After a 7-5 season and an invitation to the prestigious BBVA Compass Bowl on January 8, head coach Dave Wannstedt was summarily canned today by the University of Pittsburgh. Crappy year in the Big East. Crappier year for the Panthers. Poor Wanny.

It was expressed as a resignation, with the possibility that Wanny would assume a non-coaching position somewhere at the University. I doubt that it will be as Professor of English.

This leads me to wonder whether there is a deal in the can with Tom Bradley, Joe Paterno’s number one assistant and defensive coordinator at Penn State. Would Pitt even consider Bradley? ???? ??? ?????? Without big-time head coaching experience, he is an unknown, and the last thing that a struggling program needs is uncertainty. ?????? ??????? Pitt can afford to be competitive, so why not go after the big names that are out there?

Should they go for Bradley, it probably wouldn’t change anything at PSU, but ya never know. Assuming that Joe still will be coaching next year and his “promote from within” policy is still flying, it is easy to speculate that Larry Johnson, Sr. would assume Bradley’s responsibilities if he gets the Pitt job. I wouldn’t expect to see a major transformation away from the soft zone two deep pass defense we all despise, which was originally implemented by Bradley’s predecessor, Jerry Sandusky, but who knows? ??? ???? ????? Maybe Johnson would have the balls to retool the defense, but I doubt it because the handwriting will be on the wall for him, assuming that next year is Paterno’s final campaign.

Of course, this is all wild-ass speculation and it has nothing at all to do with the subject of this post. I’m just inventing news like the big boys do. The only thing we know for certain is that Wannstedt has gotten the axe. Beyond that, let the rumors begin.