In what was said to be a mutual decision between he and PITT athletic director Steve Pederson, Dave Wannstedt resigned as head coach of the football program today and will reportedly assume a role as assistant to Pederson.
I'm not sure what being an assistant would consist of for Wannstedt. Maybe helping with recruiting, but I don't know how much clout an ex-coach would have on the recruiting trail. Especially a head coach who didn't have the greatest tenure with the program.
Wannstedt could never quite take the football program where so many people thought he would when he took over before the 2005 season. After a few frustrating years, it looked like the team had turned a corner with that improbable upset of West Virginia at the end of the 2007 season.
I know I thought they did. I couldn't wait for 2008 and beyond. You know how sometimes your favorite show will have a popular couple that everyone wishes would get together? It's the "will they or won't they" element that's been a part of so many shows over the years. Think Ross and Rachel from "Friends" or Jim and Pam on "The Office."
Every fan of the show wonders if the two people will ever become romantically involved. The producers and writers build up to it. They come close a few times, and you're just waiting for the payoff. It's great theater. They tease and tease, and then, bam! Out of nowhere, they start kissing, and it makes for a fantastic season finale.
You can't wait to see how the next season will play out. Unfortunately, often-times, the episodes where the two popular characters are a couple are the most boring and unsatisfying.
That's kind of how it was with Wannstedt and PITT. Every fan wondered if he had what it took to make the program into a consistent contender and that 2007 upset of WVU seemed to trumpet the arrival of the football team as a force to be reckoned with in the Big East for years to come.
Sadly, Wannstedt and the Panthers never wore their label as "Big East powerhouse" very well. They never lived up to the expectations. They came close, but never got the job done.
Now, PITT is in the market for a new football coach. I think the program has come far enough that they will not have to start totally from scratch.
And I don't think they have to necessarily get a "PITT man" to be the guy.
Why is that always so important? They need to go out and find the best man for the job regardless of whether he is a PITT alum or a Penn State guy. That's right, I said it.
Heck, Chuck Noll was born in Cleveland. I think his relationship with the Steelers went pretty well.
Today's events tell me that the athletic department really is serious about elevating the football program and it will make for an interesting head coaching search.
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