Almost all of the new questions I received for this week had something to do with the coaching change.

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I can't quite understand why. Is there something going on at Pitt right now? I am just joking! Naturally Pitt fans are somewhat nervous about who will be the next head coach and for good reason -- there is a lot on the line here.

Walt Harris did a good job and was successful. In forcing him out, the administration is gambling that they will make the right hire to continue building the program and moving it forward. For Pitt's sake, I hope they are right. Walt Harris wasn't Knute Rockne, but he was certainly among Pitt's best coaches in a long time.

That being said, it seems his replacement is down to two candidates, Bo Pelini and Paul Rhoads, although Matt Cavanaugh may have entered the picture over the past few days.

Rhoads has interviewed and Pelini will interview over the next day or two. I think either would be a good choice. Both are considered up and comers and have a lot to offer. Both are a gamble, however, since both have little or no experience as a head coach.

Pelini is called by some the next Bob Stoops, which may be true. He also may be the next Ron Dickerson. Rhoads may be the next Jamie Dixon. He also may be the next Paul Hackett.

That's the thing when you elevate an assistant. You have a good idea of what kind of coach he may be, but you aren't ever sure until it actually happens.

Rhoads seems to have plenty of support among the players and the high school coaches around Western Pennsylvania for a lot of reasons. He certainly seems to have everything it takes to be a great head coach, he just needs an opportunity. Will it come now? We should have an answer relatively shortly. If he stays, I'd expect some of the staff to remain intact but I would also expect a few changes.

As for Dave Wannstedt, I think it was a case of everybody involved knew deep down it wouldn't happen but it was something that needed to be explored. He was interested to a point, but his heart wasn't totally in it. At this point in his career -- and I know this may sound harsh -- why would he want the Pitt job?

He can get a defensive coordinator job in the NFL tomorrow that would pay him as much, if not more, and he'd have fewer headaches. He wouldn't have to recruit, deal with media, academics or administrative nonsense. He could just coach and go home to his family.

But, Pitt had to look at him -- sort of like they did with Skip Prosser -- in order to show they were interested in an A-list candidate. It didn't work out and now they can go get an assistant and not have worry about anyone saying they didn't go after the right people.

As for some of the other candidates, or so-called candidates, let's review:

Jon Hoke's main qualification was that he grew up with Jeff Long. Not quite enough, I fear. Heck, his brother, Brady Hoke, would have been a better choice, at least he has head coaching experience at Ball State.

Frank Solich is a nice guy and a good football coach. He is also, I think, too old and not very exciting and would not have enhanced the program. This program needs a young, energetic guy who is going to light a fire under the fan base and the prospective recruits. He's perfect for Ohio U. at this stage of his career.

Jerry Glanville is the best name I heard all week, at least from a comic relief standpoint. My goodness, I could see it now -- a conversation next August between Glanville and Pitt media relation's director E.J. Borghetti:

Jerry: E.J. I need you to arrange to leave two tickets for the Notre Dame game.

EJ: Well, in whose name, yours'?"

Jerry:" Shoot, naw, I don't need a ticket, I get in for free my man. I want to leave two for Elvis."

EJ: Isn't he dead?

Jerry: Nawhhhh, he's alive and well an I know he's gonna show up at one of my games sometime soon.

EJ: Um, OK. Are you feeling all right today?

Jerry: Heavens to Betsy, I feel great partner. In fact, while we're at it, leave a couple of tickets and a locker room pass for Chuck Noll. Tell him I want to shake his hand.

EJ: I gotta go, my phone's ringing....

Now Glanville coming to Pitt would be fun. But, I think being 10 years removed from coaching might be an issue.

As for Matt Cavanaugh, I'm still trying to gauge if he is a legitimate candidate or if this was another situation of "let's appease some of the influential alumni by asking for and getting rejected by another Pitt guy." My guess is that it is the case, but we'll soon know.

Sal Sunseri would be a great choice but he doesn't seem to be high on the list. He would take the job in a minute but I'm not sure he'd get the offer for a lot of reasons.

Pitt is missing the boat by not at least seriously looking at Penn State defensive coordinator Tom Bradley. He's a recruiting machine, he has Western Pennsylvania locked up and he is also an excellent coach. Defense is not the problem at Penn State. The only sticking point with Bradley is that he's never been anywhere else, but that may not be a bad thing. I think if he got this job, he'd be here for life because this is home.

Pitt has not asked for permission from the Buffalo Bills about Tom Clements, so I am going to assume his candidacy has not yet gotten off the ground.

Pitt athletic director Jeff Long sent some feelers to Chuck Long (no relation) in order to gauge his interest. Chuck Long indicated he is not interested. He is waiting for a Big Ten job - preferably at his alma mater, Iowa, where Kirk Ferentz is firmly entrenched but is one of those coaches who seems to be on everybody's wish list every year. And, sooner or later I suspect Ferentz will take the money and run to the NFL or somewhere else (Penn State?).

Now that I've eliminated about 80 percent of the questions for this week, here are a few non-coaching inquiries:

Q: Now that WVU has a verbal commitment from Penn Hills running back Ed Collington, does that open the door for Pitt to get Eugene Jarvis?

Erik Young of Pittsburgh

ZEISE: I doubt it, since they had already offered Jarvis and then revoked his scholarship offer. Now, if the reports about the kid from Johnstown, LaRod Stephens, are true, that he is wavering and he would ultimately commit somewhere else, well, then maybe Pitt would try and make another run at Jarvis.

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Q: Do you believe the Pitt-Penn State rivalry will now be renewed since Harris is not the coach and do you think the new coach will make this a priority?

Fred Mueller of Wheeling, W.Va.

ZEISE: I don't think the head coach at Pitt has ever been the issue with why this series is not still being played. The only time the status of this series will change is when Penn State hires a new head coach.

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Q: Did you read Bill Walsh's remarks about Pitt? I was offended and angered. What do you think?

Walt DelGuadio of Wilkes-Barre, Pa.

ZEISE: Honestly, I talked to the man that same day and my impression was that his mind is not quite as sharp as it once was. You know how that goes. I just don't think he realized how baf what he said sounded. Further, who cares what Bill Walsh thinks? The guy was a great coach (who had great players) in his time but he is now just a guy living off his past glory.

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Q: Pitt lost a great coach today. What is wrong with the athletic director and people in the administration? I love Pitt but this was a mistake. What do you think?

Brian Goodwin of Tremont, Pa.

ZEISE: I think it depends on who they hire. If they fired (and I know, officially he resigned, but so did Richard Nixon) Walt Harris because they think they can do better and they think a younger guy with more energy can elevate the program another level -- that's fine. If they fired him because of some personality clashes and because he didn't kiss up to alumni, then they are wrong. Harris is a good coach. I think he will be remembered for all the good he did, more so than the negative things that we always hear about (swinging gate, slide, South Florida, etc.) now. Maybe a change was for the better, but I sure hope Pitt has a plan. The guy took them to six bowl games in eight years and while bowl games don't mean now what they used to, take a look at the number of programs who have been to six or more bowl games in the past eight years. I'd be willing to bet there aren't 25.

Say what you want, but Harris did things the right way. He didn't cut corners. His kids went to class. He disciplined those who got out of line and he did not embarrass the university nor did he let his players. Pitt is a lot better off today than it was when he arrived.

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Q: Is there any possibility of Walt Harris not coaching the Fiesta Bowl? I think he should just leave now.

Tim Mason of Durham, N. C.

ZEISE: The only way I could see that is if Paul Rhoads is promoted and the administration feels like it would create an awkward situation having the new head coach on the staff with the guy that just got pushed out the door.

I know Utah's defensive coordinator has been named the Utes' new coach and he and Urban Meyer - who is headed to Florida -- are working together, but that is a different situation. Meyer is leaving because he wants to, he isn't being forced out like Harris. Therefore there is no reason for any hard feelings between Meyer and the new head coach.

I think it would be tough for Harris to have to come to work every day to prepare for a game while looking across the desk at the guy -- who by the way he hired and gave his first big opportunity -- who has leap-frogged over you and is deemed more worthy than you to coach the program you built.

But again, I think you should expect to see Harris coaching the Fiesta Bowl. I just don't see any way they could not let him now.