Wannstadt throws his hat back in the ring for Pitt job

[Va Beach VH Fan]

I think it's obvious he'd be the front runner....

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=1951649

ESPN.com
Just when it appeared that Pittsburgh was poised to choose between current defensive coordinator Paul Rhoads and Baltimore Ravens offensive coordinator Matt Cavanaugh as its new football coach, the emergence of a last-minute candidate delayed the process.

That would be former Dolphins coach Dave Wannstedt, the early front-runner for the job before withdrawing his name from consideration last week.

Through NFL and university sources, ESPN's Chris Mortensen and ESPN.com's Len Pasquarelli have confirmed Wannstedt, who last week said that the timing of the job at his alma mater was not right for him, has reconsidered.

Wannstedt phoned Pittsburgh athletic director Jeff Long on Sunday evening, then the two spoke Tuesday about the job and the direction of the university's search for a successor to Walt Harris, who left the Panthers to become coach at Stanford.

Long and Wannstedt are to speak again Wednesday night. Wannstedt could not be reached for comment Wednesday afternoon.

Sources said the university is willing to increase its contract proposal if Wannstedt is serious about taking the job. Sources say he is. It is believed that Pitt wants to have a new coach in place before Christmas, and it's no secret that, at the outset of the search, Wannstedt topped Pittsburgh's wish list.

Long had interviewed five other candidates: New York Giants defensive coordinator Tim Lewis, Carolina Panthers defensive line coach Sal Sunseri, Cavanaugh, Rhoads and Oklahoma co-defensive coordinator Bo Pelini. All but Pelini have ties to the university. Lewis, Cavanaugh and Sunseri all played for the Panthers.

Rhoads and Cavanaugh were the only candidates interviewed twice.

[POJO_Risin]

Well...I can't say that the other choices were that wonderful...

Wannstedt as a college coach...

well...I don't know...

He couldn't be worse than as a pro coach...unless...of course...he couldn't recruit...

I don't know...

We'll see...

if he's really back in...it's his for the taking...

[POJO_Risin]

mmmmmmlaskdjfa;lkdj;falkdjfadddddddddddddddddddddd dddd

Obviously my son has his own thoughts on the matter yyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy9]99999999999999999999999

lmfao...

I hear Foge Fazio is available...lmfao...

[POJO_Risin]

or dead...

[redblkwht]

Dave Wanny should be banned from coaching period..
pitt will be done for the next 10 yrs if they take him.
(rebuilding) he flat out blows..

[High Life Man]

POJ's son could probably coach better than Wanny.

[Brett]

He sucks, he can't coach end of story.

[POJO_Risin]

My son is fantastic with the X's and O's of football...

if only he knew what an X or O was...lmfao...

[ALinChainz]

PITTSBURGH (AP) -- Former Dolphins coach Dave Wannstedt accepted the coaching job at alma mater Pittsburgh on Thursday, exactly a week after he turned the Panthers down and said he wasn't ready to coach again.

Wannstedt, who stepped aside as the Dolphins' coach by mutual agreement following a 1-8 start this season, felt differently after talking to Pitt athletic director Jeff Long early in the week. The two talked extensively after that, and Wannstedt agreed to take the job after Long agreed to bump up the salaries for Pitt's assistant coaches.

After Wannstedt pulled out, Long interviewed Ravens offensive coordinator Matt Cavanaugh and Pitt defensive coordinator Paul Rhoads twice each, but Wannstedt was believed to be Pitt's first choice all along. Wannstedt was known to have the backing of Pitt chancellor Mark A. Nordenberg.

Wannstedt, a native of Baldwin, Pa., a Pittsburgh suburb, has never been a college head coach, but is a former Pitt assistant and is known to be an innovative defensive coach. He succeeds Walt Harris, who is leaving for Stanford after coaching Pitt to a 25-12 record the last three seasons - Pitt's best three-year mark since Jackie Sherrill went 33-3 from 1979-81.

Harris and Long did not get along, and it appeared unlikely Harris would not return next season despite coaching the No. 19 Panthers to an 8-3 record and a surprise trip to the Jan. 1 Fiesta Bowl against No. 5 Utah.

Pitt's search for Harris' replacement lasted 10 days and, though the school interviewed Oklahoma co-defensive coordinator Bo Pelini, never really strayed beyond former Pitt grads or coaches associated with the school. Giants defensive coordinator Tim Lewis, a former Pitt and Steelers assistant, and former Pitt player and assistant Sal Sunseri of the Carolina Panthers also talked with Long, who was hired 19 months ago and is making his first major hire.

Wannstedt told Long on Dec. 16 that he didn't want to be considered because he wanted to see what opportunities might be available - possibly in the NFL. But he since changed his mind, apparently because Pitt agreed to pay him more than the estimated $600,000 Harris made.

Wannstedt becomes Pitt's seventh coach since Johnny Majors left after the school's 1976 national championship - including Majors' unsuccessful second stint from 1993-96 - but the first with a mostly NFL background.

The Dolphins were 10-6 under Wannstedt in 2003, but fell apart this season after star running back Ricky Williams unexpectedly decided not to play just before training camp began.

Wannstedt was 43-33 record in 4 1/2 seasons with Miami - 42-25 before this season - but his lone playoff victory came four years ago. He also barely avoided being fired after the Dolphins failed to make the playoffs in 2003.

Wannstedt coached the Bears from 1993-98, going 41-57, after being the Dallas Cowboys' defensive coordinator and an assistant with Pitt, Oklahoma State, Southern Cal and the University of Miami.

Coincidentally, Pitt shares its practice complex with the Steelers. Wannstedt was the other finalist before the Steelers hired coach Bill Cowher in 1992.

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/F/FBC_PITT_WANNSTEDT?SITE=MIDTN&SECTION=SPORTS&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT

[tjvhou812]

i think he will do ok

in pitt...its not the nfl

but we will find out

[POJO_Risin]

Well...the problem with that tj...is the simple fact that most people don't have the slightest fucking clue if this guy can call a game...which he has done pretty shabbily...

and on top of that...now he has to recruit...which he's never done...

doesn't seem like a good fit at all...

Not to mention the fact that they are going from an offensive guru in Harris...to a defensive one in Wannstadt...

[DLR7884]

Wannstadt is a moron.

Here's a great example of his coaching "savvy":

In a game 2 or 3 years ago, on their first drive of the game Ricky Williams busted a run off for abour 45 yards and was taken down just before the goal line.

Rather than just run the ball in on the next play....Wanstadt decided to challenge the spot of the ball...he thought Willliams had scored.

It was obvious that he hadn't and of course, the ruling on the field stood. The Dolphins punched it in on the next play for a TD.

So basically he wasted a timeout for nothing. Good job coach.

I'm sure WVU will beat up on Pitt for many years to come.

DLR7884
Nice crooked mustache too, you fucking dildo!

[POJO_Risin]

I remember that...he did the same thing 2 or 3 times...

he got shredded for that...

[ALinChainz]

Dude is a coordinator, not a head coach.

Some guys are just not cut out for the top job.

[POJO_Risin]

It's not a crooked mustache...

it's a crooked lip...

[DLR7884]

You sure about that?

DLR7884
Is it maybe a scar?

[ALinChainz]

Maybe the wife's cooter has teeth?

[POJO_Risin]

This thread has taken a drastic turn...lmfao...

[Va Beach VH Fan]

Originally posted by DLR7884
I'm sure WVU will beat up on Pitt for many years to come.

Uh, hate to break it to ya chief, but Pitt beat WVU this year....

You must've missed that one, I understand.....