Pitt coach Dave Wannstedt spent the majority of his weekly news conference yesterday answering questions about his much-maligned defense.

That is not surprising considering the Panthers gave up 48 points to Navy in an overtime loss at home this past Wednesday.

After some soul-searching in the wake of the Navy loss, Wannstedt said he will make few changes to his depth chart and does not plan on altering his defensive scheme much for this week's home game against Cincinnati. But he did say one way his defense can improve is by finding ways to create turnovers.

That, the coach said, is at the root of the Panthers' problems on defense.

Pitt is among the worst teams in Division I-A when it comes to taking the ball away from its opponents. The Panthers are No. 110 out of 119 I-A teams in turnovers forced. They have just six in six games.

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Saturday

• Game: Cincinnati (6-1) vs. Pitt (2-4), noon.
• Where: Heinz Field.
• TV: WTAE.

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"It is mind-boggling to me and to the players that we have gone six weeks and haven't come up with a fumble recovery," Wannstedt said. "I don't know how that happens. But it does. And I think it will turn. We're working on stripping the ball and doing everything the Steelers do, trust me, as far as turnovers go. We just haven't come up with them. And that's a big part of winning."

Wannstedt then cited Cincinnati's turnover ratio. The Bearcats are the No. 1 team in NCAA Division I-A in forced turnovers with 25. He said there is a direct correlation between that number and Cincinnati's 6-1 record and Top 25 ranking.

"Hey, their offense is doing great and scoring a lot of points, but it all ties together," Wannstedt said. "It truly does. You look at [their] game against Navy.

"Navy turns it over three times and throws two interceptions in the end zone. Is that the difference in the game? Maybe. That's how we can help our offense, come up with some turnovers on defense."

The lack of turnovers can be attributed to several factors. For one, Pitt has several young starters who are not playing with enough confidence to create turnovers.

Another factor is the Panthers have been behind early in most of the games they lost this season so the defense has not been in position to force opposing offenses into pressure situations.

Pitt has forced just two turnovers in the past four games, both by the special teams. Tyler Tkach recovered a fumbled punt against Virginia and Dom DeCicco recovered an onside kick against Connecticut.

Other than that, Pitt's four other turnovers -- all interceptions -- came in the first two games against Eastern Michigan and Division I-AA Grambling.

"That's one of the things our defense is failing to do," junior linebacker Scott McKillop said. "We have to create turnovers and put our offense in good field position. I take blame for that. I have to step up and create turnovers, too. We have to fly to the ball faster and make plays and be in the right place at the right time."

Wannstedt spent his free Saturday watching college football on television, hoping to find tips he could pass along to his defensive players. He zeroed in on a few things, but for the most part, the games served as reinforcement that he and his staff are doing things in a sound, fundamental way.

"I got up Saturday, got a notepad and pencil and that's all I did was watch football games all day, looking for things people are doing that might be of some help," he said. "It's crazy some of the turnovers that happen in football games. Most of them happen because people are under distress and make a crazy decision, or they're pressing to make an extra yard. We have to get ourselves in that position.

"I was watching some of the pressure stuff, situations. But to be honest with you, it was reaffirming to me that we're doing the right things. We have to just keep working on them and doing them better and good things are going to happen. Our players and coaches are working too hard for good things not to happen."