I’ve had a change of plans. I’ll be driving up to Pittsburgh’s Southside on Tuesday vice Monday because that is the day Pitt will hold “Media Day” this fall camp.
Tuesday, August 9 (MEDIA DAY)
Photography Window: 10-10:30 a.m.
Coach Narduzzi Press Conference: 1:30 p.m. (second floor team room)
Media Day Activities: 2:45-4:45 p.m.
Pitt Football Media Day:
August 9 media day activities will run from 2:45 to 4:45 p.m., utilizing the following format:
2:45 to 3:45 p.m.—Select returning offensive lettermen and coordinator (plus requests) available for interviews inside facility.
3:45 to 4:45 p.m.—Select returning defensive lettermen and coordinator (plus requests) available for interviews inside facility.
The practices will follow the 2015 camp’s format and will be closed to the media with the exception of a “Practice Media Viewing Window” which is the first 30 minutes of the day’s practice and consists of loosening up exercises and some position drills.
I was hoping, as was everyone who covers Pitt football I’m sure, that HC Narduzzi would allow us media types to watch more of the practices this year but that won’t happen this season and I suspect never will. Instead we’ll have to resort to other means even if we have to go into the Monongahela to get the shot.
That said, he does make himself available for post-practice briefings, long press conferences and full interview sessions so it isn’t like he himself is in a lock down mode. Given the success of his first season as head coach this might make sense to some Pitt fans but it works at cross purposes for the program as a whole.
Pitt’s football team and program isn’t large enough of has as many fans and supporters as some other programs do. Because of that we need to get as much info out to the people we want to attract to Pitt as their go-to choice for sports entertainment. It is still a fantastic value for live viewing and is in an upswing phase as far as on-field play.
But prospective fans, and indeed existing fans, want to know as much as possible about the team and the players (and facilities and the off the field issues of a student/athlete’s life) so that when it comes to laying out money they feel like they are 1) supporting a good cause and 2) feel invested in the university and the football program.
I can say that the highest readership counts of the articles I have been writing for over five years are not about the games or even about the direct personnel in the football program but have been pieces I did on the peripheral issues such as the history of the program, the sport’s facilities, the academic side of the football program and recruiting.
Pitt’s donor base is smaller than it should be and we lag far behind in donation totals. That will beginning to change for a few reasons first of which is Pat Narduzzi and the energy he has brought to Pitt with him. Second is the naming of Pat Bostick Jr the Director of Development for the Panther Club, the official fundraising arm of Pitt Athletics. Pat is very personable and well liked by all, at least everyone I have met has a good opinion of him, so that was a good move.
But I believe he’d be the first to tell you that the more prospective donors know and care about the 360 degrees of the football program the more they are willingly to donate to support it.
Contrary to the media’s over-the-top portrayal of a college football booster the ones I know who drop money to the university’s athletic department are as much concerned about that 360 degrees as they are about winning football games.
That all adds up to getting as much good and true info as possible out to the boosters, supporters and fans as Pitt can. The way to do that is to allow access, with certain restrictions of course, to people you know will reflect the programs qualities – both good and not-so-good if that’s the case, in their coverage.
(Off soapbox)
Here is the official Pitt Two-Deep going into the start of fall camp. It is the same thing made public two weeks ago. Still – some things I take with a grain of salt such as Ollison at 3rd string tailback. Bah! Weah at 1st string WR opposite Dontez Ford is still a wonderment to me also.
Talk about taking a shot in the dark but I do know Weah has skills – the job for him now is to take those accomplishments he made in practices and the spring games from fun time to game time.
Pitt Football Media Guide:
A PDF of the Panthers’ 2016 football media guide can be accessed at this link: Pitt Football Media Guide. Tons of info folks and I suggest you make it readily available as you read and discuss Pitt football over the next 30 days.
Later in the week I’ll be asking readers for questions they would like answers for at the briefings and press conference.
pittpov.com 
Don’t know how much stock I would put into the depth chart right now because
— a handful of players were nicked-up and didn’t fully participate in spring (Bam, McKee and many more)
— we’re still not sure how effective J Conner will be
— no true freshmen were listed (although I don’t see an immediate impact here)
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My 4 reasons, in order, why Pitt FB lags behind in donation totals
1) it doesn’t have the number of alums that the large schools do; when compared to most B1G and Pac12, and many SEC and B12, Pitt can be deemed as a small school
2) due to the inconsistency of the FB program throughout its history,many of the alums lack the pride that alums in other schools do
3) due to the Steelers, the alums don’t seem to own Pitt FB as do alums in other schools, especially those located in non-NFL areas
4) many Pitt alums move away after graduation
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I am really disturbed at how badly ND is crushing Narduzzi locally. Now it is the Erie tight end and the Jeter and Wade connection. If they pull that off they literally own western PA. Because of our history and their partnership with the ACC, I would say they are probably our number one rival at the moment.
I know everyone is wearing the Narduzzi rose colored glasses, but while everyone is focused on PSU, ND is eating our lunch.
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Reed, when you had access to practices in the past was their any restrictions on what you could report and write about? I am sure it is frustrating for the media as the fans complain about lack of articles and insight into fall camp and there is not much that they can do. As for the two-deep that is probably as meaningful as the spring two-deep. The only one I care about is the official one the week of the first game.
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Gc I agree with you. Irelize it only matters in February but we have lost every top rated player in Pa except Paris Ford and he has made some visits. PSU and ND have gotten not only this years class but have a strong foothold on 2018 recruits getting the linebacker from Erie Prep and QB from Pine Richland. The amount of time and money spent on recruiting 4 and 5 star athletes in Florida and the other states adds to their private tweets of “I just got my 20th offer and will narrow down to 10. And then 5. Maybe more time and effort are needed in Pa or with players who want to play at Pitt. We had a good year recruiting last year in Pa and what has happened? PSU and ND can’t all be their dream schools I also agree with statements on above post on why less fans ect. Right On. I look forward to the season and hope they win if not by November no one will be there but us true fans. I also take it this posting will have less talk on recruiting and we are to go to Pittsburghsportsnow for info. Not many people responding.
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gc, when comparing recruit rankings, PSU and especially ND have always eaten our lunch. HCPN can do nothing about ND’s history, mystique and NBC affiliation and PSU’s facilities and 107k.
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… but it’s not only that … I have been on the PSU, OSU, Mich and Univ of Texas campuses, and each of them gives the feeling of being in a wide open area as opposed to the urban campus. Yes, Passaic NJ resident Ironhead Hayward may have preferred pit because the other campuses have “too much grass” .. but that is minority opinion.
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Wonder if Scott Barnes counteracts the Narduzzi effect as far as donorship. It does for me.
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Check this out about HCPN’s interview on The Fan today …. possibility of a a 3-RB offense with Whitehead, Jarrett now wearing #6, Ollison has completely changed his body type, etc. It appears this team will be more run-oriented but not sure if some of the things he says is just for opposing coaches to think about.
http://blogs.post-gazette.com/sports/college/pitt-redshirt-diaries/47153-pat-narduzzi-discusses-three-back-sets-jordan-whitehead-on-offense
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wwb, I get all of that, we will never get them all, but we have gotten the majority. Chryst got Boyd, Whitehead and other top WPIAL guys. Last year Narduzzi got Hamlin. 2017 looks and feels different.Especially when we should be on the rise with all the positive things that have been happening.
ND has not been a big factor in the WPIAL for a long time and now they are killing it.
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Pit is failing…failing. Our campus is terrible. We have no advantages over anyone. And to top it off these damn Irish Catholics led by one Brian Kelly (say it with an accent now) are coming in and raiding all of our talent. Sound the alarm, the wheels are coming off the program.
I’ll hold out hope though. Because maybe just maybe these locals are trolling the domers. Nobody wants them more than us, after all.
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Pitt’s campus is great now compared to when I and many on this blog attended. I was amazed the last time on campus in 2013, with the many improvements on Forbes and Fifth. And how much cleaner the whole campus is and the Cathedral now has a beautiful thick green grass surrounding it along with much more green everywhere than again when I attended.
Also in Pitt’s last great era, we had lots of players from outside of Western Penna, Western Pa football isn’t so great anymore, with the vast population loss and other mitigating factors.
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welcome back, i look forward to your insights.
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Are you a Hoopie?
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“Our campus is terrible”…Could not disagree more…Our campus is the real world, not some fantasy land in the middle of a pasture…Historic buildings, great city, many things to do in and around the campus.
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Erie Prep =Cathedral prep. Kelly is working the old catholic school magic.We need wins and top 25 status to deal with the recruiting competition.Look at the hoopies they have no WV base to recruit and since joining the bg12 have’nt been doing well in Pa.We have a good urban campus except for a stadium.Look at other urban settings ie Houston, the Temple resurgance etc. Butts in seats count.Temple had Lincoln stadium screamin at last years PS triumph. We do not have the ## of alums as the state U’s do so we have to work harder. And yes the Stillers and the Pgh. media kill us. Just herd a comment on WTAE this week about a poll with PS way ahead of Pitt.All the pre season info I see has PS at best one behind to 12 behind Pitt. It is more than the stillers its having the Pirates playing the first half of the college season and the penguins the second half as well as the stillers. In my life I only recall one season that Pitt had a full stadium all season and that was in the 70s when the NFL was on strike and there were NO STEELER GAMES ..PS Miami is another city cam[us that seems to be doing ok. A TOP 25 CONSISTANT PROGRAM.
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Pitt’s campus is not terrible by any means but the urban campus doesn’t appeal to many. If the campus is distinguishable, maybe it would be better … but intermingled with other businesses, hospitals and organizations, it just doesn’t present a campus feel IMO.
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….. to continue, you walk thru a major campus and > 90% of the people you see are 18 thru 22. That’s not what you see at all in Oakland
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one last thing…. a few years back, Pitt’s #1 recruiter, Joe Rudolph’s main target was fellow Belle-Vernon resident, Dorian Johnson, and pursued him for weeks. Johnson and his mom then took a weekend trip to Happy Valley and on the Sunday, Johnson committed to PSU! The only reason he came to Pitt were that the sanctions came down just a short while later …. which is the same reason reportedly that Tyler Boyd didn’t go there. And BTW, Terrell Pryor was between OSU and PSU although his priority was to play in front of 100K crowds..
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Happy Birthday to the Coast Guard, 226 years old today. Started by George Washington in 1790.
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Emel is most definitely NOT a hoopie, he is Pitt through and through and will tell it like he sees it. Emel it is nice to have you back from the Hillary campaign trail – just kidding. Pitt football has fallen more than us grads and fans want to admit. Win and they will come. Hail To Pitt.
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Well thank you russ. Very kind of you. Yea I just got off the campaign trail, I like Huma have to help hold Hillary’s hand when she gets confused. 🙂 (which is often)
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HCPN you need to spread the word and not just by social media. Majors 1 had a weekly show in season where he and an assistant would go over the game film with the host. I remember him stressing gang tackling and special teams. It beat the heck out of “Notre Dame Football with Lindsay Nelson- god I hated that. The Johnny Majors Show really helped the program IMO. Open practices to the media – it spreads interest and excitement.
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The cool thing about Jackie Sherrill’s show was they played the Crusaders as the background music, while the game highlites were shown. Most of the songs were off of the Crusaders ‘Images’ album, like this one called ‘Snowflake’. Remember
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Russ, that comment was meant for PSU SUX, whoever that is. Not Emel.
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