Validation

Nice to see the article in the Tribune-Review today hit on the same points as my Sunday post.

N.C. State Loss

Several things to note from yesterday's game:

Once again, the Panther's run game went south after the half. This has become a disturbing trend from all 4 games of the season thus far. Either the opposing teams are making great adjustments or Pitt is losing focus at the half.

Once again, the defense has become offensive. More troubling, the players heralded as stars in the pre-season (Berry, Sheard, Romeus, Williams, et al.) have looked horrible. Aaron Berry continues to have brain cramps and Romeus and Sheard continually end up 10 yards behind the play. Coverage and Containment should be the words of the week in practice. Pressuring the quarterback should not be the goal on every play. Stopping the run works just as well.

Finally, it's quite obvious this team lacks the "killer instinct.". Giving up big leads late with soft coverage and super/ultra conservative play calling is a sure way to allow a comeback.

N.C State

Perhaps the biggest question of the young season will be answered this Saturday in North Carolina. Pitt's offensive line has been hyped since the first days of camp as a line of experience and talent. Potential. Any offensive line that has to face the likes of Pitt's nasty front 4 in practice daily can't be all bad, right? This Saturday Pitt's O line will see a case of body double. N.C. State touts an equally athletic and "nasty" pursuing-type defensive line. Creating holes for Dion Lewis and keeping Bill Stulls jersey clean will be the major challenge. Perhaps we should pack the red no. 11 jersey, just in case.

Rankings of 9/21

Once again the Panthers appear as "others getting votes" in this weeks AP poll. Mind you the Panthers are 3-0 for the first time since 2000 and are trailing several teams with one loss. Even more mind-boggling is the fact that teams who have yet to realistically suit up for their first game (i.e. Penn State) are riding the tide at No. 5. Considering that Penn State has so far played their "toughest" game against the likes of Temple (who hasn't beaten Penn State since Bill Cosby was a teenager), it seems as though the rankings are little more than a beauty pagent for the major BCS teams.