Offense is coach Walt Harris' baby. He coaches the quarterbacks. He calls the plays in the West Coast offense he installed when he arrived four years ago.
This year, he could stray.
It might be difficult for Harris not to fall in love with the Panthers defense.
Pitt returns 10 starters and most of its key backups and reserves on defense. Its top 12 tacklers and 22 of its top 23 are back.
| Panthers at a glance |
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SportsLine.com rank: 37 2000: 7-5 overall; 4-3 Big East (3rd) Coach: Walt Harris -- 20-26 in four years at Pitt; 31-50 in seven seasons as a head coach Returning starters: 18; 6 offense, 10 defense, kicker, punter Players to watch: Primary strengths: Pitt has depth and talent on a defense that uses a variety of looks, stunts, blitzes, etc. Paul Rhoads, in his first season with Panthers and as a coordinator, had Pitt ranked in the top 35 in four statistical categories. Potential problems: Pitt has no tailbacks with college experience and has to replace a couple of starters on the offensive line. That will put a lot of pressure on the passing game, where the Panthers need to find a WR good enough to take some heat off Heisman hopeful Antonio Bryant. Overview: Walt Harris has the program headed in the right direction, and should have the Panthers making consecutive bowl appearances for the first time since 1975-83, when Pitt was a national power. For now, the offense doesn't have enough experience to challenge Miami and Virginia Tech in the Big East. |
And that from a unit that led the Big East with 35 sacks and ranked high nationally in four categories: 17th against the run (99.7 yards a game), 22nd in points allowed (19.1 a game), 29th in total defense (325.7 yards a game) and 35th in pass efficiency defense (109.1 rating).
"We can be the best defense in the country," said senior defensive end Bryan Knight, who last season had 11.5 sacks and set a Big East record with 26 tackles for loss.
He'll get no dispute from senior David Priestley, who since the end of last season has pretty much been a lock to start at quarterback and who knows what its like to practice and scrimmage against his defensive teammates.
"We could have a top-10 defense. A top-five defense," Priestley said.
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The only missing starter on the Pitt defense is Mike White, a senior at defensive tackle last season.
The Panthers have star-quality players all over the defense -- Knight and bookend Ryan Smith on the line, Ramon Walker at safety, Shawn Robinson at cornerback.
At linebacker, the talent is so deep and the competition is so fierce that last year's leading tackler, Gerald Hayes, might end up moving from the strong-side to the middle to make way for redshirt sophomore Lewis Moore to start outside. That would leave seniors Amir Purifoy and Ryan Gonsales, who shared the middle spot last year, as backups.
"We're going to be tough on defense this year," said Torrie Cox, who jumped from tailback to cornerback about midway through the 2000 season and now is a top backup who was named one of the team's most improved players last spring.
The offense, meanwhile, might never catch up this season.
If the offense can't hold its own, Pitt might not be able to ride its capable defense to something bigger than the Insight.com Bowl, where it lost to Iowa State last year.
The big name on offense is All-American Antonio Bryant, who as a sophomore last year won the Biletnikoff Award as the nation's top receiver. He led the nation with an average of 130.2 receiving yards a game.
Where Bryant has pizzazz, Priestley needs to have the poise if the offense is going to hold up its end of things because there are a lot of holes to fill.
The Panthers need to find someone to start at flanker opposite Bryant. They have to replace two starters on the line. And -- here is the biggie -- they must decide who will take over for 1,000-yard rusher Kevan Barlow at tailback.
Pitt has no tailbacks with college experience. The starter this year could be one of several first- or second-year freshmen. It could be one of the fullbacks, Lousaka Polite or Dustin Picciotti.
The Panthers might end up settling simply for someone who can grind out a few yards and keep a tight grip on the ball.
"Were going to play the guy who knows what to do, the guy who we can depend on," Harris said. "It may not be the best athlete. It may not be the fastest guy."
The key will be Priestley's ability to take over and run the offense.
He looked like he was ready to blossom into a strong player late in the 1999 season before injuring his right (throwing) shoulder. He had offseason surgery and has admitted that he was still bothered a lot last year, when he lost the starting job to senior John Turman.
Now, his shoulder is fully recovered and ready for the weight of the offense.
"Being healthy again and a senior now and a guy who is supposed to keep the offense together, I want that pressure," Priestley said. "I think all of the guys want it. Our feeling is, if we don't improve on last season, it will be a big disappointment."
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