Who is Your 2016 MVP? Seriously

Until I can get home and do up a podcast for today let’s chip in with our Pittsburgh Panthers Football MVP for 2016.  You can list one overall; one on offense and one on defense or anything your little heart desires.

Looking at the season objectively I feel the MVP has to come from the offensive side of the ball for obvious reasons.  One being we had no defense to speak of.  I think QBs are always the most important guy out there because it all starts with the snap and the ball being put into play.

Peterman had a great year as we talked about yesterday.  He didn’t light the world on fire from game one until game 13 but he got steadily better as the season unfolded and, perhaps most importantly, didn’t have many turnovers that kept us from scoring points. Seven INTs on the year is darn good especially stacked up against 237 TD passes.

But that’s the easy pick.  I supposed you could point to James Conner as the romantic choice given it was his comeback year but truth be told his production doesn’t jump off the page at you.

So I’ll go with a kid who was maddeningly inconsistent at times but made big plays when needed – WR Jester Weah.  Here is what he did this year:

CAREER STATS

RECEIVING

SEASON REC YDS AVG LNG TD
2016 36 870 24.2 75 10
2015 0 2 0.0 2 0

You can see that when he touched the ball he did something with it.  That 24.2 average per catch is outstanding and he seemed to hook up on the deeper passes just when our offense needed a boost.

Ten TDs isn’t bad either (Boyd as comparison had six last year) and in the last two games of the regular season – versus Duke and SYR he had only six catches but they went for 194 yards and three TDs… that is an average of 32.3 yards per catch.  

In addition he gave us something that we had been sorely missing over the past few years and that is a legitimate and consistent deep threat.  I know Tyler Boyd put up some big yardage in his time here but he was much more of a possession receiver.

Boyd had 3,361 (!) yards while at Pitt but that came with 254 receptions and averaged out at 13.2 yards per which is about the median average for a good D1 WR.  24.2 is pretty much untouchable especially when it came on a goodly amount of receptions at 36.

Weah was a legit deep threat all year.  He had six plays of over 55 yards – 60, 55, 75, 56, 59 and 69 were his individual game bests and I might have missed one or two there.  That really opened up the short and intermediate passing routes and helped Peterman have that good passing year he had.  Peterman averaged almost 200 yards per game and these deep plays really helped with that.

Second on my list would have to be our Offensive Line collectively – Left Tackle specifically.  Our QB was only sacked 10 times all year and when that guy can remain upright good things can happen.

How about your choices and why?

86 thoughts on “Who is Your 2016 MVP? Seriously

  1. I have a different take, Matt Canada was the MVP he was innovative and pulled the strings by putting multiple individuals into positions were they could succeed.

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  2. Similar to the Dallas Cowboys this year, how about the entire offensive line?

    But if I had to pick one, it would probably be Henderson.

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  3. Looking forward into 2017 from the perspective of the MVP for 2016, I’d have to go with gc’s & DKF’s pick too, Henderson. Why,,,, leadership! That is what this team now lacks with the graduation of so many Seniors and Conner going pro. The void of leadership must be filled. From what I’ve seen of Quadree Henderson, he understands the responsibility that is being thrust upon him now with his dynamic performance and All American status garnered in 2016.

    MVP going forward if he is prepared to pick up the Pitt standard and carry it high into what possibly could be a breakout year for Narduzzi’s team if his underrated recruiting classes are ready to reload all of the positions up for grabs come Spring Ball.

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  4. My vote would be for QH, despite all the fumbles. Correct the fumble problem for next year and QH passes TD on the single season All-purpose yardage leader list. Being # 2 on that list in 2016 is not bad…

    As far as team leaders for 2017 – Mad Max was one of four USC team captains and I believe he will elevate to that status at Pitt in 2017. One of the three elder OLineman needs to lead (Bookser, Officer or O’Neill). On the D side – Wirginis and Whitehead.

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  5. MVP is the player that contributed the most to winning this year’s games. Hands down it was Peterman. It was his above average Qb play that secured 8 wins.

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  6. What a great thing to have so many worthy candidates. Maybe next year we have a couple on defense, I can dream, right?

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  7. I would have to say Peterman as the bowl game showed us he was the player we could least afford to lose.

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  8. MVP is a misnomer in a team sport. is it a trainer who helps players get back on the field or a QB who throws a TD or …

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  9. Interesting fact about Henderson in our two big wins.

    VS PSU Henderson ran for 58, received 47, and returned 96.

    VS Clemson he was pretty much shut out.

    So I switch to the O-line, which was the most consistent factor in all of our wins.

    But Peterman, Conner and Henderson definitely had individual game MVPs.

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  10. Peterman gets my vote. And as previously posted his loss in the bowl game showed all how little we could afford to lose him.

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  11. Success begins and ends with line play (both sides). The DL was average at best. Best of the OL was Dorian Johnson, steady as a rock, game in, game out.

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  12. As the Ole adage goes” There’s no I in Team.” 2016 was one of the best examples, offensively, out of the supporting cast of characters- a true team effort. So many significant contributions by so many throughout the season..Much easier to give out individual game balls than to point to one MVP… but if I had to I would make the dominant OL who could dominate both in the run and passing game!!! I expect more of the same success next year barring injuries… a crazy thought- how do you think Savage or even Tino would have performed behind that bunch of studs?

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  13. Someone mentioned Canada earlier as the MVP – he is not a player, but his replacement will definitely be valuable to success in 2017.

    Michigan: NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport tweets, “Jim Harbaugh has been telling recruits for a few days that (OC Pep Hamilton is) joining the staff.”

    Pittsburgh: 12 degree temperature, feels like minus 1.

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  14. Went to a Pittsburgh-Miami playoff game in the 70’s, hope we get the same result.

    Too old to brave the cold of this one.

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  15. Offense – Nate Peterman.
    Defense – Quadree Henderson (any thing that kept the ball away from the defense and put points on the board was a defensive plus). Picking only from defensive players Ejuan Price.

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  16. gc Obviously not the 70s game we lost to Miami the year before the Super Bowl when we lost on a fake punt. 🙂 In my 20’s my friends and I would take a TV up to a buddys country house in Slippery Rock and watch Super Bowls out doors, by a bonfire, with plenty of alcohol to give it “real” football experience – much, much alcohol was involved. Today i will be with my alcohol indoors.

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  17. Beyond the obvious good choices, I’d put a plug in for George Aston. He was big in our big win against PSUX and at Clemson. Helped set a good tone on offense as a bit of a smash mouth guy.

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  18. Defense I’d go with the big man in the middle, Tyrique Jarrett. Our run defense was good most of the year.

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  19. Most Valuable players:

    Offense………………………Nate Peterman
    Defense……………………..Ejuan Price
    Special teams…………….Chris Blewit
    Freshmen…………………..Aaron Matthews
    Most valuable person……Matt Canada

                                    Over-all MVP.................Nate Peterman!
    

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  20. Coastal Carolina: Sources tell FootballScoop Charleston Southern head coach Jamey Chadwell will be the new offensive coordinator at Coastal Carolina for Joe Moglia’s program.

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  21. Cal: Sources tell FootballScoop Cal has decided to part ways with Sonny Dykes. Bruce Feldman was first to report the news. We are told offensive coordinator Jake Spavital will serve as interim head coach.

    Pitt: Should consider Sonny Dykes for their vacant offensive coordinator position.

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  22. He’ll probably end up on Saban’s staff as a consultant. Sonny knows offense…

    The rich get richer –

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  23. Nate. The QB makes the offense run. But Pitt did have a very good line this year.
    Non-MVP: the ENTIRE Pitt D and coaching staff. They should ALL be fired.

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  24. Have to go with one of our All-Americans. And that’s gotta be Little Q…. who had the huge punt return against the Pedo’s of 84 yards to the Pedo State 10 yd line, which lead to the TD (42 pts) that beat them. We most likely lose that game without that play. Q also rushed the ball for 58 yards on only 4 carries (a 14.5 avg) and led Pitt WR’s in yards…. avg’g 15.7 ypc.

    Q was phenomenal the next week in Stillwater, rushing for 95 yards on only 7 carries (13.6 avg) and 2 TD’s including a 50 yard run in the late 3rd Q to tie the game 38-38.

    The next week at Chapel Hill, Little Q led the team in rushing with 107 yards on only 9 carries (12 yd avg)
    At Virginia Q, had a 93 yard Kick Return TD when Pitt trailed 7-14.
    At Miami he had a 100 yard Kickoff Return TD to tie the game 7-7. Also avg’d 7.6 yards per rush.

    A lot of these teams like Clemson kicked the ball out of the endzone the whole game to avoid having to defend Henderson, which resulted in Pitt getting the ball at the 25 yd line.

    Henderson scored 2 ways against Duke. A 65 yard Punt Return TD and a 52 yard rushing TD.
    Finished the regular season with a 66 yard rushing TD against Syracuse and 103 total rushing yards. Got to be a first for Pitt, a WR with two 100 yard rushing games,

    Little Q….#1 in the Nation in Combined Kick Returns with near 2100 yards.
    http://www.ncaa.com/stats/football/fbs/current/individual/872

    #11 in the Nation in All Purpose Yards.

    #1 in the Nation(solely) in Kickoff Returns for TD’s.

    Tough decision with all the Offensive stars, but I gotta go with Quadree Henderson. The Mighty Little Q

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  25. Nate was a very close 2nd, maybe we should have co-MVP’s. Henderson and Peterman, PItt Co-MVP’s.

    Cause we saw that Pitt didn’t really have much on the order of a backup QB.

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  26. Heinz Field had both endzones lettered today – no lines.

    Check out Green Bay’s 50 yard logo – weak…

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  27. Saw that EE…..Ketchup Bottle Field undergoes a transformation every season after the last Pitt home game.

    They get rid of the circa 1940’s diagonal lines in the one endzone and paint them nicely with Steelers.

    Temple shares Lincoln Field with the Eagles, yet Lincoln Field has the Temple name in the endzones and their logo….. huge at the 50 yard line. This is just another effort to make look Pitt look small by the Pedo protectors, who always draft Pedo players, and have marginal at best NFL Pedo players on their roster.

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  28. You can’t tell me JP Holtz couldn’t have been as good as this Jesse James character at TE for the Stillers.

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  29. The question is: why does Pitt’s brass allow their football team to be treated as 2nd rate at Ketchup Bottle.

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  30. Emil, surface in Philly is tooltip different allowing easy change. Shitty grass at Heinz is the major reason. Unless Steelers increase size of their logo at midfield it’s not happening.
    Talk about dumb, what was Ben doing in there that late? These coaches are stubborn indeed.

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  31. The endzones should be a relative easy change, since they don’t get much wear at all.

    And that begs the question, why do they not use what Lincoln Financial uses ? Agree about wth Big Ben was doing in their, almost got injured on that funky pass attempt that was picked.

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  32. Ketchup Bottle Field is the Front Stoop/Stairs of the Front Porch of the University. Seen by the most people
    across the Nation and specifically in Pitt’s recruiting region.

    Me if I’m the Chancellor, that Field is going to look pristine and exceptional.

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  33. It was bad enough that Ben was in the game. It was terrible and stupid to have him drop back in a pocket to even attempt a pass. We should have been running. It’s not like he already messed up his knee recently!! Good grief. I don’t like Tomlin.

    The logo in GB is terrible because nobody wanted to go paint it with a windchill of negative 20.

    The quiet period is where coaches can’t reach out. The players can call coaches as far as I know.

    West Mich copyrighted row the boat which would have served him well in the 10k lake state.

    My most vitrioled player is Tino.

    My MVP, because he just showed up and worked every day as a panther is Dorian Johnson. Tough with an OL pick. Peterman MVP jr as he most positively impacted the season for us.

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  34. Robert Morris University: head football coach John Banaszak announced the hiring of Mike Miller as offensive coordinator this past week.

    Miller, a Pittsburgh native who owns 13 years of experience on National Football League offensive staffs, returned to the place where his coaching career began as a graduate assistant on Joe Walton’s 1997 staff.

    Miller most recently coached in the NFL with the Arizona Cardinals where he served as a wide receivers coach (2007-08) and then passing game coordinator (2009-10) before being promoted to offensive coordinator (2011-12). Miller’s unit of receivers was key in the Cardinals reaching Super Bowl XLIII, the organization’s first appearance in the Super Bowl. In that 2008 season, Miller helped three different receivers surpass 1,000 receiving yards, marking only the fifth time in NFL history that a team achieved that feat. One of those receivers was former Pitt star and NFL All-Pro Larry Fitzgerald.

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  35. With the Packers about to defeat the Giants, do we continue to wait for our OC introduction or is he coaching in the NC game tomorrow night?

    I believe it will be Alex Van Pelt and Duzz is not in a hurry because Tim Salem is his offensive recruiting ace, who he will promote to co-OC & TE coach with Van Pelt assuming co-OC & QB coaching duties.

    Just my opinion…

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  36. Defense: Soto…gained weight, never bitched about changing position, clogged the middle, and was a man’s man without the notoriety.

    Offense: Peterman…should have been given the green light to chuck the rock earlier in the season.

    And, Big B, thanks for the maneuvers…knew about them. Next time vertigo hits.

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  37. Steeler fans – just saw a tracer on ESPN that Big Ben was seen in a walking boot after the Dolphins game today.

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  38. ^^^ @ Erie Express I absolutely agree Alex Van Pelt (Pitt Legacy 🙂 ) is the new Offensive Coordinator and QB Coach with Tim Salem getting a nice pay bump for his excellent recruiting (crushing it in Florida and being #1 to go get Max Browne). I think Alex Van Pelt and Pat Narduzzi are 100% decided on this —- but at this rate it may be over a month til any announcement is official as Alex Van Pelt has Aaron Rodgers playing the best NFL QB play in the history of football right now.

    http://www.espn.com/blog/green-bay-packers/post/_/id/24829/packers-alex-van-pelt-likes-coaching-from-the-sideline-minus-the-view

    http://www.espn.com/blog/green-bay-packers/post/_/id/6835/van-pelt-a-natural-choice-for-qb-coach

    —- Alex Van Pelt coming Home to be offensive coordinator AND QB coach is just too good to be true. Instead of “Same Old Pitt” — It “New”, incredibly-lucky, perfect-timing, Serendipitous Pitt 🙂 🙂 .

    Max Browne is an NFL Starter level physical talent and I think Thomas MacVittie can be every bit as good for Pitt as Marcus Marriota was in college. —- Has anyone seen what Alex Van Pelt has helped do with Aaron Rodgers these last 8 weeks in Green Bay?? Excellent.

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  39. EE 557 watched Steeler game and field lines etc looked great. This is why I go on rants on this issue. No diagonal end zone lines. Hope our AD makes either Steelers or SEA give us equal treatment.

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  40. Emel thanks for the pics on field. On Saturdays it looks lousy for Pitt and Sunday just like today. Even when Steelers dont play on Sundays we get the junior high look. I remember Majors 1.0 saying he paid attention to all details. This makes our program look rinky dink every time we are on TV.

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  41. EE Big Ben always plays the martyr, Bradshaw woulda spit on any injury, didnt wear gloves even though he was from the South. The 70s when men were men. On a more serious note I did not see Ben take a hit that would lead to a walking boot. Heck maybe he wears all the time. 🙂

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  42. Joe Knew – as I mentioned the crummy end zones are there whether the Steelers play the next day or not. Steelers always look good regardless. I dont think there is any logical explanatioon except cheapness on part of Steelers or SEA which is involved in a dispute now with Pirates as their funding from RAD funds is down. That wont stop the political hacks on SEA from getting free tickets to Steeler games in the boxes. Pitt needs to tell them they want a professional field or sue.

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  43. Huff I agree about Tomlin, he never takes out the backups when the game is out of reach. It drives me nuttier than anything else he does. Hays Rd rocks

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  44. Rib, Endzones are exactly the same for us and Steelers during the season. It looks shitty, but they are the same until we are done.

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  45. Ay-yeeee @rkb JUST WIN BABY and the fans show-up. — Narduzzi Knowz lol. —-> Pittsburghers just aren’t on-board yet because until Pat Narduzzi gets his “James Franklin Money” so many Sports Fans in the area along with Fervent Pitt fans kind of need to be shown by Chancellor Patrick Gallagher that he is For Real about making Pitt Elite in Football.

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  46. ^^ Oh —- *Courtesy of **Pat “Dark Knight” Narduzzi* btw hahaha

    —– And WHY Pittsburgh Sports fans and Alums + Fans just have become too jaded recently to put forth the Time, Effort, and $$$$ until Chancellor Gallagher foremost then hopefully Pat Narduzzi prove that Pitt is IN as a Big-Time Contender. —->

    Wannstedt’s huge disappointment final year huge home games ALL from his firing year in 2010 (although 99% was horrible Human being Tino Suneri’s fault obviously):

    😦 😦 😦 😦 —>

    This was the Big East CHAMPIONSHIP GAME and….Pitt did not win and go play Landry Jones and Demarco Murray in the BCS Fiesta Bow….Wanny was Fired.

    Since that horrific 7-5 season Pitt was: 6-6, 6-6, 6-6, 6-6 UNTIL PAT NARDUZZI ARRIVED ON THE PITT SCENE 🙂 . Narduzzi is finally Raising the Bar for the first time in 30 years.

    IN THE MIDST of next year’s 9-3 regular season (10-3 overall, top 10 overall finish) all the Pittsburghers and dissapointed Pitt Alums and Fans will Completely buy-in, and support their Hometown Team with as much passion as a Successfull Steelers + Penguins + Pirates Squad. Upitt bet on that with 100% confidence — put down all your cash, liqiduate everything and bet on that prediction 😉 haha.

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  47. Was reading the Barnes interview in the Trib.

    “Barnes said when he arrived at Pitt 20 months ago he found a “close-to-the-vest culture” that led to some members of the senior leadership team not speaking to each other.”

    If this is true….explains a lot about the continued ‘foulups’ at Pitt’s top. Sort of like the non-speaking intelligence agencies, who out of pettiness don’t share info with other intelligence agencies. And result in the Pearl Harbor’s and 9/11’s. And the Mike Heywards and Toad Grahams.

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  48. It was a good thing we didn’t play Oklahoma in that game…darkie. We would have been embarrassed.

    At least we got a Bowl win that year. Don’t ask me which one though 🙂

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  49. ^^^ @emel1981 actually uconn was only down to Oklahoma 20-10 at half time that Oklahoma team was 10-2 in a really, really weak Big 12 …..

    Tino Sunseri was at QB though so Pitt was doomed even if he was at QB with the Nick Saban all-time All Stars as his supporting crew.

    —– Pat Narduzzi knows how important Quarterbacks are and that gives me so much more confidence.

    Narduzzi immediately goes and gets a transfer late in the game to replace his incompetent incumbents he inherited.

    Narduzzi along with ace recruiter Tim Salem goes and fights for Max Browne so hard he doesn’t even take any other visits whatsoever.

    Prototype Size, 6’2” + Kenny Pickett says that Pat Narduzzi fought for him so that gives me great confidence that Pickett is a Big-Time talent who may have just may have slipped under-the-radar from Urban Meyer and Nick Saban.

    #HailToPit!!

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  50. @PittPT – Hays Road is where I grew up and left about 30 years ago. Have lived inPhilly, Tampa, Charleston and now Columbus since graduating law school, but always following Pitt. During this last year I started piecing together comments on here and about 2 or 3 weeks ago, figured out that RKB was my “older” neighbor. He coached me in baseball when he and my other neighbor got me on a team even though I was two years younger than the age cutoff. He was a great coach and he was solid on the hoop court too. RKB is truly an awesome dude and never turned me away from playing any sport against him and his brothers, despite a big difference in age. That is where I learned how to compete and ended up doing okay athletically as it opened a lot of doors for me. RKB is a solid citizen and I am glad we re-connected on this medium. He still lives in the same USC neighborhood. Hopefully we will reconnect this coming year. This site did it!! Thanks Reed!

    Van Pelt would be a nice hire. GB head coach was a Pittsburgh guy too. VP had a solid Pitt career and a long NFL career too? Recruiting might be a learning experience for a bit.

    Let’s bring home another great class. Five or more Floridians year is a must. Upitt- feeling any better? Hope so bud. Will know you are feeling better when you drop a skunk haired used car vacuum sales guy line.

    Could we dare to dream that we bring in Tressel as AD, Pelini as Co D.C. ? Conklin to be co-D.C. In charge of back 7. I am thinking we will see Co-coordinators this round.

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  51. Your dreams are good…Huff. Pitt could do far worse. I’m kinda surprised Tressel is even interested.

    Might be, just because of the Nard Dog.

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  52. ~ darkie….yea I remember Uconn hung with Oklahoma. But Uconn has substantially more pull than Pitt.

    How many Final 4’s and NC’s do they have in the last 20 years. I know Pitt has none.

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  53. I have no idea how good of a offensive coordinator Alex VanPelt would be. All I know is he doesn’t call the offensive plays in Green Bay as the head coach McCarthy handles all of that. When the GB defense is on the field Rodgers sits on the bench right next to McCarthy with an IPAD in hand. And I’ve never seen Rodgers talking on the phone to his QB coordinator up in the booth. Just for the record, I think I could say with confidence that I could handle the QB coordinator job in Green Bay with Aaron Rodgers as my QB. And to set the record straight, I’ve never coached a game at any level in my life. That said he may turn out great at Pitt as an OC.

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  54. jrnpitt – I don’t think anyone would dispute your comments except maybe your ability to handle the QB coordinator position for GB – lol.

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  55. MVP Offense–Peterman
    MVP Defense–Soto
    MVP Special Teams–Henderson

    Team MVP–Peterman

    VanPelt is a great possibility but we need a name soon in my opinion.

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  56. Erie, I wouldn’t spend too much time around the team expect for the day I came by to pick up my pay check. I would be what you could call a “do no harm coordinator” as opposed to the “active hands on coordinator” that sleeps at the practice facility.

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  57. @ Huff, Thanks for the Hays Road explanation! Harry Psaros tweeted that an OC announcement could be coming this week. (Paraphrasing).

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  58. PittPT – the OC announcement tweet could mean Brandon Streeter then – he is a young, up and comer from Clemson / QB and Recruiting coordinator.

    I like that pick for many reasons – he also played HS ball in Central PA and QB at Clemson.

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  59. Erie, I’m with you as I would also like the pick of Street, if for no other reason than for his recruiting connections. Let’s just hope he could readjust to the Pittsburgh cold and not be looking for the next coordinator job in the South.

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  60. Most on our OC candidate wish list are very qualified candidates from attractive programs (OK St, OSU and Clemson, etc.) Kind of reminds me of Pirates’ fans when formulating possible trades …. McCutcheon for their star pitcher, outfielder AND their #1 prospect.

    Don’t get me wrong — I would love to see one of the proposed candidates that have been listed here as our next OC, but don’t be let down if it isn’t. As I recall, I don’t believe Canada was on anyone’s wish list last year after he was fired from NC St.

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  61. FWIW, I cannot see Pelini giving up his HC position to come here as a DC, even if comes with a pay raise. In fact, I can see him following the footsteps of another fired Nebraska HC, Frank Solich … who has been a pretty successful HC at his Alma Mater for the past several years, and seems quite content.

    My wish list (and it won’t happen) would be Jason Candle, current HC at Toledo. He was successful OC at Toledo, and assumed HC position last year when the previous HC replaced Rhoads at Iowa State .. and Toledo didn’t skip a beat this year. But again, I would be very surprised if the Salem, OH native would abandon his HC position right now

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  62. The fact that Van Pelt doesn’t get to call plays in GB might be the exact reason why he would want to take the Pitt job (or any other OC position for that matter).

    For MVP, I would join those awarding it to our seven blocks of granite on the OL.

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  63. @ Dark Knight, I’m with you! Getting Max Browne in here for Spring ball is a slam dunk victory for Pitt’s recruiting efforts. That position was on very thin ice for 2017 before that. Sure MacVittie is going to be OK as our signal caller in the future but without competition his development would have been stunted! I’m not penciling in Browne as our starter for 2017 but MacVittie is going to have to be something special to get the starting bid at the beginning of the season over him. In any case, this one guy Browne, completely changes the dynamics of this team for 2017. What a security blanket for the coaching staff having such a mature talent at the most important position on the team for this upcoming season.

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  64. Thanks Darkie for that old Big East video! And Dark Knight is right about the fan base still playing the wait and see game. They’re right there, almost ready to pull the trigger on being all in and we have to lay an egg in the Pinstripe Bowl to curb the enthusiasm. Geez.
    That Cindy game though. That’s what Heinz Field COULD be like with a winner. When the fan base knows that each contest is essential to winning the division. That Cindy game atmosphere was second to none in my experience and I’ve been to all the BIG games against the likes of Norte Dame, Penn State, Georgia, Florida State, Miami, Clemson, etc. I went to that game with my daughter who at the time was attending a small private school in Virginia that fielded a Div. III football team. So going to that game with her old man was big time & quite a memorable experience for her. Even with that heartbreaking Pitt defeat, it was still one of the most exciting football games that I’ve ever gone to and my daughter thanked me for showing her such a good time up in the Burgh for that cold December weekend.
    We just gotta keep winning and this Pitt program is going to climb to new heights it hasn’t seen in decades. We Are that close!

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  65. Dr Tom, that was the best loss I ever attended as well. The big one that got away.

    But what a crowd, a full house at Heinz for a big Pitt game.

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  66. Guys..while reading all the positives on #10 Alex Van Pelt becoming the possible new OC, my mind immediately flashes back to my favorite PITT QB and former OC #12 Matt Cavanaugh…Matt had a great PItt career, a lengthy NFL career and has been a coach forever, currently, QB coach for the Redskins…I remember in his time as our OC he was constantly blasted by fans…What makes you think the “Pillsbury Dough-boy” Van Pelt will be an up-grade(I think that was a nick-name hung on Alex in his Pitt days) Nothing against Alex-just wanted some of your thoughts.

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  67. That Cincy game at Heinz was when the Bear-cat mascot got taken down by the police for throwing snowballs-someone with the technical ability( I am talking to you Darkie) should post the video of the out of control Bear-cat going down-phucking hilarious !!!

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  68. My parking lot here in the “Nothing could be finer” state is iced over and patients are staying home. Counting on you guys for entertainment.

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  69. From a Zeise retweet, “UNC loses its starting quarterback, top three running backs and three best wide receivers” should make next year’s game less formidable.

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  70. I seem to have a knack for posting a comment the second before Reed puts out a new article. Below is a comment I posted. Depends on what server I’m using it could show or not show the 5 most resent comments. Still getting use to blogging instead of just the plain old message boards

    Reed, pretty cool comment about your visit to Posvar’s daughter place 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

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