in Pitt Football 209 Words

The Day the Music Died

Oh, and there we were all in one place
A generation lost in space
With no time left to start again
So come on, Jack be nimble, Jack be quick
Jack Flash sat on a candlestick
‘Cause fire is the devil’s only friend

Oh, and as I watched him on the stage
My hands were clenched in fists of rage
No angel born in Hell
Could break that Satan’s spell

And as the flames climbed high into the night
To light the sacrificial rite
I saw Satan laughing with delight
The day the music died

-Don McLean

Editor’s Note: David Hale writes for ESPN and was “all in” on Pitt going into the season

Probably safe to say the fans have turned against Pat Narduzzi.

Upcoming schedule:

@ #12 Miami

vs #4 Notre Dame

Bye

@ Florida State

@ Georgia Tech

vs #23 Virginia Tech

@ #1 Clemson

Hail to Pitt…

Michaelangelo Monteleone

195 thoughts on “The Day the Music Died”

  2. Perhaps the biggest question is how much longer will Heather et al expect fans to contribute to this unacceptable product?
    From viewership to apparel to attendance (whenever that’s permitted), the powers-that-be need to realize that their commitment to mediocrity, when there are so many other avenues of entertainment, is not just a reflection on poor stewardship but on the university.
    Mediocre-is-us!

    Liked by 1 person

  3. Okay, so Narduzzi would appear to be a dead man walking. Here is what I would do.

    1) I think Heather Lyke and Luke Fickel would have been at The Ohio State at the same time. I would try to reach out to him to gauge his interest and if interested would attempt to hit up some major donors to make the numbers work.

    2) If no interest , fire Narduzzi now and make Partridge interim HC. If he could go .500 the rest of the season and make a bowl if there are bowl games, hire him.

    3) Talk to Matt Canada

    4) Keep the numbers of the Louisiana Tech and UCF coaches on speed dial.

    Liked by 1 person

  4. This season has been the biggest squandered opportunity since the 2009 Cincy collapse. You have your players and everything in place. You have a monopoly on pa football for 7weeks (until big ten play). And you just blow it. It’s so damn pitt.

    Liked by 4 people

    1. I wonder if Heather and Gallagher see it that way. They will always take the path of least resistence and we are 3-2 with two one-point losses. We know how bad it is but they live in a fog.

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      1. My personal opinion is that If Pat manages to win six his seat will stay petty cool. Which basically would do validate everything that everyone has been saying for the last 24 hours. (And some have been saying for quite a while)

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  6. It was the best of times, it was the worst of times…..

    I’ll say it one more time, Narduzzi is a horrible head coach!

    That makes it 257 x over the past three years. Glad to finally see agreement.

    Liked by 1 person

  7. There is no money to buy him out. Narduzzi won’t be leaving. And heather more importantly will never admit to her mistake at extending him.

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  8. You all can keep wasting your time on fantasizing about Narduzzi being fired all you want. I waste my time on hoping to win the lottery, even though I don’t even play it. Pretty much the same thing. Reality can be a real son of a gun sometimes.

    Liked by 3 people

    2. Ike
      You can’t get off Scot free on this. You’ve been one of narduzzis biggest fans. And Scotland isn’t free.

      Tex from the Stewart clan

      Like

  12. On the plus side of the equation, I now have several more Saturdays this fall for deer hunting.

    How’s that for putting lipstick on a pig?

    Liked by 2 people

  14. Unless Narduzzi reverses the fortunes and leads them to a winning season and a bowl game he seems to be on the hot seat and the clock is ticking.

    I do not know what the administration will do but they did pull the trigger on Stallings, please remember Heather did not hire Narduzzi.

    I mentioned this after the NCST loss, does anyone actually know what the contractual buy out is?

    Narduzzi’s contract was extended but the key component regarding termination in the contract is the buyout from the administration and how it is to be paid out. They could have extended him until the end of time but the buyout amount could be 1 season or multiple seasons for payment.

    Also I’m sure there is contractual language regarding if Narduzzi would leave for another head coaching job. Not to probable right now but the language is in the contract.

    Usually both clauses are pretty close in value unless one party really negotiates poorly.

    You can say there is no money for a buy out but it depends on how it is structured.

    I am sure some of us have negotiated contracts in our career and everyone tends to cover their asses in negotiations.

    We shall see what transpires, Pitt is a 10.5 under dog versus Miami.

    Miami will not look past us they after being destroyed by Clemson need a victory for their ACC hopes.

    Liked by 1 person

  16. This is not a year for Pitt to be searching for a head football coach, even though the buy out is probably not very much due to PN’s early contract extension. Narduzzi has probably traded the additional security coming from the extension and pay raise in exchange for little or no buyout.

    I have a different theory: Pitt is attempting to build its athletics programs from the bottom up, and already has volleyball, soccer and wrestling in good positions with regard to other ACC programs. They will do similar things with other minor sports and most likely would have no need or plans to exit the ACC at this point. Women’s basketball is coming along and will be competitive in the near future. As for men’s basketball, things are looking up and I think they feel it will be well positioned to compete in the ACC and make the NCAA tournament on a regular basis.

    This leaves football, the elephant in the room and the major revenue provider. With Narduzzi locked in for a few more years, Pitt had the luxury of focusing on the minor sports during this period. If he wins big (not likely) they have him under contract, and if he stays mediocre, well, they will put up with it for the term of his contract without worrying that he would be hired away. Heather is probably gathering information on coaching candidates throughout the country, and would be in a good position to hire a new coach when Narduzzi’s contract is not renewed.

    These other football coaches will see that PN was given a long stretch to produce without getting fired. The only downside to this theory is if Narduzzi stinks things up so badly that the program becomes a national embarrassment and forces their hand, as with Posvar after DePasqua and after the Stallings debacle. I don’t think that Heather is being given sufficient credit for her plan to handle the transition of all Pitt sports programs to ACC caliber of athletics.

    Liked by 5 people

    1. Your handle is appropriate. And you have again lived up to your name. Quite reasonable to think along those lines

      Liked by 2 people

    2. Football pays the bills. Every year Narduzzi is coach is costing pitt millions in ticket sales, donations, merchandise and advertising. Far more than his buyout. Along with irreparable damage to the brand.

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    3. Good post. Your last paragraph, I don’t think he will stink it up that bad to embarrassment levels. The team competes, but has some holes being exposed now and with this schedule it will get worse. The roster has some players, but the O-line is a big issue.

      Liked by 1 person

    4. Do you know the plan. She’s been in charge for over four years now. Last year Pitt placed last by a mile in the directors cup. Two of Pitts most successful coaches were not her hires. Pitt continues to steal ten million each year from the general fund just to stay afloat. Let’s deal with facts.

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    5. I agree with one caveat: Let’s see how this season plays out. If six wins is the goal, where do three more wins come from? Georgia Tech, Florida State, Miami, Clemson, Virginia Tech, Notre Dame with only VT and ND at home? The offense looks worse than last year’s.

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  17. If we had Twyman and Mathis would be comfortably 5-0? I think so. A pass rush and better secondary play were lacking in the losses.
    I’ve always said for Pitt to have a special year they would need some luck with injuries. And we all know that if pitt has any luck it’s terrible luck.

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    1. That burned me. Nelson had two gift INTs today and the rest he was abused all game. Typical selfish athlete with zero brains it seems. Oh, that Mincah trade is not looking so hot right now. He has done NOTHING since that Rams game last year. He has been near the ball since?

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      1. I can forgive college players. But pros should know better and they make millions.

        College players really need good coaches and mentors. A good system for their talents and to keep them focused and disciplined.

        Such a system doesn’t appear to exist at Pitt.

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  19. I’m still surprised over Pinnock having no tackles. If the safeties are up on run support and the corners can’t cover their man, it seems like a recipe for disaster. So why are the safeties up in run protection with such a dominating defensive front? What happened to corner blitzes with the safeties back on obvious passing plays?

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  20. I don’t comment much. I try to take in all of the perspectives… be measured… all that to say, I still had hope in Narduzzi, but so far this season. I just can’t.

    I can deal with growing pains.. if you know, growth.

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  21. No matter how I tried to type a comment, it all came back to things that could be interpreted as political, so I stopped.

    Bad Chancellor for sports. Really bad AD (nice person tho), Awful Head Coach. Higher ED quid pro quo all around.

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    1. I agree. But few people think like you. Fewer will do anything about it. I sometimes feel like road kill armadillo. You never see a live one in Texas.

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  22. Nope, I’m against firing Narduzzi this year. Why, well if you think this year is bad, next year will resemble the Dave Hart years. No coach could succeed with that talent. He is a bad coach who makes poor decisions, both with players and hiring assistants. When he lost FIVE games with the 16 team he lost me.
    I admit it,I was wrong. I thought he would do a good job, although I said at the time that I saw an interview he did at MSU and it gave me a funny feeling. That snarky attitude, and for no real reason. Well, I for one have no confidence they will hire anyone better. When you have a BOT member on the athletic committee and we hire BOTH of his kids for coaching positions, well, ……………….

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    1. Joe, you’re right that there’s no assurance that the next HC will be better. But at this point I’d settle for different and take a chance on being better.

      And there’s going to be a change (unless duz pulls of a series of miracles and finds 3 or 4 more wins this year). If not this year then sometime soon. So why not now?

      Liked by 1 person

  23. There are some people thinking PITT could steal away Jeff Hafley and his staff? ummm, never-mind. Can we try and remain stable in our own minds. There’s logic to consider in one hand, wishful thinking in the other and the truth and what will actually happen. Don’t have a third hand but I know what will and what will not happen.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Jackie understood Pitt yet Pitt has no statue for him or Johnny. Tells me everything.

      Pitt is controlled by Nitters, bureaucrats and nerds who live in ivory towers.

      Pitt deserves this fate. We fans however do not.

      So stop immediately giving your money to Pitt. Stop saying nice things.

      Seriously Pitt fans will u ever learn.

      Like

      1. Pitt could have stepped up Ike. Jackie preferred Pitt above all else. He even admits it 30 years after. He left for the money. And moreover because of the direction pitt was pursuing. His bosses were also ignoramouses. I would have left for less pay given Pitts culture.

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      2. Jackie wanted more money for his assistants, more money for recruiting, and massive upgrades to the Pitt weight room that was under Pitt stadium- according to him. Supposedly, his bump in salary was going to be used to help go to his assistants. Jackie wanted these things because he knew it was the only way to keep up with the big dogs.

        Pitt, on the other hand, thought these demands were ridiculous. They saw no need to alter what was seemingly working- that Pitt had one of the top 5 programs in the country. They saw Jackie’s demands as a pure money grab. They didn’t believe he would leave such a great situation. Also, they were more focused on trying to move Pitt basketball into a top tier league – their eyes set on the Big East.

        When Jackie’s reps informed Pitt that Texas A&M had offered- and what their offer was- Pitt scoffed. They did not believe any University would offer that package (I believe it made him the highest paid head coach in the country at the time.) A&M was demanding a decision, Jackie’s reps gave Pitt another shot- they passed. Jackie accepted. His reps informed Pitt. Apparently, his contract with Pitt was set to expire at midnight and Pitt finally took him seriously and tried to upgrade their counteroffer around 11pm. It was an offer that Jackie would have accepted if it had been offered earlier, but he already gave A&M a commitment and he couldn’t go back on his word.

        Again, this was Jackie’s version of how it transpired. I believe I summarized it accurately. I apologize as I cannot recall where I read/heard his account so I could direct all of you there. Regardless, his version is consistent with how Pitt has operated throughout it’s history.

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  27. For Pitt, there were many regrettable decisions. Recently … Foster to Bama … Canada to LSU (where he lasted less than a year) …. and maybe even Jurkovec to ND (although he won’t admit it).

    But kids want the packed stadiums and coaches want the large $$$, you can’t blame them

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    1. No you can’t. So build a smaller multi purpose center on campus to serve more than one program and be a revenue engine.

      That why the atmosphere is electric and the money flows in to pay for competent coaches.

      Pitt is being adversely selected when it offers top pay of $600k for coordinators.

      Narduzzis biggest failing is not hiring people better than himself and fighting for the money to hire them.

      Liked by 1 person

    2. I would question that kids want to play in packed stadiums in 2020, unless they’re carboard packed, lol. They just want to play. Kids will be used to playing in front of small crowds so even the recruiting narrative lined up well……empty stadiums everywhere!

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      1. Kids want to be worshipped. The center of attention. It matters not the size. It’s the atmosphere and experience. A packed 40 k is no different than 110 k

        But some people still think size matters. Ask my wife

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    1. I’ve not seen that rumor confirmed Ike. But I also haven’t really been keeping up with it…

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  29. No, Ike, I haven’t heard that. Many bones in the foot. Depends on which one or more. I guess we’ll
    have to join the rest of the NCAA D1 teams in getting our plays in thru other means.

    Last and I’m sure not least on Duzzwhip, if we lose a game to a better team and play crisp smart football, we can all live with that but……to lose the way we do with no discipline, stupid coachable mistakes and be out strategized in every game….for 6 years that’s on coaching.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. So true

      We’ve all seen enough after 6 long years

      I said it over three years ago. And a literal handful of others who get bashed by posting for being negative.

      I’m glad that others are finally waking up and taking notice.

      But those that supported him over the years are enablers. You don’t get a free pass. You are just as bad and guilty. You know who you are.

      You do not have my respect but you do have my disdain.

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    2. correct Dan, I’ve walked this earth for over 45 years with a broken bone in my foot. A long story and my foot hurts more now than ever.

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  30. One of many drawbacks when hiring an assistant coach as head coach is that they aren’t as effective at hiring their own assistants. In a typical 5-6 year tenure, there is not much time to correct mistakes. When hiring a head coach from another college they have typically seen many assistants along the way, including their own, and will especially know who are good at recruiting. Pitt has a history of hiring assistants and we can see the results.

    Liked by 2 people

    1. They often don’t have the network as well. It helps to know people who know people. I get it. But again narduzzis biggest failure is in his inability to hire the right people and form a stable staff. What good is stability when your coordinators change over every two years.

      Liked by 1 person

      1. Not just Narduzzi. The AD network is also needed. And the Chancellor network to get the right AD. Pitt lacks in all those areas.

        I hope KDs injury isnt debilitating for too long. That’s not a good look to trot out a kid with a busted foot/ankle, but dan is right, lots of bones. A break is often better than a bad sprain, but very painful none the less. Busted an ankle and played 2 playoff games in bball as a sr in HS. For years, I was better then Jon Denardo (rip) at predicting rain and cold. I think I took Weather and Man as an elective while at Pitt…..

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        2. Welcome to the club young man. If you have a half an hour I could give you a list of all my broken parts and things that have been “fixed” BTW, my bones are telling me it may be partly cloudy over the Allegheny County area.

          So Huff, are you a doctor, lawyer or did you stay at a Holiday express recently? Relax big guy, jus ribbing ya.

          I think I’ll sit back and watch the wheels go round and round for a few days. I like PITT’s remaining schedule. No better way to get rid of a coach or redeem yourself than a very challenging schedule. Hope you all get your way, I’m growing weary of carrying the torch.

          Liked by 2 people

    3. VoiceofReason brings up a good point about the reason not to hire assistants as head coaches. Narduzzi sure had a hard time assembling his first staff. His problem is that he cannot get and hold on to a good OC!! Whipple sure is not the answer as OC. If I was the head coach, he would have been gone Sunday morning. How stupid is it to make your injured quarterback limp over to you to get the plays? It is not rocket science to send in the plays with a running back if nothing else.

      If this was a normal year, I would be all in for firing Narduzzi and putting Partridge in as head coach. Narduzzi’s time is limited at Pitt. He has lost the fans and alumni this year. I see no way for him to recover. I would guess next year is his last! I am a fan of Lyke and I do not see her supporting Narduzzi after this year’s debacle. Due to financial constraints, she cannot fire him this year.

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  31. Check out USA Today’s to be a Pitt fan. Sums up our experiences nicely. Few if anyone outside a 500 mile radius knows our hurt. Tortured for over 40 years now. But we are tough SOB’s with an appreciation of dark comedy. The right stuff.

    Liked by 1 person

  32. I’m psyched and pumped for the remainder of the season !! Look @ that schedule … yummy – 8 consecutive losses will seal Narduzzi’s fate and end this Nightmare !!! Whipple can sit on the Greyhound bus seat next to him ! – The guy has no skill or desire when it comes to recruiting. Jurkovec ( who should be playing for us ) will be a future NFL Pro Bowler ; just has that look !!

    Liked by 1 person

  33. Tex, you have misunderstood me for years now. I’m for continuity not Narduzzi in particular. Although I do think he is as good of a coach PITT has had in the past forty years. Be careful when you all read into that because there are many moving parts that the PITT administration is looking at. I understand what they want and it is Narduzzi. No one of importance cares what any one of us thinks.

    Two one point losses doesn’t move any needles. Now, who is the real realist?

    BTW, for any of the sissies that can’t take being called a negative poster when they never ever say anything positive about PITT.. too bad. I’ll fight for your right to post what you want but if I don’t agree with what some say, I’ll express my opinion. I’m not back in kindergarten am I? I’m called names daily and I’m not hiding in my basement.

    Tex, I really appreciate you dealing it out and taking it back. That’s what it’s all about.

    ike and I approved this message.

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    1. When Pitt gets hurt financially, they will care. Ticket sales and donations will decline. Only A 20 percent reduction in tickets means about a $2 million hit. Another 20 percent drop off in donations means around $2 million lost per year. Add just those two up and you have narduzzis salary. This doesn’t even take into account advertising dollars, merchandise and other licensing and fees.

      The BoT wants true scholar athletes and a clean program. I get that. But that doesn’t mean you have to be mediocre at sports. And how clean really is pitt given that it already got caught cheating and is on probation.

      Pitts biggest constraint are revenues right now. Despite having a top third football spend, pitt needs to spend more to get top coordinators and assistants.

      Only old washed up coaches take Pitt jobs. Pitt really needs to poach some young and innovative OC out there.

      What’s that revenue engine I keep coming back to?

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    1. I have disdain for those who have mocked my realism and have called me negative. Now everyone is saying what I have said for over three years. Funny how the tide has turned.

      I have disdain for hypocrites. Just like Reed said, I don’t want the first thing out of someone’s mouth at a tailgate to be ‘oh, here’s mister Negative’. If I would ever hear that, I’d tell that person where to go and it ain’t Alaska.

      Liked by 1 person

  35. Things I’m annoyed with:
    1) every time we are on the ACC Network, I feel like I’m watching an infomercial for the other team, let’s have a BC grad do a national broadcast…give me a break

    2) ACC officiating consistently sucks and is always against us: phantom pass interference calls against NC State, a recovered fumble call reversed with grainy 1960’s like projector footage that give BC a field goal, a controversial second fumble call that doesn’t go our way, Paris Ford called for multiple targetings last year but most of the time when they are done to us they are overturned.

    3) We may have the most inconsistent running game in 1A football. We either get five yards a carry, stuffed, or a large loss. I’ve never seen a team that just can’t get a traditional damn three yard run on a regular basis. This oline must be brutal.

    4) Where are our tight ends? They are seldom open, they seldom catch the ball, and they seldom block properly in short yardage situations.

    5) Nard’s one size fits all defense: If this were the 80’s and quarterbacks were not mobile and every throw was a seven step drop, our monster o-line would lead us to a national championship. Too bad it is 2020. Teams dink and dunk, qb’s are athletic and mobile, and a huge pass rush can easily be defeated by a quick developing throw or zone read. Nard is 30 years behind the times with this scheme.

    6) Why do we lose in the most agonizing fashion possible? I haven’t been this upset since Nebraska beat us 7 to 6 in Lincoln when I was a sophomore. Greg Lee ran so slow on a long throw that a white boy tackled. Kicker Josh Cummings missed the game winning field goal twice. The week before we lost to the Ohio Bobcats…not Buckeyes. In my 36 years, I’ve only seen two good seasons lol.

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    1. FWIW, both the Trib and P-G called out the ACC for incorrect calls on the two fumbles in the 1st half which directly contributed to 10 pts for BC. Neither writer are Pitt alums (one is from PSU) and neither can be deemed as a Pitt homer.

      Like

  37. Wow! So much anger and hatred, excuse me, disdain. Maestro, can we go back to discussing politics for a while to allow emotions to subside?

    Liked by 3 people

  38. I think Narduzzi gets to stay even with 5 wins which will be wrong.

    What is the win totals that gets him fired? 3 wins, 2 wins There has to be a tipping point even for Heather.

    The likely scenario is that he fires Whipple. The problem is he will hire another OC that does not run a college offense.

    Liked by 1 person

  39. Getting 5 wins will be a major accomplishment if Pickett is out for the remainder of the season. Come to think of it getting 5 wins will be a major accomplishment if Pickett doesn’t miss any of the remaining games.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Very true. Not that Pickett being out won’t be bad, but every single time they show a play that he scrambles on from the endzone view, you can see open receivers.
      I think he has all the physical talent in the world and is tough as heck, but you have to have the field vision.
      Then again, it could be Whipple’s system. I think it is overly complicated for college. He admits as much.

      Like

      1. when does he say that? during the Pop Warner league QB jaunts to the sideline(on a broken foot)?

        agree KP seems to not have vision, thought it improved some but his instinct to run may be half the problem,,,the other half is the O-line,,,,the other half is the drops,,,,the other half….

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  40. Remember one of our “wins” was against Austin Pissy.

    Another thought—-If KP is injured will the Pitt “Braintrust” provide a wheelchair for him to visit Coach
    Toilet paper for his brilliant plays?

    I am beyond fed up with Pitt’s institutionalized mediocrity!!

    Liked by 1 person

  41. In Tex’s world, if you support the current Pitt coach, you are an “enabler”. I thought that encouraging success was a good thing, and we should be supporting the current program. Only in Tex’s mind can Pitt fire Narduzzi and automatically get a new coach who is truly better. What recent experience is there that this is true? Maybe Mike Haywood is still available.

    If Narduzzi were to be fired, which is not likely in the near term, then we would once again be looking at a rebuild situation, assuming the new hire is actually a capable one. Then, at best, another 2-3 years before we reach Narduzzi’s level of success, plus another 2-3 years to get to 9-10 wins. Then of course if this doesn’t happen we will always have Tex to burn the place down once again.

    Liked by 2 people

    1. Yeah, you can be called an enabler, kool-aid drinker and be disdained but don’t you dare call someone negative.

      Reed, my days of rolling left, right, back or forward are long over. To put it mildly, I haven’t treated my body as a temple. More like an outhouse.

      Like

      1. When you continue to financially support mediocrity, you enable. Unless you and I define mediocrity differently.

        I’ve pointed out the dangers of drinking Koolaid. And now everyone seems to have sore teeth.

        I don’t mind being called negative but don’t greet me that way. I’ll point out the sugar content of Koolaid and you can point out the acidic value of my vinegar. But we’re all pitt brothers with different views. Sports passion is no different from politics or religion.

        I don’t openly mock opinions but the excessive hero worship of HCPN and Heather annoys me to no end. They are opinions of course after all. I give credence to thoughts supported by facts and rational argument. I can’t see how anyonecat this point can continue to sing the man praises. I stopped praising him over three years ago.

        at this point, nobody is going to convince me that Narduzzi and heather are nothing more than charletins.

        I know some of you will continue supporting those two until the very end.

        If you’re happy with 7-8 win seasons so be it. If you’re happy placing last in the ACC every year in combined sports, then so be it.

        I’m not happy with Pitts current state or it’s near future with the leadership and structures in place

        If there was a plan to change the culture and commit to excellence, we would have seen it by now. It’s heathers fourth year.

        If you desire change, vote with your pocketbook. My good money doesn’t chase bad. I’m invested in pitt soccer, volleyball and wrestling. There is a common theme will all three.

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    2. If you continue to support heather and Narduzzi you are an enabler. You are enabling mediocrity.

      So don’t complain when pitt gets blown out next week. Don’t complain when pitt finishes with 4 wins in a season billed for 10. I don’t ever want to hear you complain again.

      Because it’s not like Narduzzi is going to suddenly become a good coach and recruiter. We know what we got after 6 years.

      And if you rationally judge heather based on financials, sales, donations, communications, compliance, scheduling, facilities plans, she would get a flunking grade. So let’s continue to enable a poorly run and money losing athletic department as well.

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  44. Question: How can Kansas State do so well in football and Pitt can’t? “On paper” there is no way this should be the case, but . . .

    KSU has a coaching vacancy and they go out and hire an experienced head coach (Mark Klieman), a head coach who had won several FCS national championships. Pitt has a vacancy and hires an assistant coach with no head coaching experience.

    KSU must be doing some really great things in the recruiting area. Given that the school is Manhattan, Kansas this is a tremendous accomplishment. I know a bit about that town and its location: my brother-in-law is a professor there and I’ve been here several times. Pitt’s recruiting on the whole in recent years pretty much stinks, even with all the University’s attributes.

    Klieman in his first year (which was last year) went to bat for his assistants and got them all raises. With the exception of one (Partridge), Narduzzi’s assistants? Mediocrity and broken parts.

    On the field, KSU is, in Klieman’s 2nd year, now in the top 25. Narduzzi in his 6th season is trying to salvage a season that is veering into being a disaster. BTW, KSU just extended Klieman’s contract through 2026. Lyke on the other hand extended Narduzzi’s contract on the heels of a losing season.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. once again, people here are pointing to the biggest successes without point out all the failures, which number much, much more. Coincidentally, like Duzz, Klieman took over a sub 500 team and had 8 wins in his 1st year includng a bowl loss to Navy

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    2. K state won on average two games per year until bill Snyder. A coach who knew how to recruit players for his system. Poor facilities, poor recruiting area, no history or tradition, low budget. But he didn’t make excuses and found ways to win with the right system, players and staff.

      Pitt has far more resources and other tangible and intangibles, yet still repeatedly fails. It’s by design because even sheer randomness would have resulted in more than one ten win season in 30 years.

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      1. Great coach, Snyder could recruit JuCos and do whatever it took to win at KSU because the school was fed up battling Kansas to be 1-10 in the Big 8. He even hit Youngstown for players with the Stoops’ as assistants.

        Asking his boss if he could recruit a certain type of player and not having that boss point to a Mission Statement sure helped Bill build his program.

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  45. I have been on the side of stability and patience, but that only works when coaches can coach. Patience has got us a reasonable number of players that can play, but that only goes so far. All the mistakes and missed opportunities, poor execution have their initial root cause which is coaching.

    Execution improves when you have done enough reps. Better decisions are made when there are fewer to make and you have done them before. There are too many plays in Whipple’s playbook causing poor execution and KP to improvise too often. The play never seem to take advantage of what the defense is giving rather the opposite too many times each game.

    The Steelers had the same problem on defense as the Panthers. When they didn’t get pressure on the QB, good throws to a hot receiver happened too often, even against solid defensive backs. However, the Steelers have the offense to match, and a kicker that doesn’t miss.

    Not that Pitt ever had a chance but Miles Sanders is another WPIAL star, who if he stayed home would have made a huge difference.

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  46. Pete, what have KSU’s recruiting classes been rated past 5 years? I’m asking cause I don’t know. I’m guessing not much better than PITT’s

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  47. Look here’s the deal from my perspective. PITT lost the past 2 games by one pt each game and both games were on missed “extra” pt opportunities. Reliable Mack either drops the two pt conversion or has the ball knocked out of his hands by the refs. Kessman makes a long field but misses tries in his range plus the extra pt. All of a sudden PITT sucks and SOP?

    As Bill reported and I agree, how in the hell do you overturn that fumble? and the next call on a fumble was even worse. A loss is a loss but watch the game.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. But Ike, you and many others on here always point to W/L records when discussing King Pat’s worth to the football program. Now we are to dissect every play or Ref call to determine if the team or PN is good, bad or average?

      Point is that if Pitt was anywhere close to what has been said by him and his staff in regards to the quality of the team we should have been way past the point where one or two plays or call would make a difference in the outcome. Seriously, losing to a 14 point underdog doesn’t turn on one or two plays. It sits on the shoulders of the HC and staff.

      Also, those things happen to opponents also…

      Liked by 1 person

      1. I understand that it’s only about the final record Reed, just saying two 1 pt losses doesn’t make anyone a lousy coach. BTW, UNC State is a pretty good and under-rated football team.

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  49. Look, in PN’s first fall camp at Pitt I was in a press conference with him and asked him how he was going to adapt his coaching to fit the ACC style of play versus the B10’s.

    He looked at me like I was crazy and said he’ll keep doing what he always has been doing (last part of his answer).

    Well, that is what we have seen over six years.

    His almost distain-like attitude to the offensive side of the ball is, and has been, clearly evident. Look at the offensive recruits he has landed compared to the defensive. Huge difference in quality and production once playing.

    Look at the Pitt players who have left the team over his time here – mostly offensive and some who had some real chops coming in but left. A few years ago I was talking with a converted FB to TE and an OL player at a media game ‘breakout session’ where the media could meet with two players sitting at a table with no staffers listening.

    I asked them how it was playing on offense under PN and they both looked at each other and the TE said “He doesn’t like us.” I thought I misheard and then the OL said “If you don’t play on defense you are petty far under his radar”. We talked about that after I told them whatever else they said was off the record…interesting stuff…

    Not paraphrasing here either…I wrote a bit about that after I got back home without naming the players.

    Point being that PN hires OCs and then turns his back, washes his hands and goes into the DC’s office for the rest of the time. So, is anyone surprised that he hired an OC who was heavily one-sided in his previous jobs (at lower level competition) is the same way here? And not successful either.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. what Duzz apparently can’t get through his head is that the ACC refs are not like the B10 or the SEC when it comes to physical DB play, which is his trademark. I do agree with him however, that Pitt is getting the short end on opposing WRs pushing off against his DBs. I have seen blatant examples, including 2 TDs by NC State, not being called.

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    2. I laughed hard reading your allusion comparing Pat Narduzzi to Pontius Pilate…Pat asking for a graduate assistant to get him a bowl of water to wash his hands from offensive responsibility haha.

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  51. Let’s begin adjusting narduzzis wins upward since we feel we’ve been screwed by the refs. And maybe we adjust based on weather or field conditions or number of yellow seats. Then Maybe just maybe pitt might actually reach ten wins this season.

    Good coaches don’t lose games on a call here and there. All I hear are some whiny fans that are hurt because their hero has the refs and media ganging up on him.

    I have a bounce house. Let’s throw a ‘pitt’y party for Pitt and wallow in excuses.

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    1. Facts are facts and bad calls go both ways but I know one when I see one Tex and I understand a win is a win and a loss is a loss. I’m very disappointed in the last two games but if you want to call me whiny do yourself a favor. TAKE A GOOD LOOK IN THE MIRROR. 99% of your comments are 100% WHINY.

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      1. 99 percent of my comments demand better from Pitt. The $4 million dollar coach is a fraud and a thief. Pitt could find a coach and pay him half that for 7 win seasons. I refuse to support mediocrity and incompetence.

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          1. I don’t make excuses on why pitt lost and cherry pick. A loss is a loss. You need to beat who’s on your schedule regardless how tough it is. Just face it, Narduzzi will never win more than 8 games. Do you think that’s worth $4 million. Legit question deserves an honest straight up answer

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            1. You make accuses every-time you comment. It’s his fault, it’s her fault, it’s the BOT’s fault, every single time and you repeat yourself at a nauseating rate.

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  52. PetePitt73, your KSU analogy was a good one. It is amazing how many programs can do well with good coaching even though they exist in unpopulated areas that are real recruiting challenges. It exposes how shallow the argument is that WPA is not a good recruiting hotbed anymore. One additional recruiting problem Narduzzi will have is that he will soon be entering the final years of his contract, and won’t be able to claim for sure that he will be at Pitt until his recruits graduate. If they do their research, recruits will see that Narduzzi’s seat could be getting a bit warm.

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    1. Why would any elite offensive recruit want to come to Pitt? Offense wins you games. The offense always dictates play. The rules favor the offense. Fans love scoring. Pitt is running the offense from the jock Sutherland days.

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  53. During the second half of the BC game, Hillgrove asked Bostick what the start time was for Pitt vs Notre Dame game next week. Pat Bostick replied, “We’re playing Miami next week”. This summarizes the Pitt Football Program!

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  54. Like

  55. Like

    1. This is horrible by any standard, but this is partially influenced by Pitt’s style of play. Mostly conservative play and ball control offense (whether with the run or quick passing) will put you in a lot of close contests but makes it hard to win the end game when you often need to strike quickly.

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    2. Hale actually went back and added one more sorry stat to this account: Pitt has the most one point losses of any college football program over the last decade.

      “Apologies for extra salt in the wound but forgot to add:
      Most 1-point losses in the past 10 years…
      Pitt, 7
      Buff, 6
      BYU, 6
      Navy, 6
      LT, 6

      Pitt has 2 so far this year. Since 2004, only 3 teams have lost 3 1-point games in a season, none from BCS/P5. So worst is probably over.”

      Or so he thinks …

      Liked by 1 person

  56. I’ve often mentioned on this site that relying on Pickett for the running game is extremely dangerous, and if he would get hurt it would hurt two positions and require use of an inexperienced QB against some pretty tough upcoming teams. If it is true that Pickett has a broken bone in his foot, then this coaching malpractice has come true. It is hard to imagine that he could come back in less than 3-4 weeks, so FSU could be a loss. It is hard to see how Pitt wins more than 1 or 2 more games this season.

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    1. If allowed to throw grizz…wouldn’t mind a Lou Gehrig for Wally Pipp even for a few games.
      And of course I’m exaggerating.
      Still hoping for that erotic offense!

      Liked by 1 person

  58. I have been known to sip a little Kool Aid a time or two, in the past. Didn’t know I was an enabler, but I gotta admit, I am kinda proud to know that the BOT, AD, and possibly even the coaching staff read may be influenced by anything/everything I say.

    KP made a couple gutsy runs after they taped his ankle up. I wouldn’t mind having a shot of whatever they gave him – might help my lower back!

    Liked by 2 people

    1. Do you have the coin? Then you’ll have a voice. Money is the only thing that talks.

      Otherwise, if you continue to buy tickets and donate, that means you support the status quo. That’s enabling in my book.

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      1. Is it the old phrase money talks and bs walks?

        I have to agree, a prominent Pitt booster who has ties to Barry Alverez pushed Paul Chryst right into the Pitt job, Barry made sure Paul received on the job training here prior to Wisconsin.

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    1. Agreed. Alan Saunders really broke down how B.C. identified the vulnerabilities in Pitt’s scheme and used route combinations to expose them. I’ll be watching very carefully to see if Pitt makes adjustments versus Miami. The clips also showed how bad press technique is death for this D. If a receiver like Flowers escapes the bump, he’s gone.

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  60. Thanks Fran.

    What time is the Miami game this week? I would ask Billy Hillgrove but he seems a bit confused on the particulars.

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      1. Thanks JA, I’ll adjust my nap time accordingly. Jus kidding but now I need a weather report. Never mind, I’ll ask Alexa. Hope it’s not too hot and no rain. I move on and I go through.

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  61. Guess I am an enabler by that definition. And I’ll continue to be an enabler until I am no longer physically able to enable. This is my university.

    As for the decision to retain or replace a coach, I do not have a scintilla of the information needed to make that decision. Not the financials, the contract details, the availability and interest of replacements, etc. And I doubt anyone else here does.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. If you’re happy with the direction of the program, that’s on you so continue spending away. But if you’re not happy, your only voice is your wallet. Let’s not fool ourselves.

      I seem to have touched a nerve with the word enabler. Political connotations?

      Like

      1. No. I’ve actually asked the system to flag the word “political”. As well as other words. Nothing off base so far

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  62. I played golf on Sunday with 2 prominent Povers. Narduzzi lost me at the home PSU game in the rain. The consensus of the 3 of us is he has to go. I could wait another year to get the BC staff. Unfortunately, we also concluded that BC is a better job.
    I have no idea on how to move this forward. Pitt is a graveyard for coaches.
    I wanted Kiffin.
    They need big money and a coach that will draw attention. The Pitt football brand is dead, and hiring another non descript coach( head or otherwise) is just trying to revive a corpse.

    Liked by 1 person

  63. Last year’s team had some good talent, but also had some key flaws. With a good number of starters coming back this year, it was not unreasonable to think that maybe some of those key flaws would be addressed and that this could be a pretty good football team. Instead, they seem to be worse in almost all facets of the game, save maybe run defense. One can’t help but think the blame for that has to fall on the coaching staff.

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  64. Wanny was paid roughly $100k per win. Narduzzi is paid $600k. Those are facts. Y’all think HCPN is worth it? You still willing to shell out coin to support him?

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    1. $1.333 million if Pitt wins no more in 2020, which is very possible as “opting out” may rear it’s ugly head a few more times…

      Just sayin…

      Miami will boat race our D on Saturday in a blowout and our D will play ND tough in a close loss.

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  65. That’s more to my point Kman, fire Narduzzi tonight for all I care but who are they going to get to replace him? It sure was never going to be Lane Kiffen. PITT might as well as drop back and punt on a third and 3. Plus they just ain’t firing him. Maybe Dave B?

    I’m shocked that some know so much more than myself about the inner workings of the PITT football program.

    BTW, why is what Narduzzi makes monetarily bother some people? Pat has his marching order and he is right in step with the program and what they want from him.

    ike the whiny enabler who for some reason is accused of drinking too much blueberry kool-aid.

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  66. So, Tex, I’m confused. As you say, “money talks; he who has the coin…..blah, blah, blah….

    So, if, as you say, Pitt is losing $10MM per year, it doesn’t sound to me like there are ANY enablers out there. Let alone me and any other “fans” on the POV.

    IF Pitt is playing somewhere in the South, that I can get to, I will be going to the game. If you think that makes me an enabler, so be it. I could care less.

    Liked by 1 person

  67. Oh one other thing to consider, before anointing the BC head coach as the second coming.

    He could be an excellent head coach one day but when he was here at Pitt he was dogged on the blogs as being a very poor position coach but a good recruiter.

    Liked by 1 person

      1. Yep Mike, that should go over big with the folks? When pigs fly. Unless PITT hires Nick Saban and his entire asst coaching staff, the refrains of the poor and pitiful administration will never stop.

        Secretly, I hope PITT does hire a new head football coach and he close practices like 90% of the rest of the college football world. Wouldn’t that be a kick in the pants?

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        1. Its not 90% Ike – I’d say maybe over 60%. But then again how many schools have the lowest donation totals in their conference?

          Tell me the truth – didn’t you really enjoy all the in-depth and first hand articles in the Trib, P-G, Rivals, Pitt Blather and here on the POV when those practices were open? Of course you did and closing practices has done not one thing, nothing, to make King Pat’s players play better, his staff coach better or he as HC win more games.

          Go back a few years and look at the almost daily Blather (and other sites) articles during August and fall camp – much more entertaining and informative then a writer scraping around for substance to write about.

          Since when does Pitt need to be one of a herd anyway?

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          1. So you’re the saying the majority of the head coaches? It could be higher but it could be lower as well Reed. I threw a dart blind folded. Obviously I don’t know how many schools close their practices to the media. I will say Narduzzi gives up a presser a couple times a week. Yes, I would have loved you being at practice when the POV sprang up but I just don’t see the benefit to the PITT football team.

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    2. Yep. That whole 2010 staff stunk according to all the expert Pitt fans. Wanny needed to go, etc. We can do better because Tony and Dan once played here, blah, blah, blah.

      The truth was Nordy, Steve and the BoT are the ones who stunk big. They still do.

      Liked by 1 person

  68. please someone tell me what could possibly be a positive about not signaling in plays by OC Whipple

    i thought the player Whip might attract by his pass happy offense could be a recruiting advantage but now imagine the look of that and the total fail of the run game makes him an easy target for ridicule and honestly what elite level QB could possibly ignore that?

    am i making more out of that than should? i mean supposedly people and kids care about the look of the uniforms, the look of THAT is embarrassing

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        1. Funny Michaelangelo, especially with a broken bone in his foot.

          True story. I was the back-up QB in midget football and co running back running back. We would alternate plays running in the next play. One time I forgot the play by the time I reached the QB, coach almost planted my head into the ground when I got to the sideline. That never happened again. There are flaws in all systems. Human error is not all on coaching.

          Liked by 1 person

  69. Tommy, KP professes to like the arrangement? Of course, Kenny would run through a cement wall for PITT. It doesn’t make much sense in regards to wear and tear to benefit?

    Liked by 1 person

  70. Fire the HC…It is a familiar call from the PITT fan base over the past ten years or so. If we fire PN, will we start another Haywood-Graham-Crist-Narduzzi cycle; or, launch another Majors (V.1.0)-Sherrill era? My guess we will be closer to the former than the latter. It is going to be difficult for PITT to get a top coach for what I believe is a glaring reason: For the most part, the city of Pittsburgh is not a college FB town. The empty seats at PITT FB games kill the atmosphere and hinder the lifeblood of any coach – recruiting. You say “Win and the fans will show up”; or, “Build an on campus stadium and the fans will be there”. Well, we have had winning seasons in the past, with an on campus stadium, and did not sell out that stadium for the year. I think that includes our NC season in 1976 and the early 80’s seasons. Could be wrong.

    Nobody on this blog is any more disappointed with these last two losses than I am, but for now, I have to side with Ike and others calling for continuity. I’d rather give this coaching staff another chance to move the program forward then go through another “you have to give the new coach 3 – 4 years to get all their players in place”, and you know we are headed there if we change coaches.

    WRT to the OC, I have to say it’s hard for me to get a read. I hate the goofy using the QB to run plays to the huddle. However, one does wonder how much more successful his offense would be without several dropped and missed passes per game to go with dumb penalties. You can make the argument that these problems are on the coaches, but I think the players have to execute and play smart. Even the best coaches would have a hard time overcoming 6 to 8 mistakes of this type per game.

    Liked by 3 people

    1. I agree, particularly with regard to the penalties, where Pitt is a standout in a bad way. As far as the dropped passes, Pitt has been among the CFB leaders recently but it goes both ways. NC State had receivers open for touchdowns with no one within three steps about four times and the pass was either dropped or overthrown. Against BC, Flowers dropped a long pass toward the back of the end zone where no one was within ten yards of him. College football tends to be a sloppy game, this year more so than most. Pitt just hasn’t been able to overcome.

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  71. hey Tex, it’s all chump change anyway. New LSU DC Bo Pelini is now making > $2M, coaching a bunch of 4-stars. His defense has given up 44 pts to Miss St and 45 pts to Missouri as the defending champs start out 1 and 2.

    Liked by 1 person

  72. In SEC news :

    Nick Sabin wonders if Lane Kiffin / Ole’ Miss stole the Alabama defensive signals during last Saturdays game.. Alabama uses sign boards. Maybe they can go to a different form of communicating calls. Maybe use a player running to the sideline.

    LSU HC Ed Orgeron wants new DC Bo Pelini (former Nebraska & Youngstown State HC) to “dumb down” his defense. Orgeron had previously told then OC Matt Canada to dumb down his offense. My solution – recruit smarter players.

    Liked by 6 people

    1. I remember Pelini talked to Pitt about the job in 2005. He was too rigid for Nordy and Co.

      Remember this kind of stuff people if you want Narduzzi fired. This administration cannot hire a really good coach who can overcome, well, Pitt. Foge and Wannstedt deserved another year, Gottfried deserved it, too. History may be revisited again if a rash decision is made.

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      1. And Nordenberg was better at the coaching side than Gallagher who just seems detached. You are right, fire Narduzzi, hire somebody from Eastern Michgian, and nothing changes. Previous administrations were able to hire seasoned head coaches, i.e. Majors, Gottfried, Wannstedt, and Fraudster. Hiring another OC or DC (please haven’t we learned anything from Foge and Narduzzi) could just be another 7-7 ride on the merry-go-round.

        We’ve had a number of administrations worthy of criticism, but the current group is nothing to rave about. Heather is getting a pass because of Capel. He may be a great guy, but the program is shaky entering year 3.

        Looking for optimism about the upcoming hoops season…optimism that leads at least to an NIT bid. Anyone??

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        2. She didn’t hire Capel first. She tried to hire Hurley, got used and whiffed. Capel fell into her lap as an afterthought. There may have been another between the Hurley fiasco and the hiring of Capel. I like him (except for his stance on non-basketball issues), so it is hard for me to associate such a gaffe by our AD with him. But, it is the truth. She was in over her head then and she remains there to this day.

          To be clear, Heather Lyke hired Pat Narduzzi a second time (extension). That is all on her. She either gets to admit her mistake now and make a change, or roll the dice and lose her job with him next year when this team performs at a lower level.

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    2. I think Ed has to worry. Unless the multiple hurricanes this summer have taught the alums and LSU BOTS some humility, Orgeron won’t be around that long. A two loss season for LSU (and there will be more this year) is like a 5-7 season at Pitt. Wait, Pitt does nothing after a 5-7 season. My bad.

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      1. I like what you did there – worked a Pitt angle into a LSU comment. But I guess you caught me putting a Pitt angle into an Alabama comment. The LSU part – I just thought that was funny knowing that Ed has now told two different coordinators to dumb it down.

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  73. At this point I’m all for firing Narduzzi and hiring another coach and starting over. That way I could crow over PITT losing a football game too.

    Liked by 1 person

  74. How many of our 1-point losses can be blamed on dropped balls, missed assignments and the penalypalooza show we put on.

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  76. Note to Heather:

    Put Matt Canada on your speed dial. Make him an offer to be Pitt’s next HC with two important requisites:

    He retains all staff EXCEPT 2 offensive coaches.
    Replace the OL and TE coaches with Albany assistants
    Jim Sweeney
    Assistant Head Coach / Offensive Line Coach
    (518) 442-3052
    jsweeney@albany.edu
    Nate Byham
    Run-Game Coordinator / Tight Ends Coach
    (518) 442-3052
    nbyham@albany.edu

    Free advice from a “freed up to golf every Saturday until a change is made” fan

    Liked by 1 person

  77. If I’m Heather I’m expecting maybe a 4-7 year. It’s good to get a read on things this early in the season. They have time to discuss the current and future state of affairs and see if there are any candidates out there that would represent a significant upgrade of the program.

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  78. In regards to those that say, “if we change coaches, get ready for another 7-7 season”, I don’t understand the argument. Right now I feel like I know what I have in this coach and it ain’t good. Other than Austin Peay almost every game is very tough to watch. What upside is there to maintaining the status quo? I can’t see any. And regarding anyone’s disdain because it took me a bit longer to get here…get over it. Some people are more patient than others, but the patience of the majority of fans has passed. If we can’t make a change due to the financial implications fine, but I can see no way this turns around with the present regime.

    Liked by 1 person

  79. I see nothing to this point to change my 5-6/6-5 season. Trust me, they’ll win one in an upset, and some will say See, I told you so. Naw, that’s just what happens.
    Hardest part is playing golf with Mikey the Nitter. He doesn’t even have to say anything, just looks and smiles. And I deserve it, I believed the hype. Dummy!
    BTW, Canada isn’t the answer. Oh, and for the record, Jackie was one of the biggest pieces ever……. Do not think otherwise. We need a true salesman who can charm them all and hire the very best. Coaching, well, the staff can do that. Hire the ringmaster, ignore the circus.

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  80. So, in reading Reed’s note from mid-day, he indicated that our current head coach apparently washes his hands with anything to do with offense. If that is true (and there is evidence to support that, which is piling up daily), he is getting paid $4M to coach only half the team. That’s a rip-off if I follow the logic on here. And it is a rip-off.

    Head coaching is not about the x and o’s, coordinators do that after the leader tells them what he wants. Head coaches are closers with recruiting, have a brand that wins and is exciting, creates a strategic plan for offenses, defenses, special teams and team building. They create and maintain a culture of winning (or losing). They are terrific salesmen, gladhanders, confident, vibrant and and the ability to influence a culture change across the university.

    Plenty of good coaches out there every year.

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    1. I’m really curious about that last statement. Please name about 3 good coaches who were out there last year.

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  81. “Apparently” and “if that is true” jumped out at me…
    I heard Dooz helps develop both O and D game plans but relies on coordinators to work out the x and o’s.
    Don’t know what to believe…

    Agree on the good coaches availability every year. But who wants to come to Pitt?

    I would love to see an exciting erotic offense combined with a tough defense that plays hard and minimizes mistakes.
    Easy peazy…haha.

    Liked by 2 people

  82. This is Pitt right? So we could just as easily win 1, 2 or all three of the next games as we could lose them…that’s who we are.

    For that we all Hail.

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  83. Re: dropped passes. It always looks like the WR is at fault and that might be. But I remember an article in the local newspaper that was an interview with Lynn Swan back in the ’70s and he stated that unless you were down on the field you never really know what the problem was.

    He mentioned that some QBs put a lot of spin on the ball, other passes from same QB might have a different rotation that the WR has to change hands position for.

    Also, field wind conditions are different then up in the stands – much more swirling or sudden so a pass may look straight but is blown a foot or two offline close to the receiver.

    Some shorter passes come out of the QBs hands like a knuckleball in baseball…no rotation at all which throws the WRs off.

    Some coverages demand the QB throws to one shoulder or another. If that doesn’t happen adjustment under coverage are split second and missed but the ball still may touch the WR’s hands even though he is reaching behind him which is counted as a dropped pass.

    So, the number off dropped passes we have are bad but unless we are down there some might not be on the WR only.

    I’ve noticed on some plays KP throws ‘spotted’ bullets early and that means the ball is out of his hands before the receiver breaks or fronts so the speed of the pass makes it hard to get both hands on it.

    Also, there is a difference between a dropped pass and a defensive pass break-up so it’s the official scorer up in the booth who decides what it is or is not.

    Either way we have too many of them but IMO it isn’t only the WR’s fault.

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