SOUTH BEND, Ind. —
Brian Kelly’s address has changed and so have his players. The style, though, is much the same now that he’s at Notre Dame.
Pitt coach Dave Wannstedt pretty much knows what to expect Saturday when his Panthers meet the Irish. He’s seen it before from Kelly when they used to face off in the Big East.
It’s been 10 months since Kelly’s Cincinnati Bearcats wrapped up an unbeaten regular season – his last game at the school before coming to South Bend – with a pulsating 45-44 comeback win over Pitt.
Wannstedt says Kelly’s offense is similar to the one he employed so successfully at Cincinnati behind quarterback Tony Pike and big-play receiver Mardy Gilyard. It’s just that Notre Dame’s players aren’t quite as experienced in the offense.
“Both coordinators are with him, so schematically there is a lot of carry-over,” Wannstedt said. “They’re not quite as far along in their passing game today at Notre Dame like they were last year at the end of the year with Cincinnati with having those kids around him a couple of years.”
He observed that Dayne Crist, who ran for a TD and threw for two more in a win at Boston College last week, has improved as he gets used to the offense.
“They’re obviously a spread team, not a drop-back team,” Wannstedt said. “I think that Dayne Crist, their quarterback, has done a really great job at making that transition.”
Kelly was 2-1 against Pitt while at Cincinnati – the three games decided by 15 total points – and figures the Panthers are going to try and pound the ball with a running game that last week saw Ray Graham go for 277 yards on 29 carries against Florida International as Dion Lewis sat out with a sore shoulder. Both are expected to play this week.
“We know what their personality is,” Kelly said. “We beat them 28-21 and whatever that thing was last year. It was a lot of points. ... You’re going to be in a fight for four quarters against Pittsburgh.”
The Panthers (2-2), with a tough loss at Utah in overtime and a blowout defeat from Miami at home, have won two straight against Notre Dame.
They captured a wild 36-33, four-overtime victory at South Bend two years ago and prevailed 27-22 at Heinz Field last season when Lewis rushed for 152 yards.
Kelly’s first Notre Dame team (2-3) is still evolving, as he likes to say. And the schedule ahead is a bit easier starting with Pitt followed by Western Michigan, Navy and Tulsa to wrap up October.
And while Crist and top receiver Michael Floyd aren’t quite at the stage that Pike and Gilyard were last year against Pitt, they’re improving.
“Those are probably the two differences between our team and the Cincinnati team, more experience at the quarterback position, although I love what Dayne is doing,” Kelly said.
“Mardy Gilyard was a big-play guy in special teams and made some big plays down the field. ... So, different players, but we’re going to need the same kind of production from the quarterback and the wide receiver.”
College
Notre Dame coach plenty familiar with Pitt
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MIKE MASTOVICH | Roberts, Kent State up to old tricks
George Roberts and his Kent State University teammates reached a familiar destination on Saturday afternoon, but took a somewhat different route in winning their third consecutive Mid-American Conference (MAC) regular-season title.
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College players dominate Point nominations
Pitt-Johnstown junior Jake Warner was perfect and extremely productive at the plate while earning the first two monthly nominations for the 2013 Point Stadium Award in February and March.
Mount Aloysius sophomore Derrick Capiak nearly reached perfection to take the April nomination. -
Penn State guard leaving for pro career
Penn State guard Jermaine Marshall, the team’s second-leading scorer, is foregoing his senior year of eligibility to pursue a professional career overseas.
The team announced the surprise move in a statement Wednesday. The 6-foot-4 Marshall, who is on schedule to graduate this summer, cited his family including a 1-year-old son, in making his decision. -
Penn State coach blasts Sports Illustrated article
Penn State coach Bill O’Brien is fervently disputing suggestions raised in a report that player medical care has been compromised after the team doctor was replaced.
Speaking often in an angry tone that might be otherwise reserved for an argument with an official, O’Brien told reporters in a conference call that the health and safety of his players were his top priorities. -
East Stroudsburg wins PSAC championship
Senior Brian Ernst threw eight innings without allowing an earned run on just two days rest and East Stroudsburg University used a five-run fifth inning to secure its first PSAC baseball championship since 1971 with a 7-1 win over defending champion West Chester on Saturday at Point Stadium.
The Warriors (33-16), who set a school record with their 33rd win, earned the PSAC’s automatic bid to the NCAA Division II Tournament thanks in large part to an outstanding effort by Ernst, who was named the PSAC Tournament MVP. -
Millersville players help couple resuscitate ailing child
The Millersville University baseball team came up with a great save this week, but it had nothing to do with the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference tournament being played at Point Stadium.
A trip for an after-midnight snack on Wednesday morning ended with seven Marauders being hailed as heroes by a local family after they helped save a little boy who wasn’t breathing. -
PSAC baseball prefers Point Stadium
The 2014 Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference baseball tournament is slated for Pullman Park in Butler.
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