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Contract extension Wannstedt's next recruiting pitch
Kevin Gorman can be reached via e-mail or 412-320-7812.
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Wannstedt's 13-16 record in 2 1/2 seasons does not necessarily warrant an extension, but his recruiting efforts could be compromised without the appearance of job security for the duration of a recruit's college career.
"I think it's going to be pretty hard because most people think there's a good chance there's going to be a change," said Allen Wallace, a Scout.com national recruiting analyst and publisher of SuperPrep magazine. "Probably the biggest drag on a recruiting effort is the strong possibility of a coaching switch. He's going to have to rely on people who are going to choose Pitt without consideration if there is going to be a coaching change."
Wannstedt said that he and the Panthers received "encouraging words" at practice last Tuesday during a visit from Pitt chancellor Mark A. Nordenberg. Wannstedt said he has not had an "organized meeting" with the chancellor or formal discussions about an extension.
The Panthers already face obstacles on the recruiting trail, having lost four consecutive games and nine of their past 11, dating to last season. Wannstedt attributes this season's struggles to losing four key starters, including All-Big East receiver Derek Kinder in training camp and quarterback Bill Stull in the season opener, to serious injuries.
"With all these guys coming back, we're going to have a heck of a football team next year and an even better team the year after," Wannstedt said Saturday. "If I'm a recruit, I want to be part of that. I think that's the point that you sell.
"I'll tell them that I'm going to be here all four years because we're going to win. People can think what they want, but I truly believe that. If it does affect somebody that's wavering, we'll get somebody else just as good."
Pitt has seven verbal commitments for the Class of 2008, including five-star offensive tackle Lucas Nix of Thomas Jefferson and four-star tailback Chris Burns of Wilmington.
| For the record | |||
| At 2-4 in his third season, Pitt football coach Dave Wannstedt has a 13-16 career mark. Here is a look at his predecessors of the past 25 years: | |||
| Coach | Seasons | Record | Bowl games |
| Foge Fazio | 4 | 25-18-3 | 2 |
| Mike Gottfried | 4 | 26-17-2 | 2 |
| Paul Hackett | 3 | 12-20-1 | 0 |
| John Majors | 4 | 12-32 | 0 |
| Walt Harris | 8 | 52-44 | 6 |
| How they rank | |||
| Pitt coach Dave Wannstedt has boosted the Panthers' recruiting efforts with back-to-back top-20 classes, but faces a challenge with a 2-4 record this season. Here is a look at how Scout.com nationally ranks Pitt's current recruiting class compared to the previous five: | |||
| Year | Ranking | ||
| 2008 | 33* | ||
| 2007 | 17 | ||
| 2006 | 14 | ||
| 2005 | 42 | ||
| 2004 | NR | ||
| 2003 | 33 | ||
| *-Pitt has seven verbal commitments | |||
Nix, who has been selected to play in the U.S. Army All-American Bowl, said he has never wavered in his commitment.
"I'm not expecting him to leave there," Nix said of Wannstedt. "I would expect some (staff) changes to happen because of how they've been doing. Whatever coach is there, I'll be working as hard as I can for him.
"Of course I want the coach to be there the whole time I'm there. I don't want to have change the system. All the coaches there, I have respect for. I like them all."
Nix added that Pitt's season "doesn't affect my decision too much" because he wants to stay close to home and play with his brother, Nate, a redshirt freshman linebacker.
"Nothing can get worse," Nix said. "No matter what you do, it's probably not going to be as bad as the year before."
Further complicating the matter is Pitt's search for an athletic director, now that Jeff Long has left for Arkansas. Nordenberg has not spoken publicly about the athletic director search or Wannstedt's contract status, and university spokesman Robert Hill said Nordenberg typically would not comment until he is ready to announce an appointment for a new athletic director.
Pitt interim athletic director Donna Sanft said Wannstedt's contract status will not be discussed until after the season.
"With the second half of our season just beginning, we have a lot of football to play and our coaches and players are working very hard to prepare for our next game," Sanft said in a statement. "I know that Coach Wannstedt's focus is entirely on our football team, and they are all approaching the upcoming games with great enthusiasm in order to finish the year in a strong fashion.
"We support Coach Wannstedt's goals for our team, and it would be unfair to our players to turn any attention to subjects most appropriately and effectively discussed during the offseason."
If the university promotes from within - Sanft, a classmate of Wannstedt's, is one possibility - it could bode well for Wannstedt. If Pitt hires from the outside, a new athletic director might want to replace Wannstedt next year the way Steve Pederson did John Majors after the 1996 season.
"That's a big question," said ESPN college football analyst Mike Gottfried, a former Pitt coach who was fired in '89 after four seasons. "Are they going to hire somebody from within? If they do, that's better for the coach. If they go outside, you hope you have someone who is patient. (Wannstedt) can't worry about that. He's got to coach this football team."
While Wannstedt is adamant about focusing on Saturday's game against Cincinnati, Pitt assistants are on the road recruiting. The Panthers have used the past two weekends to scout high school, prep and junior college players.
The Panthers are finalists for four-star prospects in Aliquippa receiver Jonathan Baldwin, Churchville (N.Y.) all-purpose back Averin Collier, Easton cornerback Jarred Holley, Washington (D.C.) defensive lineman Reggie Ellis and West Scranton tight end Hubie Graham.
Wannstedt doesn't appear concerned about the effects of what SuperPrep's Wallace calls "negative recruiting," pointing to the 42-year tenure of Penn State coach Joe Paterno, who has been rumored to be retiring for decades.
"I don't know what other people are saying or how, but I think Penn State has recruited pretty good the last five years," Wannstedt said. "They've been saying Joe Paterno wasn't going to be there since (Pitt defensive line coach) Greg Gattuso was in high school."
Pitt's precedent doesn't necessarily spell doom for Wannstedt. In the 1980s, Foge Fazio and Gottfried had winning records after three seasons, and both were fired the following year. In the '90s, Paul Hackett was fired after his third season and Majors after his fourth.
"You have to give a guy four or five years to build a team, get his philosophies set in," Gottfried said.
Pitt could lose the rest of its games this season and Wannstedt would still have a similar record in his first three seasons to his predecessor, Walt Harris, who was 13-21. The difference is in expectations. Harris inherited a program that was 12-32 in the previous four years, while Wannstedt inherited one that was 32-18 and coming off a Big East co-championship and BCS bowl.
Pitt's recruiting, however, suffered under Harris but has since thrived under Wannstedt. Harris' 2004 class fell apart by signing day and didn't crack the top 50. He left Pitt for Stanford after the '04 season with two years remaining on his contract. Wannstedt's first two recruiting classes were ranked in the top 20 nationally, but have yet to translate to success on the playing field.
"You can see why Wannstedt was in the situation where he wasn't going to be successful early on," Wallace said. "They really shouldn't come to the fore until next season. His first couple years, they didn't have a lot of talent to work with. But you see programs who have that kind of talent that have done better."
Where Harris took Pitt to the Liberty Bowl in his first year and five consecutive bowl games from 2000-04, Wannstedt is still seeking his first bowl appearance and the opportunity to coach his recruits. The players from his first recruiting class won't be seniors until next fall.
"He's markedly upgraded Pitt's talent, at least from a recruiting vantage point," Wallace said. "He can definitely recruit. The problem is he's going against people who, from a negative recruiting vantage point, can say, 'Dave Wannstedt might not be there after his fourth year.'
"It's hard to judge how kids value that and whether they take it to heart or not. Generally speaking, they do."
