Posted by ESPN.com's Brian Bennett
Forget spread offenses and passing pyrotechnics. When Iowa and Pittsburgh meet Saturday (Noon ET, ESPN2) the game might as well be played in leather helmets on a muddy pitch.
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| | George Gojkovich/Getty Images |
| | Scott McKillop is looking forward to the match-up with Iowa. |
Both teams will try to run, run and run some more until someone backs down. And Panthers middle linebacker Scott McKillop, for one, cannot wait.
"I love it," he said. "Anytime it's kind of like man-on man, full-collision tackles, I look forward to it. Hopefully it's going to be a really violent game."
Put McKillop in a position where he has to knock someone down, and he knows he's going to thrive. The senior led the nation in tackles last season, averaging 12.58 per game. His most memorable came in the season finale against West Virginia, when he stopped Steve Slaton on 4th-and-3 late in the fourth quarter to help seal his team's 13-9 upset.
McKillop is tied for the Big East lead in tackles after two games this year. He collected a league season-best 15 in Pitt's last game against Buffalo.
So, yeah, he likes to hit people, and he usually doesn't miss. The 6-foot-2, 240-pounder mixes his strength and speed with a heavy dose of preparation. Pittsburgh coaches say he has a Mensa-like understanding of their defensive scheme and is almost never out of position.
"I think I just have a knack for the ball and a great reading of where the running back wants to go," said McKillop, who already has his business degree and is pursuing another in justice administration. "If he wants to cut it back outside or inside, if he's reading the nose and reading the line, I just have a feel for where the football is."
McKillop describes himself as a "perfectionist" who's never satisfied with his performance. He takes great responsibility as the anchor in the middle of the defense, which is designed to funnel many plays his way. And he's a pretty good grappler.
In high school, McKillop finished as the runner-up for the Pennsylvania state wrestling title in the 215-pound division. He had a 79-2 mark his junior and senior years and drew college wrestling scholarship offers. Whenever Pittsburgh wrestling coach Rande Stottlemyer sees McKillop around campus, he teases him about the "double-leg takedowns" he uses on the football field.
"With my wrestling background, I'm used to being able to shoot and take people down," McKillop said. "One of the things I try to do is entangle myself in the tackle, wrapping around one leg and squaring up to take someone down.
"You know, in practice you always try to use the perfect technique, make a form tackle. But in a game, a tackle's a tackle, whether it's a collision or a shoelace tackle. As long as you get 'em to the ground. By any means necessary."
McKillop became a full-time starter just last year, and this season he's had to make some adjustments. Pittsburgh brought in a new defensive coordinator and linebackers coach. And injuries to outside linebackers Adam Gunn and Shane Murray have left him surrounded by inexperience at his position, though Murray is expected back this week.
Panthers coach Dave Wannstedt said McKillop has taken on a leadership role to show his young teammates what to do.
"I think he's handled it extremely well, and it really hasn't had any effect on his game," Wannstedt said. "He's pretty confident in his ability right now. For us to have any success, he's got to continue to play well."
Especially this week. Pittsburgh faced two spread-oriented teams in Buffalo and Bowling Green to start the season, but Iowa will test its toughness. McKillop is ready to take that on, hopefully in a violent manner.
"Coach Wannstedt told me this is more of a game where he wants to see me shine," he said. "He wants to see me get in there and make as many plays as necessary."
