in Pitt Football 281 Words

Recruiting Season

Note; here is another new kid. He’s a 2* TE.

Link: Cole Mitchell Signs for Pitt

Pitt Football Adds to Recruiting Class of 2021, Signs Cole Mitchell

PITTSBURGH—Pitt head football coach Pat Narduzzi today announced the signing of Maryland native Cole Mitchell as another addition to the program’s recruiting class of 2021.
 
The 6-foot-5, 235-pound Mitchell (Frederick, Md./Linganore) joins the Panthers after an outstanding spring season at Linganore High School, where he contributed on offense, defense and special teams.

Cole mitchell

“Cole had an abbreviated senior year and never had an opportunity to prove who he was as a player,” Narduzzi said of Mitchell. “He was prepared to go to IMG Academy for a postgraduate year. Fortunately, he came to our rising stars camp in June and did an unbelievable job working with the tight ends. He shows great power and explosion on tape and did the same thing at camp when we watched him. A week later, he made an official visit to Pitt and we are excited to add him to our 2021 class.”


Mitchell also represented Team Maryland at the 2021 Big 33 Game in May.
 
He becomes Pitt’s third tight end signee in the 2021 recruiting class, joining early enrollees Gavin Bartholomew and Jake Renda, who participated in spring ball for the Panthers.

Pitt opens the 2021 season at Heinz Field on Sept. 4 against Massachusetts. Kickoff will be at 4 p.m.

So far we have 11 kids; eight are 3*, one is a 2* and two are 0*s. Averaging 2.4*s at this time. Mitchell has no other offers.

Discuss please…

Here is link to the Rivals’ Pitt Recruiting List page…

113 thoughts on “Recruiting Season”

  1. The zeros will become at minimum a two. So they junk the average now. It’s all relative and getting positions of need. Recruiting is never done in a vacuum.

    How is pitt relative to other coastal teams based on quality. Percent of class rated 5.7 and above. Not so good so far but it’s still early.

    Is pitt finding playmakers in skill positions and the needed hogs. Always need o linemen, running backs, receivers and quarterbacks. Are transfers the answer when recruiting fails.

    How is pitt filling out the offense and do these players fit the new scheme when old pappy gets thrown out with the coors light after this season

    Like

  2. Also look at other P5 offers. Particularly visits to campus. Is pitt this kids only P5 offer. If so, red flag. See kid from Denton Texas.

    Like

  3. So nearly 40 percent of these kids are from places I used to live or currently reside. That’s also a red flag.

    Buffalo has a poorly run high school football system. The best athletes play hockey or lacrosse up there.

    And Texas kids would stay in the area if they received any local interest. When you’re desperate to play P5 ball, you jump on your first invite to a land of cold and ice. Kids down here have nothing heavier than a hoodie.

    Like

  5. 100 percent of Alabama’s recruits are rated 5.7 and above. Now they are Uber Elite.

    Pitt has just 18 percent. In a typical year, it’s around 25 percent. But that’s pretty mediocre if not downright poor relative to other Coastal schools.

    Will be tough to even win the weakest division in all of P5 with those percentages.

    And please don’t tell me that Pitt finds diamonds in the rough. Small school players with little film. There was some extenuating circumstance their senior year. Pitts coaches will coach them up.

    There is a reason why pitt is so mediocre. It all starts with recruiting.

    And also please don’t tell me it’s because there is no more talent in PA.

    Excuses

    Like

  7. My goodness, time to plan a European trip rather than Pitt’s football season. Anyone reading these comments cannot come away with anything less than the idea that Pitt is a hot mess with poor leadership, inept recruiters, and terrible facilities. Sign me up, PSU.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. And it’s all true. And very easy sell for rival schools to use against Pitt. I’d pick Rutgers over Pitt if I was a blue chipper from jersey.

      You think playing in a half filled ketchup jar is a recruiting advantage. Those yellow seats kill perception and atmosphere.

      Coach is 1-3 in bowl games and has never gotten the team ranked. Ranking is what recruits see…scrolled on tv. And national media covers ranked teams. They get the attention.

      Yes that one participation trophy won with a 7-7 record. Pitts only hardware in the case.

      Far more memorable blowouts on national TV than signature wins

      And recruits see a sloppy and undisciplined team on the field.

      And if Pitt had leadership, it would have forced Narduzzi to fire whipple.

      Pitt football is a poor product. Who on earth would want to buy it.

      I’d pay a premium for soccer and volleyball though. Both will be preseason top 10 teams.

      Like

      1. You speak the truth. I give you credit for your persistence to state it like it is. I wonder how Pitt is competing with WVU and Cincy? Methinks they are beating us.

        Like

      2. Any wagers on how many dropped passes we’ll see this season? Blowouts? Passing records set by opponents?

        Like

  9. You are entitled to your opinion.

    I like what Narduzzi has been doing for a Middle Aged guy who never was a head coach previously. Yes, mistakes have been made. No, he was not a miracle worker but I remember the messes preceding him. The lack of continuity; support; lack of good budgets; and negative fans.

    Narduzzi has improved team morale and community with players families. He has been upgrading the coaching staff with younger coaches. Pitt has a solid foundation now plus backing by the AD and chancellor so those are huge changes. Yes, maybe it all wasn’t lightening in a bottle changes, but a rebuilding of the very mortar of the program.

    Sometimes it is just good to take an Exlax and clean the system of all the destructive negativity.

    Liked by 4 people

    1. But Pitt still has a poor diet. Your bowels might get flushed every once in a while to make you feel good, but that stroke or heart attack is inevitable.

      Nothing really has changed at Pitt if you go beneath the surface. What you see is superficial. It’s what they want you to see. Hence the secrecy and non transparency and limited face time with the public.

      And your first public appearance, after hiding in the basement or vacationing at OBX, in over 15 months is then botched with at least 15 uuumms.

      One for every month of absence.

      Like

    1. From Pitt football. Apathetic. Money spent on other things.

      My schedule is that of a vampire and lycan

      And I don’t need ten hours of sleep like most of you retired folk.

      Tex – who picked one of the sunniest and hottest places in the USA to be a hairy vamp

      Like

  11. Narduzzi in year 6. Inherited mediocrity and delivered mediocrity. No more than 8 wins each year. 1-4 bowl record and that win was an almost-loss to the the MAC. The MAC!

    Now take someone like Barry Alvarez. Inherited a dumpster fire. Won ten games in year 4. Of course he won 7, 4, 8 and 8 the next four years which would have gotten him run out of Pittsburgh on a rail, but my point the CEILING was 10. Duz’ ceiling ain’t 10.

    No I am not from Texas…

    Like

    1. And a ten win ceiling will get you ranked and noticed.

      Thats how you attract some blue chips and boosters.

      Narduzzi has the budget. Has the facilities…at least practice fields hidden by a locked gate. You see how many blue chips are in a 500 mile square radius. Pitt isn’t like frozen and flat Minnesota where hockey players outnumber football.

      Pitt has no excuses. Mediocrity is by design. It doesn’t just randomly happen consistently for over 40 years. There is no curse or bad luck.

      There’s bad leadership.

      Like

  12. On CBS Sports today, a seemingly innocuous mention that HS Basketball players will also be able to be paid for their images. This I hope will take all the massive under the table payoffs to “street agents and possee’s”off the table and at least make it all public if not above board!

    I finished coaching in 2006 and even then the graft was out of control ! Cars, trucks, artwork (yes I was offered artwork to influence my PG to U?, that I could resell) and much cash is still changing hands. Colleges have the coverups down to a science!

    Look at the cars HS coaches of major programs drive. It’s unreal.

    Like

    1. But everyone turns a blind eye. As long as their school wins. As long as their child goes to a big time school. As long as parents benefit. And of course those administrator who enable all of this. Fans as well. It’s dirty. So why not treat everything as a business. Accounting audits. Full disclosure. IRS. And then have the Feds enforce the laws instead of the schools or some association they formed to have the facade of compliance and fair play.

      Like

  13. In my experience as a coach and player, it is often the teams that are most disciplined and hungry that win. Those teams rarely get blown out unless the talent differential is significant.

    Now you tell me what’s right with this Pitt team.

    Discipline doesn’t exist. One of the most penalized teams in football and poor execution all around.

    How can a $5 million dollar dog be hungry. He’s still fed steak at the table whether he wins or loses.

    Can anyone Riddle me that.

    Like

  15. Seems to me that Pitt has been prone to signing too many recruits at one position and too few at another (especially OL). This TE signing seems like another one of these cases.

    We’ve been terrible at TE, so it’s good to throw some numbers at the position, but three TEs in one class is over the top, IMHO.

    I guess the transfer portal can take care of position overloads. Hoping the better players stay…

    Go Pitt.

    Like

    1. Yeah, Brian ONeil was a great example. But I suspect that that approach with those tweeners most often leads to lousy TEs and mediocre OTs…

      Go Pitt.

      Like

  20. Reed. Please list the top 10 recommendations sent to Pitt. I don’t remember any that will significantly improve attendance and/or the experience but maybe I’m wrong. Also my MG online car club limits posters to 3 posts per day. Something you might want to consider – might cut down on some of the repetition. Thx

    Liked by 1 person

    1. I’ll pay to post ten. Seriously if some rag can pay Reed five cents per word, I’ll pay double. Just so I can be an irritant to some of you. Its worth the price of admission.

      Above would have cost me about $3.50 so I’ll become selective in my stings.🤠

      I can probably say more and use less by writing in mandarin. 🇨🇳

      Like

      1. Its admirable Tex that you enjoy irritating people.
        Unfortunately the people that get irriratrd simply go away and contribute less to this fine blog.

        Liked by 4 people

  21. Maybe the quality and integrated approach to assisting athletes as entrepreneurs can counter balance some of the under the table operations.

    The adage of teaching to fish rather than handing one over has a lot of power. I think youth will appreciate long term empowerment over short term cash.

    Like

  22. Saw this on the NCAA web site relative to NIL;

    “The board is requiring guardrails around any future name, image and likeness activities. These would include no name, image and likeness activities that would be considered pay for play; no school or conference involvement; no use of name, image and likeness for recruiting by schools or boosters; and the regulation of agents and advisors.”

    Nothing that “would be considered pay for play…”. 😊

    Who are they kidding?

    Go Pitt.

    Like

  23. Could the new NIL rules help to keep some homegrown talent home, as it may be easier to sell T-shirts to your local fan base than elsewhere?

    Like

  24. To be clear, the new TE goes to the 2021 class, not the 2022. 3 TE’s is the same issue of trying to be cute with brian oneill. Just because it was successful once, doesn’t mean it will happen again. I hope that it does, but hope isnt a plan. I think that is the same route as anderson who was a TE and recruited to be an ol?

    Shifting, because shift happens….I like the tex comments as he is mostly spot on. If you don’t like what tex writes, don’t read it. Very easy to do in this format as we are all identified front and center. Better yet, counter the argument.

    I have yet to read one retort that argues the record and head coaching experience of our current coach. Or the business acumen of our inexperienced AD. For those keeping score, acumen is not a sexist term. I do know the bowl record of this coach. I do know that the players decided not to play a bowl game and the leaders acquiesced (because they are players coaches and players AD’s of course). I do agree that many players say they love nardstop, but I also agree that I am still looking for the first player in pitt history to say that they hated their football head coach, while playing.

    Nardstop is a new business term applied to a company or individual that gets falsely elevated in value by owners and believers in a person or program, but when drilling down further there is no framework for such ratings. Nardstop, derived from Gamestop.

    Dudes and dudettes here are funny. I choose to stay away because of the blind allegiance and support of mediocrity. I do know the record for the last 35-40 years. Pitt is soft mentally, on the field and administratively off the field. You are either part of the solution or part of the problem. Those that offer solutions should be admired instead of beaten down. +1 Tex. Keep up the great work.

    Like

    1. For the record Huff I have no problems with Tex personally or his solutions to the issues we are all aware of…I simply am noticing many posters that used to post frequently no longer do.
      Don’t know why…but I miss reading posts from the many posters I met at games over the past 5 years.
      I probably need a vacation…haha.

      Like

    2. Huff – Tex was called out here – not for his opinions – but for the volume of repetitive posts. He has been complimented when making cogent, FRESH comments. His articles are appreciated as well.

      “Beaten down” – a bit dramatic for what’s going on here, dontya think? More like a reasonable bit of push-back from folks like me and some get defensive that the anti-Pitt Admin agenda is being challenged. Hardly. More like pointing out that there is wheat and chaff in the comments.

      Liked by 2 people

  25. Twyman, Weaver, Jones, three third round picks from the D-line. None highly rated as freshmen. If that doesn’t show improvement I don’t know what does. None from the WPIAL. The quality has been improving, not as fast as most want, and the offense is taking longer, but it seems some are hoping for failure to prove themselves right.

    Pitt has to find diamonds in the rough because no matter what you think, blue chips aren’t coming no matter how many times we change coaches or ADs.

    Maui is awesome, taking Covid very seriously, they make you jump through hoops to get here and masks are required in all indoor locations except while eating. Hope you are still keeping safe.

    Hail to Ikee.

    Liked by 3 people

    1. GC – enjoy Hawaii and say hi to Fraud for us.

      Patrick Jones Jr was the first Panther taken in the draft and the only Pitt player in the 3rd round. Weaver went in the 4th and Twyman the 6th round.

      It sounds better if they all went in the 3rd round but the actually did not.

      Kind of similar to winning the Coastal Division a few years back but when you peel back the season and look at wins & losses you say, wow, 7-7, really?

      Like

      1. Right, my bad, mistook projections for final results. Nevertheless, three guys drafted from a d-line that very recently was awful with the exception of AD.

        This was an article about recruiting, I’m trying to suggest that recruiting has been getting better.

        Like

    2. While you are in Maui make sure you drive the road to Hana and go to the top of Mt. Haleakala. Spectacular! Maui was my favorite island of the 3 we went to last year just before the country shut down.

      Like

      1. The Road to Hana was awesome and a very challenging drive. Unfortunately Haleakala is three hours from me. Loving the fresh Mahi Mahi.

        Like

    4. Weaver got a Michigan offer and was heading there until it was pulled and countless other quality P5 schools were interested.

      Jones also had multiple high end offers including VA Tech.

      Rivals just didn’t rate them high. That’s why you need to also look at the offers.

      Like

        1. For defense guys

          But offense wins. And Pitt doesn’t develop offensive guys. They regress once they are taught by this staff.

          Ask saban. He now focuses on elite talent on the O

          Defense will keep you in a game. But offense will separate the wheat from the chaff.

          Like

  26. Good ending to the CWS last night even though it was a third straight blow-out.

    Mississippi State won their first National Championship ever in any sport. They road the arm of RHP Will Bednar who is a Pittsburgh lad pitching on 3 days rest. He threw 91 pitches with no hits through 6 innings. His coach pulled the Sophomore with the team leading 9-0 over Vanderbilt.

    In Pitt baseball news, one of the hottest Panther pitcher down the stretch, RHP Chase Smith transferred to the mountaineers with 2 years of eligibility left.

    Smith finishes his Pitt career with a 3.33 ERA and 107 strikeouts in 129.2 innings pitched.

    Time to talk FB and what this season might bring us Pitt fans. Early captain predictions:
    QB Pickett (returning captain)
    LS Adomitis (pre-season AA)
    LB Bright
    CB Mathias
    OR
    DE Alexander

    Liked by 1 person

    1. I think Bright is the best LB Pitt has had in a while. LB is different today with all the pass happy teams. Gone are the days of the bigger meaner run stuffers like Brian Bozworth when he was in college. Now they MUST be cover guys with speed. Bigger MLB come off the field now on many downs.

      Like

  27. I was just giving Tex some crap, I don’t care how often he posts or what he posts. The POV is great because there are some great debates back and forth. It’s fine to agree to disagree.

    Even better part of the POV, no one hides behind their screen name. Everyone on here would say the same comments if face to face. May be the only blog I know of with that level of maturity, lol. Thanks to Reed for cultivating such a rare environment in todays world.

    Like

    1. There is good debate. No name calling or attacks. And you know a little about every commenter. Few hide behind their handle. Although I do like some of the creative ones that pop up during discussions.

      Like

  30. I give Pitt and Heather a ton of credit for a well planned NIL program. Finally, Pitt is ahead of the curve on something!

    Liked by 1 person

  31. What a scout had to say on JC

    Team 4’s Justin Champagnie had a decent showing in this game, as he was able to make some solid plays to help his team on both ends of the floor. He excelled at attacking the rim to score the basketball. Champagnie would often score on backdoor cuts, as he managed to score on a thunderous dunk, as well as on an acrobatic, reverse layup. He also ran the floor to throw down an emphatic jam.

    Also, Champagnie was able to make a quick, corner three off the catch, but he struggled to make threes consistently from beyond the arc. He also struggled more to score when he would try to score on drives to the hoop. He also was a bit turnover prone in this game. On one good play, Champagnie was able to pass the ball back to an open shooter to notch an assist. However, he would also be careless with the ball, which would lead to team turnovers. He dropped a catchable pass on the break. He also lost the ball on the break due to possessing questionable hands. He also was called for traveling on a drive another time.

    He did a very good job of rebounding the basketball, and he was able to haul in plenty of boards on both ends of the floor. Champagnie also defended well. He was able to jump a pass to get a steal, and he also was able to contest a pull-up, mid-range jumper to force a miss. Overall, Justin Champagnie is an athletic, high-motor swingman that excelled at making hustle plays to help his team on both ends of the floor. He’ll need to improve his outside shot and playmaking skills, but his ability to score, rebound, and defend could make him a solid pick for an NBA team in the second round range in this draft.

    Like

        1. So, his problem is athleticism and ball handling. I’m a big NBA fan and he is not your prototypical NBA guy. He’s not quick or long. Not a great shooter or a great defender. He’s not great in open space or ball handling. He’s a great rebounder which does translate from college to the NBA but not many teams are like “hey, I need a great rebounding guard”. He can score but he’s streaky. He tends to score in bunches and then goes away. Not a put the team on your back guy.

          I wish him well but his game doesn’t translate well to the current NBA. Maybe 20 years ago.

          Liked by 1 person

  32. There has been much criticism of Pat Narduzzi’s record over his tenure at Pitt. But looking at the Alvarez HC results, I don’t think he had done so much better. (4 10-11 win seasons; 5 4-5 or fewer win seasons) Similarly, many of the so called top coaches have had some dismal years, and some average years, to go with their coaching success. If you leave out Alabama, Clemson, OSU and maybe one or two other programs, college football is a competitive sport where even the good coaches experience some down years. Does hitting 10 wins once or twice in a career make a HC so much better than a coach with more limited resources who consistently wins 7-8 games? I don’t think so.

    Who would be better at Pitt? Are there any guaranteed winners that would come to Pitt with its 35 year record of mediocrity? Did the Wanny firing cause irreparable harm to Pitt’s ability to get a top coach dedicated to winning? With Pitt’s reputation of putting education and following the rules first, I seriously doubt that it could hire away someone from a top program who could win here, and sorry but there are no “upcoming” young coaches who step in and do a better job in 7-8 years or less. This is just reality.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Based on my research and articles that several other sports writers have written, good coaches generally reach ten wins within their first five years. Not every good coach but 90 plus percent. Will Narduzzi buck the odds, doubtful.

      Many of these successful coaches move on to a bigger program. Some continue the success. Some do not.

      Are you happy as a fan with 7 win seasons and being unranked come seasons end after losing your bowl game. We have a 6 year track record. I don’t think if you gave Narduzzi another 6 years that the results would be any different.

      However what could substantially improve this mediocre track record is scheduling 4 patsys in the ooc, finding a QB, hiring a young and innovative OC who uses the RPO and winning your bowl game because you had some 4 stars as playmakers.

      So it’s possible but highly doubtful given leadership in charge.

      Rankings are what blue chippers see to go along with signature wins, not blowouts, against elite teams.

      Like

  33. This will get Ike’s blood boiling.

    Tomorrow is the day that the final standings get published for the directors cup.

    Now Pitt will improve upon that dismal showing prior to covid given the success of men’s soccer and the fact that many schools couldn’t score points because they cancelled their seasons due to covid.

    So whatever ranking is really not a fair representation of any school. The best way to look at things is where did pitt rank in relation to other ACC schools.

    My feeling is that they will beat out three ACC schools. Pitt will beat out Syracuse, BC and Wake. Maybe even Miami. I’ll post the link tomorrow.

    Many AD’s get bonuses based on the rankings so it’s an important measurement of a athletic programs success on the field of play.

    Tex – 100 percent wheat.

    Like

      1. I have inside information on the final results. Pitt did improve. Heather will make a big deal about it. The paid off media will as well. But it was a covid year. Many schools just cancelled sports. Pitt still finished in the bottom 25 percent of the ACC. But at least not dead last this year.

        There. Now you can sleep well tonight.

        Liked by 1 person

        1. —Pitt has “paid off” media?

          —So the AD at Mich St. should be lookin’ around?

          Go Pitt.

          Like

          1. If Pitt has paid off media, then most other P5 schools that the realist intelligentia want Pitt to mirror are already doing it.

            Like

            1. Media knows much like the Steelers if you do real investigative journalism and ask fair but tough questions that your press creds could be lost in the Allegheny. Media doesn’t bite the hand that feeds them and allows access. That’s the pay off. It’s not real dollars and cents.

              Question to Reed – do you worry about your access from pitt if you write the truth or something derogatory on the program?

              Like

  34. Until there is a way to “fact check” other schools offering schollies I don’t find that to be a good measure of a recruits ability. I think it was Reed who first made this point, indicating that the offers are simply provided by the recruit, who may list “interest” as an “offer”. Do I have this correct?

    I think we only have to look at recent classes to see the marked improvement in Nardummy’s recruiting ability. 2020, 3 4s from Pittsburgh, GA and Fla and 2021 3 4s from Pittsburgh and VA. I’m thinking that the 4*s from WPa were also sought after by the Dairy School, so great to see them as Panthers instead.

    2022 is still early and typically Pitt’s best recruits are landed late in the cycle, probably because the players are waiting/hoping for some elite school offers.

    I continue to use the Nardummy moniker even though defending him simply because until he gets rid of his OC mistake his coaching acumen rightfully is called into question, IMHO.

    Like

    1. You need to look at visits from those offers or do digging. So yes a recruit can claim an offer but it might not be legit. They attended a camp. They got a nice letter. They had a zoom or phone call from a coach.

      So it’s scary when a kids only P5 offer was a pitt offer. We just beat out Marshall for a recruit. His only other visit. Call me unimpressed with Pitts recruiting.

      Like

  35. Also, I implore Tex to be honest and use his screen name consistently. This is the only way to enable those of us to simply ignore his offerings when we tire of him constantly repeating identical comments (good or bad).

    I always read his first ones because they are usually well done, but then skip the obvious repetition. Also I think Tex’ articles have been generally well done and should be appreciated for these contributions.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. I 99 percent use my screen name. I don’t want others getting credit or blame for me. I’m selfish.

      Mike from Mansfield

      Liked by 1 person

  36. Here’s a good warmer on the directors cup from cardiac hill

    https://www.cardiachill.com/2017/7/8/15941382/directors-cup-rankings-explanation-pitt-football-basketball-pittsburgh-panthers-wrestling-athletics

    Barnes wanted Pitt in the top 20 percent for P5. There’s 65 of them. Pitt finished dead last in P5 prior to Covid. 135 ranking among all D1. Worst showing since ‘95 I believe…25 years.

    Not sure what Barnes was smoking. But I want some of that.

    This non covid season was in 2021-2022 is the real test. All conferences playing all sports.

    I think pitt will pick up points in both men’s and women’s soccer, volleyball, wrestling, football, men’s swimming, men’s track. That’s 7 out of 19 programs. Target should be at least 14. Pitt would be only half way to that goal. Far more realistic though than what Barnes proposed.

    Barnes was brilliant in some areas but a fool the majority of the time.

    Like

  37. I’ve been reading a lot of Name Image and Likeness (NIL) news. If you do a quick google search on Pitt football NIL, you can read about Pitts new “Forged Here” program.

    Lots of different laws, state to state, a lots of opportunity for athletes.

    Also, lots of potential for illegally paying recruits, as they and all student athletes, can be paid to show up at a business for an appearance.

    Like

    1. I heard on the radio today that Pickett claims he was already contacted by a couple of opportunities today.

      Like

  38. Tex, you will never be happy, even if Pitt gets 10 wins in the near future. Here is what you said is required for success: “However what could substantially improve this mediocre track record is scheduling 4 patsys in the ooc, finding a QB, hiring a young and innovative OC who uses the RPO and winning your bowl game because you had some 4 stars as playmakers.” All of these things are doable by Narduzzi if he thinks they’re the priority. A new coach might not be able to find a good, young QB, and could be threatened by a seasoned, innovative OC.

    Alvarez’ up and down record suggests he followed the Paterno way: Play for a high ranking every 4 years, soften the schedule accordingly, screw over the majority of players in the wrong years and win with the fortunate players who got 3-4 years of experience. Alvarez started out 1-10 in 1990, and then hit 10 wins in 1993. Two years later, in 1995 he had only 4 wins. I prefer a program like UVA, Stanford or Northwestern to this.

    Like

      1. So who IS a good coach, Tex? And how about that supposed list of potential Pitt coaches you carry around? How many of them have won 10 games? Alvarez won 10-11 games 3 or 4 times. Was that not good enough?

        Like

    2. Voice, I’ll be happy when both heather and Narduzzi are gone. They are the only two things I really hate. I’m generally fine with everything else. My criticisms of the BoT and Gallagher are minor in comparison. I’m a big fan of coach fisher and Jay.

      Like

  39. Scooters Image might be a goldmine for our tailgates if as expected major beer companies get into a bidding war.

    Liked by 2 people

    1. Scooter’s Scooters!

      Course there are several notable POV celebrities besides Scooter — ike, Richman, BigB, Lastrow, and Tex, to name just a few…

      And let’s not forget the Commander, Richard, and the one and only Michelangelo!

      Go Pitt.

      Like

      2. I also like the Pig. I think Arnold is his name. I ate some bacon this morning. Apologies.

        Erie, Majors and Huff at least tolerate me.

        And James. I think you’ve given me the most likes. I track these things. 🤠

        I need to hookup with UPitt and Nate for some Tequilla shots.

        Like

      3. How could I not list ErieExpress among the POV celebs! Go Erie!

        And my thanks to Tex for the reminder.

        I like ike.

        Like

  41. VoR – where have you been the last two years? You wrote this:

    “All of these things are doable by Narduzzi if he thinks they’re the priority. A new coach might not be able to find a good, young QB, and could be threatened by a seasoned, innovative OC.”

    Narduzzi has been completely aced out of any sort of offensive actions by a ‘seasoned, innovative OC’ already. Hell, when asked why Pickett had to run to the sidelines to get the plays – especially on a bum ankle – Narduzzi said “I didn’t know he was doing that”.

    He didn’t know because Whipple has layered so much crap into the offense no one but him knows how it is supposed to work. Ever wonder why we have had so many missed blocks in the backfield and offensive players running wrong routes over the time Whipple has been here? Just because of the unnecessary details in each play.

    Look back over some of those dropped passes our receivers had – most came from them not thinking they were going to be targeted (2nd or 3rd progression) and were surprised the ball was coming to them.

    Like

    1. That ankle had surgery.

      My source is protected.

      And that makes me mad that whipple knowing that…still required it.

      If u only knew half the stuff that I know.

      I personally would have decommissioned Pickett. But of course Narduzzi needed the wins to save his butt.

      Like

    2. Reed, I completely agree that Narduzzi has not so far corrected those things. What I meant was that he could do those things, like firing Whipple, right now. He could sit players who drop passes, miss blocks and make undisciplined penalties. And he hasn’t recruited that great QB yet. Because he hasn’t done these things, and puts up with Whipple, is why he is still a mediocre coach.

      Like

      2. VOR, you might be a little right of center and I might be a little left, but we can defintely reach consensus and forge a compromise.

        Tex – Indiana County redneck

        Like

        1. I think you may be right, Tex. We are both sick of losing football and basketball. And along with Reed, ike, Bernie, Huff and others, I think we are all frustrated because we are running out of time to see a winner again. I’m not as hard on Heather as you are, because I think she walked into a good ol’ boys club that is not open to making changes. Only the Chancellor can solve that problem. And there are no guarantees this gang could hire a replacement for Narduzzi who is any better. This tells me that maybe they are not so interested in solving the problem, and we are destined for mediocrity for the rest of our days. I hope I’m wrong.

          Liked by 1 person

  45. Haven’t researched it, but my understanding is that, unlike some other states, Pennsylvania law forbids college athletes from using the name or associated trademarks of its universities in personal promotional opportunities. If that’s true, it seems like a disadvantage from a marketing/revenue generation standpoint for the athletes and from a recruiting standpoint for the schools. If anyone knows more about this, I’m happy to be corrected/enlightened.

    Like

  49. “How to turn a buck!” Advise to college athletes from Johnny Football……
    PITT has so much money they should pay us to go to games…. and have Red5A catered for the greatest PITT fans in the parking lot.

    Liked by 2 people

Comments are closed.