Football notebook: Wannstedt’s philosophy and a new look for the offensive line

Old School vs. New School

When West Virginia University initially burst onto the national… Old School vs. New School

When West Virginia University initially burst onto the national scene as a college football program, its rise could largely be attributed to former coach Rich Rodriguez’s spread offense.

Now, with Bill Stewart at the helm of the Mountaineer program, West Virginia is still relying on their speed-based attack.

On the other side of the ball, head coach Dave Wannstedt’s No. 9 Pitt Panthers are remaining true to their coach’s roots. Pitt still employs a traditional, pro-style offense with its foundation based on a powerful running game.

As college football has progressed over the last decade, offenses similar to Wannstedt’s have fallen out of style. A great number of programs have switched to spread offenses, which utilize three or four wide receivers and a mobile quarterback.

During his Monday afternoon press conference, Wannstedt used the term “dinosaurs” to refer to college football coaches that mirror his offensive philosophy.

“We’re definitely in the minority as far as what we’re doing [on offense],” he said.

But despite not being trendy, the Panther attack, under the guidance of offensive coordinator Frank Cignetti, has experienced a great deal of success.

Through ten games, Pitt averaged 33.8 points per game, which is 16th nationally and second in the Big East. Comparatively, West Virginia’s offense averaged 27.6 points per game, which ranks 57th in the nation and fourth in the conference.

By keeping things traditional on the offensive side of the ball, the Panthers have become unconventional in relation to other football teams.

“One comment, that we get after playing opponents, that defensive coaches express to our coaches [is], ‘Boy, we just don’t see that week-in-and-week-out,’” Wannstedt said. “And [our offense] is different.”

Despite being retro, the Panther offense is scoring points, which is the goal of any philosophy — whether it is the popular choice or not.

Mohawk Madness

With 1,291 rushing yards, Dion Lewis is being mentioned in his fair share of headlines. However, Pitt’s offensive line deserves a portion of the credit for Lewis’ tremendous season.

This week, the members of the line might get a little more attention, but it won’t be because of their play — it will be because of their hairstyles.

The front five of the Panthers will be sporting mohawks for the Backyard Brawl.

The matching hairdos display a sense of unity among the linemen, but Wannstedt isn’t completely sold on the change in fashion.

“You better not call too much attention to yourself because all you’re doing is putting yourself in the spotlight. You better be ready to back it up. That’s what I told them,” he said.

During his playing days, Wannstedt said that he embraced the anonymity that came from being an offensive lineman.

“I played offensive line. The great thing about playing offensive line is [that] nobody really knows who you are except the people in that meeting room,” Wannstedt said.

Whether or not Wannstedt likes the mohawks, he was able to joke about the nature of offensive linemen. He mentioned that since right guard John Malecki’s mother is a hairdresser, Malecki’s teammates probably didn’t pay for their new look.

“That sounds like offensive linemen,” Wannstedt said. “They all did it together and they got it for free.”