There was a time in my life when I would get excited for this.  Spring drills.  Maybe I am older now, wiser.  Maybe I’m just too busy with the responsibilities of adulthood.  Maybe I just don’t care.

There was a time when I would hang on every word from every practice report like it was the gospel truth, like it would provide some unanticipated insight into the upcoming season, or validate the opinions that I already had.

Of course practices were open then, but you still had to read between the lines.

Nowadays reading between the lines has become that much harder, and that much more important.  Pitt fans are fed a meager diet of 3-5 interviews per day, and the media gets a thirty minute media “viewing window” of non-contact drills.   All in the name of preserving a competitive advantage.

Well thanks for generating interest in the program, Pat Narduzzi.

Oh, I’ll still post the interviews.  Because when you are starved for something, you’ll take when you can get, but I won’t be happy about it.

Enjoy your coachspeak Panther Nation.  As a refresher for those who haven’t watched any practice videos for a while, I’ll provide this handy guide:

  • “I think it was solid” = And I’m not going to tell you it wasn’t
  • “Some details we need to clean up” = Kind of sloppy out there
  • “We need more from these guys” = Practice sucked
  • “There were some good plays” = There were a lot of bad ones
  • “It’s a process” = He’s learning slow
  • “He’s got a great attitude” = But he’s still clueless about the playbook
  • “We’ll find out on xx” = Because we haven’t really found out yet at practice
  • “I liked what I saw out of him today” = He’s been pretty inconsistent
  • “We’re going to find the best three / five / eleven” = I’m not telling you a damn thing
  • “It’s a full blown competition” = I’m not telling you a damn thing
  • “You see some guys getting extra work in the film room” = This guy may have a shot to see the field
  • “He’s got a long way to go mentally / he’s still a little immature mentally” = Doesn’t know the playbook, not going to see the field as much as you think.
  • “It’s been a long time since he’s had to …” = He’s really inexperienced
  • “I thought he played really well … at times” = But not enough for me to trust him
  • “What I’d like to see is some leadership” = He’s probably not stepping up enough off the field
  • “There are obviously a lot of things we have to improve on” = There are a lot of things we have to improve on.
  • “We are a lot further along mentally than we were last year” = Because I wasn’t here last year. (alternative = but I haven’t seem them put it together on the field)

And just for fun, here are last year’s day 1 videos:

Hail to Pitt

Michaelangelo Monteleone

Michaelangelo holds a degree in Travel Writing from the University of Pittsburgh. He was a former staff writer for InPittsburgh Newsweekly, and currently resides near Atlanta, Georgia. He has been a Pitt fan since 1997 after he witnessed Pitt upset #22 Miami on Thursday night at Pitt Stadium.

50 thoughts on “Spring Practice Starts Today”

  1. Thanks The opening of spring practice is good especially this year as a distraction to a bad end for basketball. I’ve always looked at it as a renewal and carries the promise of hope for the future…..ever the optimist.

    Liked by 1 person

  2. a couple more quotes will be added to HCPN’s repertoire this spring:

    “Our QC coaches will be bound and gagged throughout the practice session”

    “I have absolutely nothing to do with what is being investigated at MSU right now.”

    Liked by 1 person

  3. Same concerns as last year, O line and running backs. To a lesser degree, Kenny and the tight ends.

    Also need to replace Ffrench’s production at receiving and returns, by far our most productive guy.

    Are the two injured D-Linemen healthy?

    Will only know what they tell us.

    Liked by 1 person

      1. Welp that lead article for the new season was a F’ing downer! 🤣. It’s taken me since the last snap to shake the ghosts of Pitt football, get excited and optimistic again. Even excited for signing day and spring ball. Then this! As Greta would say, “How dare you!”.

        All true though though. 🤣🤣🤣

        Liked by 1 person

    2. 100 percent spot on Gordon. EVERYTHING about the success of our offense revolves around the play of the OLine. Quite honestly, I never thought Ollison or Hall were great backs. But they ran through huge holes and easily got to the second level.

      I think our backs are fine. They’ll be productive if the line holds up its end of the bargain.

      Like

      1. Eric, do you mean huge holes opening up from that lousy o-line PITT was supposed to have that year?

        Like

  4. From PSN

    “The team announced update that redshirt sophomore offensive tackle Jerry Drake and junior linebacker Albert Tucker were being placed on an exempt medical list. This means that the two of those were no longer on the team and their scholarship won’t count towards the 85 man scholarship limit.”

    Like

    1. “Wait till you guys get a load of Jerry Drake” – Pat Narduzzi two years ago.

      Like

      1. The key words there may have been “a load of”…

        Need these OLinemen to lose some pounds and get more mobile…

        Except for Carrigan — he probably needs to gain some pounds for his switch to the OL…

        Go Pitt.

        Liked by 1 person

  5. gc — another key may be middle linebacker. (All we need is another Jerry O in that spot! 😊)

    Go Pitt.

    Like

  7. do you remember back in 2017 when we were excited about 4-star TE Charles Reeves and that Rivals upgraded OT Drake to 4-star? But on the other hand, 3-stars in that class included Twyman, Pinnock, Mathis, Bright and Alexandre …. a couple of them 5.5.

    Again …. this is what happens when you are dealing with 17 year olds

    Like

    2. by my count, there are 7 brand new FR … 4 of them in offensive skill positions. That doesn’t include Yellen (or Beville) who are RS FR.

      Major, I think we all have to root for Tre! Great guy

      Liked by 1 person

  9. More returning players since Majors and Sherill. Just hope to avoid a letdown in any one game to cost us a title or a 10 game win season. H2P

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  10. The Jerry Drake loss comes out of the blue. Was there any previous indication that he had some sort of medical problem? They better find a transfer to add some depth or we could see a further deterioration of the OL. It’s nice having 4 starters back, but the RT spot is critical.

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  11. Pretty obvious Drake is hurt, just Wondering Out Loud, what’s the injury and how long has this problem existed? Too bad as we all loved “The Drake”

    Liked by 1 person

  13. Will the game still be played at Heinz? Since Pitt struggles to get 7000 fans to attend, why don’t they play at the river hounds venue? Far better atmosphere for this scrimmage game and a nice change. Has it been tried before?

    Tex

    Like

      1. maybe they try a Pirate / scrimmage doubleheader … one played right after another after a 30 minute break to walk to other venue. might draw > 20k

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      2. Yeah – the spring game worked well at the Riverhounds field…
        As I remember, the place was pretty full.

        Go Pitt.

        Like

    2. Yes, I went to it and it was a nice setting. Full stadium. It was done becuase Heinz was undergoing some construction projects. A lot of folks complained that the move looked bush league.

      I think its just fine at Heinz and could care less about the yellow seats showing up on TV.

      Liked by 1 person

  14. A few thoughts:

    Thanks for the updated roster Bill

    Tex, something makes me want to say PITT did play one spring game at the River Hound venue?
    Narduzzi balks at the thought of not playing the game at Heinz Field.

    Back to the roster ……RB’s Daniel Carter listed at 5′ 10″ 230 lbs and Sibley listed at 5′ 9″ 225 lbs. << There’s your two big third down backs. Now they have to run like it!

    TE Kyi Wright listed at 6′ 2″ 260 lbs, sure hope he sees the field and wouldn’t be surprised at a position change here.

    16 O-Lineman on the roster. Call me crazy but I see a good O-Line on the field for PITT this coming season.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. I sure hope you are right Ike on the OL coming around. But considering Pitt was looking for that grad transfer tackle earlier this year, I’m not sure Narduzzi and Borberly are that confident about the candidates we have in house currently.

      Like

    2. Wright sounds like he may become a Swiss Army Knife.
      Fullback, TE, H-Back…

      (Whatever the heck an H-back is…😊. I remember when we used to have half-backs!…)

      Go Pitt.

      Liked by 2 people

  15. Yes, They played one year at the Riverhounds field and it was packed. I think its a little too small now. The more recent Spring Games have been fairly well attended, weather permitting. This 2020 version is the day before Easter, so I’m not sure if that’s good or bad for attendance. It’s good for me, as I otherwise would not be in town.

    I am more juiced about the possibility of this year’s team doing well (10 wins) than I have been since Wanny was here. But if the Offensive Line isn’t better than it was last year, the defense better pitch five shutouts if we have any chance to get to double digit wins.

    Our offensive ineptitude in the second half of games last year was mind numbing.

    Liked by 2 people

    1. You’re 100% right on the 2nd half performances last year. We can not have that this year.

      Like

    1. actually, you’ll have to click on the position drop-down and click on offensive line

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      1. There are 10 OTs in the portal who are either 3 or 4 stars. (The portal must be spacious…👍). I hope we get one of those.

        To me, we need to develop two OTs – I’m not sold on Warren unless he improves considerably…

        My early guess — maybe Van Lynn and a portal transfer…

        Go Pitt.

        Like

  18. The spring football is a nice reprieve from the basketball meltdown taking place. I am disappointed drake didn’t work out but saw that we have two tight ends switching to offensive line (carrigan and collier). Saw that huoy is injured for spring. Bummer.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. They will be a lot more fun to watch if a 5 star Middle Linebacker shows up on the field for Pitt this season. That is a roster player that end up playing like a 5 star to be clear.

      Liked by 1 person

  20. imo of course, all apologies huff, Brandon George is the next Scott McKillop. If not this year but next while Wendell Davis holds down the middle linebacker spot and does a nice job while at it. This could be the best PITT defense since the early 1980’s.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Agree this defense could be best since 80’s. My big concern is db depth. Our four starters are very good. Not sold on any of their backups though.

      Liked by 1 person

  21. Breaking ACC BB news ….. Ga Tech has accepted the NCAA no post season ban, meaning that the game vs Pitt on Wed will be its last. That means that the 1st day of the ACC tourney will be 4 teams instead of 6, and if Pitt wins on Wed, it won’t play that 1st day.

    Don’t ask me why …. just read it in P-G twitter

    Like

  22. EJ Borghetti@PittBorghetti

    Pitt’s 3.92 sacks/game led the nation—33 of its 51 sacks came from the D-line (65%).

    Pitt gave up only 108.5 rush yds. (12th FBS) and 312.9 total (15th).

    5 players with full-time starting experience & 10 lettermen are back on Pitt’s D-line in 2020.

    This list=(toilet emoji)

    Quote Tweet

    CFB Hype@CFB_Hype
    · Feb 27
    Top 10 Defensive Lines for 2020: @BR_CFB

    Clemson
    Alabama
    Georgia
    Ohio St
    Miami Fl
    Florida
    Oregon
    Penn St
    Utah
    Wisconsin

    Like

    1. ^^ and they call Narduzzi a defensive guru? Preposterous and we wonder why so many stopped posting here?

      Like

  23. CFB Hype@CFB_Hype

    Claimed National Championships By ACC Programs

    Pittsburgh 9
    Miami 5
    Georgia Tech 4
    Clemson 3
    Florida State 3
    Syracuse 1

    Like

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