it's more than just who we're playing, too. This game gives the obvious - a chance to end up with a winning season. If something happens from there, we'll deal with it then. I think that for both teams, in addition to the West Virginia-Pitt rivalry, it's a big game.
On the similarities of this game to an NFL playoff game:
I would say it's probably like that. From the intensity and the importance and the history and everything that goes into that. I guess in the college ranks, it's probably as close to that type of situation as you might have.
On drawing on his professional experience when it comes to high-profile games:
I feel a lot better about our preparation this week than what we had going into
On defending WVU's offensive scheme:
They're very explosive. They've got explosive players, number one. They've got guys that can run. And they put a lot of pressure on the defense. But you also need to credit their defense and their special teams. I think if you ask any coach `What are the most important factors in winning a football game?' everybody's going to talk about turnovers. Well the other thing that you should talk about, at least I do, is running the football and stopping the run. If you can't do those two things, you really are going to struggle in my opinion. They're leading our conference in both of those categories. Their defense does a very good job of playing the field position thing. They haven't had to move the ball the length of the field a whole lot. They've played on a short field. They've caused some turnovers. They've played real good defense, and I think that has contributed to the success they've had on offense.
On WVU's 3-5-3 defense:
The thing that makes it tough is you don't see it every week. It's kind of like playing a wishbone team on offense. We used to play the wishbone teams when we were at
If you look at the statistics, you see their two strong safeties are involved with sacks in a lot of plays. The disguise element of rushing people and blitzing people, they do a very good job of that.
On recruiting implications:
On WVU's speed:
[They're] probably as fast as anybody we've played, almost at every position. Their running back. Their cornerback makes as many big plays as anybody they have. They've got speed at the wide receivers. They have [speed] on the defensive side of the ball. They've got speed everywhere. I think that ties in with Rich's [Rodriguez] whole philosophy. The things they do on offense are predicated on making big plays. They have the athletes and the speed to do it.
Preparing your team for that kind of speed:
They'll see it on film. That's tough because you try to simulate that in practice and it's very difficult. That's really the only way that you can halfway get your guys prepared. Shane Brooks and the guys that were running the ball for us this week in practice, Shane Murray was our quarterback...we really emphasized to those guys the speed thing. There's no simple way. It's just what you're going to see in practice. We have guys that are fast enough that I think we'll get a good picture. And then [we'll have to] be ready early. That first series or two is always important from the standpoint of setting a tempo and not going out there and being fooled by the pace of the game.
On keeping things simple for Pitt's defense:
With the extra time, you're going to add some new things. I think where we're at right now, you always have to make sure of your checks and balances as far as what can the players do and what can we execute as compared to what looks good on the chalkboard. We will add some new things - some things that haven't been done, but we've got to pick and choose when we use those things on both sides of the ball, offensively and defensively.
On experiencing the WVU rivalry as a player and coach:
I think it's unique with Rich playing at
On having the game played on Thanksgiving:
I think it's great for the conference. I think it's great for both schools to have a big, national TV game.
On Thomas Smith's toe injury:
Thomas Smith is doing better than he was last week. He's not 100 percent. We'll see where he's at as we get closer to game time. But he's better today than he was a week ago at this time.
On linebacker Clint Session resuming a starting role:
Clint is a good football player. He's been a starter here. He probably would have come out of training camp as a starter had he not gotten hurt. Then he had the ankle. Then he had the knee. He had the surgery, and he's playing a new position. We moved him from the middle to outside. So you combine all those things, and it put him behind a little bit. We put him in there last week. He played good. He'll start this week. Derron Thomas will continue to play. He'll play some for H.B. [Blades] and play a little bit for J.J. [Horne] just like he has, but Clint's got some speed and toughness. And he's got experience.
On generating more turnovers in recent weeks:
I think we haven't practiced anything differently. I'd not be telling you the truth if I had said we were doing anything different on offense or defense. We work on it everyday. We talk about it every week. I've got a winning edge board in the locker room that I put up there and talk to the players about every week. The only thing that's constant every week is to win the turnover battle. We've done a better job of protecting it, and I think that defensively we've created some. At the beginning of the year, we went about four games where we had two turnovers. We couldn't get one, and we were turning it over. That put us behind the eight ball a little bit.
On Pitt's special teams and its significance in a game like this:
The bigger the game, the more important the special teams. If something bad happens for either team on special teams, in a game like this, it's tough to overcome. In certain situations with a team of lesser talent you might be able to overcome a kickoff run back or a punt block or something like that. Not against
On using LaRod Stephens-Howling on kickoffs:
We're going to look at LaRod being back there. We're still looking at some situations that might give us the best chance.
On ways of motivating the team this week:
Rod's [
On the running back rotation:
We don't expect to change anything. We'll use the same guys that we have in pretty much the same rotation, and we'll see how the game unfolds. We'll see what the conditions are. They're talking about bad weather - some snow, some wind, sleet, whatever. I think you have to be aware of that in advance and talk about it which we have and be ready to make some adjustment.
