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Playing Against Todd Graham?

By CardiacHill
Hubie Graham had a big year in Todd Graham's offense, but he still holds bad feelings against his former coach (Photo by Jared Wickerham/Getty Images)
Hubie Graham had a big year in Todd Graham's offense, but he still holds bad feelings against his former coach (Photo by Jared Wickerham/Getty Images)
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This Todd Graham stuff will eventually die down at some point, right?

No, Pitt isn't slated to play Arizona State anytime soon (though, be honest - that would be fun). But you've got to think that players are going to go out and try to play hard in the bowl game against SMU, partly because of anger against Graham.

Tight end Hubie Graham alluded to that fact in a story in his local paper.

Graham spoke about trying to win Pitt's bowl game and having hard feelings for his former coach:

Graham never got to play a game for Wannstedt, sitting out 2010 under NCAA guidelines for Division I transfers. But under Todd Graham, he caught 27 balls, fourth on the Panthers, averaging 11.4 per catch and scoring three touchdowns.

Despite the success he found under coach Graham, the West Scranton grad was angry.

"Emotions are running high," Graham said. "We wanted to win that bowl game last year for coach Wannstedt. This year it's a little different. We feel more betrayed by coach Graham and the staff (who left). There were a lot more hard feelings involved.

"But we've done it before and we're going to win it for us. Instead of pouting and crying about what's wrong, we're going to go out and show the country that we are winners."

That's not a huge surprise and I expect 99% of the players on the team feel the same way. Still, it just reemphasizes what a scumbag the players think Graham is.

The strange dynamic, of course, is that Pitt is playing for defensive coordinator Keith Patterson. Patterson could be gone the day after the bowl game to join Graham's staff out in Arizona State, and you've got to wonder just how much respect the players have for him. And about Patterson claiming not to have known Graham was taking the ASU job - please. These guys are supposedly best friends and Patterson has followed him everywhere. I've got a hard time believing that Patterson knew nothing about the move or that such a move was possible.

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