First Call: Odds on who may replace Matt Canada as Steelers offensive coordinator; potential ILB candidate for Steelers

Wednesday’s “First Call” gives us some odds to track when it comes to replacing Matt Canada as the Steelers offensive coordinator.

We also get another inside linebacker candidate for the team and take a look at Sunday’s officiating crew in Cincinnati.

Plus, there’s a preview of the Duquesne and Pitt basketball games on Wednesday and a recap of Robert Morris’ hockey trip up to Canisius on Tuesday night.

Odds on the OC

Gambling odds are available on who may become the next Steelers offensive coordinator.

Via PennStakes.com, the incumbent co-coordinators — Eddie Faulkner and Mike Sullivan — are co-favorites at a 12.5 percent chance.

The leading external candidate is former Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback and ex-Steeler Byron Leftwich, who is at 9.1 percent. Former Arizona Cardinals head coach Kliff Kingsbury and (wait for it) retired Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger are at 5.4 percent.

Dallas Cowboys QB coach Scott Tolzien and Philadelphia Eagles QB coach Alex Tanney are at 6.2 percent. The “other” category is at 33.3 percent.

If San Francisco’s passing game coordinator, Klint Kubiak, counts as “other,” consider me hoping for “other.”

Something to watch

Even after the Steelers added veteran linebacker Blake Martinez Tuesday, many fans took notice of the Indianapolis Colts placing Shaq Leonard on waivers.

After struggles with back and ankle injuries, the Colts have parted ways with the former All-Pro and 2018 Defensive Rookie of the Year. The Steelers, with only about $3.4 million in remaining salary cap space, currently couldn’t fit Leonard and his $6.11 million waiver claim number under their cap.

If a team were to claim Shaq Leonard off of waivers, it would owe him $6.11M for the remainder of this season.

He's under contract through 2026, due as follows:
2024: ~$16.1M
2025: ~$19M
2026: ~$19.6M

— Field Yates (@FieldYates) November 21, 2023

But if Leonard gets through to free agency, Pittsburgh could be an intriguing fit for the 28-year-old.

The Steelers currently need numbers at inside linebacker, given the losses of Cole Holcomb and Kwon Alexander.

They visit the Colts in Week 15 of the season.

Flag fest forthcoming?

You might see a lot of yellow hankies in people’s hands in Cincinnati on Sunday. But they won’t all be Terrible Towels.

The officials for Steelers-Bengals have a reputation for being a bit flag-happy. It’s Brad Rogers’ crew. They have called 163 penalties in 10 games, third most in the NFL. They are particularly picky about offensive holding, with 33 such calls so far.

Fortunately for the Steelers (according to NFLpenalties.com), the crew doesn’t seem to be all that influenced by the home crowd. They’ve only thrown two more accepted penalties against road teams (67) than home teams (65), with 31 total dismissed.

The Steelers are pretty decent in penalties against at 72 (20th in the NFL). The Bengals are at 59, tied for the fewest in the league.

Thanksgiving cornucopia

Both the Pitt Panthers and Duquesne Dukes are in college basketball action Wednesday night.

The Panthers and Florida Gators play at 9:30 p.m. in Brooklyn in the NIT Season Tip-off. It’s the second game of the evening. The opener matches No. 13 Baylor and Oregon State. The winners and losers of each game will play each other on Friday.

Florida is unranked, opening the season with a 3-1 record. The Gators’ only loss was to No. 24 Virginia, 73-70. The Gators have defeated Loyola (Md.), Florida A&M and Florida State.

Pitt has won all four of its games so far this year, beating North Carolina A&T, Binghamton, Florida Gulf Coast and Jacksonville.

As for Duquesne (4-1), they are at Nebraska (5-0). It’s the last game of the Cornhusker Classic. Both the Dukes and Huskers have beaten Rider and Stony Brook on their respective home courts in their first two games of the round robin.

Tip-off is at 8 p.m.

Tuesday takedown

The Robert Morris men’s hockey team had a rare Tuesday night game wedged into their schedule. They lost 5-1 at Canisius.

RMU’s lone goal came from freshman McKay Hayes on the power play. It was his third goal of the year.

MCKAY HAYES ON THE POWER PLAYYYYYYY #BobbyMo pic.twitter.com/HAUB25LbXy

— RMU Men’s Hockey (@RMUMHockey) November 22, 2023

RMU falls to 2-7-3 overall and 1-5-2 in Atlantic Hockey. The Golden Griffins are now 3-7-1 overall and 3-3-1 in the Atlantic. They got two goals from Matteo Giampa in the win.

Derek Schooley’s Colonials welcome Sacred Heart for two games this weekend (Friday at 6 p.m. and Saturday at 1 p.m.). The Pioneers are in second place in the Atlantic with 16 points. In their first year back from a two-year absence, the Colonials are in 11th place with six.