After Two Miserable Losses, Pittsburgh Is Obviously in For a Rough 2012
Each Monday morning, we compile our top five takeaways from the weekend’s action. Here’s what we got out of Week 2 of ACC football action:
1. Pittsburgh is done: Back-to-back ghastly performances by the Panthers have the fan base and program reeling as they stare at impending doom. Everything we thought we knew about this team — solid rushing attack, talented defense — were patently false. Now we’re waiting for the bottom to fall out.
2. Duke is still very much a work in progress: We discussed the Blue Devils’ issues from Saturday ad nauseum in our recap, but it’s worth repeating here as well. Despite all the progress coach David Cutcliffe has made, that team’s absolute ceiling is 6-6, with four wins far more likely.
3. Syracuse‘s offense can hang with nearly anyone: They scored 41 points in a loss to Northwestern. Another 29 in a loss to USC that, quite frankly, was about as impressive a showing as you may see against the Trojans during the regular season. There’s obviously more work to be done on defense, and they’ll have to learn how to run the ball with consistency, but this team will put up points all year.
4. Jim Grobe Is An Absolute Magician: Every single season, Grobe’s Wake Forest team manages to pull rabbits out of hats — exemplified no better than the 11-3 ACC title campaign in 2006. This year was obviously no different than season’s past, however, as he put together a winning gameplan against a heavily-favored North Carolina team on Saturday.
5. Michael Rocco Should Be Worried: The Virginia quarterback put in a flawed performance, yet still delivered when he absolutely had to on Saturday — something he can’t bank on forever. Coach Mike London also showed that he’s not afraid to turn the heat up on the senior by inserting backup Phillip Sims to change things up.
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It’s fascinating how Grobe has managed to take Wake Forest from a pushover in the ACC to a team that conference foes have to take seriously. They’re no longer just another Duke (football-wise).
Speaking of Duke … ugh. I though they’d turned a bit of a corner. I guess not yet.
Pittsburgh is another ugh. Do you think part of Pittsburgh’s woes is a poor coaching staff, or simply adjusting to a new one? Maryland had an awful year in transition last year, but they at least managed to beat the FCS team (Towson) that they faced, and a depleted Miami team. The way Pitt is playing, Gardner-Webb looks like the ONLY winnable game on their schedule.
Syracuse is at least scoring points, even if they’re not winning games. It’s too bad they couldn’t take more advantage of the 12 penalties against USC in the game.
Virginia has to do much better if they expect to win more games. Getting bailed out by a bad opposing kicker isn’t a formula for success.
Duke and Pitt (and Miami) are in for a rough few weeks. Either turn things around, or accept the fact that your season’s over. SU’s only saving grace at 0-2 is playing in the Big East, but for now, curious to see how they perform against Stony Brook this week.
Virginia’s another team with some cause for concern. Their offense isn’t spectacular, and I’ve seen their DBs get burned on a lot of deep routes. The potential quarterback controversy also doesn’t help much.
It is really amazing that more programs have not come calling on Jim Grobe over the years. He has kept Wake respectable fo6 six years now since that 2006 title, clearly it is not a fluke.
It’s true. You never hear his name mentioned when SEC and B1G teams are making new hires. Do they know something we don’t? Or is Grobe that committed to Wake?
Grobe was offered a job by Arkansas, accepted, and then changed his mind and stayed at Wake.
http://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2007/dec/06/grobe-has-backed-out-ua-head-coaching-job/
Forgot all about that. Thanks for the link, Chip!