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Q&A: Why should Sunseri start?
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West Virginia's Bruce Irvin and Will Clarke sack Pitt's Tino Sunseri in the fourth quarter Friday.
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Q: Please make the case for me - why should Tino Sunseri be allowed to start this game? What is to be gained?
Frank Morris, Philadelphia
ZEISE: I'll make this easy - because Pitt needs to win the game and he gives them the best chance to win. If Pitt was 4-7 and this game was meaningless, yeah, it would be a tougher case to make. At that point it might not be a bad thing to throw Mark Myers in there to see what he can do for one game but the bottom line is the Panthers don't have the luxury. They need to win to get to a bowl game. They need to win to have a chance at a winning record. And like him or not, Tino Sunseri still represents the best chance for this team to win because he's the most experienced guy and he's shown in the past he can win games. It really is a no brainer.
Q: How do you see the quarterback playing out after this season is over?
Gerald Irikian, Washington, D.C.
ZEISE: Well, I think if you listened to Todd Graham's comments yesterday it is clear they are nervous about the future of the position, which is why they are hoping to get a second quarterback commitment for this class. And I don't think Graham would have been floating the idea of one of these fifth-year guys (in the same mode of a Zach Brown or Russell Wilson) if he didn't have something in mind already. Also, he said that it is becoming a numbers game and they don't know how Trey Anderson's wrist injury is going to play out which tells me they are worried that he may not be ready for the spring. And then there is always the rumors about Myers looking to transfer. Throw it all together and this is what I see -- Tino Sunseri will be the starter in spring, he will be backed up by Myers. Anderson will still be limited and healing so he won't be much in the mix. Ronald Jones and Anthony Gonzalez will work on the wildcat stuff but neither will really be in the quarterback mix. Then in the fall, it will be Chad Voytik and another new player, battling along with the winner of the spring derby between Sunseri and Myers (the loser of the spring derby may look to go somewhere else ...), for the starting spot. So there will be options and I will be interested as you to see how it all plays out.
Q: What bowl games are realistic options for Pitt if the Panthers are able to beat Syracuse Saturday?
Lawrence O'Donnell, Erie
ZEISE: It sounds like the Beef-O-Bradys Bowl in St. Petersburg is the Panthers most realistic option provided South Florida doesn't beat West Virginia and become eligible. There is a chance Pitt could also head to the Liberty Bowl but that would be a little trickier and the third option is the BBVA Compass bowl, again. One of those three seem to be in the cards for the Panthers - provided they win over Syracuse.
First Published November 30, 2011 6:44 pm
