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Q: Is this program capable of anything above mediocrity? Or, is this program destined to run off a series of 7-9 win seasons that end in a third tier bowl year in and year out - i.e. the Walt Harris years?

Jim Raible, Irwin

ZEISE: Of course it is capable, but games like last Friday's and the game against N.C. State have become all too common. Those are two games against two teams Pitt should have beaten and did not. Cincinnati has taken care of business in the other 11 games leading up to this week and Pitt has not. If Pitt was 11-0, which, it should be, and ranked in the top ten and lost a close game to the Bearcats Saturday, nobody could say a word about the program not making progress. By losing two games to teams it is better than, it has opened that door -- the "same old Pitt" cries will begin. A 9-3 season is a nice season, but given the Panthers schedule, it has to be considered underachievement. The Panthers need to take care of business every week and until they can start to do that with more regularity, they will always be "the little team that disappoints."

Q: Is it just me or did Friday's play calling seem two dimensional - hand off to Dion Lewis or throw to Jonathon Baldwin? While they are Pitt's two major offensive weapons, the ability to spread the ball around seems to have opened the offense up in prior games.

Ed Harris, Sinking Spring, Md.

ZEISE: It isn't just you and I have a jam packed inbox to prove it. I've written several times, this looked a whole lot like the Sun Bowl in terms of just throwing the ball up and praying. I have no explanation for why it happened but hopefully it was just a bad day at the office for everyone involved.

Q: Why is everyone talking like Pitt's lost to West Virginia was so bad ?

Robert Hall, McKeesport

ZEISE: It is not the loss -- West Virginia is a good team and there is no shame in losing to a good team on the road. It is HOW the game was lost, i.e., a very poor, lackluster, uninspired performance by the Panthers that is disappointing. Pitt didn't play close to its best game and didn't play with much of a sense of urgency either. Had Pitt played well and lost, well, then you tip the cap to West Virginia and move on. But the Panthers didn't and that is what has a frustrated fan base even more frustrated.

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