Submitted by Mark Kerestan (PittPT)

In the last thread (or a recent thread depending on when it might be published), NotRocketScience posed the question “who will be fired first, Pat Narduzzi or Jeff Capel”? That question was very similar to  a question I had planned to submit as a topic for a discussion thread. It would appear that the coming year will be a crucial year for both Pitt Football and Men’s Basketball, and their respective Head Coaches, Pat Narduzzi and Jeff Capel.

Given what we know right now before any additional recruits are signed or games are played, will both coaches still be with Pitt by this time in March 2022? If not, who stays and who goes? In answering , you may answer in terms of either what you expect to happen or what you would like to see or both.

Since I posed the question I will kick things off with my responses. 

What I expect to happen…With Kenny Pickett coming back and the entire offense having an additional year to gel, as well as an easier OOC schedule, I fully expect Pitt football to get to eight wins which should secure Pat Narduzzi’s job for the immediate future.

Conversely unless he can bring in some  impactful transfers to improve the team for next year, as well as retain Justin Champagnie for another season, it would appear to be another rough year for Pitt Basketball and Jeff Capel. As such my prediction would be Narduzzi continues on with football, Jeff Capel will be replaced. 

What do I want to happen…? If Pitt’s football season is as I expect it to be, I am fine with Narduzzi continuing to run the football program. In fact for every win over eight I will accept a down year in the four to five win range. I do hope that this season is an opportunity for Kenny Pickett and OC Mark Whipple to go out together, with a new OC with new offensive ideas to come in 2022, but that is a topic for another discussion.

In basketball, I really like Jeff Capel personally and love to hear his interviews. As such, I am rooting for him, against all odds, to find the magic formula (or bagman) to lead Pitt to a significantly improved conference record next year and a post season tourney appearance, which should result in him also retaining his coaching position moving forward. 

   What do you all think? Cue The Clash Ike, who should stay or should go?

(Editors note)  Here is the link to a Post-Gazette North Shore Drive podcast that talks about Pitt football, most notably QB Kenny Pickett. It was done yesterday on 3/23/21.

https://newsinteractive.post-gazette.com/the-north-shore-drive-sports-podcast/