in Pitt Football 4,049 Words

Pat Narduzzi Press Conference

New Hampshire Week.

PRESS CONFERENCE VIDEO

PAT NARDUZZI: Thanks for coming today. Obviously I was hoping we would never have a press conference after a loss, but better to have one early in the non-conference game, as I told our kids, as we close the chapter last night and move on to the next one.

But it’s never easy. As you play this game of football, you learn that there’s a lot of good teams out there, Western Michigan being one of them. There’s a lot of parity in college football, as you look around the country and see how things go, whether it’s in the ACC or outside the ACC.

And we didn’t play our best ball game. That’s the most disappointing thing. And I think physically we were prepared. I’m not sure mentally we were. I can’t look inside. As I told the kids, I can’t crack your head open and look inside and see what’s in there, where’s your mind been all week, what are you tweeting, what are you snapping. I don’t know.

But I certainly don’t think there was the energy, the emotion, which I might have mentioned after the press conference or I’ve been thinking about it for two days since the game. But we didn’t execute. I mean, our passing game was good. I don’t think our protection was good. I don’t think we rushed the football like we need to. I don’t think we blocked like we need to. I don’t think we stopped the run.

So when you talk about stopping the run, did it open up your RPO? Shoot, we didn’t do either one. We allowed them to be two dimensional and, to me, it goes on focus and making plays and details. Structurally, obviously we could do some things better but we didn’t. You live and learn. That’s why we coach the game of football and that’s our job to fix it and make it better.

So we got a 3-0 New Hampshire football team coming in here, which I think is a good football team. And if you don’t come ready to play and you don’t get your minds locked into what you need to do, and you don’t think you’re just going to throw your helmet on the field and it’s going to take care of it and make plays for you, you’ll have another problem because they’re a good football team. They’ve got a quarterback that will scramble around and make plays. They break the pocket a lot, and he’s athletic. He throws a nice catchable ball. He’s smooth. And I think he’s accurate. So you’re facing another guy. We’re all over the place, obviously in 2021.

So I’m impressed with their football team. I think they’re tough and I think they schematically do a lot of good things. So questions.

Q. How do you correct and make sure that you have the proper mental attitude for the game next Saturday?

PAT NARDUZZI: I thought it was good last week. I think after a loss, I don’t think anybody came — I think it’s an eye opener. As much as we talked and put that Tennessee game to rest, they may be shaking their heads, “Yeah, yeah, got you Coach, got you, yeah, yeah.” I purposely didn’t put, after the UMass game, on this little TV out here. Last week, you saw that Field Pass (video highlight feature), maybe if you walked in there, going last week. You didn’t see a Field Pass. I said, “Do not put that up there. I don’t want our guys thinking anything about it.”

Just all those things you try to suppress it mentally, but I can’t take care of it, but I would hope getting punched in the face Saturday afternoon, I hope that wakes you up.

Q. You have a bunch of veteran guys on this team. Did you assume that you were past the point where a mental letdown after a big win —

PAT NARDUZZI: Yeah. You think you’re there. It’s something you prepare for. You talk about it. And, again, you say mental. I see that guy executed. I would say Eleby was on fire. We went back and watched a bunch of RPOs from last year and just looked at what we’ve seen this year in RPOs and how we did it, what we did wrong. And you don’t see much of a difference what we’re doing structurally and things at all, but I think they’re a big-time RPO team, which I told you.

And I was impressed with the quarterback. And he made shots too, so I don’t want to say it’s all mental either. Physically you’ve got to make some plays. We didn’t stop the run. When you made it two dimensional, if they want to throw the pass, at least stop the run, but we didn’t do that either and that’s even more disappointing.

Q. Obviously you guys are designed to stop the run, but when you do that, maybe do you need —

PAT NARDUZZI: You leave yourself open to some RPOs, yes. You always do, if you’re committed to stopping the run. But the worst part about it is when you’re committed to stop the run and you don’t stop the run, especially in a four-minute situation when you know they’re going to run are the ball.

But what happens if they start dinking, dinking, what’s everybody think? Let me go help somebody else. Let me go do somebody else’s job, and you don’t do your own job and that’s when things leak out.

So to play great defense everybody’s got to do their job. You can’t think, “Well, they keep throwing it over my head, so I’m just going to try to do this or maybe I’m going to run around the tackle and get a pass rush in” and let them run it down your throat. And, you know, those are some things you see out there and we’ll get it fixed, but everybody wants to go make a play, but you’ve got to do it within the framework of the defense or the offense.

Q. Did you make any adjustments for the RPO’s?

PAT NARDUZZI: We got a couple adjustments in there. We stopped them earlier and then they made some adjustments. We made some adjustments. And they look to the sideline so there’s some things that get you there too.

Q. What’s the team mood like?

PAT NARDUZZI: You know, it was a good mood, like a normal, to be honest with you, and that’s kids in 2021. They already got the lift in. They already saw the film. So we go and lift, meet, flip, and they got to see their videotape already. I think they got corrections. We come in here and watch special teams and then we put it to bed.

But the mood was good. Obviously we’re locked in during special teams because we make all the corrections. Whether you’re on the punt team or not we do that all together in here as a team and then close the chapter. But the mood was good. There was no head-hanging and that’s what you expect.

Q. Did you want the mood to be good?

PAT NARDUZZI: I’ve gone back and forth. I’ve given up the, I’ve given up the job of trying to read and analyze, okay? Because you can’t. I think they went in, they got a workout, and they came back to work. And we talk about 24 hours, and last year I think there was one game, I forget, it was early where the kids were like really, really down. It might have been after our first loss. And I don’t know if that’s a good thing or bad thing. I’m not a psychologist. Sometimes we can claim to be, but you know, it’s hard nowadays.

Q. You mentioned having the losses early in the season, you can move past it and put it out of the way. Do you worry that could linger and not —

PAT NARDUZZI: You worry about wins and deal with success lingers and then the adversity as well. So anything can linger. We’ve got to just do our best job as coaches to try to get them together and pull it together and go out and beat New Hampshire. So I don’t worry about lingering.

Q. There was some pretty frustrated fans. What’s your message to them?

PAT NARDUZZI: I worry about the guys in this room. Everybody in here knows what happened and I can’t help the fans. I apologize to them, and try to prevent it from happening again.

Q. It was fourth and six in the fourth quarter. Do you think about punting there?

PAT NARDUZZI: I thought about it. And I’ve always said this, I thought about it and next time maybe — I felt like punting. Whip felt like he had a good call. And again, I always kind of go with where he was. If he was like, “Oh, I don’t know, we’re punting. If he’s like, “Hey, I got this,” then we — so you have regrets as a coach. I mean, you look at the score of the game.

We gave up 24 points off of turnovers, three real turnovers and two turnovers on downs and that fourth and six is one of them where we don’t convert on a fourth down and we want to be a little bit more risky, if you want to say it at times like that. And you trust Kenny Pickett and you trust your wideouts to make plays and get the right depth and do all those things and sometimes you win, sometimes you lose.

I haven’t gone back to look and see what the analyzers say that we do. I know I got it sitting on my desk. But go back and see what they thought, punt or go. But I would imagine any analytics would have probably said, you need to go. And again you can listen to analytics but to me it comes down to a coach’s decision. So I don’t blame analytics. We’ve got to either execute or I’ve got to say, “Hey, we can’t execute, so we’re going to punt.”

But I also know that our defense wasn’t stopping anybody. We were on the field for 40 minutes and when you’re on the field for 40 minutes you like to keep our offense on the field for more than just 20 minutes, which is what we were on.

Do I regret not kicking an onside kick with 3:48 or whatever was in the game? Yeah. It’s a little too early, but if you’re never going to get the ball back, you want to kick it onside. But then you give them the ball right there and then you guys will be asking me on Monday, like, “Why did you do that?”

But, and again, I saw a little different attitude out of the defensive guys when they went out there. The first two plays of that four-minute drive at the end they were flying around a little bit different like juice. I know if we would have got off the field our offense was going to score and we were going to win the game but we didn’t get that opportunity unfortunately.

Q. Do you think they were thinking too much at times?

PAT NARDUZZI: We were thinking, a little bit worried about, like, ”What’s going on back there? What can I do to help?” I think it’s a little, yeah, you know, I talked to one guy that said, “I was thinking too much. I should have just played.” That was a guy that shouldn’t be thinking at all.

Q. I was talking to Coach Lester. He said he watched a lot of film from the 2015 Syracuse game. As a coach, how much is it, everybody has assistants, you’ve been a very successful defensive coach in your career, you have a way that you play. And at the same time, how do you weigh that against, I don’t want to be so predictable that guys can look at my tape from six years ago and figure it out?

PAT NARDUZZI: They’re the same way. They did the same stuff too. So we went back, I think I mentioned it to you, on Thursday that we went back and watched them as well. So I told you his fingerprints were all over the offense and Tim’s a great coach, so it’s predictability and it comes down to making plays and who is making the plays and who is not.

But we have been running the same defense for, I don’t know how many years, and after one game, I guess you guys think it’s broken, so it’s broken for a Saturday. We’ll find out this Saturday.

Q. How would you assess Kradel and Wilson on the offensive line and will Drexel be back this week?

PAT NARDUZZI: On the last question, I’m not sure. But Jerry usually asks me that question, so I’m shocked that you asked me that.

And then Kradel played okay in there (at center). Obviously he doesn’t get a thousand reps in there so it’s like having your backup quarterback that gets limited reps in a ball game. So he had a couple Mas (missed assignments) and some things that we needed to do better.

So anytime you lose one of your five up there that’s starting and played a lot of reps you lose your continuity.

And then Keldrick came in and did a solid job, gave up some pressures for the plays he was in there, so we got to get better there as well, but he’s getting some of his first reps.

Q. Can Houy or Goncalves play guard?

PAT NARDUZZI: Yes.

Q. You’ve known Sean McDonnell for a long time. Can you talk a little bit about your relationship with him?

PAT NARDUZZI: Yeah, I mean, Sean’s a great guy. Again, we worked together one summer and he was a coach at Columbia where my dad coached prior to passing away. Just a super guy. I’ve known him through the years when he was at New Hampshire when I was coaching at Rhode Island.

So just a super guy and a tough guy. Tough guy, old-school coach that does it the right way.

Q. When you worked on that $1.5 million house painting job, how did you end up cleaning the mess you made?

PAT NARDUZZI: Geez, Jay, you’re crazy. I thought we talked about this already. But I don’t know, I don’t know, back then, I was in college. I don’t remember the price of the house, but you do. I don’t know if you got the address or something and Googled it.

But for everybody that doesn’t know, we painted a house together and a bucket of paint got spilled in the bedroom and we were scrambling to clean up a bucket of paint off the carpet. So we have been through stress together and adversity. So…

Q. What did the owner say when she came back. Was she upset?

PAT NARDUZZI: She didn’t say it to us. We were good. Good cleanup. Had more tarps.

Q. Did the owner notice the mess?

PAT NARDUZZI: No, because it was such a big house I was out there and he was over there, so…

Q. I know you have been working on YAC yards with the receivers. Jared Wayne has been especially effective.

PAT NARDUZZI: Jared has done an unbelievable job and they really all have. Ironically, that one drill I throw bags at them, I got seven guys last week between running backs, tight ends and receivers. They weren’t happy with me knocking them out. But we made some strides there and I don’t know if that had anything to do with it, but our guys are running through tackles and making plays and getting those extra yards. And Coach Marion’s done an outstanding job of that as well. So it’s a player and coach.

Q. Is that surprising that Wayne is leading you in YAC?

PAT NARDUZZI: Not really. Doesn’t surprise me at all. He’s a football player and he’s big, he’s strong. And again it all depends on what catches you are getting. He’s catching balls over the middle, he’s able to get vertical. Sometimes if you run an out route or something like that you’re too close to the sideline to get more YAC, but Jared’s, we have been happy with Jared, Taysir and obviously Jordan Addison.

Q. Abanikanda got just one carry on Saturday. Is that a rotational thing?

PAT NARDUZZI: It comes down to just we’ve got to get him more carries and he will get more carries. He’ll get more carries this week. We’ll set it up, I’ll make sure it happens. But I’ve got a lot of faith in Izzy and he’s going to get more carries this weekend for sure. But it just kind of, as the game went and how it was going, just kind of what you felt.

Q. Is this the best passing game you’ve had here?

PAT NARDUZZI: I don’t know. You guys could go back and look at the stats, I don’t know.

Q. What does your eye test tell you?

PAT NARDUZZI: My eye test tells you the receivers are pretty good and Kenny Pickett’s pretty good. I want to run the ball better.

Q. You guys have been searching for that solution for the game for awhile now.

PAT NARDUZZI: Still searching.

Q. How much does just the five guys up front beating the guys in front of them matter?

PAT NARDUZZI: This past week I would say it’s the guys up front last week. I mean, we didn’t get a hat on a hat, which is what I talked with the offense, just like we got to get our hats on somebody and let the tail backs have a chance. But we’re turning guys loose, for whatever reason, and somehow, some way we got to get a hat on a hat and get our bodies on their bodies. You don’t have to knock them up into the goal posts, but we got to get some hats on hats and put people on people and I was not happy with that.

Q. You guys gave up big yardage numbers, but it also seemed like you didn’t have enough on possession downs, didn’t get any turnovers, stops near the red zone. Which of those do you focus on more, the total or those specific plays?

PAT NARDUZZI: It’s specific plays. I mean, we only gave up five explosive plays on the day, which is crazy. You go down — everybody looks at the yardage and all that stuff and again it’s stats and I always say stats are for losers, but pull the stat together yards per minute you’re on the field, okay? Pull up our offense per player on the field. Defense was on the field for over 40 minutes. I mean, two thirds of the game they’re on the field. And again, to their issue, they couldn’t get off the field, whether it was a P and 10 problem. So it wasn’t all these explosives. I mean, the biggest explosive is really two big explosives are M.J. Devonshire falls down and Brandon Hill knocks the heck out of 31. I mean, those are two big ones. And then really that 32-yard run in a four-minute situation where we got a safety kind of runs out of the box, which we worked a million times, and doesn’t do his job, they aren’t going to hand it off to the jet sweep guy and we don’t fit it right. We got a defensive end who runs up the field. Like, what did you think, they were going to throw the ball in a four-minute situation? Those are what tells me like what are we thinking about out there.

Q. You said after the game you felt like you guys maybe should have blitzed more. Do you still feel that way?

PAT NARDUZZI: Yeah, yeah. A different kind of blitz, but yeah.

Q. When you’re looking at in-game adjustments, how does that work between you and Coach Bates?

PAT NARDUZZI: I’ve got to do a better job. I trust our defensive staff, I really just trust our defensive staff, but there’s times where I’ve just got to — I’m trying to make decisions on offense and the things were going fast. We’re scoring in one play, it’s three plays and out, and punt alert, get ready for the next series. And to just hang on the headphones on the defense the whole time, it’s tough. But I’m going to have to get over there a little bit more just to see what’s going on. And we didn’t make in-game adjustments like I would like to and I’m used to. Because as I watched the video — I told our defensive staff — as I watch the video, from the video session, as I watched it on Saturday night and Sunday morning, I’m looking at it going, if I would have saw that from the box, I know what I’m doing — and we didn’t do that. And I’ve got to put it on me, because ultimately I’ve got to get it done some how, some way.

Over the weekend I thought about maybe a head coach sitting up in the damn box this week, just coaching from the box.

Q. What stood out to you? When you had a chance to analyze everything, what stood out?

PAT NARDUZZI: Just little tweakings that we have to make and we didn’t make those. Again it goes back to right here, me. Somehow I’ve got to get it done.

Q. You coach from the box, you’ve got to come down in the fourth quarter, right?

PAT NARDUZZI: Yeah. I mean, I thought about that too. No question about it. No doubt about it. I can see a lot up there. It’s hard to see on the field.

Q. You’ve got a large disparity with age and classes. How do you make sure, when you’ve got such a discrepancy, that the team stays together and then I guess have you seen mentorship opportunities maybe pop up that you wouldn’t have otherwise because you have 24-year-old, 23-year-old guys?

PAT NARDUZZI: Each room takes care of itself and then the offense and the defense jell together. I think we got to — I’m not worried about that at all. Our kids are, they’re tight and have fun together. And obviously there’s guys in the back of the room, the freshmen, the puppies, that want to play more and, hey, how about me, and I can put it on tape, I can show you why, just come ask me why. But we have got an eagle in each room, we’ve got a leadership council guy in each room that kind of is in charge of making sure everything sticks together. We try to mentor those young guys. It’s a big brother, whether it’s Jordan Addison with Jaden Bradley. I mean we’ve got guys that are on those guys just to make sure they’re doing things the way we do it and they are with the culture, not against it.

Q. Can you tell us what P and 10 means?

PAT NARDUZZI: Okay, P and 10 is the first play of the possession. So P and 10 is just like first and 10, but it’s the first play of the possession and there’s different things offenses do on P and 10’s as opposed to they gain a first down and then that is a first and 10. Good question. I like that. Now you know what a P and 10 is. Did I say P and 10? Sorry, P and 10, possession and 10.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

247 thoughts on “Pat Narduzzi Press Conference”

  3. Pitt allowed a MAC offense to be — as he put — “two-dimensional” while rolling up 517 yards. Narduzzi’s defense is designed to stop the run first, but Pitt couldn’t stop any aspect of the Western Michigan attack.

    “You leave yourself open to some RPOs (a Western Michigan staple),” he said when asked if stopping the run can leave holes in the pass defense. “You always do if you’re committed to stopping the run. The worst part of it is when you’re committed to stopping the run, you don’t stop the run.”

    Earlier, speaking in generalities, he said, “Physically, we were prepared. I’m not sure mentally we were.”

    Like

  5. “But we have been running the same defense for, I don’t know how many years, and after one game, I guess you guys think it’s broken, so it’s broken for a Saturday. We’ll find out this Saturday.” That quote from the press conference about sums up everything about Narduzzi. He continues to deny his defense has any problems. It is always a superior performance by the opposing team’s quarterback. He then takes a shot at defensive coordinator Bates later in the interview when he says he depends on his DC to run the defense. What a crock!

    Liked by 4 people

    2. John, you STOLE MY POST. BINGO! The problem with the defense is not isolated to last Saturday. It’s been a problem FOR 7 YEARS! He is so bleeping ARROGANT! Then he takes shots at Bates! He acts like he’s actually ever won something. One Coastal title? Give me a break. I’m not a huge fan of Vukovcan, but do yourselves a favor and read his recent anti-Narduzzi column. It hits the mark PERFECTLY!!! Maybe 60,000 yellow seats this Saturday may have the higher ups giving some thought to replacing King Pat. But then again, maybe not. Chancellor Gallagher and AD Lyke, please note the recent changes at schools like Auburn and USC. We can do better.

      Liked by 1 person

    3. Just like his offense, he doesn’t have the 4 & 5* players needed to operate it. There’s a reason why other coaches with 2 & 3* players don’t run a pro style offense & tight man-to-man press coverage, 4-3 defenses.

      Liked by 1 person

    1. My wife is painting our two front rooms. Plenty of paint being spilt. I painted the fireplace. My one paint project for the year. I’m reaching for something hard after listening to this bumbling fool.

      Liked by 1 person

  7. So many softball questions … reminds me of….. better stop there… go get some ice cream Narduzzi… maybe this week is a good time to take a vacation… go bike riding with your body guard….CP can take over and change your stupid D scheme…..

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  8. Pat has me drink’ n and search’s for answers on Monday night… and Reed ain’t answering his phone…. I’ll pour me another…and keep pondering…

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  11. Derrick Lively, #2 BBall prospect uncommitted to this point picks Duke to give them #1 recruiting class. Pitt was not in his final list.
    Pitt BBall recruiting sits at 101.
    Maybe 2 ACC wins for Pitt this year.

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      1. My football input is no longer objective because of my hatred and disdain for Narduzzi. It’s not personal. It’s results related and fraud/ deceit related. The damage he’s done to my alma mater in incalculable! I almost find myself rooting for him to lose so we can lose him! It’s not fair for me to pretend to comment objectively feeling this way. I AM the head NEGATIVO and damn proud of it!

        So sorry Ike!

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        1. I’m not sure how BB recruiting rankings at this point are relevant. I’d much have one high end recruit then 2 middling recruits to artifically boost our early season rankings. That said, I too am results oriented, and if the rest of the 22′ class tanks, then something is broken for sure.

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    2. Look around the ACC and a lot have teams have one to zero commits right now. I’m not saying Capel will finish strong because I don’t think he will, but this really should be dissected at a later date.

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  12. I love how it just clicks as he’s answering a question that he’s so predictable coaches can go back 5 and 6 years to figure him out. It’s like an “aha” moment … it just took 7 years.

    And then about the booth. Lol. Please stop. You’re a head coach … you stay on the sideline, fool.

    You can tell he’s a deer in the headlights right now. He’s struggling for a solution in real time with reporters. To repeat, this freaking guy is getting into the weeds with run of the mill reporter questions?!?! No wonder he can’t make logical in-game decisions.

    Oh man, then when they asked him about the pulse of the team. That one killed me, too. To paraphrase: “I don’t know, that’s kids in 2021. They went back to the gym”. Bahahahahahahahaha.

    His reaction to the Abanikanda question was mind blowing, too. The game is moving too fast for him. He’s been a coach for 7 years. I don’t care about the pace fo the game … there has to be some muscle memory on in-game adjustments. You want to run the ball more? You hired a pass-first OC and this is your 3rd season with him. You want to get Abanikanda the ball more? Start him.

    For the first time, I think he knows that he might not be here too much longer. There was desperation in that presser. I know a couple of you said he came across as an a-hole but I think that was fear. That wasn’t his normal cocky defensiveness … that was a fight response. You can just smell the fear in the air.

    I’ll never advocate for someone to get fired but it’s time for a change of scenery for both Pitt and Duzz. This relationship has run its course. I gave him 4 years … I’m 3 years into being over him now. I feel bad for those of you that were over him much much sooner than me.

    Liked by 5 people

  13. I still take issue with the comments made after the U-Mass game about being a good scrimmage. That speaks volumes and was likely how he felt preparing for WMU and probably even NH.

    Discipline in practice and preparation is all on coaching. Too many times they did not seem to be prepared. But of course I’d have to go back and look at the tape to be sure…

    H2P!

    Liked by 3 people

  14. Dan – I’m still not too worried about basketball. Basketball, nationally, is a mess right now. No need to create more chaos. I also think once the program clicks, it can maintain for a while. We’ll see, but short-term, I kind of see this like the Philly process. It’s going to suck a lot and then click. No need for Philly jokes. I know the situation. Haha. If Capel can get some momentum I think he can maintain it. I’m not worried about this season or progress. College basketball can skip the progress part. He’s not trying to build a Jamie Dixon team full of 5th year seniors. He’s trying to create a two and through squad.

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    1. I agree completely Tossing. I like Capel as a HC. The punishment by Heather of the “car borrower”
      has just killed his recruiting. Agents label Pitt the most “racist school in the country” even through we have a black coach.
      It’s not easy to recruit to Pitt BBall anyhow just to get your butts kicked weekly in th ACC

      Liked by 1 person

  16. Here is a piece by a site called Those Guys You Know. BigB sent it to me.

    https://tgykblog.wordpress.com/

    Pain. After a promising start to the season Pitt falls 44-41 to Western Michigan at home and to be honest, it did not seem that close. Pitt was dominated on defense by Western Michigan and the only word to describe it is embarrassment. 517 yards, 44 points given up in your home stadium against a MAC team. Indefensible. We want to say we do not have any words for this, but dammit we sure do. Let’s do this.

    1. Narduzzi and Bates’ Indefensible Day
      As stated above and will be stated many more times; 517 yards and 44 points to a MAC team at home. How? We will tell you how, scheme. Pitt does not have the best defensive back, that was on full display the first two games of the season and against Western Michigan. Damar Hamlin, Paris Ford, and Jason Pinnock are gone. Yes, the defensive back could have played better, but Narduzzi and Bates gave these guys absolutely no help.

    Duzz’s defense is known for keeping is corners and safeties on islands in coverage and to stop the run at all cost. This leads to linebackers and safeties biting hard on play action, leading to wide open receivers. From play number one of the game to the very last, Duzz and Bates did not make a single adjustment to their defense. Not one damn adjustment (outside of benching Hallett in favor of a freshman). Western Michigan made all their big plays off a THREE plays.

    Running back dive up the middle
    Play action, slot receiver slant
    Quick pass to a wide receiver
    As probably many of you were, we were calling out the plays in the stands before they happened. What a disaster of a day. It was a fireable game for Narduzzi, but he won’t be fired. Not yet at least.

    1. Non-Conference Curse
      Pitt has never gone undefeated in conference and it looked like this would be the year. Lol, we should have known better. There seems to be a curse around this Pitt program when it comes to the non-conference and this WMU game confirmed that. A nine win season may never come to be unless Pitt goes almost undefeated in conference play. Ugh!

    2. First Round Pickett
      71% Completion Percentage. 939 yards. 11 total TDs. No those aren’t Spencer Rattlers or Bryce Young’s statistics, they’re our captains, Kenny Pickett. Pickett had a career day with 382 yards passing and 6 TDs. All of this after suffering a first quarter injury. Oh yea, he also led the team in rushing and had more yards than all the Pitt RBs combined. Kenny is playing at an elite level right now and he deserves better. Every one of those players outside of the receivers should be apologizing to Kenny and even his parents as they are wasting the God give talents that their son has. Know what Pickett is playing like right now? A first round pick.

    Offense Grade: B
    41 points and 490 yards should be enough on any given day, but sadly that day was not today. Kenny and the receivers were electric where Addison had a hat trick of TDs in the first half, Wayne had 100 yards receiving on 5 catches, Bardon had a big TD, Stovall had a really good day, and Krull corralled in two TDs to increase his total on the year to four. Oh yeah, an offense is not just a QB and WRs. The O-Line had a rough day pass blocking compared to the Tennessee game and again the running game is non-existent. The three turnovers (two that we admit were at the fault of Kenny) were the difference in the game and Owen Drexel struggled with the snap count today, leading to a fumbled handoff and Drexel being pulled from the game.

    Izzy Abanikanda’s instagram says it best…..

    Defense Grade: F
    giphy.com- Lion King 2, Awful movie
    Failure. 44 points and 517 yards to a MAC team at home. Maction got the best of Pitt. Outside of Kancey and Baldonaldo, no one had a good game. Hallett was benched, Devonshire looked overmatched, the D-Line got pushed around, the linebackers and safety continued to bite on every single play action, and they looked like fools tackling each other, leading to a TD. Lets out loud scream Okay, we’re done with this.

    Special Teams Grade: D
    Do something good!!!!!!! The kicking continues to look awful as we missed an extra point and there was no way we would trust the kicking if Pitt got the ball back at the end of the game. Kirk may be working his way to the bench as a punter with Cam Guess looming behind him….

    Coaching Grade: F
    Pitt will never get over the hump to have a nine win season with Narduzzi’s archaic offense and philosophy of stopping the run at all cost. It’s 2021, not a 2005 game of Michigan State versus Northwestern in late November with freezing temperatures and snow. Narduzzi’s ability to adjust his defense to Western Michigan’s scheme was a fireable offense. Narduzzi will always win his way, or not win at all. Never adjusting to the talent that he has. This loss is on him.

    Top Play
    https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js
    Kenny Pickett’s 67 Yard TD Pass to Jordan Addison. Finally, some electric plays! This play also put Kenny ahead of Dan Marino to be #2 on it’s all time passing yard list. A beautiful play we hope to see more of.

    Tennessee Top Play: Jared Wayne TD pass

    Turning Point of the Game
    Kenny Pickett’s Interception. This was Pitt’s last change to make a statement and take a lead, but KEnny made his worst throw of the year, which led to a WMU TD and they never looked back. Sadly, Kenny had to play a perfect game in order for Pitt to win.

    Tennessee Turning Point: Kenny TD to Stovall

    Most Valuable Panther
    Most Valuable Panther
    pittsburghpanthers.com
    Kenny Pickett. We debated between Kenny and Addison who had an amazing game with 6 receptions, 124 yards, and 3 TDs, but Kenny’s six TDs can’t be ignored and he continues to be the clear leader of this team. Coming back from a 1st quarter injury to have six TDs is a storyline overshadowed by a terrible loss. Not to mention, he became #2 on Pitt’s all-time passing yards board. Honorable Mention: Jordan Addison & Haba Baldonado

    Tennessee MVP: Kenny

    Most Disappointing Panther of the Game
    cardiachill.com
    Pat Narduzzi. This was looking like a year Pitt could put together a real special season… then the WMU happened. Now we may be wondering if Pitt can get to 7 or 8 wins. If not now, when? If not with a NFL caliber QB, when? We like Narduzzi, but he does not seem like he is ever going to have a special season at Pitt.

    Tennessee Most Diappointing: Tackling

    Hail to Pitt!

    Liked by 2 people

    1. what Izzy Instagram? am I missing something?

      PN doesn’t KNOW anything because he can’t see the game from the sidelines, not because he’s stupid and a horrible game day coach

      so there’s hope

      idiot = Pitt fans supporting PN

      Like

  17. From a Pitt fan: Comparing Cincy and Pitt HC hires:

    From a Pantherlair poster:

    Cincinnati:
    Dantonio
    Kelly
    Jones
    Tuberville
    Fickell

    Compared to Pitt:
    Harris
    Wanny
    Heywood (he needs included because he is more the same)
    Graham
    Chryst
    Narduzzi.

    Liked by 3 people

    2. That right there tells youthe issue is institutional and deep into the university culture.
      Spans multiple Chancellors & ADs.

      The Athletic Committee of the BOT should see this. Because change will never emanate from academic leadership in a university setting. They live in a totally different world.

      Liked by 1 person

    1. That’s going on just about everywhere. Iowa did not have full attendance either, even though they are in the Top 10 & coming off a huge win over their rival Iowa State. only 89% of capacity.

      Illinois/Maryland was only at around 60% capacity (35k in a 61K stadium), though Fox Sports did a fantastic job with tight camera angles the entire game, to hide all the empty seats. Wonder if
      that is contractual ?

      Nebraska hadn’t played Oklahoma for a good bit and it was not a full house in Norman !
      Around 2K short. And lots of Cornhusker fans were there.

      Purdue at Notre Dame was only 92% of capacity.

      Buttgers, undefeated, only drew 40K at home.

      Mich State at Miami only drew 46K in Miami.

      Northwestern at Duke drew a HS crowd of 12K in Durham (30% of capacity)

      Top 5 Oregon coming off a huge win at Ohio State, drew only 42K (79% of capacity)

      #7 Texas A & M only played to 82% of capacity.

      #13 UCLA, who hasn’t been good for awhile, only played to 57%(50k) of capacity

      Syracuse only drew 30K, playing an in-state school.

      BC @ Temple drew only 25K

      Florida State @ Wake drew only 29K

      I could go on and on. Attendance problems is much more than just a Pitt thing.
      People love to harp on Pitt, but the facts say it’s a big problem everywhere but a few
      places.

      Liked by 2 people

      1. Its happening in other places and not a COVID phenomena. NASCAR, for instance…

        https://www.forbes.com/sites/davecaldwell/2018/05/02/stock-car-fans-continue-racing-away-from-nascar/?sh=1b71c3ba1df5

        “On the previous weekend, a race at Richmond drew a crowd estimated by news media at about 42,500, not bad for stands that now seat about 50,000. But there used to be 112,000 seats at Richmond, which were filled for 33 Cup races in a row through 2008.

        The Richmond race had a 1.8 rating and three million viewers on Fox, down 38% in ratings and 34% in viewership from the 2017 spring race there (2.9, with 4.6 million viewers) — and down 42% in ratings and 36% in viewership from the 2016 race (3.1, with 4.7 million viewers).”

        MLB has had attendance issues as well.

        Just seems that its too easy for folks to stay at home and invest 3 hours in watching a game, than schlepping to and from a stadium. Large, HD TVs, streaming services, etc allow folks to spend their time elsewhere.

        Like

        1. The attendance is also being hurt at sporting events by the price gouging that is going on for everything associated with the event. From tickets, hot dogs, and pop, to parking, Uber, and hotels…I spent at least 3 times the normal amount for a room at one of downtown PGH Marriott for the UMass game. I was at the ND – Purdue game this weekend with my two brothers and I would be embarrassed to tell you what the Embassy Suites near the Campus charged per night for our room. This is more than just supply and demand doing its thing. Neither of those hotels were sold out. This is about testing people’s pain threshold to overpay for things they enjoy. The people are responding with empty sports venue seats. I think there will continue to be empty seats as long as everyone continues to treat the fans like they are a cash machines.

          Like

          1. Plus the availability of games being streamed. Even with you tube tv it took several steps to access last week’s game via ESPN 3. Keep in mind Penn State was sold out for the Auburn games. 24/7 sports gushed on and on about the crowd and atmosphere. Pitt’s attendance issues are easy to understand. Attendance figures are available on Wikipedia. Pitt has to have a ranked team to influence crowd sizes, usually the following year. Pitt has to have a marquee home game – WVU, Notre Dame – with a reasonable chance of winning. Yes, Pitt won at Clemson in 2016 but remained unranked. Small crowds at Heinz Field of 35,000 attendance season-closing games against Duke and Syracuse. Narduzzi finally got a ranking of 23 but it was fleeting because the team proceeded to lose to Northwestern and lose the ranking.

            In short, Narduzzi will never draw big crowds except for the occasional marquee opponent. Narduzzi is disliked by fans as evidenced by comments on all sorts of media.

            Like

  19. I have a couple James Conner bobble heads, a Billy Hilgrove bobblehead, probably a few others in the closet too.

    So here,s a riddle for my fellow Pitt football followers:

    Why will there never be a Pat Narduzzi bobblehead?

    Go ahead, take a guess. I’ll give my answer tomorrow unless I see it here first.

    Like

      1. Those boosters also have no brains. Especially the fool who spent $20 million so his name could be tied to Narduzzi. Geeks don’t know sports.

        Like

  21. Watching Peyton Manning on tv.
    Red zone d
    He says as a qb he hates a soft zone.
    GB plays man and blitzes. He called it not smart to give the qb an easy throw.
    The Duzz plays the defense ever single play ( almost).
    95 percent of the snaps give the qb an easy throw.
    Duzz never mixes anything up. In any sport even tennis you change shots and angles. It keeps an opponent off balance.
    Against the Nard dog you know what you are getting every time.
    It is like shooting free throws .

    Liked by 1 person

  22. The home game against OSU where Mason Rudolph threw for about 500 yards in the First half, showed Coach Pat’s steadfast refusal to change his defense. Western Michigan, Boston College, Sisters of the Poor…he simply doesn’t care.
    Good leaders adapt. Great leaders transform.
    We have neither.

    Liked by 1 person

  23. Watching the game, Narduzzi was standing maybe 3 feet from Whipple. Couldn’t he have just leaned over and whispered “put Izzy in”? Does he think we are all stupid?

    Like

  25. People, football fans, are still wary about Covid and are not gathering in groups like in 2019. I’m not surprised at all that stadiums are not at capacity…especially when you can watch almost any CFB game on some sort of TV or streaming service.

    This is also the best time to go to movie theaters. I go once a week at least and the theaters are maybe 10% full at most.

    I think Narduzzi is pretty immature really. As a coordinator he never had to do all the public stuff HCs do and was never second guessed and called on his decision-making like he is now.

    Like

    1. Reed – see my response above to the commebnt. I believe its more than COVID. Seems to be a shift away from attending events in person in many areas.

      Like

  27. Just had a thought…which is the worse loss…the FB team loss to WMU or the basketball team loss to St. Francis last year? Unrelated, but one difference between the two coaches to me is that Capel comes across as likable and seemingly knowledgeable while Narduzzi seems otherwise.

    Like

  28. Different Trib piece:

    https://triblive.com/sports/pitts-pat-narduzzi-dissects-decisions-made-by-himself-coaches-players-during-loss-to-western-michigan/

    Which points out another reason to have RBs who can run for enough yardage to control the clock…

    “He also spoke in specifics, mentioning that a defensive end he didn’t identify rushed the quarterback in a run situation late in the game.

    “‘What did you think? They were going to throw the ball in a four-minute situation?’ ” he said. “Those are what tells me like, ‘What are we thinking about out there.’ ”

    Like

  29. Proof of Narduzzi’s heavy RELIANCE on his Brain Trust even when simple Common Sense should have suggested otherwise.

    “… I felt like punting. Whip felt like he had a good call. And again, I always kind of go with where he was. If he was like, “Oh, I don’t know, we’re punting. If he’s like, “Hey, I got this,” then we — so you have regrets as a coach.”

    Like

  31. So before I join the chorus, I will offer some perspective, which no doubt some will disagree with, and that is that I have NO problem with the Narduzzi hire, it was a hire roundly praised by peers & other (neutral) media markets, there were a lot of things to like about the hire at the time. So I don’t really have any regrets with the hire. And historically speaking, we could’ve done a lot worse. That said, fast foward to today, and we know who Narduzzi is, and he has officially completely lost the fanbase. His stubbornness and myopia probably got him here, and ultimately will define his dismissal. At $3.2M or whatever, there is no need to feel sorry for anyone, this is about results and accountability.

    So Tex, I look forward to your list of candidates! The interest has been sapped in the program due to the current staff.

    Like

    1. I think most can agree at this point that pitt needs a head coach change. We know what we have in Narduzzi. Hes in year 7 with three years left on his contract. He’s a 7 win coach. He’s an average recruiter. He’s good for a final rpi ranking in the 40 to 50’s. He runs a clean program with high character players. So if you want a top 25 program and are tired of excuses, you will be interested in my list.

      Liked by 1 person

  32. But why would anyone be interested? Pitt pays well. A top third football budget in the ACC. Is a P5 school. Has good tradition. Has very good facilities. Has quality recruits within 500 miles and a established Florida pipeline. Has a loyal fanbase. That Tennessee away game gives you a glimpse of the fanbase potential if excited and engaged.

    Mainly it’s pay and a chance to prove yourself on a bigger stage without being set up to fail. And there isn’t enormous pressure to win and the media treats you with kid gloves. And no big time booster will be getting in your way. And the AD will leave you alone and probably extend you after year one.

    Liked by 1 person

  33. So my candidates all come from the G5. Conferences like the Mac and aac. They all have offensive backgrounds. Have a track record of success. More importantly they are all existing head coaches. They generally come from a good coaching tree. They are familiar with recruiting in the ACC footprint. I think they all would be interested in interviewing. I think they would be good fits. I think they could help elevate the program to achieve consistent top 25 rankings. That’s the goal. And they wouldn’t have to cheat or recruit bad character kids to do it.

    Mind you I haven’t vetted any of these candidates. Pitt would need to hire a professional firm that specializes in finding skeletons in the closet.

    Liked by 1 person

  34. Now what if these coaches view pitt as a stepping stone? What if a new coach fails?

    You can’t develop the case of the FUDs. Fear, Uncertainty and Doubt.

    Take a calculated risk. Embrace change. Change allows a program to grow and not stagnate.

    Change won’t create instability. Change could help break the chains of mediocrity. Taking a risk could result in a very good return.

    If the coach succeeds, he might become attractive to a more elite P5 school. That’s a good thing. If the coach fails, you learn from it and try again. Don’t be afraid of failure. It shouldn’t paralyze your ability to take action.

    I believe Pitt needs to take action after this season with Narduzzi otherwise Pitt football will see a significant drop off in ticket sales, the brand will be damaged and Pitt football will begin losing money.

    Like

  35. So here is my list. I’ll provide links to the bios for each coach. I call these candidates The Magnificent Seven. The list is in no particular order although I clearly have a top Three. There were only three that ended up alive at the end of the movie anyway.

    1) Coastal Carolina – Jamey Chadwell

    2) Memphis – Ryan Silverfield

    3) Western Kentucky – Tyson Helton

    4) East Carolina – Mike Houston

    5) Toledo – Jason Candle

    6) Charlotte – Will Healy

    7) Central Michigan – Jim McElwain

    Again these are all existing head coaches. Moreover, all are known for their offensive minds. Now I could find another two to three coaches if I went with defensive or special teams criteria. I could also find another three to four if I went with current offensive or defensive coordinators.

    But I think head coaching experience matters. Less of a learning curve. And you can bring some of your staff over to ease the transition. I also think having a understanding of offense is very important. Today’s game is all about offense.

    Like

    1. Candle should be No. 1 on Pitt’s list due to this pulled from his bio:

      “Emphasis on Academic Excellence
      Academic excellence will always be a top priority for Candle and his staff. In the spring of 2021, the Rockets earned a 3.046 grade point average, the fourth time that the Toledo football team has surpassed the 3.0 GPA mark since Candle became the head coach. The all-time mark came in the spring of 2020, when the Rockets earned a team-record 3.270 grade point average during the first semester of the COVID-19 pandemic.

      The Rockets also have led the Mid-American Conference in the NCAA’s Academic Progress Rate (APR) in six of the past seven years in which the data was released to the public, with marks of 983, 981, 975, 981 and 977 in each of the past five years.

      Strong APRs are a good indicator that a program is graduating its student-athletes. A total of 78 Rockets have earned degrees in the past four years, and at least 17 active players will enter the 2021 season with their bachelor’s degree already in hand.”

      We need to know how he feels about the color yellow.

      Like

      1. He will get a serious look by Pitt. He’s defintely in my top 5. Has been the consistent name on all my lists since I began making lists.

        Like

      1. Don’t worry. He was one of the magnificents that died in the movie. Only three survived.

        The Toledo guy is one of my three.

        The Mac is the cradle for great coaches.

        Like

    3. Tex,

      Thats a good looking list. And when the day comes the HCPN is to be replaced, it is my preference that we get an offensive-minded coach who can recruit and hire a really good DC.

      Liked by 2 people

  36. Lyke’s MO is top ACC assistant at a championship caliber team … Realistically, any list should also have some ACC assistants on it.

    Joe Moorehead has to be #1. RPO genius. Pittsburgh guy. He was a bad fit in the SEC and Mississippi … I would not pay attention to his tenure there. There is a reason he’s the popular name … because he should be.

    Like

    1. Assistants have learning curves. Being a head coach is different than being an assistant. Don’t underestimate recruiting a staff. Many hires are head coaches because they can bring their coordinators with them. Focusing on head coaches only allows you to hit the ground running. And you have a track record of head coaching success. They have already proven they can coach. I would steer clear of going down the coordinator path to find the next head coach.

      Like

      1. I like Moorhead. I also like Billy Napier of Louisiana Lafayette. I know he’s from Georgia and played QB at Furman. He’s only 42 and has been very successful in the Sun Belt Conference.

        Liked by 1 person

        1. Billy was on a former list of mine.

          Moorehead is the sexy Yinzer pick. He could convince me if he brought in the right DC. Pitt would have to open up the wallet to afford a quality defensive staff. That would be my only caveat.

          Like

            1. He lost by 20 to Texas this year. Otherwise he’d be on it. I was harsh when it came to him. I do like him though. Just business.

              Like

          2. I think they should be prepared to pay $1 million each for the DC and the OC if they get a new HC at a cheaper price. For the right people, of course.

            Like

            1. Totally agree. Most of these current head coaches make between $700k and $1.5 million. Pitt should set a salary floor at $2 million with added bonuses and incentives. And then of course have pay escalation clauses written into the contract.

              I wouldn’t even talk about extensions until after year three. Every contract I’ve seen is written for five years. That’s the standard.

              Pitt can save roughly three million dollars by jetting Narduzzi. That allows you to bump up the DC And OC positions by $500k each in salary. That will cost you one million. You still have $2million to spend.

              Right now way too much money is tied up in one man.

              Like

  37. I agree with Reed that a major flaw is Narduzzi’s failure to develop any of the PR related skills that go with the head coaching job. How can any HC survive in such a competitive atmosphere when he alienates the public and alums as he has( arrogance such as publicly calling the UMass game a scrimmage). His presser was a little better than the post game interview, but not by much. And the softball questions by a lapdog press 7 years into his tenure are ridiculous.

    I think he has lost the benefit of the doubt as to whether he can turn things around and win the public over. He could be a dead man walking at this point, although he will continue to get Heather’s support for the rest of the year, and maybe beyond if he finishes with 7 wins. Heather should have recognized his communications flaws (and a lack of charisma) by the time she extended him, and should have included some requirements to address this issue.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. I think he will win seven games. Even if he only gets six wins, Lyke will make no changes. She is just not engaged. The Pitt administration did not care to engage in any preseason promotion, seems to be immune to crowd sizes and fan interest, and couldn’t be bothered to read communication from fans, like Reed’s suggestions.

      The last good AD was Myslinski. For all the criticism Pederson got for being a micro-manager, and tryant, Lyke deserves criticism for disengagement, a mediocre football program will little chance to improve, a horrible basketball program, and no effort to be communicative with the public or put some skin into promoting and owning her programs.

      Not meaning to offend those avid fans on here of volleyball, I could care less. There are two public facing Pitt sports and Lyke is failing at both of them.

      I have gone from fervid fan to casual. If Pitt drops one or two more games, I will cancel my You Tube TV subscription I only renewed for Pitt football (given Capel’s complete unfitness to be basketball coach I never intended to keep it past bowl season.) Fifty-three years of fandom might just be enough.

      Like

    2. That seems to be the rub against him. Yes, the fit wasn’t right in the sec but many have said it was also coaching chops. Some say he’s a career coordinator albeit a very fine one at that.

      Like

    1. Pretty simple. Not all good Assistants make good Head Coaches. Much prefer a CURRENT Head Coach at a smaller school with a CONSISTENT track record who is ready to move up.

      The challenge will be convincing them Pitt is a move up!

      Liked by 2 people

  42. Back in PN’s first fall camp he had an initial press conference and I attended. I asked this question:

    “How will you adapt to the more wide open and higher scoring offenses in the ACC and what type of offense will you play?”

    He literally smirked and said (to paraphrase but close to literal) “We are just going to pass, pass, pass on every play!”

    So I followed with “And your defense to stop the better offenses?” He got kind of pissed and said “My defenses have been good enough to win at Michigan State, we’ll have no problem here.”

    I mean he really looked down his nose at me and the others. After the presser closed and he left, Pat Bostick and EJ came over an Pat said “Those were excellent questions” .

    The other media guys were throwing questions at him that were simplistic like “How do you like Pitt so far” and crap like that, and he didn’t like my asking questions that needed a real answer.

    Since then he’s pointed and called me, in public, “a spy”; had me shadowed at an alumni function by a staffer who kept glaring at me and PN also refused my directions to the Pitt team hotel when he was lost in Manhattan the night before the Pinstripe bowl game after he had gone shopping.

    Toward the end of that alumni gig the guy he had following me around sat down right next to me at the empty table I grabbed, when there were about six other empty chairs, so I turned to him and said…”Buddy, I spent 33 years in the military – you’re wasting your time trying to make scary faces at me.” and he got pissed off and walked away…right out the door.

    Not only is this how he treats media types who disagree with him, but how rude he is to other adults. Those instances above were years ago in 2015 & ’16 before I was publicly critical of him so I have no doubt others have their own stories about how he treats people.

    Liked by 3 people

    1. Wow, those are seriously great stories, thanks for sharing Reed.

      And with the benefit of hindsight, I tweaked your original media question below.

      “How will you adapt to the more wide open and higher scoring offenses in the ACC and MAC, and what type of offense will you play?”

      Sounds to me like a guy who is very insecure, eh?

      Like

  43. This could be as long as War and Peace but I will attempt to keep it short. In all honesty I would normally fall into the “ike” category of Pitt fans. It’s not really my fault, my grandfather taught in the Dental school when Jock was coaching. My father taught on the dental school when Michelosen was coaching. I have grown up with Pitt Football and the Pirates(my fathers office was next to soldiers and sailors). This weekend I had the great fortune of going to Heinz for not one but two games. I am lucky in many regards as I started at Pitt in 1972, got season tickets right out of school and was able to see the best years. In order to continue I would need several hours and a couch. I have some really good highs but many more lows. I have said this several times over the last thirty years but this time I am done. I don’t care for Narduzzi but truthfully the school needs to care as much as I do. Good Luck to all.

    Like

  44. Moorhead lost both his Bowl games while HC at Miss State.

    So that would fit Pitt’s requirement…..of losing Bowl game 🙂

    There was also a long-time Congressman in Pittsburgh named Moorhead. Guy was a drunk.

    Is he related to him ?

    Like

  45. Again, Hollywood would be hard pressed to make up these stories. Truth is often stranger than fiction. And there’s been some strange stuff surrounding the program since the Pop Warner days. SOP is real.

    Like

    1. There wasn’t the Grand Masonic Lodge on Fifth directly across the street from the Cathedral,
      for nothing !

      Like

  46. The argument for keeping Narduzzi would be stability and buyout.

    But what good is stable mediocrity. How exciting is that?

    And Pitt can always find the money for the buyout.

    But will Heather admit she made a mistake with that extension and for not quite frankly forcing some changes on Narduzzi years ago?

    Like

    1. It’s too bad Heather got ‘t r u m p ed’ in the Mich State AD sweepstakes.
      Crime on campus in Lansing must be troubling.

      Would have been quite ironic too….since Nodoze came from there

      I do not trust her ability to pick a HC for football. She has no acumen for that.

      Like

          1. Narduzzi will be flagged by wordpress very soon. His name will be banned and his history erased.

            Nardoozled will become a word to mean all hat and no cattle.

            Like

    2. The buy out can’t be that big of a deal. With the contract extension, he received additional job security after a 5-7 year. He was not in a good position to negotiate a huge buy out. Plus, he has progressed through a couple of those additional years, so he has probably crossed a point at which he would receive one year’s base salary as a going away present.

      Like

      1. Let’s hope. Worst case it’s ten million

        But Pitt could very well lose ten million in the next three years with lower ticket sales, merchandise and a fall off in donor support.

        Plus irreparable damage to the brand. Stable mediocrity could create instability. Nobody wants to walk into that.

        Again, I don’t know what this booster who forked over $20 million saw in Narduzzi. Do you think he has buyers remorse right now.

        Like

  47. Right now, this is not a Stallings-esque rebuild, as you said, it’s a stable, mediocre squad; my fear is that if we wait too long, the rebuild will get much steeper, especially in this transfer-happy era.

    Liked by 2 people

  48. One more pre-season scrimmage (OOC game). Time to get the running game and defensive secondary sorted out. I’ll save my “fire the coaching staff” opinion until after the ACC games are concluded.

    I know, what fun is that?

    Liked by 1 person

    2. Good for you Grizz, thanks for the interruption from all this “off-season” type of talk. Remember, every dog has his day.

      Like

  49. My suggestion to Heather and Gallagher and whoever else might be involved with the decision of firing Narduzzi, don’t do it… UNTIL… you have the RIGHT Guy.

    If you don’t have him, hold off until you do.

    Saves a LOT of pain in the long run.

    Liked by 2 people

    2. Agreed! But if one of Tex’ guys says yes, pull the trigger.

      We need a better choice fast.

      The ship is sinking…

      Like

  50. Very hard to start talking to other coaches about possible openings for HC jobs without the current HC knowing.

    You have possible leaks from within the Athletic Dept; leaks to the media on purpose depending on the agenda. Media can start all kinds of rumors with agendas as well.

    And then you have the good ole Coaching Fraternity and how that all works.

    We saw how Heather got played by Hurley in her first go round as well.

    Like

    1. So what if he knows? What difference would it make except possibly in recruiting? Even then the impact would be negligible if not positive in the long run. Believe me the kids on the roster wouldn’t bag out or anything – that’s cutting your nose off to spite your face.

      . Didn’t happen after DW got canned – except for some recruits he had landed. Sure, we’d see portal transfers but big deal. What underclassmen do we have on the team that we absolutely could not afford to lose? Pickett is the best we’ve got and he’s gone anyway (unless he gets injured and redshirted for a 6th year). Other than him I don’t think we have one player who is unable to be replaced.

      PN would still try to win as many games as possible to make himself look attractive to the next school that looks at hiring him.

      It would be unpleasant all around but you could do it anyway.

      Liked by 1 person

      1. Hey it wouldn’t bother me. I’m up for a roll of the dice….to see if Pitt would ever become
        relevant in football again.

        Just making an observation, you can’t expect to have a pre-selected coach without the current one knowing about it.

        Now if he’s petty….. he could try to screw Pitt ala Stallings.

        And he did just have his highest rated recruiting class.

        Like

        1. He could resign if he had integrity. He will not because he wants to steal the last bit of the pay he has been stealing for the last 5 years.

          Liked by 1 person

  51. So you keep heather out of it. She will never admit she made a mistake anyway.

    You have Gallagher being told by Tom Richards to quietly gauge interest.

    Gallagher approaches Lou Riddick. Riddick uses his cover as a media guy to talk with these coaches.

    Plans within plans

    Next year you have both a new football coach and AD.

    Like

  52. I don’t think Atom Counter has the hutzpah to pull off something like that.

    You and me maybe….but not him ! lol

    Spot on, on your first line.

    Like

  53. And then the other wrinkle or plans within plans within plans.

    What person directed Tom to instruct Gallagher?

    Well that guy in the shadows is Dave Tepper and a $100 million dollar gift.

    But he also wants his name on the new on campus MPC.

    Like

  54. Well, the dream just burst with the MPC comment. There is no way Heather, or even Gallagher, could handle a coaching search and laying the groundwork for an MPC at the same time. For starters, there is no public funding campaign going on to pay for it, no land, etc.

    Back to our coaching dream, if a decision was made to get rid of Narduzzi, Heather would have about 2 weeks, using an outside search firm and Tex’s list, to screen and determine interest before she would be forced to publicly deny the rumors. If a new coach can’t be found in 2 weeks, then the problem is bigger than we expect.

    However, no respectable coach would publicly accept a job before it became officially vacant. Coaches don’t push other coaches out the door, because they may be in the same situation at some point. And most coaches won’t resign in the middle of a season to take another job. So either Narduzzi would finish out the season before the axe fell, or an interim coach would take over with the position officially vacant.

    Like

  55. Voice, there is location. The Pete. There is money. Tepper, low rate debt, up front monies for seat licenses, suites, naming rights. And the fundraising campaign for the masses hasn’t even started.

    And who’s to say heather and Gallagher would even be involved in a coaching search.

    You go over their heads.

    For one, heathers days are numbered. What sport besides women’s volleyball is any good? And she didn’t even make Spartys top three and they really needed a compliance person.

    And Gallagher doesn’t know sports or business. He’s just Bozik without the Air Force credentials.

    The BOT calls all the shots. The most powerful man at Pitt is Tom Richards. He can be influenced.

    Narduzzi will be fired after the Syracuse loss. Interim coach for bowl game. New coach announced prior to bowl.

    I went into that dog house of mine to know.

    Like

        1. Dear Hannibal,

          I had to read that three times before I realized it wasn’t the confession I’ve been trying to get out of you for years!

          Hope all is well,

          Clarice Starling

          Like

    2. Hey TX, I sure hope you’re. Decision is out of Gallagher’s hands. I don’t think he has the capability to select a head football coach or an AD either. I don’t think Heather is capable of running a successful P5 athletic program. There are a lot of moving parts in football and a P5 athletics program and all of these people are in over their heads. Gallagher for hiring Narduzzi and Heather and Heather for Nard’s contract extension.

      Like

      1. Not sure that many P5 Chancellors choose ADs themselves anyhow. They have Athletic Committees on BOT’s for such input. Pitt’s has two FB players on it and others in the workd of sports are on the BOT as well.

        Like

  56. Speaking of paint spilling. You need the right tools and techniques to do the job. Narduzzi has never been able to hire and manage a quality staff.

    I just bought my wife some tools for painting and showed her some techniques. She’s not stubborn like Narduzzi and will listen.

    I made her job easier and she will produce better results in the next room.

    Like

  57. I attended both the UMass and WM games with my sister-in-law (I’m the lady who commented a while back that her husband won’t attend any more Pitt games because the Pitt fans booed the Penn State band). Fortunately, I was in the ladies room when the two Pitt defensive backs ran into each other, resulting in a Broncos touchdown. I won’t be attending this Saturday, mostly because we are having a block party on our street that day, but also because I have lukewarm interest in seeing Pitt – maybe! – thump New Hampshire.

    A comment about Pitt tickets – I hate mobile ticketing. We do have a 20-game Pirates plan (my visiting daughter installed the MLB app for us for that), so I’m not completely stupid. Hubby purchased tickets on-line for me for UMass – no instructions given in the confirmation as to what app to use (the Pirates, for all their faults, do give clear instructions). After an e-mail to the Pitt ticket office, my youngest son tried to install the Pitt Mobile app for me. Didn’t work – problem with user name. I gave up and picked up paper tickets at the ticket office at the Pete. For WM, didn’t even try on-line – just bought them at the Pete. I live in Dormont and it’s a quick trip down the Parkway. I’m very familiar with Oakland – my oldest son was born with a severe cleft lip and palate and we made many trips down to the Cleft Palate Clinic in Salk Hall and to the (old) Children’s Hospital. In fact, all three of my kids got their braces from Pitt Dental! I must say that the Pitt ticket office promptly responded to my e-mails, and the young men at the ticket window were very courteous.

    I am going to attend the Clemson game. My oldest son is a graduate of the University of South Carolina (Hi, John!) and Clemson is their hated rival. I think my kid has a “Beat Clemson” tee around somewhere. Might even get my husband to go to that one!

    I agree with the majority on this board. Pat Narduzzi is the very definition of average. It Pitt wants more, it’s time for the Narduzzi era to end.

    Liked by 8 people

  61. I believe the expectation would and should be that a P5 school has higher level talent across the board than a G5 team. Perhaps there in lays the major issue.

    H2P!

    Like

  62. Blame me. Pitt has three home MAC losses: Bowling Green, Akron, and Western Michigan. I was present at all three. (I was not present, however, at the away MAC losses to Toledo and Ohio U.) Boy oh boy, I would have to pick the WMU game for my sole visit this season. Pitt wore throwback script Pitt uniforms in the loss to Bowling Green and the new script Pitt uniforms did not help win the WMU game. I saw a Pitt defender run into Tom Flynn back in the day at Pitt Stadium when a Notre Dame pass went for a TD because of the Pitt kids’ collision. Everything old is new again. Sorry I brought bad luck to the Pitt kids once again this year. On a lighter note, I overheard one irate fan in front of me in Club Section 236 complain about Pitt’s rotten offensive line play. A woman told him to be quiet since the line coach’s wife was right in front of him. His response: “I’ll be here long after she is.” Back in Narduzzi’s first year I wrote in the POV that the Pitt pass D needed to change since we did not have the players to play man to man against the good receivers we were going against. I asked the question: What is insanity? According to a famous quote wrongly attributed to Einstein, but still worthwhile to consider. “Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.” Yes, everything old is still new again.

    Liked by 3 people

  63. This afternoon I received a phone call from a representative (Dom)from the University of Tennessee who wanted my feedback concerning my game day experience and my weekend in their city. We talked for a good 20 minutes. Nice folks and engaged.

    Liked by 3 people

  64. Checking in, has the whining stopped?

    Pitt can still finish with only one loss. Until they lose another, time to move on ladies. 🤣

    Liked by 3 people

  65. Narduzzi must have not changed his pass defense all these years because he anticipated recruiting better athletes to play back there. Sadly, that hasn’t come to pass, no pun intended. It always comes back to poor recruiting.

    Liked by 2 people

    1. Disagree VoiceofResason. His defense is defective against a RPO with an adequate or better quarterback. His defense has been burned with defensive backs that are now playing in the NFL.. Even a team of Darryl Revises in the defensive backfield would not stop a very good quarterback in that defense!

      Liked by 3 people

      1. This isn’t just a Narduzzi problem at Pitt.

        The fact that we constantly put kids into the NFL but can never win more that 7 or 8 games a season is part of the head scratching that is Pitt football.

        To me the number of kids that get to the next level really doesn’t matter because what is important lies in how they played here…and most of all how they played here with their teammates.

        Regarding the Pitt DBs that go pro… One reason they are drafted is based on what a specific team needs and also on the physical and mental traits they show in college.

        IMO Paris Ford was a decent DB but really nothing that special…not a true effective star while here. Then of course he thinks he’s much better then he really is so he quits the team.

        So, while he and most all Pitt fans think he was great, the NFL begged to differ.

        Here is a good article on Ford’s decision to leave the team…or to “retire” from college ball.

        Paris Ford

        Liked by 3 people

        1. Think you’re being a little dismissive of Ford because he left the team the way he did.

          The Kid was a true Blue Chipper coming out of High School. Everyone who knew him growing up say he was always the BEST compared to other kids no matter what the sport. His talent was clearly head and shoulders above others like M.J. Devonshire who was also highly recruited and currently on the Pitt roster.

          It wasn’t immediate, but eventually Ford’s talent translated to Pitt. He absolutely was a STAR Ii you really took time to focus on his play in person. It wasn’t every game. But most games he was a dominant PRESENCE from the Safety Position, especially in attacking the opposing team’s running game. 97 tackles in 2019 would seems to support that.

          Surprises me that he is currently out of football. Running a 4.8 forty also surprising for a player that looked every bit as fast or faster than his Co-Safety who did the work necessary to make it to the NFL.

          What wouldn’t surprise me is that he eventually gets a second chance at the NFL and, having learned from his experience, does not take the opportunity for granted.

          Like

          1. During Saturday’s radio pre-game, Pat Bostick suggested that team chemistry improved this year due to “egos” that were on last yr.’s squad but are now gone. Its well known that Ford would improvise on the field from time to time, leading to being out of position and blowing plays. Perhaps he was one of those egos and from a team perspective, his departure perhaps was actually addition via substraction. (ex. Rushel Shell)

            That said, these kids have people in their ears, often family members, who can fan those flames. And the home situation can put some pressure on a kid to start earning money as soon as possible. Hard to blame a kid for that, but the timing of his “opt out” sure reeked of a big, fat “me” moment.

            Like

    2. Narduzzi made his mark as a guru in the Big 10,,8-10 years ago against BIG 10 opponents..offenses have changed but Narduzzi’s D concept is etched in the stones between his ears.

      Liked by 3 people

  67. Narduzzi made his mark as a guru in the Big 10,,8-10 years ago against BIG 10 opponents..offenses have changed but Narduzzi’s D concept is etched in the stone between his ears.

    Liked by 3 people

    2. Narduzzi’s last year at MSU his defense gave up 46, 49 and 42 points versus the three best teams it faced: Oregon, Ohio State and Baylor, respectively.

      Red flag there. Maybe the reason only Colorado State was interested. That showing still won him the Broyles Award. Further proof awards are a joke.

      Liked by 1 person

        1. Bayloir was no slouch team and if we want all of the facts, Narduzzi came down from the box and rallied his kids to a victory. It was fairly well-documented at the time and gave many not named UPitt reasons to be optimistic.

          Liked by 2 people

  68. Correct Nate, only one other school (a Mountain West Conference one) had offered Narduzzi when we hired him. Another fact is that he hasn’t been offered a contract elsewhere as long as he’s been Pitt’s HC. Not even his last school Mich State.

    Contrary to what some fans believe (mostly on message boards) he never put out a “Don’t Contact Me” message at the CFB Coaches conferences or through the CFB HCs’ website (they and ass’t coaches have a Linked-In type website for stuff like this).

    Liked by 1 person

  70. I specifically remember the Baylor game where Narduzzi was coaching from the box and was caught on camera totally LOSING IT, as only he can do, after his Defense gave up a first down.

    Should have been obvious to those who hired him at Pitt what they were bringing to town.

    Narduzzi was always OVER-rated as a D Coordinator. Clearly benefited from riding Dantonio’s Coattails. To say otherwise at this point is simply ignoring reality.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. That was the game Baylor threw for over 600 yards. Like nothing the B1G ever saw.

      The B1G in that time period had archaic offenses & very few good QB’s .
      So with below avg, not very accurate QB’s, Nodoze’s Island D worked out well as it
      could limit the opposing teams rushing. And with not very good QB’s, you didn’t get burned often.

      But it was thoroughly exposed in that Cotton Bowl game and was a clear ‘warning sign’.

      Liked by 1 person

  71. From the Pitt News:

    https://pittnews.com/article/167138/arts-and-entertainment/pitt-band-prepares-to-celebrate-alumni-in-homecoming-performance/

    https://pittnews.com/article/167149/sports/preview-narduzzi-panthers-look-to-avoid-another-letdown-on-saturday-against-unh/

    “Narduzzi vs. the fans

    Narduzzi is under contract to coach the Panthers through at least the 2024 season. But some people want to see someone else at the helm before then.

    After the loss, fans took to Twitter to voice their displeasure with the head coach. Fans are becoming increasingly impatient with Narduzzi’s repeated losses in games that many expect him to win.

    To add fuel to the fire, Narduzzi expressed that he felt responsible for the loss, but quickly dismissed it as “one ballgame.” He added that the team would not dwell on it due to the fact that it was an out-of-conference game.

    Some fans didn’t like that he was so dismissive about such a morale-killing loss.

    When asked if he had a message for the fans who were frustrated, it didn’t seem like Narduzzi was too worried about outside opinions.

    “I’m worried about all the guys [on my team],” Narduzzi said. “I can’t help the fans. I’ll apologize to them and try to prevent it from happening again.”

    Luckily for Narduzzi, it’s not up to the fans whether or not he sticks around until 2024 — it’s athletic director Heather Lyke’s decision whether or not to put him on the hot seat. But the fanbase is certainly growing frustrated with Narduzzi, and it may continue to get worse if he doesn’t right the ship.”

    Like

    1. It wouldn’t surprise most of us on this blog if Heather gives Pat another extension this week…a vote of confidence when no one else has any. I can’t believe we are stuck with King Pat until 2024.

      Like

  72. Chip Lindsey from Troy is another I’d add to my list. In fact just swap him for the Central Michigan coach. That coach wouldn’t pass Pitts vetting. Chip is a better fit.

    Like

  74. When a head coach looks down at the opposition, especially the D2 teams like UMass, it sends a message to the players that not all games are equal. Knowing he called the UMass game a scrimmage, I wonder how he characterized the WMU game during the previous week. When Super Seniors like Camp and Deslin Alexandre don’t show up to play, I’m left wondering how Narduzzi is motivating this team. Let’s see if there are any starting lineup changes this week to reflect the complete lack of motivation displayed against WMU.

    And I am still perplexed over some basic coaching steps that any other coach would take. Why, for example, didn’t they try a different RB than V. Davis during the game? Are Sibley, Daniel Carter, A.J. Davis, and others still on the roster? Can’t the HC just tell Whipple to try a bigger back?

    And sorry but that whole line about Randy Bates not making changes quickly enough is rather ridiculous. His whole job during the game is to evaluate what’s working and then make appropriate changes. Did he go into the locker room for a nap at game time?

    Both Whipple and Bates seem reluctant, perhaps even fearful, of making game time changes with schemes and personnel. And Narduzzi seems completely detached from the game time decisions. Is everyone on the staff afraid of Narduzzi? Is anyone in charge?

    Liked by 1 person

    1. WMU’s OC was calling their plays from the LOS(as most teams appear to be doing now)…..and they took quite a bit of time between plays doing it. Tennessee did the same thing, but just weren’t about to connect
      on the long passes.

      Even Umass had WR’s open, who either dropped the pass or the QB over/underthrew them.

      So they make the call, based on the formation Pitt’s D is in. Which is basically the same it appears on
      most every play. As far as the 4 DB’s.

      Pitt needs to be a much better job disguising their coverages and as some have said, throw in some zone coverages, even if it’s just something for the other team to worry (think) about. Seems like in Year 7 and the amount of time this Pass Defense has been torched, this is kinda rudimentary.

      But you gotta Mix it Up or you get Lit Up !

      Liked by 1 person

  75. If the doofus got lost in Manhattan…..not a real quick thinker.
    I’m sure the nitwit had a phone with him too !
    And no sense of direction.

    Just like this program.

    Like

    1. It was about 8pm and I was walking the 10 blocks or so from my hotel to the team hotel and saw him standing on the corner in full Pitt sweat shirt / sweat pants holding a ton of packages.

      He was staring at the buildings, looking for street signs, etc so I crossed the street and said “Hi Coach, I’m going to the hotel if you want to join me.”

      He got snarky and crossed the street – the wrong way. Later I was at the bar drinking beer with Scott Orndoff’s dad when Narduzzi walked in about 30 minutes later.

      Funny thing…after the bowl game which we lost, I went back to the team hotel bar and not one Pitt person was in there. I talked with the front desk and they said they had 30+ two night reservations for Pitt travellers and only 6 rooms were going to be used that second night.

      To say the Pitt fans were pissed after the game is a huge understatement…

      Liked by 1 person

      1. Given his income level and having a ton of packages….you’d think the doofus would have gotten
        a taxi back to the hotel.

        Yep we were pissed losing to a 6-6 team, Pitt should have crushed.

        Granted we got B1G’d by the refs and they let NW do whatever on late hits & targeting.

        Like

  76. It would be nice if our coach really cared for its fans like Wanny did

    I can’t help but think what an AD would have instructed Narduzzi to do after his first four years on the job. It was very obvious then that changes needed to be made. Instead Pitt gave the man an extension. But our AD owes the man her job. Hence the conflict of interest.

    A Defense based on stopping the run first is archaic. It’s a passing game these days.

    Few NFL teams rely solely on man to man coverage. It’s a bunch of zone packages. And the NFL is moving quickly to the RPO.

    So shouldn’t a college coach realize that and adapt. Recruits want drafted. Recruits need to fit what the NFL wants. College is really just a minor league for the nfl now anyways.

    The ACC is a pass first conference. It also has perfect grass fields and weather. It also has better athletes than the big ten. Yet Narduzzi has never changed his schemes. Never adapted.

    That stubbornness and blatant ignorance are not good traits.

    It’s been seven years y’all. You know what you have and what you’re going to continue getting. Stability for mediocrity’s sake is foolish.

    I’d reach out today to the following:

    Chadwell
    Napier
    Candle
    Lindsey

    Like

    1. I would call BC too. I think Hafley is the best hiring choice. I don’t know if he would leave after 2 years and I don’t think Pitt is a better job anymore.

      Like

      2. Thought the Hafley/Cignetti hire at BC was very samrt and hoped Pitt would have considered it before Duzz. Both of them did a nice job while at Pitt under Wannstedt and would have been well received.

        Like

  77. So, in medical school they teach you to say: Vital signs stable.
    Then one day, a surgeon says: You do realize that a corpse has stable vital signs?

    I always think about that when I hear about the stability Coach Pat brings to the football program.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Pitt has flatlined with Narduzzi. There is no upside. Time for a change. But will the BOT and Heather and Gallagher come to the same honest conclusion. Or will they continue making excuses, continue enabling mediocrity, continue denying the truth.

      Like

  78. On a completely different subject! Did anyone else notice AD Lyke signed a deal with Highmark Stadium in Pittsburgh? Our new women’s lacrosse team will use that as their home field! Hopefully the Pittsburgh lacrosse community will get behind the team and fill the place up. It should be one of the better lacrosse venues in the ACC. Of course it is not on campus, but I think this was a very good move on Heather’s part. Plenty of room to park and tailgate before and after the games.

    Everyone may now go back to our regular “Narduzzi needs to be fired!!!” discussion which I fully support!

    Liked by 1 person

    1. That’s a great deal actually. Kudos for inking it. But the real tough decision for her is Narduzzi. She can’t hide from it. She owns the extension.

      Like

  79. But here’s the reality John. Both pitt men and women’s soccer teams share the same pitch for practice and games. That’s a huge problem. Now throw in lacrosse and you have a logistical nightmare. This was Pitts only option. The owners of highmark are making a killing on this deal.

    Like

  81. Wow! I am so excited! STOKED actually! We now have a solution! We fire our current coach and hire a sure-fire, can’t-miss replacement! FIXED!!!

    Our only remaining question will be, “why didn’t we ever think of this before?”

    Liked by 1 person

  82. So when does basketball practice start? Last I heard, Capel only has one commitment for 2022 so far? Has anyone heard otherwise?

    Like

    2. Bad news on the hoops recruiting front: Capel is going to lose a recruit to Cincinnati today. Daniel Skillings, a nice 6’8″ wing will pick UC over Pitt and NC State. The staff invested a lot of time in this kid and from the same high school as Wanamaker.

      For a guy hired for his ACC recruiting chops, Capel has been a colossal disappointment. I don’t think his coaching is all that bad, but he cannot recruit and has a stubborn quality: he won’t change assistants. He is loyal to too many clowns, including his brother.

      When Narduzzi looks competent next to you, there is a problem. Too bad idiot Barnes didn’t offer the job to Northern Iowa coach Ben Jacobson back in 2016, or there were just competent people in high places to nix the Stallings hire.

      Like

  83. Pitt’s Lucas Krull Named John Mackey Tight End of the Week

    PITTSBURGH—Pitt’s Lucas Krull has been named the John Mackey Tight End of the Week for his performance this past weekend against Western Michigan.

    Krull hauled in two touchdowns against WMU (2 and 24 yards). He had three catches for 36 yards overall.

    Krull leads the nation’s tight ends with four touchdown receptions on the season. He has caught at least one touchdown in three consecutive contests this year, the longest streak by a Pitt tight end since Dorin Dickerson had a TD in five consecutive games during his 2009 All-America season.

    Dickerson that year finished with 10 touchdowns—a Pitt season record for a tight end—and was a finalist for the John Mackey Award.

    Krull (Shawnee, Ks./Mill Valley) has compiled 11 catches for 127 yards (11.5 avg.) through the opening three contests. The 6-foot-6, 260-pounder is a ‘super senior’ for the Panthers this year.

    The 2021 John Mackey Award will be presented during ESPN’s live telecast of the Home Depot College Football Awards on December 9.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. 3 catches for 36 yards gets you an Award ?

      I should have played TE……me thinks !

      Oh that’s right….I did.

      Like

    2. The big question is why was he only targeted 3 times when we only converted 2 of 11 third and fourth downs? Is this on Whipple or KP? He should be their primary third down guy.

      Like

    1. agree

      mens is great to watch at high school level and up, brutally physical and fast

      women’s only at the best high schools or travel club teams and of course college

      are you watching both Reed?

      Like

        1. The Baltimore area is the epicenter for good / great lacrosse players in this country.

          Although, if memory serves, wasn’t Jim Brown an All-American lacrosse player at Syracuse?

          Like

    1. Unfortunately, Im booked solid tomorrow and… driving to Pgh for the game of the year on Sat.
      Looking fwd to seeing Fran, Wolfe and the Red 5A gang for breakfast/brunch!

      Gotta turn the page on last week.

      Like

  88. Here is Pitt’s Game Notes for the match on Saturday. I love these actually – they have so much info it’s almost too much – but great to have handy when you watch the game.

    https://pittsburghpanthers.com/sports/football

    (Tap on “Game Notes”)

    I just noticed this in the two-deep…still can’t decide which RB to give the ball too.

    Honestly, Narduzzi has done this in the past also – using three of four RBs in a game. I think it is the exact opposite of what should happen. I think you pick a guy to be the starter and let him play a full half to try to get momentum and confidence built.

    How this staff does it is that none of the RBs get enough consecutive playing time and feel like they are just bit parts in a (this year not too balanced) offense.

    Running Back
    2 ISRAEL ABANIKANDA (SO, 5-11, 215) OR
    22 VINCENT DAVIS (JR, 5-8, 175) OR
    21 A.J. DAVIS JR. (SR+, 6-0, 225)

    Like

    1. I will admit that p-o’s me, but I suppose it makes no sense to telegraph any changes in a media release. So, the only way we will know if it changes is to watch the game.

      Like

  89. I’ll chime in on Narduzzi, the defensive guru.

    Defensive gurus with a month to prepare should not get embarrassed in bowl games:
    – Baylor in the Cotton Bowl
    – Navy after playing a similar offense in Georgia Tech during the season.
    – Northwestern. Didn’t their running back set a Pinstripe Bowl game record with rushing yards?

    Liked by 1 person

  90. getting the redirect to the UNH pdf again – using Chrome

    this comment browsing with Brave

    rarely had issues before

    WTF!

    Like

  92. I think it happens after Reed posts the pdf of stats for upcoming game

    probably Reed’s clandestine way of pushing me out

    nah, not a clandestine kinda guy

    Liked by 1 person

  95. I reread the above transcript and noticed that at one point Duzz said “stats are for losers”…what the heck does that mean?
    I’m no big fan of quantitative data without some qualitative background but…
    Anyway, looking forward to seeing my friends Saturday morning.
    H2P

    Like

  99. Here are the Pitt NCAA rankings after three game. Some are hard to look at especially considering we have played only one P5 team so far. Some, also, look very good (passing espcially).

    I thought our two main problems going into this season were going to be the OL and the Pass Defense’s DBs.

    Our OL work so far:

    99th in TFLs allowed – hence the crap rushing so far

    44th Sacks Allowed

    95th Rushing yards gained

    DBs:

    97th in Passing Yards Allowed

    88th Pass Eff. Defense

    87th Passes Intercepted (only 1 in three games)

    Other stuff:

    84th in turnover margin

    118th fumbles lost (5 in three games)

    74th total defense

    What bothers me about the above is that most teams schedule their cupcake OOC games right in the beginning of the season. So, these poor rankings we have are after we played two teams we should have steamrolled- one we did..one we obviously did not.

    Like

  100. see Pat, Reed is like a good(maybe great) coach

    in game adjustments

    not a care whether his posters like/love him, they still play/post hard for him

    kinda Chryst-like with recruiting, you come here if you like, leave if not, don’t care
    no real idea how you recruit but what we hear is all bad and

    oh, you do have some commonalities, discipline of his posters/players can be erratic, but important difference it isn’t because Reed isn’t coaching them up or not paying attention to details

    all that while possibly taking in 4M less than you

    and btw, one other clear difference – if he were the “Chris Bickell ’97 Head Football Coach” performing like you, he’d absolutely have the integrity to resign…. and forfeit any buyout due

    Like

  101. Huh, after saturdaysarebetter’s comment above I went back and looked for games where we held opponents to less than 10 points under PN…

    Happened only five times in 79 games and all were small FCS schools.(Akron, Villanova, Albany, Austin Peay and UMass).

    Not sure that is the work of a defensive genius.

    Liked by 1 person

        1. Not that we should count it since that Tech team was awful and our master defensive-minded coach should have a defense on the field stuffing it.

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  102. Honestly, sometimes I just do not get what our HC is trying to say:

    Q. Did you make any adjustments for the RPO’s?

    PAT NARDUZZI: We got a couple adjustments in there. We stopped them earlier and then they made some adjustments. We made some adjustments. And they look to the sideline so there’s some things that get you there too.”

    What things actually “…get you there too” on the sidelines??

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    1. I must’ve had my eyes closed when they “stopped them earlier…”

      did I miss that play?

      or did the WMU QB miss a throw during warmup and Pat’s taking credit?

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    3. In the RPO, the play is flashed to them so the coaches can make last second adjustments. The offense has an advantage to change the play call since they don’t have headphones. Pitt’s solution is to have Pickett run to the sideline every play. If we ran an RPO offense we could just flash in the call.

      In Duzz’s defense, his answer made complete sense.

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  103. I believe we have to give AD Lyke her due.

    She scheduled New Hampshire during Ryder Cup weekend. Brilliant, absolutely brilliant!

    Sent from my iPhone

    >

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  104. Reed, great to see you fired up and posting again.
    I wrote a long piece yesterday that was lost in the ether by wordpress issues, I forgot to copy, so I’ll try again today afraid that I lost some of the salient points.

    Anyway, I always try to see myself as a half glass full kind of fan and take losses fairly well, but I’m afraid, I am going to the dark side. While I won’t be bashing as some do, I have lost any thought that Narduzzi will turn the program upward. Every time there is a glimmer, he fails miserably to add to the success.

    I should have recognized this after the great Clemson victory with the following tailspin or the two one point losses that ruined a promising season last year.

    In any case, watching a miserable performance by our defense on Saturday with no adjustments has put me over the top. Maestro asked if we ended up with 9 regular season wins would all be forgiven, well of course it would, but we know that will never ever happen. There is way to much wrong when you give up 179 yards on the ground to a MAC team and have absolutely no clue how to stop the passing game. Not one splash play from the D. No turnovers, a couple of stops.

    A number have said that it is all of the fault is on the D and 6 TD passes should win a game. Well I disagree, on its face that may look true, but you only have that many because the other guys were scoring so frequently. Like the Syracuse game when we scored 76 in a narrow victory. You score that many when you have little defense on either side.

    Whipple’s offense is all or nothing. Yes we have the best QB we have had in a long time. He is good with his arm and his legs. But when your running backs only gain 52 yards on the ground and you only convert 2 0f 11
    third and fourth downs, and leave your D with short fields all day that is not a winning formula. It portends bad things in the future when you are up against defenses that our receivers can’t beat deep or when Pickett is having an off day, which he will.

    Pitt has had some of the greatest college running backs of all time, Dorsett, Martin, Heyward, McCoy, Conners and many others. At one time we were so loaded that two great backs transferred to WVU and had excellent careers. While I agree in today’s football, the passing game is most important, but it won’t work without a running game or the ability to throw short passes to pick up third downs.

    Let’s not forget that we had three turnovers. You absolutely will not win when you have too many critical turnovers and lose the turnover battle.

    Sure the refs were sketchy, but they didn’t effect the outcome.

    As you can see I am not willing to turn the page just yet. Narduzzi’s clueless pressers just make it worse.
    Nothing will change with these arrogant coaches on both sides of the ball, they are too old and stubborn to innovate or adjust or leverage the talent they have on the field. Someone mentioned the definition of insanity, so I won’t repeat it, but it definitely applies.

    I am too disgusted to proof read what I just wrote so I apologize in advance for grammatical, spelling or general incoherence.

    I have been very patient but no longer, unfortunately I don’t see enough change in the wind, seven wins will probably save the coaches job, even Whipple may survive thanks to KP’s heroics.

    I will still root for our guys because I respect all kids that come and play for Pitt and work hard to be the best they can. This is a good bunch, they deserve better. I didn’t see the malaise that the coach tried to blame, I saw bad schemes with kids trying to make tackles from bad positions.

    Liked by 1 person

  105. WBB at least I have the Ryder Cup to look forward to. I don’t get that upset when we lose, just want to see some good golf.

    I guess I am not done venting yet, I do expect to see some good games. Other than Clemson, there should not be anyone we are totally outclassed by. Pretty much all that we have to play our best game to win.

    This is why last week hurt so much, to not be ready and to overlook a quality MAC team is unforgiveable.

    And to still not have a clue is absurd.

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  106. I’ll try to get a post-game piece up today. NH is now ranked #21:

    DURHAM, N.H. —

    After beating Lafayette over the weekend, the University of New Hampshire football team has moved up the national rankings.

    UNH is now No. 21 in the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS), up two spots from 23 in the previous rankings.

    The Wildcats are 3-0, and 11 teams ranked ahead of them have a loss this season.

    UNH will play a Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) opponent this weekend when they take on the Pittsburgh Panthers at Heinz Field.

    Of course, Austin Peay is #19…

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  107. And another thing as Roseann Rosannadana used to say, The so-called alliance appears to be a bust, it certainly didn’t help with Comcast. How does Pitt not get a local pick-up of the tv feed? Incompetence all around.

    I just want to mention that I received an email last week offering tickets to WMU and New Hampshire for 20 bucks for both games. Good last minute marketing. I bit and got the e-ticket right away. Then a couple days later I get and email headed WVU tickets saying disregard the last ticket and here is your ticket. I then email back saying they ought to change their heading. Then I get an email saying Sorry.

    Then I read BigB gets a phone call from Tennessee asking how he enjoyed his experience? What a difference in competence.

    Another general peeve, I will not respond to anymore email or phone questionnaires. It has gone to far when Google asks you how was your experience at the last place you pumped gas. Especially when you have any
    criticism at all they just ignore it.

    Liked by 1 person

  109. Listening to the Narduzzi presser, he just makes no sense. Reading it above, it makes even less sense. The stuff about defensive adjustments was complete gibberish. I just don’t think he has any clue why they lost, and will say anything, even contradicting himself, to get through it. He is talking like a man who is nearing the end of the line, and who should be thankful that Heather is his boss.

    Liked by 1 person

  112. Pitt is ranked 78 out of 128 in penalties per game. With 6.7 flags per game.

    Miss Lyke had a conversation last year about that. So far Pitt is averaging one less penalty per game. That’s a non substantial drop. Pitt is still in the top half of most penalized teams.

    I guess that conversation went in one ear and out the other.

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    1. give him a little time Tex, he’ll get there

      praying for a top 25 finish in penalties per game, c’mon Pat, let’s go!

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  113. Hey – maybe there is a place for us if we really crap out the rest of the year…

    https://theathletic.com/news/aac-expects-to-add-schools-in-matter-of-weeks-amid-conference-realignment/q5WWGKQXqLy9?source=dailyemail&campaign=601983

    “American Athletic Conference commissioner Mike Aresco expects to add new schools to the conference in a “matter of weeks, not months,” he told The Athletic in a brief interview after Wednesday’s College Football Playoff meeting. This news follows the departure of AAC members Cincinnati, Houston and UCF for the Big 12.

    “We’ve engaged only with people that had an interest,” Aresco said.

    Aresco declined to comment on specific schools, but a western wing of Mountain West schools is believed to be among the top targets, The Athletic’s Chris Vannini reports. This includes Boise State, San Diego State, Colorado State and Air Force, sources told The Athletic, with Colorado State and Air Force believed to have more interest than Boise and SDSU.”

    (Might be a paywall there)

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  114. Those penalties are part and parcel of what some fans have been talking about for some time regarding PN’s teams. Rather undisciplined and sometimes players ‘do their own thing’ too much.

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  116. Yet Pitt’s billionaire stays on the sideline. Would a new AD and football coach give Tepper enough of a reason to donate?

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    1. If Tepper came close to a huge donation back when hoops was humming in the 2000s but didn’t pull the trigger, I’m skeptical he’ll ever give. Maybe he will if football turns it around, but that doesn’t seem like it will ever happen.

      My ideal coaches at Pitt in 2022: Jason Candle for football and Ben Jacobson for basketball.

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  117. I thought a “homecoming” game followed an “away” game…
    Weather looks great for Saturday. Crowd should be HUGE…haha.
    I’m bringing Guinness and Budweiser to help celebrate the Ryder Cup.

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    2. Good choices

      I hear Hugh Green and Rickey Jackson are signing autographs pre-game at Heinz Field.

      Not much advertising for that – sad marketing department.

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  118. Has Tepper ever commented on his willingness, or lack of willingness, to give to Pitt athletics?

    I think that there is a link between Narduzzi’s reputation as a player’s coach, the huge number of penalties, and his reluctance to make game adjustments. He seems to think that the players will make these adjustments by themselves. They are given way too much latitude for in game adjustments, which don’t happen.

    Then, when things go South, he doesn’t impose any consequences on them. I’m going to look at the upcoming game starting units to see if any previous starter is sitting. No consequences, no change, with the insanity rule fully applying here.

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