This Week at The Pete: A Look at the Schedule

With the season upon us it is time to introduce my new weekly column "This Week at the Pete" which will take an in-depth look at all things Panthers. This week we're looking at what the Panthers have in front of them this season as we break down the schedule. One of the keys to Pitt's recent success has been scheduling. With the possible exception of scheduling Duke last year (a moot point since Pitt won), Jamie Dixon has had impeccable timing since non-conference scheduling is done years in advance. Every time Pitt has a young and inexperienced team, the non-conference schedule is soft which allows the team to gel and gain confidence heading into Big East play. If the team is experienced, they play other national powers which helps the RPI. This year seemed to be an anomaly as Pitt is lined up against a soft non-conference schedule with a senior laden team. But with Levance Fields and Gilbert Brown nursing injuries, a soft non-conference schedule is exactly what Pitt needs. This will allow ... (link)