More Pitt News: Coach defends handling of Gill, Cummings cases

Pitt coach Dave Wannstedt's defenses have traditionally featured down linemen who were quick and strong enough to defeat blocks and get to the quarterback without much help from schemes or blitzes. That's the kind of defense he envisions the Panthers having some day.

But after watching the Panthers lose to Notre Dame, he knows the Panthers will have to look at other ways of pressuring the quarterback, because the defensive line is a work in progress. It just isn't experienced enough to dominate like some of the lines he has been associated with throughout his career.

"If you look at the defenses I've run over the last 15 years, we've always just lined up and kicked people's tails across the board up front," he said yesterday at his weekly news conference. "We're going to get there. Now, are we there right now? Can we do that right now? Not today, which means we've just got to adjust and do some things to help ourselves [generate a pass rush]."

Generally, doing things to help a pass rush means blitzing more. The Panthers rarely blitzed against the Irish and, because their defensive front was overmatched, they weren't able to put much pressure on Notre Dame quarterback Brady Quinn.

As Pitt (0-1) prepares to play at Ohio (0-1) Friday, Wannstedt said blitzing is one way to jump-start the pass rush, but there are other options as well.

"The obvious answer is to blitz, but you can also defend," he said. "We defended. We weren't getting to the quarterback so we rushed three and we covered everybody to the point where he had nowhere to throw the ball, but he escaped and ran for the first down. We covered because we can do that well.

"But you can also blitz and take those chances. I think we're capable of both. We had both in the game plan and we'll pick and choose and mix it up as we go on. A lot of it has to do with experience, just being experienced enough to do that."

Wannstedt said he will mix up the lineup a bit, particularly up front, in order to try to find the best combination of players. Freshman Mick Williams, a Monessen graduate, has moved into the two-deep at defensive end, freshman Gus Mustakas is in line for more playing time and Joe Clermond will play behind Charles Sallet.

At tackle, Thomas Smith (knee) returns to the starting lineup and Corey Davis, who started last week, will have to fight off Ron Idoko and Phil Tillman to hold on to his starting job.

NOTES -- Chris McKillop returned to full contact yesterday. Monday he had stitches and swelling under his eye, the result of what he called a "cheap shot" from one of Notre Dame's linemen. ...Wannstedt said that freshman Rashad Jennings will start at tailback again, but the rotation likely won't include Tim Murphy, who will work exclusively at fullback. That means Jennings will share time with Ray Kirkley and LaRod Stephens-Howling. Brandon Mason also could get some carries, but his primary duty will be to replace fullback Justin Acierno (broken hand) on special teams.