The Sports Monitor

Back in late November, I had the idea of Rich Rodriguez as the next Pitt football coach . I'll be the first to admit that it seemed far-fetched at the time. Dave Wannstedt still was the Panthers' coach and it wasn't certain that he'd be fired, and Rodriguez still was employed by the University of Michigan, although it was a better bet that he would be sent packing. Wannstedt later was fired, which set the ball in motion. Pitt rushed to make a hire that didn't seem to have many finalists, selecting Miami (Ohio) coach Mike Haywood as its new leader. The hiring was unimpressive, and the press conference touting Haywood as a man of character and integrity was less than inspiring. Haywood was fired less than three weeks later after a domestic violence charge, creating the vacancy again and making that press conference seem even more laughable. Then things really got interesting. CBSsports.com's Dennis Dodd touted a Rodriguez-to-Pitt move as a good thing. L...

Mike Haywood will never see the sidelines as coach of the Pitt Panthers football team. The university fired Haywood on Saturday after his arrest on a charge of domestic violence. Haywood says, "The truth will eventually come out." While the circumstances are truly disgusting and hopefully the truth will be brought to light, the charge is a way for athletic director Steve Pederson to get a do-over after failing to get a solid candidate in the first place. With a chance to inspire players, alumni and fans, Haywood underwhelmed many with his introductory news conference nearly three weeks ago. Those from Dave Wannstedt's recruiting class apparently were underwhelmed, too, as some of them decided to play elsewhere next season. I've felt that Haywood was lucky to be considered for any coaching gig. He parlayed a couple breaks into a job at a conference with a tie-in to a BCS game. (Notice I didn't say big-time school, because Pitt clearly hasn't shown eno...

The Pittsburgh Pirates have earned a reputation of being cheap. Add the University of Pittsburgh to that list. The Panthers reportedly are interested in Michael Haywood as their next football coach. For a university that wants to think of itself and its football program as great, you don't consider a coach from a MAC school. If you're cheap and are looking at saving a few bucks, then Haywood is your guy. The firing of Dave Wannstedt led folks to believe Pitt wanted more from its program, that Pitt thought it was capable of being an elite football school. Haywood as a leading candidate after two better ones have gone elsewhere doesn't confirm what Pitt fans wanted to believe. Sure, Haywood turned around Miami (Ohio) after going 1-11 in his first year. Pitt doesn't need a turnaround. The Panthers need to move up a level. Maybe Haywood can accomplish that. He reportedly is a good recruiter, and that's half the battle. But this reminds me of Mike Gottf...

One of the big risks when firing a coach is the ability to get a better one. By many accounts, Pitt AD Steve Pederson lost two picks as the replacement for Dave Wannstedt. Al Golden went to the University of Miami while Oklahoma State offensive coordinator Dana Holgorsen went to rival West Virginia. If either were Pederson's top pick, he blew it by waiting too long. If Pederson still needed approval to make a hire, then there's too much red tape at the university to be efficient. Leave it to WVU to trump Pitt and get Holgorsen.  There's still time to make a good hire, but time is of the essence. A new coach needs to be in place to lock up the players that committed to Pitt. And the new coach will have to hit the recruiting trail to build his incoming class. My hope still is for an offensive-minded coach, one that doesn't play the conservative game that was a Wannstedt hallmark. I'm still waiting for Rich Rodriguez to get canned at Michigan in time for ...

Dave Wannstedt is gone as the Pitt football coach. A season that started with high expectations, a No. 15 ranking and a clear shot at a BCS bowl bid ended with a berth in the BBVA Compass Bowl. Maybe that was just the ultimate embarrassment for the administration. Their football team ended up playing in a bowl that has zero recognition. C'mon, the BBVA Bowl? Really?  Wannstedt was a good recruiter at Pitt, but he'll never be remembered as much of a game-day coach. For me, he'll be remembered as the guy who didn't think Joe Flacco was good enough to start for the Panthers. Being humbled by rival West Virginia at home was surely a big blow to keeping Wannstedt on board. And I'm sure not being able to sell out a rivalry game with major bowl implications didn't sit well with many people as well. The fact is, Wannstedt never took the program to another level after replacing Walt Harris. The next step is figuring out who will be the next coach. Maybe rec...

Pitt football coach Dave Wannstedt is on the hot seat after Friday's blowout loss to West Virginia. Michigan coach Rich Rodriguez is on the hot seat after losing again to rival Ohio State. If the Wolverines can Rodriguez, Pitt should put him at the top of the list of potential replacements for Wannstedt. Rodriguez did wonders for West Virginia and could revive the Panthers' attack with his spread offense. It's far more dynamic that Wannstedt's and could dominate the rest of the Big East. And if such a move could come to pass, imagine how much fury would be added to the Pitt-West Virginia rivalry. Follow me on Twitter at twitter.com/green_rick .

When it comes to Pitt athletics, I have a simple rule: When given the chance, the Panthers will disappoint you. It's never been more apparent than with the football team under coach Dave Wannstedt. Friday's Backyard Maul by the West Virginia Mountaineers was the latest example. Pitt owned the first half statistically, except for the scoreboard. On WVU's first drive of the second half, the Mountaineers broke the Panthers' spirit on a long pass play for a touchdown on third down. For the second year in a row, Pitt entered the rivalry game controlling its destiny for a BCS game. And for the second straight season, Pitt came up short. This time, way short at home. This was supposed to be the season the Panthers won the Big East and play in a big-time bowl game. Instead, we get treated to a litany of excuses from Wannstedt. This loss stings, even when you don't expect much from the Panthers. Now, some of the area media members are starting to question Wanns...