NEWPORT, R.I. — Running the football might not be pretty, but it works. And to Pittsburgh head coach Dave Wannstedt, its just good old-fashioned football.

 

There is no secret to his game plan each week, no deception at all: Line up in the I-formation and run it up the gut.

 

‘We’re a downhill running team,’ he said. ‘We’re going to pound the ball and be physical.’

 

It may be simple, but it’s hardly easy to stop.

 

Over the last three seasons, Wannstedt and the Panthers — who were voted to win the Big East Conference in the preseason media poll released at the conference’s annual Media Day at the Hotel Viking on Tuesday — have milked that formula to the tune of three straight 1,300-yard rushers and 13 conference wins in a three-year span. With last year’s Big East rushing leader, Dion Lewis, on the roster, Wannstedt doesn’t see a reason to change the philosophy. And he thinks the rest of the conference will quickly follow suit.

 

‘I think the trend is going to turn back a little bit to the tailbacks and the running game, I really do,’ Wannstedt said. ‘And when you have good tailbacks like we have in our conference, it only makes sense.’

 

In addition to Lewis, the league’s second and third leading rushers will also be back on the field this season. West Virginia’s electric tailback Noel Devine returns after a junior campaign in which he racked up career highs in yards (1,465) and carries (241). He’s already been tabbed as a potential candidate for the Heisman Trophy in his upcoming senior season.

 

Connecticut lost 1,093 yards with the departure of running back Andre Dixon, but retains nearly 1,200 yards courtesy of Dixon’s backfield partner, Jordan Todman. As the only proven back on the roster, Todman will be the go-to guy in the Huskies’ rushing attack, head coach Randy Edsall said.

 

Devine is a much different type of runner than Lewis or Todman, but his importance to the Mountaineer team cannot be questioned. Head coach Bill Stewart said his ability to create plays out in space is truly ‘special’ and wants his tailback to have at least 25 touches per game.

 

‘I have got to keep Noel Devine healthy for 12 games,’ he said. ‘If I don’t, then we’re in trouble.’

 

Instead, he hopes opposing defenses won’t be able to handle Devine, leading to his ‘best year ever’ in a West Virginia uniform.

 

But this trend of success in running the ball isn’t unique to the Big East. Wannstedt quickly pointed out that Alabama won a national championship due largely in part to its power running attack. Mark Ingram’s Heisman Trophy is further proof of head coach Nick Saban’s method.

 

‘I spoke at a lot of clinics this offseason, and I was amazed how many high school coaches want to talk about what we’re doing on offense,’ Wannstedt said. ‘And then Alabama wins a national championship kind of doing what we do — running the ball.’

So while some teams continue to operate out of the spread offense, Wannstedt and the Panthers still believe that a straight-ahead running attack will bring success.

 

Maybe the rest of the league should buy in.

 

‘I think the trend over the next three or four years is going to be getting back to old-fashioned football,’ he said. ‘And when you have good tailbacks like we have in our conference, it only makes sense.’

 

Mjcohe02@syr.edu

 

2010 Big East Football Preseason Media Poll

Rank     Team (first place votes)           Pts.

1.           Pittsburgh (22)                        190

2.           Cincinnati                                142

3.          West Virginia (1)                      142

4.          Connecticut (1)                         131

5.          Rutgers                                      99

6.          South Florida                             79

7.          Syracuse                                    41

8.          Louisville                                  40

 

 

Published on August 3, 2010 at 12:00 pm

Contact Michael: mjcohe02@syr.edu | @Michael_Cohen13