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<html><img src="http://www.irishenvy.com/forums/html/nd_helmet.gif" align="left" hspace="5"></html>On September 3, 2005, a new era of Notre Dame football will officially begin. On that very same day, a new era of Pittsburg Panther football will also begin. Gone is the eccentric Walt Harris to Stanford, who led Pitt to a 52-43 record and six bowl games over his eight seasons at the school before clashing with school administration. Replacing him is Dave Wannstedt, a former Pitt offensive lineman and once highly regarded Dallas Cowboys assistant that bombed in the NFL as a head coach after gigs with the Chicago Bears (1993-1998) and the Miami Dolphins (2000-2004).
Whether the hometown boy Wannstedt can be a successful college head coach is still to be decided, but he certainly has help. Thanks to Harris, Wannstedt inherits a nicely stocked Panther team returning 18 starters from last year’s Fiesta Bowl squad, which finished 8-4 and captured a share of the Big East championship before being ran out of the stadium against Urban Meyer and the Utah Utes 35-7. Along with those returning starters comes some lofty expectations, including a preseason Top 25 ranking and being picked to finish second behind Louisville in the new look Big East Conference.
Wannstedt will have his work cut out for him when the Irish come to Heinz field. Coming into the game, Notre Dame definitely has all of the necessary motivation needed after being upset 41-38 during the shootout in 2004 that launched QB Tyler Palko into the national spotlight. Palko, then a sophomore, completed 26 of 42 attempts for 334 yards and 5 touchdowns and orchestrated a drive with under a minute remaining to setup kicker Josh Cummings 32 yard field goal to seal the victory for the Panthers. It was certainly Palko's day, and he would love nothing more then to ruin Charlie Weis' coaching debut and stick it to Irish again. Likewise, Charlie Weis will have his Fighting Irish squad poised and ready to show Pitt that their 2004 performance was a fluke.
Click HERE to read the rest of the review...
Whether the hometown boy Wannstedt can be a successful college head coach is still to be decided, but he certainly has help. Thanks to Harris, Wannstedt inherits a nicely stocked Panther team returning 18 starters from last year’s Fiesta Bowl squad, which finished 8-4 and captured a share of the Big East championship before being ran out of the stadium against Urban Meyer and the Utah Utes 35-7. Along with those returning starters comes some lofty expectations, including a preseason Top 25 ranking and being picked to finish second behind Louisville in the new look Big East Conference.
Wannstedt will have his work cut out for him when the Irish come to Heinz field. Coming into the game, Notre Dame definitely has all of the necessary motivation needed after being upset 41-38 during the shootout in 2004 that launched QB Tyler Palko into the national spotlight. Palko, then a sophomore, completed 26 of 42 attempts for 334 yards and 5 touchdowns and orchestrated a drive with under a minute remaining to setup kicker Josh Cummings 32 yard field goal to seal the victory for the Panthers. It was certainly Palko's day, and he would love nothing more then to ruin Charlie Weis' coaching debut and stick it to Irish again. Likewise, Charlie Weis will have his Fighting Irish squad poised and ready to show Pitt that their 2004 performance was a fluke.
Click HERE to read the rest of the review...
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