in Pitt Football 483 Words

ROAD WARRIORS 

The good, the bad & the ugly  11/ 28/21

Last night in Syracuse, the Pitt football team remained unbeaten on the road for 2021. The next two games will be away from Heinz Field, on the road, setting the stage for a possible 12-2 season. But first, we must review what was good, bad and ugly about yesterday’s game day.

Good:

Another November win giving Pitt 10 in the regular season for the first time since Dan Marino played for the Panthers. Kenny Pickett’s four TD passes to tie Dan Marino’s career total of 79.  Our defense held the ‘Cuse RB Sean Tucker (#5 nationally in total yards) to 29 yards on 13 carries. If you remove his longest run of 10 yards, he had 19 yards on 12 carries. That’s not just good, that is outstanding.

Jordan “Air” Addison with 11 catches and two TD’s and an electrifying punt return. Kicker Sam Scarton was quietly perfect last night – one FG and four extra point kicks.  Five sacks by the defense – HC Pat Narduzzi has only lost once at Pitt when the D recorded five or more sacks in a game.

The TE’s with 11 catches and one TD. More, more, more…  Four of our LB’s leading the team in tackles vs ‘Cuse, lead by my favorite Cam Bright. Pittsburgh local DE Hayes with two sacks and two and a half TFL. Walk-on DE Maloney with half a sack and he looked like he belonged on the field. There (now) is no possible way Pitt can lose five games this season – state penn lost their fifth game of the regular season yesterday.

Bad:

Another slow start by our players and coaches. Can’t happen next week.  A game-interrupting trip to the hospital for an older family member. I’m writing this on fumes… Not running the ball on 2nd or 3rd downs when we only needed one or two yards. The run game was and has been working in the second half of this season. Pickett’s INT – I was calling for a run as it was working and we were moving methodically down the field, killing the clock. I believe we won’t like any INT’s by our QB next week.

Ugly:

The safety position without Hill in the game because of his fitst half targeting sentencing. The men’s basketball loss and the overall condition of that program. Questionable ACC refereeing, TV coverage and camera angles.

From the Trib: “The victory marked the first time in 40 years that Pitt won 10 games before a bowl. It also was Pat Narduzzi’s 52nd in seven seasons, tying him with Walt Harris for the second-most victories by a Pitt coach in the past 56 years.”

Pitt cured Polio and invented CPR, among other things – now it is time to cure cancer AND COVID, at the same time that we win an ACC championship.

H2P!

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307 thoughts on “ROAD WARRIORS ”

  2. The good, win number 10, escaping from Syracuse without any major injuries. The Panthers rotated a lot of players last evening.

    The bad, sluggish start, questionable offensive play calling.

    The ugly, The Carrier Dome.

    Onto Charlotte to claim the ACC Championship.

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  3. A peak at next week’s match-up from the BleacherReport – Alex Ballentine:

    “The real interesting matchup to watch will be how much Pitt wants to lean on the ground game. The (W_F) Deacs are 113th in yards allowed per rush and have given up over 200 yards a game (on the ground). It could be a big day for running back Vincent Davis (Izzy & Hammond).”

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  4. I think you are too tough on the safeties. Both Petrishen and Tallandier made some important plays.
    Hard to be perfect at their positions.
    Great to see Hayes coming on. Going to be needed next year.

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  8. Since I woke up this morning and Pitt was still 10 and 2, I decided to be magnanimous. Even to the point of complimenting our neighbors to the east and south. So here goes:

    I think PSU is the best 5 loss team around, and I think WVU is the best 6 loss team around

    There!

    Sent from my iPhone

    >

    Liked by 10 people

  10. Incredible season for this Pitt team.

    A team comprised mostly of three-star recruits led by a Heisman-worthy QB.

    This season was proof despite the WMU loss that the OOC should be three easy, 1 tough game to stack wins.

    The team appears to be really banged up. Not sure how much is in the tank for next Saturday night but it is going to be great to watch.

    Imagine going through another 7-5 season with the hoops team in the state that it is in. I hope those who just want a clean program get their butts to The Pete because those kids need as much support as possible. There will be less than 300 people at a game at some point this season. Just a complete embarrassment for the university and the school leaders have failed yet again with an important sport.

    Get that Narduzzi extension ready. He has earned it and is needed to guide this program through some difficult schedules coming up. Without more outstanding QB play, reaching eight wins is going to be quite the accomplishment.

    Liked by 3 people

  12. Per bowl projections, if Pitt wins they go to the Peach bowl, if they lose the Gator. It’s just a projection for now.

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  13. NateB, FYI. Next year’s OCS is WVU, Tennessee, and the visiting our friends at Western Mich

    Then, unlike this season, the easy league games are at home while Pitt must play at Miami, UNC, Virginia and Louisville

    Last time we won 10 games, the HC was fired after the following season. Just sayin’

    Sent from my iPhone

    >

    Liked by 2 people

    2. By the way your Syracuse prediction was off the mark. A slow start was all and seems to be a theme.

      Should be plenty of adrenaline to prevent it next week.

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  14. PN will get an extension, but Heather can’t make it ridiculously long. PN should demand more assistant coach money and facility upgrades.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Didn’t we just get a bundle of money donated for facility upgrades? Figuring out how to get more bodies in Heinz might be a better option for Pitt going forward. How about offering 15,000 seats per game for local high school kids to attend at a $1 per game on some of our less than exciting named games.

      Liked by 1 person

      1. The only cure for attendance is consistently winning … year over year … probably need 5-10 years of consistent 10-11 win seasons. It’s the only cure. There is no fix besides that. None. Wasting money on attendance is the dumbest thing Pitt could do … just focus on upgrading, staying modern and WINNING.

        Liked by 1 person

  15. Thank, Erie. Hope everything is okay with your family member.

    Good – made it thru the season without seeing the “ “alternative” unis…😊

    Hoping Izzy staying home was just a precautionary move. I heard someone say that Drexel was in uniform but was held out…

    Love reaching 10 wins. Could easily have lost to UNC and UVA, but somehow finding a way to win games you could have easily lost is the key to successful seasons…

    Go Pitt.

    Liked by 3 people

  16. The good. Everything. Pitt won when expected to win and got number 10. No more injuries. Tons of players got playing time.

    Wake’s QB does a lot of damage when he gets outside the pocket. Pitt’s DEs have to keep him contained. Pressure will be a key.
    Pitt needs to plat 5 DBs, three LBs will get picked apart.

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  17. So, can someone explain to me, did Coach Borbely suddenly learn how to coach the Oline better?

    Missing the complaints this season on him. And it seems that the QB coming to the sideline for play-calls was tolerated much better this season. 🤔

    I’m expecting Coach Borbs job and the QB coming to the sideline to once again be prime topics of discussion by irate Pitt fans next season…

    Go Pitt.

    Liked by 4 people

  18. Wake has the same formula as Pitt, outscore the other guy.
    Let’s hope our defense is up to the challenge and our offense is off to a fast start.

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  19. Thanks Rick. My guess refs will be awarded this game based on individual work or the best team work or a team from outside the ACC. Whatever, less calls and a let them play attitude sometimes is best. ACC tends to protect players more and that is fine. Replays with many angles and extra cameras can level the field. Suspect that we will be the visiting team in this game. Though to mention that we are a northern team but I guess I did mention it anyway. H2P

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  20. The transfer portal for Pitt this off season will be busy, both coming and going. I see more than a few players gently nudged onward, especially if scholarships are reduced to pre-Covid 85.
    Will give us much fodder as men’s hoops is no longer worth discussing.
    Then again, women’s basketball might be a shining beacon in a cold, gray winter.

    H2P

    Liked by 1 person

  21. Saw this: James Franklin’s record against Ohio State, Mich. and Mich. State in his 8 year tenure fell to 7-17.

    Maybe not surprising against OS, but the Mich. teams have not exactly been juggernauts…

    Go Pitt.

    Liked by 1 person

  22. OK, this is way OT, but interesting. Wake Forest was originally located in Wake Forest NC, which is about 100 miles east on Winston-Salem. For various reason in the mid-1900’s, folks in Winston-Salem sought to acquire (i.e., buy) the school and move it. They received substantial support from the Reynolds family foundation. Some of this was good business sense. Lots of it was ego-driven.

    And, really way OT. I slept in R J Reynolds’ bed. With my wife, not RJ. 🙂 A friend of ours lives in Winston-Salem and is a RJ descendant. As you may guess, she smokes.

    pmdH2P

    Liked by 3 people

    1. Stayed at the Kimpton which is the old RJR headquarters. Very nice. Will be my go to on the way to Myrtle from now on.

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    3. More OT. Are there any places that have smoking sections in restaurants? I think the last time I saw one maybe was in WV 10 years ago.

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    4. Wake Forest is in Wake county. Same as Raleigh. I heard it was just about moving to a place with fewer competing universities.

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  23. Here’s an interesting factoid about the number of possessions in a college football game…

    “Some methodical teams will often average around 11 or 12 possessions per game while faster, more explosive offenses can be upwards of 16 or 17 possessions per game.”

    Which seems to imply that to keep up with WF, we better score TDs on at least half of our possessions.

    But no pressure, Kenny…. 😊

    Go Pitt.

    Liked by 1 person

  25. Wake Forest is an outlier in Power 5 football. Wake has only 5200 undergrads, excellent academics, a team composed of 3 * players and a coaching staff that is not at the upper end of the inflated pay scale……I want to destroy Wake and move on to have a chance at tapping the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow, however, it is heartwarming to know. that we are playing a clean program …..may the best team win.

    Liked by 6 people

    1. How de we know anybody is clean or isn’t? What does that mean exactly? I am curious about this because it is perfectly legal to pay players out in the open now through NIL. I really shake my head when I read about dirty programs. The rules changed and are about to change again with a new constitution making its way to the AD soon.

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  26. Kenny now third in the Heisman odds at 16-1.

    The top eight Heisman candidates, according to BetMGM’s odds:

    Alabama QB Bryce Young: 1-2
    Ohio State QB C.J. Stroud: 9-2
    Pittsburgh QB Kenny Pickett: 16-1
    Michigan State RB Kenneth Walker III: 20-1
    Ole Miss QB Matt Corral: 25-1
    Michigan DE Aidan Hutchinson: 25-1
    Georgia DT Jordan Davis: 40-1
    Cincinnati QB Desmond Ridder: 50-1

    H2P!!!

    Liked by 2 people

    1. Shame, had the Auburn RB stayed in bounds and kept the clock running. Bama’s Young would have had his Heisman campaign ended. as he had less than 200 yards and 0 T’d’s with less than 2 minutes in the game. And he was only like 16 for 28 with a interception.

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  27. Wake’s new athletic support building that they opened a few years ago is gorgeous. Weight rooms, offices and meeting rooms for watching film, nutrition station ( HUGE room) all first class. Really helps with recruiting.

    Liked by 1 person

  28. This has been a great season for Pitt football based on the last several decades. I never thought a Narduzzi and Whipple coached team would reach 10 wins in the regular season. I am glad they proved me wrong. I suggest we all just enjoy the ride for the rest of the season.

    Pickett is a very good quarterback but Addison is a GREAT receiver who deserves the Fred Biletnikoff Award without a doubt. He is a Larry Fitzgerald class talent.

    Tonight at 8:30 PM the NCAA will announce the selections for the Women’s Volleyball tournament. The selections can be seen live on ESPNU. Pitt has a chance at being a top 4 seed which would allow them to host two rounds of the tournament. Based on the fact they lost to Louisville this past Wednesday and Kayla Lund did not play, the committee may downgrade our Panthers to a lower seed. Pitt should be rated no lower than 6.

    If Kayla Lund is not available for the first weekend on the tournament, Pitt should still be able to win the first two matches of the tournament. If she is not available for the second weekend, we are going to be in big trouble. In my opinion, Kayla has had some sort of injury all season as she has not been playing up to her normal standards.

    Liked by 2 people

  29. No bail needed … we made it home.
    Left after last Pitt FG. Thought it was a workmanlike effort by Pitt.
    Pitt can always stop the run !

    Hail to Pitt!

    Liked by 1 person

  30. Hard to believe it’s so hard to win 10 games in a year for most teams in the country…one would think the pendulum would swing ones way… gotta be dedicated to winning.

    Pieces finally in place and Duzz more mature, 10 wins and we all catch a buzz. Duzz is knocking down big pesos but he has earned an extension… maybe pass any big increase onto deserving assistants…I will eat crow after joining the chorus for change and say keep this staff…

    Syracuse played in a lot of tight games and nearly beat our next opponent. I expected them to play PITT tough… 1st long drive for an Orangemen TD was not unexpected… they had a week to game plan vs PITT’s tendencies and it worked..PITT would go on to control the tempo and stop a very good Cuse RB cold.

    Our center last night did a great job on snaps- put’m all right on target. Drexel has been a little “ iffy” on too frequent an occasion over the last few games. OL has done a great job with plugging guys in when someone got injured… warriors…western Pa toughness on display ( no matter where they come from)

    I have come to love the “flea!” He shows up every game and gives 100%. He plays with hi head on his shoulders and doesn’t make mistakes… consummate team player.

    My prayers were answered ..Blue Mountain Bart got some touches… he knows what to do when he gets his hands on the ball.. on that one play he when he was attacking and knocking down several defenders I had a flashback to Bruce Orping laying out 4-5 Redwings on the ice during the Cup series several years ago..go out and recruit a couple of more like him….

    Great week-end starting with a visit with Iek and Angie…arrived by Fran’s for a beer…. Cutting our Christmas trees in Elderton( my 1st job was trimming Christmas trees paying $1.60/hr) great dinner at DeNunzios in Jeanette… owner Tony DeNunzio sitting at the bar in his PSU garb and me in my PITT shirt watching the Nits lose in the SNOW… seeing houses decorated in the Christmas spirit.. listening to Christmas music …watching the PANTHERS get #10 at RICKS Sports Bar in Murrysville and watching it SNOW… gotta love global cooling… Mom’s in the hospital so I write from her room as she sleeps… hopefully, we get her out in a day or two.. I am truly blessed.. almost 70 years old and still have me mom…

    Trip to Charlotte planned … oh boy are we gonna have fun… I enjoy a PITT away game…guarantee you the PANTHERS will be well represented and vocal!!! Keep playing like they have the past couple of games and we win…

    Liked by 12 people

    3. lol, Biggie, it was Syracuse….let’s not get too far over our skies.

      Look at the records of the coastal teams. That in and of itself should dampen any extension talk.

      Sad to say, but the virus was the best thing that happened to pitt football since the POV

      Like

    1. Yep, that was when the Wolfpack’s QB was ACC record holder for passing yards….Philip Rivers.
      And Chuckie Amato was HC,

      Kenny will finish 2nd in the ACC Record books behind Rivers.

      Liked by 1 person

  33. As reported by Pitt FB:

    Kenny Pickett is the only QB in ACC history with 4,000+ pass yards, 40+ pass TD in the first 12 games of a season.

    ACC Football dates back to 1953.

    Kenny Pickett is the FIRST QB EVER to post those numbers. EVER.

    #H2P » @HeismanTrophy

    Liked by 10 people

    1. From PSN:

      ACC QBs with 4,000+ yards and 40+ TD passing in a season:

      Jameis Winston, 2013
      Deshaun Watson, 2016
      Kenny Pickett, 2021

      Editor’s note: KP8 has 2 game left to play. Winston and Watson needed their postseason games to accomplish these numbers. Kenny did it before the postseason.

      Liked by 5 people

      1. Erie, are you shocked that no ACC QB established the record from 1675 AD until the last few years? Most teams probably ran 85% of the time until the early 2000’s. (PS, I did no research on that number).

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      1. could move up 3 spots if we win, oregon loses, baylor loses and iowa loses. Three distinct possibilities. Than, positioned for top 10 with a bowl win. Doable.

        I think we beat WF because of our D line putting pressure on him. He does not play tall and does not have a real strong arm….but i only watched him for about a half. He didn’t do well with pressure applied.

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  35. OT… Tis true, Angie and myself received a nice visit from MR Biggie bad back and all. As always Biggie bearing gifts. Great seafood and a poster. hmmm? The poster was a gift from my brothers and sisters down at Red-5A with all the folks signing their names and giving encouragement. Thank You friends, the gift will be going in a frame and put on the game-room wall. Not the scallops and shrimp though.

    For the record, I never said Narduzzi would win ten games, nope, but I never said he wouldn’t win 10 games either. << Right JoeL 🙂

    Liked by 11 people

    1. Ike. I thought 10 wins this year but my losses were Virginia and UNC. Right and wrong, oh well waiting for Pitt to give me conformation on my ACC Companionship tickets, Got air and hotel booked, on to Charlotte!

      Liked by 1 person

      1. Way to go with the 10 wins Warren. Glad you didn’t predict a loss to UWM. Someone asked me if you’re from Warren Ohio or Pa. My fading memory says PA with a caveat at that.

        Bring home a win WP, maybe next year our worlds will collide once more. Take great are buddy.

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  36. OT – I’ve been saying the Steelers should tank for a couple years to get some good draft picks.

    They appear to be on schedule…

    Tyler Boyd playing well today.

    Go Pitt.

    Liked by 2 people

  37. Uncle Iek, glad you liked the poster.
    The idea came from Major Majors…took 2 home games to get all the signatures.
    Biggie is at the top of the list of generous people I know.
    See some of yinz in Charlotte…oh yeah, Scooter will be in da house.

    Liked by 5 people

  38. Biletnikoff Award Finalist Stats after yesterday’s games per ESPN

    Name. REC. YDS. AVE. LNG. TD

    J.Addison Pitt. 85 1,353 15.9 67 17

    J.Williams Ala. 61 1,261 20.7 94 13

    D.Bell Pur 87 1,207 13.9 60 5

    Liked by 7 people

  41. Iek, you may have been the only one here to not have Duzz fired after the Western Michigan game. We need to keep the faith

    Sent from my iPhone

    >

    Liked by 4 people

  44. Coaches on the move:

    Duke and coach David Cutcliffe have mutually agreed to part ways, the school announced Sunday.

    Lincoln Riley leaving Oklahoma for USC.

    Billy Napier the new coach at Florida.

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    1. I figured Cutcliffe would end it this year… a good and descent man and good coach … did a lot of good for Duke… I will never forget the letter he wrote to James Vonner when #24 was battling cancer

      Liked by 4 people

    1. I know you say that tongue and cheek. Supposedly Duzz and his wife like Pittsburgh and have family in Youngstown, so the region fits them well.

      The pay is not bad either.

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  48. Duzz is pretty darn comfy in the current environment and with his blue collar roots I would lay money that Duzz can manage his lifestyle on ‘$4.8 million a year…

    On a side note: We had a celebration of life service for my nephew and his Dad who both passed this past year… I was reading the signatures in the guest book when I came across “Mike Narduzzi, Hail toPITT.” I know Duzz had an uncle in New Kensington who died a couple of years ago… he has some family here I guess…

    “ Just win Pat”… put 2-10 win seasons back to back and you become a “ legacy coach” one for the PITT record BOOKS.

    Liked by 4 people

  49. WF HC Dave Clawson grew up a Pitt fan as his dad is an alum.

    AJ Davis transferred to James Madison where he will play for OC Mike Shanahan

    Sent from my iPhone

    >

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    1. Good stuff.

      The cuse RB is now ranked 4th in the nation. Good D by Pitt last night on stopping the run.

      Like

      1. More FB related news items:

        Our pre-season All-American Aussie punter is ranked 90th out of 130.

        Our walk-on place kicker from Erie County, PA is ranked 38th. (16 for 19 in FG’s)

        Liked by 1 person

        1. Kangaroo changed his punting style this year….takes a lot shorter swipe at the football. Almost like a soccer goalie.

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    2. Good move for AJ Davis… chance to play and a great education..best wishes…Hope we get to see you carry the ball in the air FCS championship games in the future.

      Liked by 2 people

  50. https://www.google.com/search?q=charlotte+7+day+forecast&source=hp&ei=7QikYZ_TMpmrtQafh4uQAg&oq=charlotte+7+day+forecast&gs_lcp=ChFtb2JpbGUtZ3dzLXdpei1ocBADMggIABCABBDJAzIFCAAQgAQyBggAEBYQHjIGCAAQFhAeMgYIABAWEB4yBQghEJIDMgUIIRCSAzIFCCEQkgM6BAgpEEc6AggpOgsIKRCABBDHARCvAToFCCkQgAQ6DggAEI8BEOoCEIwDEOUCOgUIABCRAjoLCAAQgAQQsQMQgwE6EAguELEDEIMBEMcBENEDEEM6CAgAELEDEIMBOg4ILhCABBCxAxDHARCjAjoKCC4QxwEQrwEQQzoECAAQQzoECC4QQzoKCAAQkQIQRhCAAjoHCAAQsQMQQzoICAAQsQMQkQI6CwguEIAEELEDEIMBOggILhCABBCxAzoNCAAQsQMQkQIQRhCAAjoRCC4QgAQQsQMQgwEQxwEQowI6CwguEIAEEMcBEK8BOgUIIRCgAToFCCEQqwJQvQtY3GBgnmZoAXAAeACAAcYBiAHeFJIBBDE1LjmYAQCgAQGwAR7IAR4&sclient=mobile-gws-wiz-hp

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  53. Per 247Sports:

    Jeff Hafley reaffirms his commitment to Boston College, says he’s not planning on leaving

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  54. Per Sports Illustrated yesterday:

    Wake Forest, Dave Clawson Sign Long-Term Extension With ACC Championship in Sight

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    1. One of the factors in Clawson’s extension was his request for upgrades for the salaries of his assistants.

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    1. According to Biggie’s forecast above it looks like Wednesday in Charlotte should be around RCABBDHARCvAToFCCkQgAQ6DggAEI8BEOoCEIwDEOUCOgUIABCRAjoLCAAQgAQQs, so maybe take your umbrella if you’re down in Charlotte.

      Liked by 4 people

  57. With Mel Tucker getting $9.5M per year and James Franklin making $7.5M, I would be very surprised if Coach Duzz is not at least $6M within a couple of weeks.

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    1. I hope Pitt keeps the HC salary increases modest but have good incentive bonuses tied to the number of wins. Plus hopefully do enough to keep the assistants.

      Those other salaries are just ridiculous…

      Go Pitt.

      Liked by 3 people

      1. I agree with MajorMajors – incentives to win, modest base salary, but big bonuses when reaching milestones. Past performances are not indicative of future win totals.

        Responsible and accountable for the spend.

        I’d also build in a low buyout in case past poor performances creep in to future results.

        Let’s hope the coaches and team are focusing on W_F and the ACC championship game.

        Speaking of that game – the FieldTurf surface on the Truist Stadium that the Deacons call their on campus home is the same surface on the Bank of America Stadium that the ACC championship will be played on this Saturday. In 2018, that same field in Charlotte had a natural grass surface when Pitt was pummeled by Clemson in the championship game.

        Liked by 1 person

      2. My former corporate self would agree with you, MM. Like others here, I spent a career under the pay for performance model, past performance. I believe the college athletic system now uses a “perceived potential” payment model. And if a school that insists on only rewarding past performance is competing against the others who are paying based on perceived potential, they will always be sniffing the other dog’s behind.

        Liked by 3 people

        1. Perceived potential….now there’s a model. Sounds like buying Futures or Options.

          But these schools are so flush with money from these TV contracts….what do they care.

          And they’re acting like it.

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      3. No way. You can’t be cheap. It’s not our money so who cares how much he makes. Invest in your people. Spend away and buy him out if he sucks. Like everyone does. Overpaying, gets Pitt on the coaching radar … coaches will look at Pitt as a destination if they see them paying well regardless of results. Throw as much money as you can and worry about the consequences later. NCAA football is Monopoly money … boosters will step up if they want him out. No matter his salary.

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        1. I think you’d have to say that Pitt is already paying well “regardless of results.” Five million a year for a football coach is hardly being cheap.

          Nine or ten million a year for a FB Coach is ridiculous…

          I guess the good news is that if money is no issue, then Coach Capel should be gone shortly…

          Go Pitt.

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          1. 20ish … but you have to go higher for an extension. And it took him 6 years to get to top 20. He was around 40 the previous year.

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  58. Just received notification from Ticketmaster Saturday’s game moved from 3:30 to 8:00… I don’t know if that’s a good thing or bad thing… what I do know- it makes for one heckuva loooong party!!!!!

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    1. ACC Championship game has always been on Saturday night…as far as I can remember.

      Pitt’s ticket dept. lol

      The tickets will be much cheaper later in the week….like 1/2 price or less.

      Liked by 1 person

      2. Hopefully the Pitt ticket site will give me my tickets pretty soon. I almost booked on Ticketmaster to make sure I got them early but thought I would give Pitt the chance to earn seat credit!

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    1. I ask my questions out of curiosity and make my points from an entertainment standpoint.

      Being a former college athlete on scholarship, I can tell you losing wasn’t fun and improvement was hard work.

      Living in fear is not in my handbook and fear of failure is for losers.

      I’m not sure where your comments are directed, but maybe it is towards those who think we need to throw money at Duzz to keep him. He ain’t going anywhere, to the disappointment of some of us. His game day blunders are being smoothed over this season by Kenny’s ability to lead through the bad coaching decisions.

      Next year, we’ll see, won’t we. Until then, I’m enjoying the ride to hopefully an ACC championship.

      Go Pitt!

      Liked by 3 people

      2. Exactly, game day blunder #1 on Saturday was when he went for it on a 4th and 4 from the Case 43 yard line in the 1st Q already down 7 zip. What was he saying other than he didn’t trust his defense to stop the Case from going down the field on any punt inside the Case 20? That was a high risk gamble(blunder) much too early in the game IMO

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  61. Speaking of incentives, wonder what Duzz got for winning Coastal? And what he’ll get for winning on Saturday

    Sent from my iPhone

    >

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  64. Lincoln Riley to USC is a slap in the face to OU. The obvious conclusion, Riley wanted no parts of the SEC. PAC10 success is much easier. He wussed out.

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    1. Agree….he doesn’t leave if Okie’s stay in the Big 12. Although I think I’d rather live on the beach in Socal than Norman, Oklahoma. And have another place in Palm Springs or Lake Tahoe.

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    2. Bingo – he knows he can dominate the PAC12 with USC talent just like he did in the BIG12.

      He ain’t no dummy. The SEC will be brutal on the Lone Star team and the Sooners.

      Although a good coach should be able to win wherever he or she lands.

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  65. WTF? 500 points

    https://www.espn.com/college-football/story/_/id/32682865/ap-top-25-college-football-poll-reaction-next-ranked-team
    X factor: QB Sam Hartman. Wake Forest has truly been outstanding on offense this season, and it all starts with Hartman, who has accounted for 44 total touchdowns this year. Wake Forest has scored over 500 points this season for the first time in school history. Only Clemson and Florida State have hit that mark in the ACC.

    .
    .
    uh, Pitt(from the ACC) has scored 514 points this year too,,,,, so NOT only Clemson and FSU and now WF

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    1. Noticed yesterday evening after Pitt won. not a peep or a story of Pitt hitting 10 wins….on ESPN’s
      NCAAF home page.

      And now that sleight of not mentioning Pitt scored 514 points this year in that story you noted.
      Wake has scored 1 more point than us…at 515.

      These are obviously intentional sleights by ESPN and their Syracuse/uconn laden staff.

      Like

  66. Pitt should move up to either No. 14 or No. 15 when the CFP rankings come out.

    Since these teams lost who were ahead of us.

    Paulie’s Badgers (definite)
    Jimbo’s Aggies (definite)
    Soon to be USC’s Lincoln’s Sooners (possible but not likely)

    Pitt’s 2 losses were by a combined 7 points.

    Liked by 3 people

  67. and no mention of Addison in same article under the Pitt blurb:

    What’s next: ACC championship game vs. Wake Forest (Saturday, 8 p.m. ET)

    X factor: QB Kenny Pickett. Pitt is only as good as Pickett is, and he was the player they needed him to be against Syracuse. The Heisman contender finished with 209 yards passing, four touchdowns and just one interception.

    .
    .
    fu ESPN, that’s practically bulletin board material 😦

    Liked by 1 person

    2. Heather and EJ will make sure Pitt gets plenty of good press this week leading up to the ACC championship. 😉

      If I’m the players and coaches, I turn off social media, the TV and radio. The focus should be on the game plan and film study that will help Pitt FB beat the W_F Deacons. Oh, and there are the college classes that that need to be attended – this ain’t UNC.

      Liked by 1 person

      1. Catch a few passes, cross the goal-line for a couple of TD’s and win the game. ESPN will have no choice but to talk about you as a top 12 team.

        Like

        1. More likely…..they will continue to mock the ACC. No Top 10 teams and no sellout at the Championship game.

          Like

  68. Inversion World Continues. Oklahoma is now a ‘Stepping Stone’ job.

    And Pitt is a destination job…..just ask Duzz !!

    Riley became the first Oklahoma coach to leave for another college football job since 1946. Every other Sooners coach since then had either retired, been fired or — in the case of Jim Mackenzie — died on the job. That’s the definition of a destination gig.

    Riley sort of used Oklahoma as a stepping stone. That’s a necessary realization as Sooners faithful treat their wounds and attempt to heal their injured pride. But who can blame any 38-year-old — in the prime of his career with the prospect of upward mobility — for making such a calculated move? The difference is that, in the real world with a hedge fund maven or corporate real estate titan, they at least give two weeks’ notice.

    Like

  69. Pitt women’s volleyball team earn the #3 seed and will host the #1 and 2 rounds
    Friday and Saturday. If we win on Friday we will play Penn State if they win their game too. Game time set at 7 pm.

    Wouldn’t ya know I have to attend an anniversary party on Sat night so I’ll miss both football and volleyball. Would it be in bad taste to watch one of them on my phone under the table?????
    H2P!

    Liked by 5 people

  70. Hopefully knowing your love of all things Pitt, Annie, they will have a TV at the event for you or understand your need for an early exit! Our company Christmas party (pre Covid) was the night of Pitt’s last appearance in the ACC FB championship.

    Liked by 1 person

      1. Whoops…that was a 3 seed overall…so that’s good…after being ranked 3rd. Was thinking of how the basketball teams are seeded 1 thru 4 for each region.

        Liked by 1 person

  73. ND 11-1 sitting on the sideline this Saturday. No conference championship. They could be in Charlotte if they were in the ACC for FB. At least we will be on Comcast on ABC.

    Like

    1. Really a Double-edged sword here. While it would be good for the conference if ND came in for football as they did last year.

      It would not probably be good for Pitt. As if 2 teams came in, one being ND…..they would most likely be put in our Coastal Division.

      Like

  74. Loved how the 3 Major Schools in Florida did this season.

    T_ _ _ U 7-5
    Florida 6-6
    Florida State 5-7

    Them being down….is good for Pitt’s Recruiting of the Sunshine State.

    Like

    1. Shame on those FL schools for having those records with all the talent that surrounds them.

      Shows how tough it is finding the right Coach.

      Go Pitt.

      Like

  75. Saw where AJ Davis is transferring to James Madison. Good move by him.

    AJ should do well there – would have done well here if he were a step quicker…

    Go Pitt.

    Like

  76. Farmers, I wonder at what point does a head coach lose that “perceived potential “ mantra? Franklin’s star power must have lost it’s shine by now. Will he suddenly start beating OSU and Michigan? I’m betting he doesn’t last his entire contract..

    Liked by 2 people

    1. Yes….but performance in Inversion World isn’t that imperative anymore.

      More importantly, he checks off several boxes.

      Like

    2. That one was a head-scratcher for me, VOR. I have to assume that the PSU admin hopes that if he keeps bringing in top 5 recruiting classes, he’ll eventually have a top 5 team. Even more perplexing is that LSU or USC would be interested in Franklin. That doesn’t pass the smell test. Likely some agent gamesmanship going on there.

      And contract-wise, I think we are in an era where no coach works through his entire contract. Can’t recruit when you have 3, 2, or 1 year remaining. But 10 year contracts? Why not just make it lifetime contracts? Crazy times we’re living in.

      Liked by 1 person

  77. To say that Pitt’s win over Syracuse was “workman like” would be an understatement. Was it just me or did it feel like Pitt had this game in hand from the kickoff, even when ‘Cuse drove 75 yars for their first TD.

    The biggest win in my books was that they came out apparently healthy with Izzy and Drexel getting a rest and Hill only playing for a half. Maybe Drexel is better at calling out assignments and blocking, but I thought that Zubovic did the best job of consistently snapping the ball to KP8 that I’ve seen all year.

    I hope that WMG doesn’t get it in his head that we have to outscore WF to win. The gameplan Clemson used was the best way to beat a team that relies almost entirely on scoring to win. 54 rushing attempts for 333 yards and 20 passing attempts for 210 yards. With TOP 34 to 26 mins. Hartman is helpless on the sideline.

    Alas, this is only a pipe dream and I’m confident WMG will never make that kind of commitment to the run game. This means that the pressure on Pitt’s DBs will be intense and the pass rush needs to keep both pressure and containment in mind on every play. Hartman is very accurate and I can see a ton of PI calls against Pitt. Also they have really tall WRs which will be a handful for M Williams and friends.

    Right now the weather in Charlotte does not appear to be a factor.

    I’m trying to stay confident, but it’s never easy when you’re a Pitt fan. H2P!!!

    Liked by 2 people

    1. Excellent post, it is hard to argue with success. Whipple has definitely gotten the most mileage out of his two premier players and that is why they are up for awards. It makes for compelling, exciting football and who can argue with 10 wins?
      Obviously Whipple cares about scoring fast and furious and really could care less about keeping the defense on the sideline.
      But how many times have we seen the success of the offense when you have a few good runs sprinkled in with the spectacular passing game. It was Hammond that got the offense started against Syracuse after it sputtered with the early screens, although they worked fine later in the game.
      How many times have teams got back in the game because Pitt stays in hurry up mode when the clock is the enemy.
      But hoping for Whipple to change his offensive approach is like hoping that Narduzzi will change his defensive approach, it is just not going to happen and no matter what happens on Saturday it is pretty hard to argue that if it ain’t broke you don’t fix it.

      Most likely it will be a high scoring shoot-out, to win Pitt will need to score early and often and our defense will have to stop them more than theirs stops ours or we stop ourselves.

      But like you I would like to see some long controlled Panther drives, with more than a few 3 and outs caused by our defense.

      Liked by 2 people

  78. Yep, that’s a pipe dream as Pitt will live and die with its passing game. Whipple isn’t going to take the ball out of KP’s hands now regardless of what the Clemson game showed. And our running game isn’t strong enough yet to look for that scenario to take effect anytime soon.

    Liked by 1 person

  79. JoeL,
    Packing up Scooters Pinto with beer and Cheetos for the road trip to Charlotte.
    Not sure where our seats are but not in club seats.
    Upper deck 500 area i think.
    I know the 2 Mikes from Red5a are going also.
    Sounds like BigB is in…
    Ought to be fun!

    Liked by 2 people

    1. Just imagining whether Scooter’s Pinto is painted Pitt Royal Blue or Pitt Royal Yellow…. 🤔

      Hail to Scooter!

      Go Pitt.

      Like

        1. Tell him to stick to the speed limit when passing through Summersville, WV…. speed traps and they will gleefully lighten the wallets of Pitt fans heading to CLT. 😉

          Liked by 1 person

        2. Walt, I had a 76 Pinto wagon when I was stationed at Camp Lejeune ( Got rid of a 72 Mach 1 after I decided I wanted to live at least to 21). We would get a bunch of Marines and a keg of beer and at night push and lift it over the dunes out at Onslow Beach and drive up and down the beach (illeagle of course) and drink. My wife and I are coming, land at 2:30 will go check in and catch an Uber to the stadium around 3 – 3:30 I will look for you.

          Like

  82. So Wake’s OOC included Old Dominion, Norfolk St., Army and UNC. Interesting that they would play an ACC team as an OOC. So that loss did not count as an ACC loss. In any case another reason a soft OOC is best.
    Total wins are what matters. Pitt playing WVU and Tennessee next year is the height of stupidity, hubris and like shooting yourself in the foot. C’mon Heather, wise up.
    Those soft tune-up games are needed for wins and to allow a team to iron out wrinkles and prepare for conference play. They also help with rankings. The physical nature of playing two P-5 teams can also be a problem.
    Anyway only UNC and Clemson beat Wake this year, they are very good, their strength is their QB and two big strong wide outs who are tough to cover and have great hands, going to be a real challenge as is their unorthodox exchange between QB and Running Back. Clemson’s D-line was able to blow them up. UNC was a shoot-out.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. How about 2023: WVU, Cincinnati and Notre Dame in the OOC. Pitt loses a ton of defensive linemen after the 2022 season and most likely Addison to the NFL. Hopefully, there is a returning QB to help balance things out.

      Heather needs to buy out Cincy ASAP and replace it with USF or another tomato can.

      Like

  85. Pitt not only plays WVU next year ..

    In 23 —. WVU and Cincinnati and ND

    In 24 — WVU and Cincy

    In 25 —. WVU and ND

    In 26 and 27 — Wisc

    As many of you are aware, most of these were scheduled well in advance, and ND is part of the ACC agreement

    Sent from my iPhone

    >

    Liked by 1 person

  86. Loving the success this year, but I’m actually even more interested to see what happens with this program in 2022. I’m not expecting another 10-win season, but seeing Pitt stagger back to a 6 or 7-win season next year would really kill the momentum generated in 2021. I think it’s pretty pertinent we hit 8 regular season wins next year at the minimum and hopefully get the 9th win in a bowl game.

    We start off 2022 with WVU and Tennessee. If we can beat WVU to start (sellout game most likely), much of that excitement should translate over to the Vols and we could pull a decent crowd for that game as well. Narduzzi teams seemingly feed off the energy from larger crowds. It be nice to finally start to getting 50k regularly in Heinz. I wasn’t expecting those types of crowds this year even if we went 12-0, but I do think the 2021 season can lay some groundwork for next season. I think Pitt fans react well to pre-season hype and that could give fans something to show up for next season. IMO crowd size is the biggest issue when it comes to Pitt’s recruiting and improving that could really create an uptick. If we can over achieve next year and string together two Top 25 seasons in a row, I think it will pay dividends on the recruiting trail. Narduzzi pulling more than one or two 4-5 stars a season and being able to work with that type of talent would be very intriguing for the long term prospects of this program.

    We all know that the Coastal is there for the taking. Being a main stay at the top of the division is what made Ohio State, Clemson, Oklahoma, etc. who they are today. Luckily, we are in a position to do just that and also raise the profile of the ACC with continued success. The ultimate hope would be that our program already holds solid footing before Miami and VT figure it out. Top 25 division match ups of Pitt vs VT or Pitt vs The U is a must if we want fans/recruits to know this is a beacon of big time football. I know PSU fans would probably read this and laugh, but this is what budding programs need to do. And yes, 40 years of mediocrity has leveled the great history we have here. It’s time for Pitt to come back into the fold and even just emulating the success Iowa or Oklahoma State have every few years is fine with me.

    Liked by 7 people

      1. The Steelers just had their WMich and Miami games back to back! They’re done, maybe for years.

        Pitt has nothing but joy and greatness ahead and we’ll stocked for next year.

        Like

      2. That won’t happen as most of the “burgh” have little to no interest in Pitt. The Steelers faithful have been ingrained with the Steelers success since the super bowl wins of the 1970’s.

        Like

        1. For college football…are you suggesting they have more interest in Pedo State or WVCC ?

          Anything can happen……as we’ve seen in more ways than one over the last 2 years.

          I would imagine a great deal of Pittsburgh is somewhat interested in Pitt. As Pitt football games
          get excellent TV ratings. It’s just tough given Pitt’s lack of sustained success, to get them to the games in mass.

          Liked by 1 person

      3. SteelerNation is a cult, the decline will have zero impact on Pitt attendance.

        Winning will put more fair weather Pitt Fans in seats.

        Like

  87. Imagine if Wake still had Kenneth Walker as a running back…he left to go to MSU because he wasn’t starting.
    Averages around 135/ game for Sparty.

    Liked by 2 people

  88. Does anyone know what Izzy’s injury is or (hopefully) was? And, Mack and Barden, any chance they are back for the bowl game?
    pmdH2P

    Like

      1. We think that the announcers actually know? And, I am guessing it is based on the line that they are fed by our folks.
        pmdH2P

        Like

    2. When Izzy went out of his last game, seemed like he was just sitting on the bench for the second half. Not being attended to by anyone.

      Could have been some kind of injury, but made me wonder if he was being benched for some foul-up…
      We’ll never know…

      Go Pitt.

      Like

  89. Winning is the only cure for attendance. Nothing else matters. And … it has to be consistent year over year winning. Probably 5-10 years of winning to be honest. At that point you actually have a successful program and will have a generation or two of Pitt graduates to help with the hype machine plus the currently enrolled student base who only expects winning. That’s it. Everything else is a waste of time.

    To that point, that also means you have to overspend on coaching. Pitt should throw big money at Duzz. It’s Monopoly money anyways. Doesn’t come out of your pockets (unless one of you is a big time booster that I’m unaware of) … Coaching salary has less to do with the actual coach (a former poster is probably rolling over in his grave at that) but more to do with public perception. If Pitt is seen as a school willing to pay their coaches, coaches will line up when it’s time to make a change. Pay the buyout. Who cares about it, if Duzz tanks? But, you’ll have a perception as a school willing to pay to get what it wants. The added bonus is coaching stability for recruiting but that’s on the back burner.

    I hate when I hear attendance complaints and coaching salaries. Lol. Both are irrelevant. Win and both are taken care of. Even if you don’t win, you can still build a reputation as not being cheap … coaches like money. Don’t be cheap. Ever. Just know when to cut bait.

    And … I know … Pitt is not great at fundraising … another problem corrected by winning … we have boosters step up when we need them to. Pitt is fine.

    Give Duzz his big raise. Hold him to bigger expectations. But, you put yourself in play with a new class of coaches the more you spend.

    Liked by 2 people

  90. If we learned anything this year is the best QB usually wins, at least the one that plays the best that day.
    Everything depends on whether one of our QBs steps up next year. That is job one. Job 2 will be getting the lines ready. Hopefully some of the O-line comes back for another year. The D-line should be able to replace some guys as long as Baldonado comes back. One more year in the weight room and he may be a first rounder.

    The other key will be the other ACC teams, Miami VA Tech and UNC failed miserably to live up to their pre-season forecast. VA turned out to be the team to beat. Who knows who will have the hot hand next year?
    Plus who do we get for the crossover, for sure it won’t be Clemson (whew) but there are other tough teams.

    Unless our QB really performs and Whipple lets our running backs run, 8 wins will be a real challenge.

    Like

  91. Pitt’s non-con schedule isn’t only WVCC & Tenn next year. Heather got us into a home & home with
    Western Michigan. (hopefully their QB is gone to NFL, but a covid sophomore)

    I remember some MAC road games that didn’t work out too well. Ohio U & Toledo comes to mind,
    As well as some MAC home games.

    Can’t believe she signed a home & home with a MAC. Hardly anyone does that !

    Like

  92. Sorry folks but not ready to talk about next year.

    Last I saw Mack was in a sling and it didn’t look good for his return for some time. No clue on Barden, but getting Izzy back makes a huge difference. Davis/Hammond are nice compliments, but Izzy is the best combo of both of their talents. It’s a shame that Bradley wasn’t incorporated into the offense as his physique and talent looks really good. He runs like a deer and is smooth.

    As much as I love the human interest story that is Trey Tipton, I wish KP8 would find Bradley open more often and see what he can do with some YAC.

    Leaving for Charlotte on Friday and hopefully driving home on Sunday with a big smile and an aching head, celebrating the biggest win in Pitt’s past 40 years.

    Liked by 4 people

  93. Vegas likes Pitt against the Deacon Blues Boys. Pitt is a 3 point favorite.

    And naturally Vegas is also anticipating a high scoring affair. 72 1/2 is the O/U

    Wake……Call me Deacon Blues

    Liked by 2 people

  97. This made me laugh …

    Liked by 2 people

  98. Holy mackerels Batman er I mean Taxing-Matters, Your comment took me by surprise about next year. I’m still rolling around PITT’s 10-2 season like a cat in catnip and your mind is already in 2022? Lots to talk about next season, lose one or both of these final games and we would already be back to last year here on the POV. Let’s take care of the final business at hand. (Patti will be hard to beat out next year.)

    Liked by 2 people

    1. Ike, did you really miss my point. I said “I’m NOT ready to talk about next year”. I’m all about focus on this year for two more games.

      Like

      1. My bad then Taxing, right, concentrating on this year. Funny thing though, I still feel like one loss and PITT has to back to GO all over again.

        Like

  99. @taxing – perhaps I’ve missed it and everyone else knows but what is the meaning behind the name?

    Thanks.

    Like

    1. Nothing really clever just a double reference to my career and the fact we are talking about Pitt which can be taxing on our cardiac and mental health.

      Liked by 2 people

  101. Kenny Pickett makes it onto the official Heisman ballot….along with 8 other QBs and a host of others.

    Like

  102. And here’s how to help. You can vote everyday!!

    Today, it was made official that Pickett is officially on the 2021 Heisman Trophy ballot and fan vote for this year’s award will help select the four finalists and winner.

    You can help Pickett get the invitation to New York by voting at http://www.nissanheismanhouse.com.

    Liked by 1 person

    3. A Nissan…what. Should be a Caddy or a Lincoln. I think Kenny got a nicer ride from a local dealer.

      Like

    1. That is in Luke Fickell’s neighborhood…..and hey Kelly went from Cincy to ND.

      And Cincy just happened to beat ND as well. My money is on him.

      Liked by 3 people

  107. Post season awards beginning to roll out – PFF All-ACC Team:

    ACC Offensive Player of the Year – Kenny Pickett

    First-Team All-ACC
    QB-Kenny Pickett
    WR-Jordan Addison
    DI-Calijah Kancey

    Second-Team All-ACC
    ED-Habakkuk Baldonado

    Third-Team All-ACC
    TE-Gavin Bartholomew
    LG-Marcus Minor
    RG-Jake Kradel

    Honorable Mentions
    LT-Carter Warren
    LB-Phil Campbell III
    LB-John Petrishen
    CB-Marquis Williams
    CB Damarri Mathis

    Interesting that our two best LB’s are missing (Cam Bright and SirVocea Dennis) – how can that be?

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Glad that Blue Mountain Bart made it….but if he did….where is the Manster Krull…who is the starter and had more receptions.

      Like

  108. Plus Fickell went to HS here.

    St. Francis DeSales High School is located in Columbus, Ohio, United States and is part of the Catholic Diocese of Columbus. The school has an enrollment of over 875 students, in four grade levels.

    Like

      1. Seems like he was waiting….for Kelly to make the move. And I wouldn’t be surprised at all, if it was ‘all in the cards’.

        Like

  110. On the plus side for Pitt…..Fickell most likely won’t be at Cincy when the River City Rivalry renews.

    So they are bound to slip…some.

    Like

    1. On the downside Pickett won’t be the Pitt QB when the River City Rivalry renews. Are we about to slip….some?

      Like

    2. They could still get in this year with 1 loss

      If Cincy loses to Houston.

      Alabama loses to Georgia.

      & OK State loses to Baylor.

      But yea…I know what you’re saying.

      And they’ve downgraded their schedule a bit from before so they realize they must be almost
      perfect to get in. Or at least they’ve schedule teams that are still BIG names but are in down
      cycles. Very smart.

      Like

  113. That may have been an exaggeration although that’s what I read. Whatever it is, Kelly will be highest paid

    Sent from my iPhone

    >

    Like

  115. Tennessee HC Josh Heupel was the former OC at Oklahoma a few years back with Bob Stoops and is reported as a top candidate to replace Lincoln Riley. Interesting to think who might be leading the Vols next season when they visit Heinz Field.

    The dominos are beginning to fall and the dollars are flying.

    Meanwhile, in Pittsburgh, the Panthers are 10-2 and getting ready to play in the ACC championship game. A lot of the conference championship games have much riding on the outcome – SEC GA vs AL / BIG 12 OK ST vs Baylor / BIG Mich vs Iowa / AAC Cinn vs Houston – not so much for the PAC 12 and ACC.

    Many sports commentators have been saying for the past two weeks that the Heisman will be won or lost this weekend. The QB’s from Alabama, Cincinnati and Pitt are the 3 finalists playing on Saturday along with the defensive stars for Georgia and Bama. This is a great stage for KP8 to shine brightly. Blue Mountain Bart and Jordan “Air” Addison would be my go to play calls to start the game – hammer down and never let up. Those three guys will be ready to play.

    H2P!

    Liked by 4 people

  116. ESPN’s FPI has Iowa State at 7-5 and Clemson ranked above PITT…. their words have no credibility with BigB…..

    Chris Peake has pics of Duzz hanging out with students waiting in lune to get tickets…” that a boy Pat… keep it up… we all need more of that… kindness!!!”

    Liked by 4 people

    1. BigB

      I remember when Jamie Dixon brought doughnuts for the kids camped out at the Pete, who wanted to get tickets for some big game. Old memories, obviously.

      Great that the Duzz did a drop by. I hope that the kids told him how much they want him to stay at Pitt.

      pmdH2P

      Liked by 1 person

  118. Thanks to Juggs above for Steely Dan Aja…one of my favorite albums…yes, I have that on vinyl. 😎

    Like

  119. Brian Kelly is 60. These guys are nuts. Take your ND money, buy a mansion wherever you want and dust off the golf bag.

    Like

    1. I said the same thing about Belichick when he was 60. Imagine if he retired and missed out on three more Super Bowl wins. Kelly will coach until his late 60s IMO. These guys are addicts. That’s what you want in your coach, not Doc Carlson, Bob Timmons and Buzz Ridle. Men who thought recruiting was a vile practice. Imagine Pitt hoops from the early 50s to the late 70s with all the talent from the area with a coach who was an addict?

      It could have been the UCLA dynasty before Wooden started his run and making it difficult most years for the rest of the hoops world. Why would Pitt have wanted that?

      Like

      1. Addicted to money, fame, attention, competition, etc. I’ll take my simple family life, LOL and hope I can retire at 62. 😀

        Like

    1. This monster was created by the respective school presidents years ago. It is funny seeing how it comes back to bite them by either losing their coach or having to pay out the wazoo. Imagine Posvar in charge in this age of college athletics.

      Like

  121. That just may force ND into a conference. Kelly has a spectacular record there and near legendary status.
    But when someone lays a pile of money on you, few resist. Coach a couple years till you get fired at LSU
    and retire with a huge bundle.

    Liked by 1 person

  122. I just voted for KP, he is doing well so far. Needs a great game Saturday. Must be a win for him to have a chance.

    Like

  124. #17/15 PITT vs. #18/18 WAKE FOREST

    SUBWAY ACC FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP GAME

    December 4, 2021 ∙ 8 p.m. (ET)

    Bank of America Stadium (73,778/FieldTurf) ∙ Charlotte, N.C.
    ABC-TV ∙ ESPN Radio ∙ Pitt Panthers Radio Network

    LINK (PDF): Pitt Game Notes (vs. Wake Forest)

    GAME STORYLINES

    √ Pitt makes its second appearance in the ACC Football Championship Game, where it will face Wake Forest. The Panthers captured the Coastal Division with a program-best 7-1 ACC mark.

    √ Pitt previously played in the title game in 2018, when it lost to eventual College Football Playoff champion Clemson. In its lone prior appearance, Wake Forest won the 2006 ACC title by defeating Georgia Tech.

    √ On the strength of a 10-win regular season—the Panthers’ first since 1981—Pitt is the highest-ranked ACC team in both major polls: No. 15 in the USA Today AFCA Coaches Poll and No. 17 in the AP Poll.

    √ Since 2015, Pat Narduzzi has directed Pitt to 36 victories in ACC play, the third-highest win total during that span. Only Clemson (52) and Miami (37) have won more.

    √ All-America candidate Kenny Pickett is a finalist for four prestigious national honors: the Davey O’Brien National Quarterback Award, Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award, Maxwell Award and Senior CLASS Award.

    √ Pickett has thrown a Pitt-record 40 touchdown passes this season. He is one TD pass shy of the ACC record set by Clemson’s Deshaun Watson over a 15-game span in 2016.

    √ Pickett has thrown 79 career touchdown passes, tied for the most in Pitt history with the legendary Dan Marino.

    √ Wide receiver Jordan Addison is also producing at an All-America level. A Biletnikoff Award finalist, Addison leads the country with 17 touchdown catches, the most by a Pitt player since 2003 when Larry Fitzgerald had a school-record 22.

    BROADCAST INFORMATION

    Television ∙ ABC-TV (WTAE, Channel 4, in Pittsburgh)

    Mark Jones (play-by-play)

    Robert Griffin III (analyst)

    Quint Kessenich (reporter)

    Pitt Radio ∙ 93.7 The Fan & Pitt Panthers Radio Network

    Bill Hillgrove (play-by-play)

    Pat Bostick (analyst)

    Larry Richert (reporter)

    SiriusXM Satellite Radio

    Sirius Channel 85, XM Channel 85, SXM App Channel 85

    WPTS Radio (Pitt Student Station) ∙ 92.1 FM

    Online Audio

    937thefan.radio.com

    Liked by 2 people

      1. I use the Duck Duck Go browser. App on phone or tablet. Assume you can download it onto a laptop also. It is just like Chrome. You can clear cache, cookies and keep going into the page. There is a little flame button at the top. The page won’t know you were in there already. Also works to read the PG articles without subscribing.

        Amazing when you compare search results between Google and Duck Duck Go. You realize how much Google manipulated what you see. It’s criminal.

        Liked by 3 people

  139. unbelievable the amount of kids entering the portal…my Dad TOLD me to “keep my nose to the grindstone!!!” with all of my endeavors…,so much for that 1950’s- 60’s philosophy…..

    Liked by 2 people

  140. It’s still early, however I find it interesting that Coach Narduzzi’s name isn’t coming up as a potential candidate in any of the openings.

    A 10+ win P5 coach in a school known for it’s stepping stone like qualities.

    Even if it were just to provide some leverage on the University. Like I said it’s early but not even a peep from the talking heads (who know nothing).

    I guess if Pat wins on Saturday and potentially the bowl, this will no longer be the case.

    Not a rip on Coach Narddog btw, I just figured someone would be mentioning his name, even if it was some ESPN talking head.

    Dave

    Like

    1. I guess I’m not surprised that PN’s name has not come up for an opening yet, given his age (he’s not young by coaching standards) and the fact that he is not proven as a head coach. To me, a big name school would want either a proven head coach or a young, innovative coach with a potentially high ceiling, and PN is neither. I’m not knocking PN either, and he may turn out to be a real gem in a few years, but I think by and large for him to be successful he’s going to need to have a really strong staff (as with most coaches).

      Liked by 3 people

  145. Cut my HULU live charge yesterday so a nice present when I see ACC on Comcast. KP needs your Heisman votes now. PN has a mention on ESPN for ND job.

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  146. FINALLY, I’ve been swearing to figure out how to use something other than Comcast for the past year. Of course it’s Pitt’s luck that this happens the year AFTER they have the best season in the past 40 years.

    The head honchos at ACC need to be tarred and feathered for not getting Comcast onboard at the ACC’s inception. But then again, not sure they even know they have teams situated above the Mason-Dixon line. One of the big reasons I’d love to see them hand the trophy to a team other than ones in SC or Fla over the past 10 years.

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  147. Unless Nate Yarnell is going to start as a redshirt frosh next year, Nard better get a qb in the transfer portal. In the limited reps we have seen of Patti, Beville, and Yellen over the last couple of years, was anyone impressed? I’m worried because Yellen and Beville aren’t exactly fleet of foot.

    Possible transfers include: Spencer Rattler from OU, Jack Miller from OSU, Kyle McCord from OSU who hasn’t entered the portal yet, and Dillon Gabriel from UCF.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. aj… I like Patti… there is just something he brings when he gets an opportunity… kinda “Rick Trocano-ish….whoever the next QB is the Panthers will HAVE to develop a run game and be more balanced in the future… BigB sees that as a positive… should be able to do with a couple of good TEs ( who wants to bet on “Blue Mountain” attaining All-American” status in 2-3 years if he stays healthy… what a gridded!!!

      If I am a Div1 transfer portal has to be just like the ole Sears and Roebuck WISHBOOK…. shame to portal doesn’t arrive as a paper catalog and only one per school!!!! Oh, the memories are flooding my mind…..” mom, Terry won’t give me the Christmas catalog…. My favorite page is missin!!! we lived in those Norman Rockwell moments ….the best of times… winning Saturday night won’t be Rockwell-ish but it will be damn close!!!!!

      Liked by 2 people

    2. I worry about a transfer QB coming in and having trouble with the reads on Coach Whip’s plays. I know it’s “not-rocket-science” but it would be a shame to ruin Addison’s final year at Pitt.

      I have been skeptical of Patti but I too think he’s a gamer, in spite of his odd throwing motion. He seems to be able to get the ball there somehow and he runs strong.

      And if Beville can continue making progress, I think he could be pretty good…

      Time will tell…

      Go Pitt.

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  150. Will be excited when you comcasters get the feed so we don’t have to give the play by play and argue it amongst those that are watching on a 5 inch by 3 inch cell phone.

    Expect another big name to exit stage and go left in the next week or so. Nardstop is only a contender in his own mind. He is his own agent which can be good, but can also be bad to have an agent that doesn’t play well in the sandbox (walt harris agent).

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  154. couple quickies:

    Never thought Narduzzi would leave PITT, the only place I thought he might go would be Notre Dame. Never thought they would want him.

    Kelly and Belichek, two nimrods I will never like. I can’t stand either one of them.

    OK if Comcast picks up the ACC it would make me super happy as well even though I already get the ACCN. It’s a rink dinky operation with the worst announcing in sports imo.

    It took PITT football to push Comcast in finally giving in along with the conference.

    You see? PITT football plus Comcast and poof, no coincidence, the worlds have just collided.

    Liked by 3 people

  155. How ‘bout the Panthers on the All-ACC teams…

    From PSN:

    “Pitt’s 12 selections across all three teams edged out Clemson’s 10, and when honorable mentions are included, 21 Panthers have been honored.”

    Congrats to our 3-stars!!

    Go Pitt.

    Liked by 3 people

  156. Word is Luke Fickel to ND. In my mind Fickle is a better coach than Kelley and I am not convinced that Kelley is an upgrade over Ogeron.

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