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PITTSBURGH -- The setting couldn't have been more Pittsburgh. Panthers coach and Burgh native Dave Wannstedt talking football at J.P.'s, a neighborhood eatery. A breakfast of coffee, eggs and home fries screams no frills and all calories.
"Six degrees ..." Wannstedt said to himself considering his program's impact on college football since Dec. 1.
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| Dave Wannstedt is looking for results after luring six of the top 11 players in the state to Pitt. (Getty Images) |
Consider the alternate universe that would have been created if the Panthers lost that night:
• Rich Rodriguez would still be at West Virginia. It's hard to envision Rodriguez leaving for anywhere with a title shot on the line.
• Les Miles, not Rodriguez, would be at Michigan. It's hard to envision Miles staying on for another Sugar Bowl (or Michigan allowing him).
• West Virginia would be in the national championship game.
• Considering the opponent (Ohio State) go ahead and assume the Mountaineers would be national champions, too.
• The world wouldn't know Bill Stewart from Jimmy Stewart.
• Lawyers in the state of West Virginia would all be a little poorer.
• Wannstedt might not be sitting in J.P.'s reveling in his third consecutive top 25 recruiting class.
"My brother-in-law works for Dick's Sporting Goods," Wanny said. "They have two (West Virginia) stores -- one in Huntington, one in Morgantown. They had all these national championship shirts and hats ..."
He didn't have to finish the sentence.
