in Pitt Football, Pitt POV, Players, Recruiting, Statistics 1,598 Words

POV: Peterman’s Quiet Storm

One of the first positions football fans look at in determining how good a team is is the Quarterback.  That is where the offensive plays begin and his play, good or bad, usually will determine how well the ball is moved up field and how many points are scored.

We have had a long run of QBs on our Pitt teams that looked like they would be fine on paper and some turned out to be OK on the field also. Others never really lived up to the recruiting hype and/or blew it when they had their chances to finally get into the starting position. 

Over the last 20 year we have had Tyler Palko, Pat Bostick, Bill Stull, Tino Sunseri, Tom Savage, Chad Voytik and just now ending with Nate Peterman.  Not exactly the equivalent to the Yankee’s Murder’s Row of the late 1920s, but then again some came in and played well for us.

But quietly this season, almost on tippy-toes or cats’ paws, Nate Peterman put up a year that is almost unrivaled by any Pitt QB in a very long time.  Let’s look at how he stacked up with Pitt’s more recent QBs’ play.

Local boy Tyler Palko was a fan favorite and ascended to the starting role under Walt Harris back in 2003. He had a good arm, tons of football knowledge and moxie enough to satisfy the hard-core and physical-game loving Western PA fans.  Pitt was 21-15 when he was starting. Here are Palko’s career stats:

TYLER PALKO

Year Class Pos G Cmp Att Pct Yds Y/A AY/A TD Int Rate
2002 FR QB 6 2 3 66.7 13 4.3 4.3 0 0 103.1
2004 SO QB 12 230 409 56.2 3067 7.5 7.9 24 7 135.2
2005 JR QB 11 193 341 56.6 2392 7.0 6.8 17 9 126.7
2006 SR QB 12 220 322 68.3 2871 8.9 9.2 25 9 163.2
Total  41 645 1075 60.0 8343 7.8 7.9 66 25 140.8

Following Palko we went to another local player in Bill Stull as the starter for 2007.  That lasted less than three games until Stull was injured and journeyman QB Kevan Smith replaced him for the Michigan State game.  After Smith’s injury 5* recruit Pat Bostick, a true FR, was prematurely but necessarily called into action.

Bostick wasn’t ready to be a starter and it showed in his play as the team went 3-6 over the course of the rest of the season, ending 2007 with a 5-7 record… but beating West Virginia and knocking them out of national championship contention with a 13-9 win in Morgantown. That was sweet and truth be told that was Bostick’s defining moment at Pitt – coupled with a win over Notre Dame later in his spotty career.

This is the career stat sheet for Pat Bostick. Greatest kid in the world but never really panned out for us in the long run.

PAT BOSTICK

Year Class Pos G Cmp Att Pct Yds Y/A AY/A TD Int Rate
2007 FR QB 10 155 252 61.5 1500 6.0 4.3 8 13 111.7
2008 SO QB 6 22 41 53.7 270 6.6 2.7 1 4 97.5
2010 JR QB 4 7 11 63.6 44 4.0 -4.2 0 2 60.9
Total  20 184 304 60.5 1814 6.0 3.7 9 19 107.9

After Bostick we rebounded with Stull for the 2008 & 2009 seasons, now playing again after sitting out that ’07 season. Stull’s career at Pitt spread out over five years but only in those last two did he make a real impact in the W/L column when we went 19-7.

BILL STULL

Year Class Pos G Cmp Att Pct Yds Y/A AY/A TD Int Rate
2005 FR QB 2 1 2 50.0 17 8.5 8.5 0 0 121.4
2006 SO QB 4 6 8 75.0 69 8.6 11.1 1 0 188.7
2007 JR QB 1 14 20 70.0 177 8.9 9.9 1 0 160.8
2008 JR QB 12 188 330 57.0 2356 7.1 6.3 9 10 119.9
2009 SR QB 13 209 321 65.1 2633 8.2 8.4 21 8 150.6
Total 42 418 681 61.4 5252 7.7 7.5 32 18 136.4

Following Stull we had the QB everybody seemed to love to hate.  Tino Sunseri took over the starting job in 2010, Wannstedt’s last season, and kept it for a full three years.  Even with three different HCs in Wannstedt, Graham and Chryst, with the accompanying three different offensive coordinators, he remained very productive in his play.  The problem was that his decision making and play under pressure didn’t rise to the good level that his stats show.

TINO SUNSERI

Year Class Pos G Cmp Att Pct Yds Y/A AY/A TD Int Rate
2009 FR QB 5 10 17 58.8 114 6.7 9.1 2 0 154.0
2010 SO QB 13 223 346 64.5 2572 7.4 7.2 16 9 137.0
2011 JR QB 13 247 385 64.2 2616 6.8 6.0 10 11 124.1
2012 SR QB 13 256 393 65.1 3288 8.4 9.1 21 3 151.5
Total  44 736 1141 64.5 8590 7.5 7.5 49 23 137.9

Once Sunseri departed Paul Chryst decided to skip over 4* recruit Chad Voytik who was slated to start in his rsFR year of 2013.  Chryst instead brought in strong-armed transfer QB Tom Savage who had been out of competition for a couple years.  Savage was a good stop-gap measure for us as he stabilized an offense that hadn’t performed all that well the year before.  He went 7-6 for us that season.

TOM SAVAGE

Year Class Pos G Cmp Att Pct Yds Y/A AY/A TD Int Rate
2013 SR QB 13 238 389 61.2 2958 7.6 7.6 21 9 138.2

Then Chad Voytik got his shot at the starting job and did a serviceable job.  In some spots he played well in others he showed first year jitters and played less well.  In his only year as a starter he led the team to a 6-7 season. 

CHAD VOYTIK

Year Class Pos G Cmp Att Pct Yds Y/A AY/A TD Int Rate
2013 FR QB 4 6 11 54.5 116 10.5 10.5 0 0 143.1
2014 SO QB 13 176 287 61.3 2233 7.8 7.8 16 7 140.2
2015 JR QB 7 16 25 64.0 112 4.5 3.5 1 1 106.8
Total  24 198 323 61.3 2461 7.6 7.6 17 8 137.7

Over the offseason between the 2014 and 2015 years Pat Narduzzi and his OC  took a page out of Paul Chryst’s book and lured ex-Tennessee QB Nate Peterman to Pitt to finish out his last two years of eligibility.  It was a controversial move in a lot of ways because fans and the media assumed that Voytik would remain the starter and build on his decent 2014 year.

But once the 2015 season’s fall camp started it was evident that Peterman was brought in to fully compete for the main role.  Voytik’s play in camp faltered; Peterman showed a bigger and more accurate arm and after the incumbent played, rather poorly, the first two games of the ’15 year Voytik was sat down and Peterman has held the reins of the offense ever since.

Peterman is an interesting type of player in that he doesn’t do anything so well he makes you sit up suddenly and take big notice.  Not like Tom Savage’s downfield passing, or Tyler Palko’s scrambles or Chad Voytik’s running ability.

But what Peterman had going for him was a good combination of all those things – in moderation as it were.  He was accurate on the short and intermediate passes, threw out patterns well and when his OC called deep plays (mostly with Matt Canada in 2016) he showed he could get the ball downfield quickly and with decent accuracy.

He could also run the ball surprisingly well as shown by his 172 carries for 525 yards (3.1 ypc) and 5 TDs over his two years.  However this is a very interesting tidbit – if you take away his minus “sacks allowed” yardage it shows that when he kept the ball and ran forward or was in a called QB running play he gained 6.0 ypc.  Get that folks?  When he meant to run the ball he picked up very nice yardage on average.

BTW – Peterman was sacked only 10 times for only 75 yards in 2016 which is excellent and 3rd in the nation.  Here are his stats for his tenure at Pitt:

NATE PETERMAN

Year Class Pos G Cmp Att Pct Yds Y/A AY/A TD Int Rate
2015 JR QB 13 193 313 61.7 2287 7.3 7.4 20 8 139.0
2016 SR QB 13 185 306 60.5 2855 9.3 10.1 27 7 163.4
Total 26 378 619 61.1 5142 8.3 8.7 47 15 151.1

What jumps out at me, and why I say his last year was a “Quiet Storm” is that even with the handcuffs put on him in the beginning of the year – when Narduzzi and Canada publicly stated that the running game was going to be dominant and it was, Peterman slowly but surely progressed game-to-game to finish out with one of the strongest years a Pitt QB has had in the last two decades.

Prior to this season I wrote that I’d bet readers a beer that Peterman would have a better season than Tyler Palko’s very good 2006 season and here’s how they stacked up.  Note that I think the key to gauging a QB’s impact and success in the offense revolves mainly around his passing efficiency rate.  I think I won that bet.

PETERMAN V PALKO

Year QB G Cmp Att Pct Yds Y/A AY/A TD Int Rate
2006 Palko 12 220 322 68.3 2871 8.9 9.2 25 9 163.2
2016 Nate P. 13 185 306 60.5 2855 9.3 10.1 27 7 163.4

Peterman barely inches out Palko in my opinion although that 68.3% completion rate of Palko’s is damned good.  Palko’s team had a 6-6 year that season and missed a bowl game; Peterman was 8-5 this year with a bowl loss.

That is Peterman as compared to only Palko – but I’ll say that Nate Peterman’s career play at Pitt stacks up pretty darn well with historical Pitt QBs also.  Here is a modified table showing our best career QB ratings – interesting stuff to review and you’ll notice Peterman’s career 151.1 rating is right near the top:

PITT QB CAREER LEADERS

 NAME

GP

 AT CM  Com%  YDS  TD  INT  Y/A  Y/G  RAT ▾
Nate Peterman 26 619 378 61.10 5142 47 15 8.3 197.7 151.11
 Matt Cavanaugh 22 175 95 54.29 1534 16 10 8.8 69.7 146.66
 Tyler Palko 44 1075 645 60.00 8343 66 25 7.8 189.6 140.80
 Tino Sunseri 44 1141 736 64.50 8590 49 23 7.5 195.2 137.88
 Rod Rutherford 46 842 458 54.39 6724 60 30 8.0 146.2 137.86
 Bill Stull 32 681 418 61.38 5252 32 18 7.7 164.1 136.38
 Dan Marino 44 1204 693 57.56 8597 79 69 7.1 195.4 127.73
 John Congemi 44 994 550 55.33 6467 42 32 6.5 147.0 117.49
 Sal Genilla 20 166 88 53.01 1156 7 11 7.0 57.8 112.17
 Pat Bostick 18 304 184 60.53 1814 9 19 6.0 100.8 107.92

What I didn’t realize is that Peterman is at the top or close to it in almost every statistical category listed; #1 in yards per game; #1 QB rating and #3 in yards per attempt.  Those are all important productions.

Peterman will be a hard act to follow especially for the supposed 2017 starter Thomas MacVitte which is why Narduzzi replicated his personnel move of 2015 and grabbed another transfer QB in Max Browne.

Fans didn’t know what to expect back in 2015 when Peterman showed up but were were, I believe, very pleasantly surprised. This last week we just had transfer Browne arrive on campus.  His will be a short time at Pitt with only one year of NCAA eligibility left to play.  But we need that QB position to produce this coming year and we need it to really show up given the state of our diminished OL and RBs.

If Browne can replicate Peterman’s 2016 year we’ll be sitting pretty.

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146 thoughts on “POV: Peterman’s Quiet Storm”

  1. Nate did a very good job for Pitt this year, too bad he didn’t have 1 more year of eligibility left. Intersted in seeing what Browne has, and if Macvittie can beat him out.

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  2. LeeH, I really wish Peterman had one more year too…he had a higher QB rating than Sam Darnold (USC)…plus I think we need the continuity right now with a change in OC happening.,

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  3. I really believe that Browne was brought in for the game at PSU on 9/9. Starting an inexperienced QB in that environment wouldn’t be fair. MacVittie will still have 3 years eligibility; hopefully he gets his share of snaps this season.

    I was very impressed with Peterman over the last half of the season (except for the bowl); he really showed his mettle.

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  4. As for the Bowl, I though Peterman played very well except for the one horrific pass.

    No doubt, the QB is by far and away the most important man in football. You must have a good one to have any chance of success. From the last thread, wbb pointed out how many great QB’s we faced this year.

    You won’t win many games if you don’t have a QB that can lead a winning drive.

    We will always have Clemson thanks to Peterman’s winning drive with Blewitt’s kick.

    The great ones are measured by the number of winning drives to finish games.

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  5. Too bad Peterman was knocked out before he had the chance to lead that final drive vs NW, may have been a finish to remember.

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  6. HbgFrank – You may get your wish with NP being with the team in 2017, just not as a player – he may be our next OC – lol.

    In other coaching news –

    Minnesota: Western Michigan head coach P.J. Fleck has accepted the Minnesota head coaching job, according to Sports Illustrated and multiple reports. The Minneapolis Star-Tribune reports Fleck is expected to have a 5-year deal that pays around $3.5 million annually.

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  7. @Reed – You know I always question the use of statistics and throw this out for everyone to marinate on. It is unfair to compare qb’s like Peterman against a Marino for instance because the latter had many freshman mistakes, etc. Peterman didn’t play as a freshman or sophomore and as such didn’t get dinged for the learning curve. Time, place and circumstance is what I always rely upon.

    The circumstances are not comparable. Had Peterman had this rating after playing as a freshman and sophomore, we get a little closer. However, absent a ding for sample size and freshman and sophomore stat inclusion (where mistakes are more prevalent), I think we just need to say this.

    Nate Peterman had a really solid couple of years at Pitt and I am thankful for that. If you go back to when he got here, I was one of the few that said “may the best qb play, regardless of name or likability”. I don’t do politics. I want my best people playing, period.

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  10. Pitt is in the win mode now. Narduzzi is building a program and simply doesn’t want to be derailed like Wanny with mediocre QB play. The OC hire will need to be someone who can recruit a QB like Doyle. Canada got to that point where top talent was looking at Pitt due to Canada. Pitt will be better and hopefully much better on D next year. Saban just fired Kiffen. OC are replaceable. Pickett said the guy who really impressed him was the quality control coach behind Canada. Canada took one with him to LSU, and the other is still here.

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  11. To clarify; Wes Beschorner is the coach I speak of. He was deeply involved with game planning and being Canada’s guy. Dave Bucar Grad assistant left with Canada to LSU. Interesting bio on Beschorner. Both Pickett and Doyle have very high regard for him.

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  12. I understand that Moorhead from Pittsburgh and the OC at psu turned down the chance to interview for the Minnesota HC job.

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  13. Come January 12th the coaches can hit the road for the end stage recruiting battle for next years class. You would think Narduzzi would have an OC in place prior to that date wouldn’t you? My guess is he is having a problem getting some coaches high on his list.

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  14. Good stuff Reed. Nate was certainly a very good QB for Pitt. I also see why Emel continued to support Voytik. However it seemed to me that Peterman brought more options than Voytik once he started playing for Pitt.

    Huff would probably really hate stats if Tino hadn’t been forced to be “high octane” for one season.

    Those are some otherworldly numbers for Priestley. I remember watching him beat WVU with RichRod at Morgantown in 2001. As I recall Priestley played backup to Turman for the previous two years but I always thought he was the better QB.

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  15. ~ Reed…you take some heat on here occasionally from the 24/7 Cheerleaders, however you were ‘right on the money back’ in the Summer of 2015 on your evaluation of Petermans’s prospects at Pitt. Cudos Big Guy !

    I did not…at the time…think anyone could unseat Voytik from the starting role. I still believe however Pitt could have won 8 games per year with Voytik as well. Since if not for a total Defensive and Special Teams collapse against Houston in that years Bowl Fiasco, Voytik would have been the QB of a 7 win team.

    Voytik remains the last Pitt QB to win a Bowl game. And believe it or not, he should have won 2 Bowl games. (not many Pitt QB’s on that list)

    Peterman played far better than I expected….too bad his career didn’t end with a win. Something few Pitt QB’s seem to experience. 😦

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  16. ~ EE

    PJ ….just said after his bowl game…how happy he was at Western Michigan.

    These guys and AD’s are as bad as career pols.

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  17. 2nd and Goal at PITT 3
    (5:42 – 4th) Deshaun Watson pass intercepted Saleem Brightwell return for 70 yds to the Clem 30

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  18. That and the Ryan Lewis interception against the Pedo’s….were the 2 biggest plays of the year imo.

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  19. 2017, The year that Mad Max Browne makes Heinz Field the The Thunder-Dome of Pennsylvania! Opponents come in to compete but go home in defeat.

    The guy wants to make a go of it in the NFL And he picks Pitt as the place to do it. That says a lot about Narduzzi and how this Pitt program is viewed nationally right now. Pitt is on the cusp of doing great things.

    You do understand that this is unheard of in recent memory, the way Pitt is pulling in these QBs from other pr0grams. First Savage out of Rutgers, then Peterman from Tennessee, then Bo Schneider from UCF & now Max Browne from USC, all within the last three years. This is once again proof in my mind of Narduzzi’s willingness to identify the holes in the roster that need to be plugged at all costs. Then he has the ability to bring in these guys to fill the void. (Savage was a Chryst guy I know).

    Everyone is lamenting the loss of Canada but the loses of both Peterman & Conner are the ones that could spell disaster for next season’s offense if not properly addressed. The leadership that these two provided was immense and even though the raw talent is there at both positions already to keep their production going the leadership role was going to be left up in the air, that was until the entrance of Max Brown on the scene. This guy brings us the maturity, experience and leadership that is so essential in continuing to build this program into a winner. He will make us soon forget how well Nate Peterman played for Pitt over the last couple of seasons. He is that talented.

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  20. Dr. I believe Browne chose Pitt not because of Narduzzi, but in his opinion Pitt had the path of least resistance to the starting QB job. I looked at the roster and found out that he only had to beat out a freshman RS that only played QB for one year in high school. And not a full year at that since he was injured for part of the season. Could he have found another school with a roster devoid of major talent at the QB position closer to home? Probably yes but I think he might have been intrigued by the Canada offensive play calling that kept much of the opposition on their heals for a good part of last season. That scenario did’t work out too well for him however.—Now he needs Narduzzi to hire a Canada clone IMO to continue the momentum of the Pitt offense 2016 style in 2017.

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  21. Dave Priestly as I recall was a transfer from tOSU – his yardage must be a typo. Reed did call NP from the get go – kudos. Voytik was recruited to run a Fraud offense; one thing that did impress me about PC was that he could adjust his offense to his QB strengths. It would seem Nard needs an OC who can recruit a QB as this has not been a strength recently though Pickett is already recruited. We need linemen IMO. .
    @Huff – Hays Road; Cradle of POV Greats, 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

  22. David Priestley Passing

    Year School Conf Class Pos G Cmp Att Pct Yds Y/A AY/A TD Int Rate
    1999 Pittsburgh Big East QB 9 92 158 58.2 1305 8.3 8.2 6 3 136.3
    2000 Pittsburgh Big East JR QB 8 57 103 55.3 829 8.0 7.3 5 4. 131.2
    2001 Pittsburgh Big East SR QB 11 165 280 58.9 2128 7.6 7.6 18 8 138.3
    Career Pittsburgh 314 541 58.0 4262 7.9 7.7 29 15 136.4

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  23. Ever since that loss to Iowa, you could tell Peterman was going to be a solid QB. Even though they came up short, he led a 4th quarter drive to tie the game, something we hadn’t seen since before Tino.

    But there’s no way I could have predicted just how great he would be. And I do mean great, not just good or serviceable.

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  25. If Minnesota can pay their HC 3.5 million and build a nice on campus stadium? PITT sure should be able to.

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  26. Emel’s post about Brightwell’s 70 yard interception return reminded me that no osu player, other than the qb’s passing yds, had more yards against Clemson than Pitt’s linebacker had including any rushing yds or return yds.

    And the talking heads still say that the committee was correct to chose osu for the playoffs. I agree that they should have chosen OSU, but it should have been Oklahoma dispite their early loss to Ohio.

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  27. A couple of my buddies are Florida and UTenn grads and when Peterman transferred, they told me not to expect much. Much of that was based on his performance in a game against the Florida Gators, where he was apparently in over his head. His QB rating in the 2 yrs with the Vols were 42.5 and 70.6.

    So, to be honest, I thought Reed’s enthusiasm was a bit misplaced and that NP would be riding the bench or fill in should Chad get injured. His transformation at Pitt is nothing short of amazing.

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  29. Browne chose Pitt somewhat because of the easy path and job opening, but the real reason was because Pitt has one of the few pure pro style offenses in college football, and Browne was the highest rated pro style QB in the country.

    This alone with get Narduzzi quite a few good QB’s once a line-up of them go into the NFL. That’s why we get so many good RB’s now. Most college coaches don’t care about preparing QB’s for the NFL….they want to chock up win and make themselves big money.

    Triple option QB’s win like crazy in college and that is attractive to recruits, but they wind up being either busts in the NFL or projects. Teams who draft QB’s now in the first or early 2nd rounds want him to play early.

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  31. Iowa: Offensive coordinator / quarterbacks coach Greg Davis has announced his retirement. The 65-year-old Davis has been at Iowa since 2012 and has previously been an OC at Texas, North Carolina and Arkansas and spent 1988-91 as Tulane head coach.

    More competition for Pitt in its long search for an OC.

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  32. Hey guys. 6 days later and antibiotics and steroids later I am still having dizzy spells. It is like I am on a boat. I have had slight back discomfort near my spine and the Dr saw some issues that showed my ears inflamed. Felt it was a virus and sinus issues. Scared as it has been going on for week. If it doesnt get better I am going back. I just feel
    Fatigued and eyes hurt some and blurrier vision than usual but not bad persay. I mispell
    certain words and head feels cloudy and a bit dazed. Any suggestions. I google symptons and it is scary what comes up. MS, Brain Tumors, Etc. I’m 39. Bllod pressure was a little high but Dr. said from infection. Thanks for any help. Sad about Florida. In that airport 25 times a year.

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  33. Upitt, I was wondering about blood pressure as a factor, but the steroids could raise your BP. An appointment with a good neurologist may be in order.

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  35. What’s this about?

    Chris Dokish ‏@ChrisDokish
    That hometown hero nickname is taken away until further notice.

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  36. PittPT and 6&34,

    Thank You! It is hard to remember what normal feels like. It is like when your computer runs slow but in my head. I was thinking ENT or Neurologist as next step. Scary to say the least. Hope turns out to be nothing. Seems like yeaterday I was 18 and felt like I was invincible.

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  37. Greg – I figured the lighlight of Rose Bowl would have that effect on him. We shall see but the other kid was working on him as well right?

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  39. Greg, I think Dokish is referring to reports that Paris Ford has decided to take an official visit to Miami.

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  41. ^^^ Pitt’s last Ten-Win Season (Bowl game win vs. Stacked, Butch Davis-Coached North Carolina was #10) that season

    —- Pitt wins 9 regular season games next season (including pswho) + the Bowl Game —– with BOTH Max Browne and Thomas MacVittie playing 1 and 1-A at Qb.

    I posted that glorious Bowl-Game vid before but I think it somehow got took down….by the writer who “Called Peterman over Voytik *Before Anyone Else” 😉 hahaha

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  42. Upitt, late to the game and I have to ask. What was your original diagnosis and what type of steroids were you taking? Many have worse side effects than the actual illness that they are prescribed for. (Predizone for example)

    One big suggestion. Lay off the google and self diagnosis. Not good for the brain or blood pressure. Talk to your doctor ASAP!

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  43. About Paris Ford, it’s winter in Pittsburgh and a trip to Miami, F. L. A. sounds good to me too. The Steeler game Sunday will be the nail……..ike

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  44. @upittbaseball you okay??

    I hope I don’t sound obtuse / too simplistic here — but especially now with those symptoms are you always making sure to stay very-hydrated?

    Blood foremost nourishes the entire body, and everyone’s body is 92-94% all H2O with plasma —- and if you feel inflamation especially you should chug-down water if you can…..

    http://www.foodmatters.com/article/hydration-is-key-to-happy-healthy-cells

    —- Godspeed to your health and to all Posters’ Health 🙂

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  45. Ike – 7 days ago I got a migraine. Took my Maxalt on the onslaught and went to sleep. Ever since then foggy and have the feeling of being off. Not as sharp as usual. Foggy. Feel like I am on a bassboat on Lake Erie in my head. He saw some issues in my ears but he wasn’t like they are terrible or anything. Gave me antibiotic and steroid. Azithromycin is Antibiotic and Methylprednisolone is Steroid.

    I also restarted taking ADD meds last week after being off for about 9 months but stopped them since I was feeling dizzy and really anxious.

    I sound like a crazy person I am aware but I can promise you I’m normal minus my Pitt rants. Ha. Thanks for the help and thanks Dark Knight.

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  47. Upitt, sorry about your current situation, hope you feel better over the coming days.—-As a side note, PSN has a nice article up on the 5 early enrollees. And as well the TribView has another article today mostly on Browne and our young Australian punter.

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  48. Upitt, I agree with ike. Don’t self diagnose and hopefully you did not restart ADD meds without MD oversight. Restarting at the same dose you stopped meds after a long layoff can cause problems. If you have not seen a good neurologist yet ask your pcp about it. Care coordination is key. Hope you get well soon.

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  49. Black Knight I’m going to hold you to the 10 win season, Pitt has some pieces but the defense still worries me early in the season. I think the defense will be more athletic and better but might take time.

    PSwho and OSU are going to be very difficult games and don’t sleep on the opener with YSU.

    The key for the offense should be Browne, he has limited experience and USC really took off when he was benched. I’m not implying he was the problem holding them back but this is his last chance. The oline, receivers, backs and tight ends have the capable experience and bodies to succeed. Regarding MacVitte he seems to be a year away because my understanding is he played only 1 year of football at QB,he has the tools but needs proper coaching and experience. Maybe not a 1a starter but 2 string next season with him gaining game experience in the right situations.

    I hope I’m wrong and your right but as stated earlier by other posters the over/under for Pitt wins next year looks to be around 7.

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  50. @Upitt – was it a true migraine or are YOU calling it that? I am thinking so as you had the Maxalt available.
    When were your migraines first diagnosed?

    Likely infection but a week with little response warrants further testing.

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  51. Self diagnosis from computer: Blood in the urine can be anything from a one-time episode brought on by something you ate or wore (too much polyester in your undies or workout jock) all the way to terminal cancer.

    Dizziness — as I grew older (40s& 50s), I have had several bouts of temporary dizzy spells. Many times it happens when I hadn’t eaten something for a while and stand up after being seated for a while. It can be absolutely nothing (Coach K once passed out in front of the bench one time … didn’t miss a game) … or can be a portend to a more serious condition. neurological condition.

    These are only two of the many things I have LIVED through in my last 20+ years as we age not so gracefully. I did have a cancerous bladder tumor which I survived because of early diagnosis but my dizzy spells turned out to be nothing.

    While any condition that persists needs to be examined, when it happens to us, we tend to think the worse … especially as we grow older. My advice (thru experience) is to get anything you feel is troubling diagnosed, but don’t knock yourself else thinking that the worse will happen.

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  52. Pitt… Regarding your illness,

    I think that it is a positive development that it feels like you are in a bass boat on Lake Erie. If it felt like you were in a Long Trawler in the North Atlantic it would be a whole different story.

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  53. Not to make light of UPitt’s issue as it can be serious ….. but a troubling, persistent condition with Pitt athletics seems to be early committals by attractive recruits. Our earliest committal for this draft class is 4-star Paris Ford who appears to be taking a visit to the U. Our other early commit was 3-star DB Exree Roe who is now a WVU commit. The earliest commit of the previous class was DB Tony Butler from Cleveland who went eslewhere (don’t remember where.) And the two early commits from PC’s final class (assumed by HCPN) was a TE from Kittanning (forgot his name) and DL Kevin Givens from Altoona … both flipped to PSU in the final weeks, and Givens has been starting as a RS FR.

    Early basketball commits have included Terrell Pryor, Maverick Rowan and Mustapha Heron.

    It is too soon right now to worry about Ford, although it would sting if we lose a local 4-star in a position of great need. On the other hand, our current staff have have flipped a handful in the last weeks before LOI …. the frosh WR Matthews being one of them.

    The lesson here I guess is to wait until LOI is signed especially for Pitt …and even then, we have to see who lives to their ratings and who doesn’t …. and the few who may exceed them

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  54. Last year I ran into Matt Canada.. we both have places on Topsail Island.. if I see him this year I want to ask him several questions 1. Why wasn’t QA a 700+ yd receiver ( play calling or skill level) 2. Who will be the break-out player(s) in ’17. He was right-on when he told me Jester was the real deal. 3. Are the pieces in place to have another ” high octane” offense. Hope he keeps his Carolina home. Good guy who loves to talk ball. Hated to lose him.. BTW while at the Birmingham “Deep in the Heart of the Ghetto Bowl” I befriended several Ole Miss fans who stay in contact to this day- they hate LSU and their fans with a passion equal to or greater than our love for the Hoopies

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  55. UPitt/Mark – go to a highly regarded ENT in your area – Dallas? My daughter has had similar issues and a co-worker as well.

    In one case it was an inner ear infection (viral) and the other a vestibular dysfunction. With my daughter, we saw an ENT in Richmond last summer who couldn’t figure it out and went to a neurologist who performed an MRI. No result from that – which was good news.

    We then had her go to an ENT in Oakland who was obviously more on top of his game and was ale to give a clear diagnosis of a viral infection.

    My coworker – who flies every bit as much as you do, was diagnosed with a vestibular dysfunction. He was grounded from flying for a while and was sent to PT where they performed some exercises.

    Just recalling another coworker – who flies a lot – also developed vertigo and migraines. He went straight to a neurologist, who found nothing and hearing about the other two stories above, went to an ENT. THings got resolved.

    Hope you feel better!

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  56. Reed – do you know the date for the Spring game yet? I’m trying to coordinate the POV Spring golf outing and a date is key. If you don’t know, would EJ have any insight?

    Golf is more interesting to me right now than watching the paint dry on the Pitt OC hire…

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  57. BigB, all good questions but I believe the answer to #1 is that there is only one football to go around.

    Speaking of Canada, I remember hearing an interview last May on XM Radio 84 … and he was surprised how open hew was that he thought our OL was going to be so good (guess it was a no-brainer) … he also mentioned about the depth and quality of RBs (but at the time had no idea how Conner would be,) and commented on how NP had a great spring but were thin at back-up QB. Thought he was very frank instead of the usual coachspeak.

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  58. Howard Payne Univ. (TX): Bishop Gorman High School (TX) head coach Coby Gipson has joined the HPU staff as offensive coordinator, and Texas Lutheran co-defensive coordinator Mark Carey has joined HPU as defensive coordinator. Gipson spent five years at Bishop Gorman, and Carey spent six years at TLU, where he worked with HPU head coach Braxton Harris.

    Michigan Tech: Finlandia (MI) offensive coordinator Dan Mettlach has joined the Michigan Tech staff as an offensive assistant / assistant to the head coach. Mettlach spent three years at Finlandia.

    Pittsburgh: Pitt is searching for a replacement for LSU bound Matt Canada, along with Finlandia (MI) to fill their offensive coordinator positions.

    The recruiting dead period ends in the middle of next week and many schools are “rushing” to fill key coaching positions so as to hit the recruiting trail hard leading up to the February 1st LOI day.

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  59. Erie, not sure the spring game has been scheduled yet, but my guess through experience is Sat 4/15 … since it always seems to be mid-April. Yes, it is Easter weekend but it has been scheduled during Easter before, as you probably know.

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  60. either nard dog has been rejected and hes back to the drawing board or his pick is someone coaching in the nfl playoffs

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  62. Thanks wwb, that’s where I’ll start and adjust from there.

    TX – the silence is maddening. I put a list out last week of five possible OC candidates – all have games through Monday night. Two are former Pitt QB’s on the GB Packers staff.

    The saying goes, “good things come to those who wait”. And we Pitt fans are surely waiting.

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  63. UPitt, I completely agree with JoeL’s suggestion of you seeking the advice from an ENT specialist. Your symptoms require eliminating any middle/inner ear ailments which can produce the symptoms that you are dealing with. Ear issues also very prominent in people who do a lot of air travel.

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  64. Wbb agree that MC did a great job of distributing the ball around which made us so explosive.. with QAs speed and elusiveness I wonder why he was not part of longer routes- getting him one on one downfield 15-20 yards ala
    Ryan Switzer…that definitely wasn’t part of the game planning last year and if I am an OC I try to target him in space because his will break one adding to our offensive striking capabilities… most of his 26 catches were near the LOS…I think we are going to have a solid team next year with a big improvement on D and the offense improving steadily as the year progresses .. we had real leaders on this team and hope a few step up to match the departing Panther leaders ( Captain and co-captains) ability and intensity.
    One observation in Duzz’s 1st to years- his teams battle..and play hard..

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  65. a couple notes:

    if you turn on ESPN right now, you will note that Bama appears to have a larger crowd for media day than we had for the Duke game
    according to my channel guide (ATT Uverse – Cleveland), I can watch the women’s game BC at Pitt but not the men’s Pitt at Cuse .. both noon starts.

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  66. UPitt, agree on the ENT, and forget the internet self diagnosis. Vertigo is a bitch.

    Sounds like sinus problems with you, so that is why you see the ENT first. Do some research and get a good one.

    Great discussion this morning. Hope Ford is just taking a vacation, because if he doesn’t come, it is almost a complete washout in a good year in the WPIAL. He was the one that was comitted to play with Hamlin so let’s hope he honors that pledge. We really need him.

    Getting Browne on campus should make everyone breathe easier, should be a good competition which is what you want. He started vs Alabama so PSU should not be so much of a shock.

    Agree with Reed on the two biggest plays of the year. Funny how they are both defensive plays on an awful defense. They stand out because there weren’t enough of them.

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  68. The problem with stats is that over time the game has changed and today it is how much scoring is too much? The answer is not enough.
    http://www.al.com/sports/index.ssf/2014/01/college_footballs_scoring_bing.html

    FBS 10-Year Trends (Average Per Game, One team)

    Year Points Plays Total yards Yards per carry Completion percentage
    2013 29.6 71.8 412.6 4.47 59.8
    2003 26.9 71.0 382.6 4.01 56.8
    1993 24.4 70.5 371.2 3.98 55.1
    1983 22.1 71.6 352.3 3.80 53.6
    1973 21.0 70.5 323.6 3.85 47.2
    1963 15.8 61.7 265.3 3.63 46.1
    1953 17.1 60.3 268.2 3.92 42.8
    Sources: NCAA football record book and 2013 NCAA football statistics

    Those who think Tino is anywhere near the equal of Marino ignore the changing game. Marino played with 2 WR and a TE, FB and HB. Are QBs more accurate and better than in 1973? No, the game changed, This is why like Huff I am not obsessed by stats.

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  69. Texas State: A source tells CoachingSearch that Zak Kuhr will coach running backs and could add the title of co-offensive coordinator or run game coordinator. Kuhr coached running backs at Rutgers last year and held the same role under Everett Withers at James Madison.

    Michigan: Cleveland Browns associate head coach / offense coordinator Pep Hamilton has been offered the job of quarterbacks coach / passing game coordinator at Michigan, according to the Cleveland Plain Dealer. Hamilton worked under Harbaugh at Stanford as offensive coordinator with QB Andrew Luck in 2010.

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  70. EE, this is your last post here and it very hard to believe although I do: “Michigan: Cleveland Browns associate head coach / offense coordinator Pep Hamilton has been offered the job of quarterbacks coach / passing game coordinator at Michigan, according to the Cleveland Plain Dealer. Hamilton worked under Harbaugh at Stanford as offensive coordinator with QB Andrew Luck in 2010”.

    Good googly moogly, going from the NFL to college from asst head coach/OC to QB coach. This would make no sense if it weren’t for Michigan and a few other teams offering this change. Some of these teams have as much money as the lower end NFL teams.

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  71. UPitt, I had what looked like a “finger infection;” there was inflammation, nail damage, etc. PCP prescribed Amoxicillin, no change. Then prescribed Fluconazole thinking it was a fungus, no change. Saw a PCP sub (PCP was on vacation), who sent me to a hand specialist that afternoon. This was a week ago. X-rays taken. Surgery for a mucuos cyst Monday morning. Lesson and advice: see a specialist ASAP. No self-diagnosis, no computer research, etc. Go, and go now.

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  73. UPITT’S- lots of good advice here. I’m no Doc, and have rarely had a need for one (except for 6-month check ups), but Dr Tom makes good argument for ENT. I’d suggest an appointment with “Earie” Express!

    Seriously, though, hope you get with someone who can solve this problem(s). We miss your rants!

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  75. Is Erie a ENT? God I’d love that. There is actually a kid here in Keller, TX. who I had to see one day when my Doc was out when I thought I had a hernia. Walk in and whole waiting room is covered in Steelers and Pitt stuff. He has there a few years after me. I was in heaven till he pushed and touched my …… for the hernia. Ha

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  77. JMU looks very much like Pitt on offense / I could see their OC Kirkpatrick being a good fit at Pitt.

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  79. UPitt – not and ENT, only a CEO. Stay of the internet and see a professional doc.

    Praying you find a quick solution.

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  81. Paris Ford has been very vocal on Pitt so at this point I am not worried..
    .
    I am more concerned about our buddy UPitt. For what it’s worth I have a very good friend who years ago had bad vertigo and missed a lot of work over 6 months. Finally went to the Cleveland Clinic for a complete analysis – my fading memory was Minears Disease which he eventually got over. I know from a few other friends it is tough but GET TO A SPECIALIST, have a complete run down. Doc’s advice sounds good. My prayers – get er done.

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  82. UPitt .. start with the ENT and go from there..our POVert team needs you healthy.. if we were a hockey team you would be our Darius Kasparitis – our instigator ..take the step and schedule to see a Doc.. I don’t recommend Dr. Tom as I don’t believe bourbon and victory cigars will cure you in the long run.. We don’t need you having motion sickness and falling off that tower in Miami while hanging you PITT flag for Mr Ford!

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  84. If this is a dead period, how can Miami be talking to Ford? He said they started contacting him right after the Under Armor game.

    UPitt….prayers brother…

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  85. Bib B -LMAO.
    Just turned on Pitt v Cuse – dont watch UPitt it will make you sicker. 40-15? Shoes are 1/2k price.

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  87. UPitt – I’m reading this blog while watching Syracuse make most of their 3 pt shots! I’ve had dizziness a few times and the PCP prescribed Meclizine and I got better, but one time I needed a 2nd script. A co-worker was also sick with it so that may have been a virus? My sister saw an ENT, had the MRI, and didn’t have any surgery. She had both types of vertigo as mentioned previously. The PT did work by “putting the rocks in her head” in their proper place. She went twice a week to PT for 13 weeks and also did home therapy every day. It took 15 months till she was feeling better.

    She also ate salmon the night she got sick one time and one of her doctors said there was a possibility that helped bring on her symptoms. She did have both types.

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  88. PetePitt73, praying your surgery goes well. They may give you a nerve block…..it kills the whole arm, lol. The shot doesn’t hurt…. I had one when I had my finger surgery in July for a severed digital nerve. (be careful playing with sharp knives)

    Pitt needs to be careful playing with round basketballs…good grief guys….

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  89. UPitt – just playin’ with words when recommended EE! Keep after docs till you get correct diagnosis. Hope this stuff is gone soon!

    Jack – great point about dead period! But I am concerned if PF goes beachin’ in Jan. Riecht and staff are awful good recruiters. They know better than to invite a PA boy to MB in 95 degree summer! Hope someone points out to him the game time Temps the U plays in.

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  90. I’m liking the JMU offense. About to go up 21-0 on YSU early in the 2nd qtr.

    If Duzz waited for this game, I hope it is not the YSU OC he waited for – lol

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  92. Butch Davis would have a yacht with an “escort service” sevice” eating for PFord…say what you want about Mark Richt- he is a Christian

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  93. JMU was 3rd in total offense in FCS at 525 ypg. 285 rushing v 240 passing.

    Lost one game vs UNC 56-28. Only bad offense game at Villanova when they JMU won 20-7. But very good in playoffs and beat 5-time FCS champ N Dakota St at Fargo 27-17.

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  99. UPitt,
    As a doc (anesthesia/ pain), if u have a neurologist for your migraines, go there. Otherwise, go to an ENT.
    As u probably read, Meniere’s, benign positional vertigo, labrynthitis, medications, nothing, etc.
    Over the counter meclizine may help, though nothing helped when I had vertigo except fresh air and ginger ale.
    Good luck.
    Would rather have pain than vertigo.

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  103. Gasman … if you have BPPV – benign paroxysmal positional vertigo( not to be confused with that dreadful bowl in Birmingham) try the canolith repositioning procedure or Brandt-Daroff exercises – vids on You-tube.. if there is an inner ear infection then meds are needed … speaking of meds ..a shout out to DARKIE for posting those Meineke highlights – we finally beat those Phucking Heels… next year we have’em at the Ketchup Bottle… I am bringing my Tarheel buddies, staying at the Sheraton at Station Sq, riding the riverboat n drinking beer and sitting in club seat so I can drink liquor while watching our boys beat the Heels.

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  104. ESPN didn’t include Narduzzi in their list of coaches/players (8) from Youngstown. No respect at all!

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  105. As we still work on Upit….ike

    H2Pt, I’ll throw in this. I’ve dealt with vertigo for years and years and have been diagnosed with Meniere’s by a few ENT’s and one neurologist. A couple other ENT’s do not think it’s Meniere’s. As you can plainly detect, I’ve been to many specialists. I don’t want you to get discouraged though. Frequent flying, certain foods, stress, drinking and even the time of year can be certain triggers. Have you had any dissociation experiences in your past? At this point I’m thinking a problem in one or both ears. Any stuffiness in your ear or ears? Going to a neurologist is a great idea but he will probably just forward you to an ENT! Pick a good one with real references from someone you know, I could go on forever……good luck

    Hey Gasman, great advice and are you working in the area, UPMC? I may know you. I know many PITT fans and family who work in your field……ike

    H2P

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  106. Thanks Ike! Sorry for your struggles as well. Just want to feel normal again. What do you mean disassociation? Mom just passed and have some stress but nothing major. Going for fress air walk and getting gingerale. It is 26 degrees here so air is pretty fresh Gasman! Haha

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  107. funny how things work out. The other night Pitt BB does something they could never do under J Dixon ,,, beat UVa. Then today, they go to Cuse … a team JD pretty much mastered, and they look silly despite 4 seniors on the team.

    Meanwhile, JD takes his team, with 2 frosh starters, to Morgantown today and gives Top 10 “Eers alll they could handle … until a sequence with about 3 minutes left when Konate from Kennedy Christian blocks a shot on one end and dunks on the other, followed by a technical on JD … which broke the game open. Konate, you may recall, is a 6’9 shot-blocker who JD either ignored or was outrecruited by Huggy Bear. Whatever, he would have been exactly what the Pitt team needs right now

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  108. Dissociation means you may feel like you’re only witnessing events unfolding for a brief time. Some call it an out of body experience. Stress and being ultra tired is a big trigger and you have had to deal with so much in your recent life. I know you’ll see the right people to feel better soon. Good Luck….ike

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  110. Konate is a beast for sure. Doesn’t he have a brother? Dixon got lazy the past few years and that’s why I’m glad he’s gone.

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  114. Upitt could be, didn’t you say take Pitt and the points today and the Dolphins with the points tomorrow?

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  115. gpm… saw that too… really bad since Congemi was part of the broadcasting team .. also no mention of our next AD Tressel…

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  116. Yes but after I said it Pitt felt like a sucker bet. I like Miami getting 10. We will but by 8.

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  119. I believe the UNC v NC St game is postponed due to snow. Maybe they should have played in the Carrier Dome

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  121. Jan. 6, 2017

    PITTSBURGH–Pitt head football coach Pat Narduzzi announced the additions of four freshmen and a graduate transfer student who have enrolled at the University of Pittsburgh for the start of the spring academic term.

    The Panthers’ freshmen enrollees are quarterback Kenny Pickett, offensive lineman Jerry Drake, defensive lineman Deslin Alexandre and punter Kirk Christodoulou. Additionally, quarterback Max Browne has joined Pitt as a graduate transfer from Southern California.

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  122. And I noticed on that video, they have those horrendous white tops/blue pants, blue helmet ug uni’s to the right of Max. We were 0-2 in those things. Both horrendous losses. (tarholes & bigjoke team)

    PLEASE BURN THOSE HIDEOUS THINGS !!!

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  123. Emel .. 1st thought on the vid…Big cranium.. Big brain. We will have a Trojan and a Bruin leading the way in 2017.

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  125. Pretty funny stuff, they postponed this game because of a dusting of snow. The snowflakes don’t like snow flurries.

    Snow and ice started to hit the Triangle on Friday night and continued during the day on Saturday. The ACC’s general weather policy is if both teams, the game officials and game operations crew can make it to the site, the game will go on as scheduled.

    The game referees were in Chapel Hill on Saturday, as was the UNC team. N.C. State, which practiced at the Smith Center on Friday afternoon but returned to Raleigh, was willing to make the bus ride down I-40 on Saturday afternoon before the ACC and UNC made the decision to postpone the game.

    “We were prepared to travel to Chapel Hill for this evening’s game, since both teams and the officials were available. While we are disappointed in the postponement, we look forward to playing tomorrow,” Debbie Yow, N.C. State athletic director, said in a statement.

    There were safety concerns specifically on UNC’s end, with the wintry weather about getting the game operations crew safely to and from the game.

    Read more here: http://www.charlotteobserver.com/sports/spt-columns-blogs/article125164349.html#storylink=cpy

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  128. Couple tidbits that may interest some of you:

    Kirk Christodoulou the punter commit from Australia needed a helping hand his first weekend in the Burgh with his bed linens. Turns out Jordan Berry of the Steelers and also from Australia drove him to Targets to buy some comforts.

    Max Browne’s host when he visited PITT was a former teammate at USC and another Steeler, Xavier Grimble.

    Sharing the south-side facility does pay off.

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  129. Plymouth State: announced a historic hire Friday, naming Kim Bownes the first female athletic director since the position was established in 1950.

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  130. Pitt is down to three OC candidates, imo. Two are coaching for the Packers tomorrow and the other will be coaching with Clemscum Monday night.

    Patience – good things are coming. I keep telling myself that…

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  131. Erie let me make a guess on the possible OC coaches you posted about. The GB coaches would be either Tom Clements(GB asst head coach) or Alex Van Pelt(GB QB coach). MY Clemson coach guess is Brandon Streeter the Clemson QB coach and recruiting coordinator.—-If it’s either of the GB coaches gets the job I hope they can bring an Aaron Rogers clone with them. If we end up getting the Clemson coach, maybe he can bring a clone of the current Clemson QB with him.

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  132. Hopefully when the new OC is announced we won’t be thinking “you kept us waiting for this?”….

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  133. jrnpitt – 2 of 3 were right on. Luke Getsy replaces Tom Clements on my prediction list.

    One other thought is that one of the three comes as a co-offensive coordinator/QB coach and Tim Salem is promoted to co-offensive coordinator/TE coach.

    In that scenario, who calls the plays? – I’d hope it is the new coach, with Canada’s playbook in hand.

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  134. Reporting from PGH… was at a party at Posvar’s daughter’s house last night. Interesting football talk as always. FLASH: No OCS in our lifetime. No.word on an OC though. Here is a rather sad fact – only one of the many friends I grew up with read the POV. A bunch of others graduated from Pitt but don’t care about the football team. As a matter of fact there were a ton of UPMC people at the party (Lisa works there) and no one cares about Pitt football but one very pretty young lady.

    My son came up with me to meet my old friends and old girlfriends (3 were there) and he started hitting on the lady I lived with for 4 years back in the day. I though it was hilarious but he was embarrassed.

    That may not be actual news. Getting out of town before the Steelers game starts though – should have a season wrap-up podcast out by late this afternoon.

    BTW – Pitt POV is now a LLC. I am my own boss now and am giving myself a raise immediately from $.10 and hour to $.15. I’ll spend the extra dough on drinks at our first tailgate.

    Also – I’ll try to get the Spring Game date firmed up for the golf outing plans. I can’t walk around but will be the bouncer in a cart when fights break out.

    Guys – I don’t see any real earthshaking recruits on the horizon who may sign with us before LOI Day. This class, if it stays the same quality throughout as is now isn’t getting me all that excited. I’ll probably drive up for the LOI Day dog and Pony show though if anyone is interested in skipping work that day. Which is Feb 1st this year – coming up soon and is on a Wednesday.

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  135. Reed – Never say never on OCS. All it takes is an AD that can build a coalition of supporters. If a feasibility study shows a healthy ROI and a benefit to constituents besides the university, it will have a strong chance of happening. Now lifetime is also subjective. But, I believe in 15-20 years there will be one; otherwise, Pitt has already decided without any study to hitch a ride with the Steelers and will be playing in a domed stadium far out in Washington County.

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  136. One must ask why alumni dont care. Why do locals dont care. And its not just football but sports in general. Maybe its because there was no special connection via sports (aided by an OCS). Maybe its because their memories are that of previous administrations that tried their hardest to give Pitt the death penalty by marginalizing athletics. Maybe its because Pitt has not nurtured traditions on campus that support its teams and represent the school. My point is Pitt has to give reason for people to care. Its done the opposite since Fazio. I still have hope with the right leadership…the right AD. Make Pitt great again.

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  137. Football culture wise … the University of Pittsburgh is much more of the norm than the exception. (more on this below)

    ESPN, CBS Sports, etc … spends 90% of their airtime and articles on 10% of the teams, and with the exception of Notre Dame, all of them are similar in that they are large schools with lots of alums, have a rich FB history, and reside in an fertile FB recruiting area. It also helps not to be located in an NFL city.

    There are a few variations … Clemson is not that large of a university but is located in a very fertile area …. but success breeds success. The top 10% is a very difficult club to join Clemson is a recent addition but we’ll see how long they stay. After nearly 15 years of unparalleled success (but included some severe sanctions), the U of Miami has never returned to the limelight … despite its great recruiting situation.

    IMO, these top FB schools may have lost its priorities …. as we have seen the last few years, the students/alums at the Dairy School are guilty here. Fact is that PSU, OSU, Mich and Texas are really accomplished academic schools (as is Pitt) …. yet the standard of measure these days is how good the FB teams are. Heck, look at Miami … it is actually a very good school, very high in academic rankings … yet very few people realize it.

    I say that the Posvar crowd has its priorities correct …. but that’s just me.

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  138. Tx, I think you nailed it in your above post. PITT football was replace by PITT basketball as the featured sport in Oakland the past decade or so. Jamie had the Taj-mahal built for him on campus and the students and locals flocked to the place where there should have stood a football stadium. With the football program being purposely d-emphazied it began to crumble and almost fell completely apart. That statement alone goes to show what loyal fans PITT football really has. We’ve stuck with our gridiron young man through thick and the very thin.

    PITT will have to find an alternative place to play their games as it’s plain as day the Steelers won’t be playing in downtown Pittsburgh for very much longer…

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  139. Local blue collar types are in the Steeler cult and can’t identify with the college game. See Pitt as elitist.

    Like Reed mentioned, I know many Pitt grads who could care less about Pitt Sports, or at best are lukewarm and pay little attention.

    Pitt has never been a rah rah place, far from it. Some of it is the commuter nature of the school, the size and that it has a large graduate presence.

    Something for the new AD to work on.

    Having been on other campuses, there is much more school spirit emphasized by the administration.

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  140. I think that basketball and the Pete has done great things for school spirit overall. I get a tear in my eye when I watch the Zoo. That rah rah experience is something that those kids will remember forever.

    No reason that Pitt can’t excel in both sports.

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  141. I don’t know where you get that the Steelers are leaving the North Side. The area around the stadium is still being developed and is finally becoming a destination point for restaurants and bars. A Pitt bar would certainly help, somewhere for fans to congregate for away games. To bad Ditka didn’t put his steakhouse on the North side and make it more Pitt Centric.

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  143. I find school spirit much higher down here among these southern and Texas schools. Often the focal point is the OCS or the Rec Center. They do all kinds of things in and around those places. From stuff the day before, the day of and after the games to fun school events, concerts, graduations, intramurals, etc, etc. Most schools realize that sports are part of a university’s fabric, culture and brand. It helps gives students a connection with the school. Those connections develop good memories and good memories means donations. Pitt has a very small percentage of alumni that donate. I attribute that lack of caring to the lack of strong traditions and school spirit that is often fostered through sporting events. If I recall under the Posvar administration, sports were not a high priority. In fact, I dont think sports were even an afterthought in Pitt’s branding efforts. A new AD has a chance to help change the mindset. Help make the college experience fun by incorporating sports as something to rally behind. I’m sorry but its just easier for one to take pride around a team as opposed to graduating rates and GPA’s compared to other schools. Its like these Posvar types think and want Pitt to be Ivy. Bragging rights based on how many grads become US Presidents.

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  144. Heinz was built to last 25 years. In 10 years, it will be 25 years old. Will the Steelers do massive renovations on an existing stadium or will they want to build a new one and realize massive tax breaks? I think they will want to build a new one which incorporates how the game will be watched in 15-25 years (technology is the reason why NFL attendance is down…the experience is better on your couch in front of a 70 inch TV). And the land Heinz sits on is far too valuable to be used for less than 30 times per year from games to concerts.

    And if an on campus B-ball arena is good for school spirit, one can see my point that an OCS would be as well. Or SMPC (Student Multi-Purpose Center).

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  145. Heinz Field will last at least 20 more years, they just added seats. Nothing worn down about it.

    Most of the people that actually attend the games love going to Heinz.

    An OCS would be great for school spirit, just never going to happen at Pitt.

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  146. Reed, pretty cool piece and thanks for sharing you hob-knobbier.

    Great news your #1 son is feeling better and traveling with you.

    Congratulation on your raise as well. You’re worth a nickel for sure. Plus you have been very busy on The POV pumping out articles both new and old, which are really fun to revisit.

    About recruiting? Too early yet with the dead period being over this week and sometime in the future (hopefully soon) a new OC. I like the class and I’m thinking it will get a little better, maybe a lot better…

    Looking forward to the season wrap-up article and many more during the new year…….ike

    H2P

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