in Pitt Football 1,263 Words

The Peach Bowl – Pitt vs. Michigan State

The Peachoid

As a reward for winning the ACC Championship and finishing 12’th in the College Football Playoff Rankings (CFP), our (11 – 2) Pitt Panthers face off against the # 10 CFP ranked (10 – 2) Michigan State Spartans (MSU) in the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl.

Who and how did both teams end up in one of the CFP bowl games? MSU and Pitt’s 2021 schedule with year-end records for opponents.

Miami is the only common opponent. While Michigan State won, Miami started D’Eriq King in his last action of the year. Tyler Van Dyke statred the next game and the rest is history.

As I write this Pitt has two players who have declared for the NFL draft – Kenny Pickett and Damarri Mathis who will pass on the game. Michigan State, not to be outdone, have lost their star running back Kenneth Walker for the same reason.

If you are keeping track, Pitt has lost five to the Transfer Portal (TP) since the start of the season. MSU is now up to 15. TP pick-ups are highlighted in green. Those in red have entered the TP. Those in light blue have opted out of playing in the Peach Bowl. Not all players in one of the three colored codes have a stat. Some do have two color codes.

MSU votes for team captains on a weekly basis. The Peach Bowl captains are Xavier Henderson (Safety – 13 games). Payton Throne (QB- twice), Luke Campbell (OL-twice) and Drew Beasley (four- DE). They will  be color coded in Gray. Pitt elected Lucas Kroll to replace Kenny Pickett as a captain.

The NCAA stats I am using are thru games played as of 12/4/2021. NCAA Statistics

If you are checking my stats for errors, make sure you use the 12/4/2021 date in the dropdown box.

Really, I should have used the preceding week ending 11/27/2021. That way , I would be comparing 12 game stats for both teams. I had to make a choice between easily accessible team stats or reworking individual (Pitt) stats to subtract out all the Wake Forest game stats. I made the expedient decision.

Here are the NCAA stats for team and individual comparison. Those highlighted in yellow are what I consider are MSU advantages.

Both teams are equally bad when it comes to penalties. Be prepared for a blizzard of yellow flags.

On to the individual stats. Of course, starting with the QB’s.

QB Peyton Thorne is no 2021 Kenny Pickett but Pitt fans would love Kenny even more if he had those stats in 2018 with Ollison and Hall. If he did, there would be a good chance that this would be Pitt’s second 11(+) win season in 4 years. But probably not, Kenny would already be in the NFL. Actually, I was quite surprised by Thorne’s passing stats. Much, much better than I expected.

Not many data points for Pitt’s backup QB’s. Besides the 2021 stats above, here are their prior year’s stats.

Before we write off Joey Yellen as a starter based on his 2020 play, let’s look at Tyler Van Dyke’s first two 2020 starts against ACC opponents.

He ended up as #12 player in NCAA passing efficiency with a 160.1 QB rating and was named the ACC Freshman of the Year. Besides there was way more than slight in the quality of the opponents they faced.

But the real star of the MSU offense is RB and ex-Wake Forest player Kenneth Walker. His per game rushing stats and opponents rushing defense stats.

Do you know what the MSU fans call Kenneth Walker? The answer “K9”. But Walker is gone but I am still getting $10 a chart besides the $0.01 a word if I hit 3,000. Expect more charts than usual.

Did anyone notice that Pitt (a “passing” team) has a nearly 4 minute advantage in the stat “Time of Possession” 31:42 vs MSU’s 27:45?

Who else toted the rock or caught those passes? The individual teams running and passing stats:

I believed Pitt’s run defense would hold MSU rushing to around 100 to 120 yards yard for the game with Walker. I am now trending to the lower end of that scale as the absolute high.

Jordan Simmons, based on stats – 54 carries, 255 yards, 4.7 Y/C, looks to be Kenneth Walkers replacement. (Warning!! – a Reed adjustment coming).  A deeper dive shows Simmons had 121 yards on 16 carries (7.6 Y/C) against Youngstown State. Against FBS teams he was 134 yards on 38 carries (3.5 Y/C). Not as impressive as Walker’s overall stats.

Jayden Reed is the Jordan Addison of MSU. But he is not the Biletnikoff award winner. Conner Heyward is listed as a running back. He is used as a hybrid TE/FB in the style of Pitt fan favorite George Aston. Altogether, MSU TE’s are responsible for 51 catches for 530 yards.

Oline comparison time. Starters and backups and then some stats.

MSU, like Wake Forest, has a consistent starting lineup.

How do they compare on protecting the QB and opening holes for RB’s?

Old School stats. How about the new ones?

In old school stats, MSU’s Oline looks very competent in allowing only 18 sacks. But when looking at sacks as a % of total pass attempts (pass attempts plus sacks) MSU’s 4.89% is only 0.38% better than Pitt’s 5.27%. (A team would have to make 263 pass attempts to allow just one sack at a 0.38% rate.)

In TFL’s MSU’s Oline is definitely not as good at opening holes for the running backs. If you follow the math, MSU RB’s are tackled for loss 11.5% of the time. Pitt is only at 5.4%.

Some defensive individual stats. From ESPN team stats and compared to NCAA statistics for accuracy.

I used the top 17 players in tackles for both Pitt and MSU.

MSU has 47 players who made a defensive stat. Eight were offensive players. Pitt’s numbers are 48 and seven. Good sack production from MSU’s DE’s – 16.5 of the 38 total.

Last but not least, turnover margins.

That wraps it up on the stats and my high level comparison of them.

The picture of the Gaffney Peachoid is located in Cherokee County, South Carolina. It was built by the Gaffney Board of Public Works as a water tower. The Peachoid celebrates the role of peach production in the State of South Carolina (second in peaches produced in the nation) and also honoring Cherokee County’s role (at that time) as one of the top producing counties in the state and for still being home to the official South Carolina Peach Festival.

If you are driving south down I-85 to Atlanta for the game, you will see the Peachoid landmark. It is located between exit 92 and Exit 90. Once you see it, you are approximately 3 hours from Atlanta and 6 miles past the closest exit to my home.

One last thing about I-85 in Cherokee County. It is undergoing a widening project from the North/South Carolina border to exit 78, approximately 28 miles. Drive safely.

When the Peach Bowl matchup was first announces, I believed Pitt would win in a breeze. Pitt would shut down the MSU rushing attack and be able to pass with ease. With the exit of Pickett, Mathis, and Walker I believe there will be a role reversal. Pitt will try to run and MSU will try to pass. As I mentioned above, Throne is a much better passer than I expected. I do not watch Big 10 football so I have never seen him (or any other Big 10 player) in action. While Pitt’s pass defense is horrid (257.7 Y/G, #106), Michigan State’s is rock bottom (337.7 Y/G. #130). Patti can pass against that defense.

While no longer a breeze. Pitt wins 27 – 17.

160 thoughts on “The Peach Bowl – Pitt vs. Michigan State”

  1. Thanks Richard…. I will never ever forget that “ big Peach” driving to and from Clemson in ‘16 and there was a major road construction taking place back then…. Gotta make room for all those Yankees moving to Dixie….

    In your stats I saw that PITT had 50 more running plays than MSU which really surprised me…so many of us thought we didn’t run the ball enough….being a scrambler I thought KP( non-factor) would have out- rushed the MSU QB which he did by 64 yards with one extra game played… both averaged 2.5 ypc…

    Stats are fun… hope we some out on top of the SCORE stat Thursday night….a stat for BigB- he’s trying on #70 today at 11:11 am….another year… more adventures!!!!!

    Go Nick….

    Like

  2. Rich, another fantastic job, topping off a fantastic year of pre – game analysis. Your efforts are very appreciated

    I have no opinion or prediction except that I fully believe Pitt will miss Pickett more than MSU will miss Walker

    Sent from my iPhone

    >

    Liked by 4 people

  3. Just in case you haven’t heard, Miami is the third ACC team to cancel its bowl game due to Covid

    Btw, Jeff Capel on Packer Durham at 9:30

    Sent from my iPhone

    >

    Like

  5. Definitely a tough game game to analyze.

    No doubt the loss of Pickett and Whipple seems to be more to overcome than the loss of Walker.
    Nick Patti, definitely the wild card, can he take advantage of MSU’s weak secondary?
    I do think both of our lines have something to prove against a B1G team. They have done well all year.

    When Narduzzi says the game plan doesn’t change with Patti vs Pickett, I wonder if he really believes that?

    Will our D get inside Thorne’s head the way they tortured the last guy?

    The other big wild card is Covid, does this game even get played? How many key guys will sit out?
    With everyone going home for Christmas some most certainly were exposed to something.

    Time will tell.

    Liked by 2 people

    1. For what its worth I think the loss of Whipple is a positive. I’m expecting that Salem with Patti at QB just might not be as predictable in the play calls as Whipple was with Pickett. But the key will be whether Patti can get the ball to his second and third receivers when his primary receiver is covered.—–Patti may also be auditioning for inclusion into the transfer portal if he has a good game. Patti will graduate from Pitt this year(possibly in the current semester) with two years of eligibility remaining if he choses to play the 2 more years.

      Liked by 1 person

      1. Salem was a safe choice for Narduzzi which on the surface looks bad. Narduzzi hasn’t gotten along with his productive offensive coordinators because he sucks as an offensive coach. This is too convenient a choice. I think Narduzzi has the same attitude he has always had in bowl games which is why he’s only won one.

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  8. Amazing post. Thank you. The Peachoid is quite cool.

    Let’s just hope we play on Thursday night. If UVA has to back out, I am really thinking that the chances are slim that MSU and Pitt will be good to go. I sure hope that I am wrong.

    pmdH2P

    Liked by 1 person

  9. From Chris Peak on Pantherlair:

    QUESTION: Sometimes bowl games are as much about the next season as they are the present season. What young guys have shown something in practice the last couple of weeks that maybe we haven’t seen much, we may see a little bit more of on Thursday?

    NARDUZZI: Well, I think some bowl games you’re working towards next season and maybe some young guys are doing that. But this is about 2021. We’re still in ’21. This is to get win No. 12. And I think that’s important to our seniors. I don’t know anybody wants to hear we’re working on next year, because I’m not. We’ve got plenty of time. We’ve got spring ball. I think we’ve had maybe two showtimes at the end of practice for those young guys. But we’re focused on the task at hand on Thursday night. That is the focus. We didn’t do any showtime today. And we’re locked into that. So to say there’s some young guys that are going to get opportunities, I can’t tell you there’s any. We’re playing our best guys. We’re playing to win. We’re not, hey, let’s get this guy some reps for next season. That’s not going to happen.

    ====

    Win # 12 is important to the fans, and now we know the players and coaches. QB # 12 has an opportunity of a lifetime.

    H2P!

    Liked by 6 people

  10. Caught part of Capel on Packer and Durham this AM, but didn’t hear anything about recruiting. Did Capel discuss recruiting at all?

    Like

  11. Thanks Rich. My daughter lives in Suwanee GA so I know that construction area well. We just returned from the Helen GA German festival. I am sure PN is looking to beat his old team as we need number 12.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Thanks. When I first moved to South Carolina in 87, I would drive annually to the Lone Star state. Suwannee was still out in the boonies. Still remember the Falcon Inn where the Atlanta Falcons had their practice fields. Long gone but still in my memory. When I do travel west now, I go through Asheville, NC, Knoxville & Chattanooga TN. to Birmingham, AL. I hate Atlanta traffic. Did visit Helen, GA but not during the festival.

      Like

  12. Richard, we are all blessed with your excellent pregame reports. Great job and hope to see you next year at your annual pilgrimage back to the Burgh and your old homestead Eicher Road.

    Speaking of Blessed….. Big B, Happy Birthday my good friend, may you have many many more!

    Way in the future, Nick Patti is all set to be one of the trickier trivia answers to the question.. Who ran the PITT offense when PITT won their 12th game in 2021?

    Liked by 2 people

  15. As bad as things have gone for Capel, I would say that not having any recruits for next year has to take the cake. I mean, he has a shell of a team playing pretty well right now, but with no recruits it makes it seem as if his bags are already packed.

    Liked by 3 people

    1. He’s gonna have to rely on the Transfer Portal, if he’s around next year. But that’s usually only a 1 year fix.

      Last years class only had one HS kid. And since Twig & Burton are playing more minutes, this kid
      isn’t playing much.

      Like

  16. Thanks for the nice write-up Rich.

    Happy birthday Bernie!! I’m wishing you many years of good health, friendships, and successful Pitt football seasons!

    Liked by 2 people

  18. Back to Football. With Miami withdrawing from our fav Bowl Game…..the Sun Bowl.
    Following the withdrawals of BC & UVA (did I miss any other ACC teams)

    The ACC has now figured out a way, not to lose Bowel Games.

    Don’t play in them !

    Liked by 1 person

  19. If Pitt wins and score 30+ points, should Salem be OC next year? It would keep the same playbook, no new offense to run but it is only one game.

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    1. Yes I would. After being Pitt’s highest scoring team EVER in 117 years.

      Become a ‘plug & play’ ala these other top powerhouses.

      With Slovis, we could average 40+ points a game again.

      Like

  20. It seems to me that Pitt would have announced its OC if the plan was to promote from within. So I think we will see someone from outside coming in. But many of the known OCs from other P5 colleges could be gone soon, so I’m wondering if he has his selection and is waiting until some other game is played before the big announcement is made..

    Liked by 1 person

    1. With all the Returning players we have on a very successful offense, the O-Line, Jordan Addison, Bart, Wayne, + the RB’s of Izzy, Flea & Hammond.

      Why would anyone want them to learn a whole new terminology and plays.

      You plug in a New QB who can make the throws, stretch the field both vertically & horizontally and you’re Off to the Races.

      Like

  21. Maybe its his old friend Matt Canada, who he accused of having no loyalty! Many people think Canada is 2 games away from getting the boot from the Steelers! 🙂

    Liked by 2 people

  22. My biggest concern in the upcoming Gaffney Peach Bowl is : other than whether our QB will be able to move the team offensively,

    Is will they allow us to beat a ‘most favored nation’ status team from the ‘most favored nation’ status college football conference.

    They didn’t against an inferior Northwestern squad a few years back, even though Pitt had better players, a better team….etc.

    Liked by 1 person

  23. VoR – Duzz said immediately after Whipple left that he would not hire an OC until Jan at the earliest as the focus would be on the bowl game. He also announced that the bowl game would not be an audition or have any factor on the hiring of the next OC. I agree it probably won’t be an internal hire. Looks like Marion is going to Texas per Twitter rumors … but, Duzz was pretty transparent on the plan. He traditionally likes to make hires after interviewing candidates at the coaching convention in January.

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  24. Yep, I think Marion ends up in Texas as the WR coach after the bowl game. The only change from that scenario is if someone calls and offers him a OC or HC job at most any decent size school. He won’t be getting that offer from Narduzzi however.

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  25. Marion is rubbing a lot of people the wrong way on Twitter. He’s very self congratulatory. But, I think people don’t understand the crappy life of an assistant. Pay sucks. No job security. Have to move with the job. On the road all the time.

    He took a step back from OC in lower divisions to work his way up the ladder in the FBS. He started as a WR coach at Hawaii, then to Pitt and got to coach a Biletnikoff winner … He’s trying to parlay it into a P5 OC job but it looks like he may have to go to higher profile program like Texas, first. A lot of Pitt fans don’t like the self-promotion and see it as disrespectful to Pitt but if he wants to accelerate his career, it’s what he has to do. If Duzz said not a chance, he has to go make his own luck. Just the reality of the position. Great hire by Duzz last year, but if he can’t advance his career here, why stay?

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    1. How about the Steelers’ OLine Coach taking a job with Oregon and leaving the team now. Seriously?

      Go Pitt!

      Like

      1. I mean, the Steelers have problems across the board. OL, QB and OC probably at the top of the list. Looks like he’s going to get more money at Oregon so I’d bail too. Life of an assistant sucks. I’m sure the writing was on the wall. He was an easy scapegoat … even if he wasn’t really a scapegoat and should be fired.

        I preach to my employees never be loyal to a company … it’s not a real thing and will never be loyal back. If my company tells me to fire you, I’m going to fire you.

        You can be loyal to people but you also have to understand there is a level of self-preservation that comes, first.

        It’s why I hate when people throw loyalty around … very very rarely is it a two way street.

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        1. If your company tells you to fire somebody, you should get fired TT, for not recognizing it first.

          Secondly, if the employee being fired performs well, you have to back your employee and take the potential hit yourself. Overall, I agree about loyalty. Last job I left, they countered heavily. My response was that I didn’t get 50k better since last week. The company wouldn’t pay until I forced them to step up. I didn’t care to continue working for an employer that was reactive versus proactive in personnel matters, hence I left.

          Loyalty is weird. I am fine with Marion promoting himself to a certain degree. The street knows if you are good or bad (kinda like santa). The street gives you the thumbs up or down, not no stinkin references!

          Like

      2. Majors – I mean, the Steelers have problems across the board. OL, QB and OC probably at the top of the list. Looks like he’s going to get more money at Oregon so I’d bail too. Life of an assistant sucks. I’m sure the writing was on the wall. He was an easy scapegoat … even if he wasn’t really a scapegoat and should be fired.

        I preach to my employees never be loyal to a company … it’s not a real thing and will never be loyal back. If my company tells me to fire you, I’m going to fire you.

        You can be loyal to people but you also have to understand there is a level of self-preservation that comes, first.

        It’s why I hate when people throw loyalty around … very very rarely is it a two way street.

        Like

      3. MajorMajors – I mean, the Steelers have problems across the board. OL, QB and OC probably at the top of the list. Looks like he’s going to get more money at Oregon so I’d bail too. Life of an assistant sucks. I’m sure the writing was on the wall. He was an easy scapegoat … even if he wasn’t really a scapegoat and should be fired.

        I preach to my employees never be loyal to a company … it’s not a real thing and will never be loyal back. If my company tells me to fire you, I’m going to fire you.

        You can be loyal to people but you also have to understand there is a level of self-preservation that comes, first.

        It’s why I hate when people throw loyalty around … very very rarely is it a two way street.

        Like

      4. sorry about that. wasn’t posting because of site maintenance. it posted all of them lol. kept showing as duplicate

        Like

  26. Great job, Richard. Tons of info.

    Happy Birthday to BigB – who brings much wisdom to the POV.

    I hope Coach Salem calls a bold game. I want to see some Pitt trickeration…. Go for the gusto, Coach!

    H2P!

    Liked by 3 people

  27. But Tossing, if he planned to select from inside there would be no need for all the drama. He could claim the guy was the obvious one all along. Now, if he selects internally it will seem like he was the fallback choice after all other outside candidates turned Narduzzi down. Marion wouldn’t be floating a Texas WR position (a lateral move) if he thought he was a candidate for the OC job, so he is definitely out.

    Like

    1. Oh, I think Duzz told him he was not a candidate … unless it’s all ruse to throw MSU off and magically the Go-Go offense pops up on game day and Tim Salem mysteriously has COVID.

      I was only pointing out that Duzz clearly stated the timeline for the hire and that it was not an audition. I wasn’t arguing one way or the other.

      I just never expected a quick decision and based on his hiring profile, it will be an experience pro-style coordinator that he interviews at the coaching conference in January.

      I just don’t blame Marion for looking for a better or more high profile gig if he has higher aspirations than WR coach at a P5 school. He’s in his 30’s, so he can’t stick around in a low profile job for too long.

      Like

  29. Marion should take an OC job at a smaller school, but not William & Mary small. Jumping Wr to Wr to Wr job in three consecutive years isn’t productive.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Why not? If each job is a pay raise and a higher profile job, I’m not sure I see much negative.

      Like

      1. And this last stop produced a Biletnikoff Award winner. He’s building his resume. I like the guy and hope he stays another year – maybe Jordan “Air” Addison wins the Heisman.

        Now that would be a resume builder…

        I would have given him a handsome bump in pay, talked to him about a “future” OC opportunity, but the timing is not yet.

        I can only imagine how it was handled.

        Like

        1. By the way, our WR’s were way better with Marion than other coaches in the past. He taught them how to run proper routes, block downfield and most importantly, how to catch a football.

          Liked by 2 people

          1. That warrants a big raise that should be bragged about in the local news, which should spill nationally.

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            1. Oh, I hope he stays. A lot of people are upset at him over his self-promoting on Twitter. Nothing that I’ve seen has been bad or negative. What really tee’d some off was him “liking” a post about Head Coaches talking up their assistants publicly. Some saw it as shade thrown at Duzz when it could have been a “hey, I like that” lol. He also apparently posted texas boots the other day.

              Like

  30. I never heard or read PN say it wasn’t an audition for the OC. Based on what the reporters asked Salem, it seems like it is an audition.

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  31. Texas is a higher profile job in name only. They have zero stability and will find little success on the field. Considering the money they throw around they are a mess. I get there is probably a raise involved but he needs to jump back into the OC role.

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    1. Sark has never been a proven winner, yet the Longhorns paid him $6.2 million for a 5-7 season.

      His best season was his first at USC when he finished 9-4 and ended up 2nd in their division.

      His career CFB record is 51-42.

      The Longhorn money will be better for Marion, but not necessarily better for his career.

      Liked by 1 person

  32. Position coaches in college make their bread and butter recruiting. If he can bring in talent, he will keep progressing. Charlie Partridge in a pear tree, has been a stellar performer in the recruiting circles and that is how he rose to HC opportunity. Only after a failed HC run did he settle in and learn the DL coaching position, in my opinion. Two different things in college. Recruiting first, positional coaching second.

    In professional sports, it is positional coaching first, and perhaps a bit of recruiting of free agents.

    Hoping that the Chargers coach from last year decides to come back to the collegiate game at pItt. We need some great recruiters in Virginia, other than Joel.

    Like

    1. Its a lot of territory to cover, so I agree!
      With Brent Pry back home coaching the Hokies, other ACC programs will find it a little harder than going againsts Fuente.
      As for me, I give the lads in VA a pseudonym, lest the program run afoul of Heather or anyone else carrying a compliance badge.
      😉

      Like

  33. Thank you for the article Richard! In the early 90s we lived near Gainesville GA and used to drive past the Gaffney Peach Water Tower. That was before they added the green leaf. Back then it looked more like a person’s butt than a Peach😂😂😂

    I hope Pitt gets to play their bowl this year. At least they have had a chance to take in some of the activities of a decent bowl trip so far. It will be interesting to see how motivated MSU is going to be for the game. Hopefully 2021 Pitt will show-up for the game!

    Liked by 2 people

  34. A few names from the past who may be available as OC:

    Rich Rodriguez not retained as OC at Louisiana Monroe
    Jay Paturdo
    Walt Harris (one or two year mentor to Marion)

    The 3rd one would be a gem.

    Like

  36. Got this from Dana…

    Thanks for the happy birthday wishes… 70… seems like yesterday that I was under-age drinking in PITT stadium… doesn’t take long to get most of the way too a 100

    Liked by 3 people

  45. OK, who knows how the “game gets cancelled” thing works? You sign a deal with a bowl. The bowl has a deal with ESPN. You get your players on the plane and in hotel rooms. And, then the other team bails.
    So, does either school (and conference) still get some money for a game that was not played? Does the bowl committee get any money from ESPN for a game that was not played?
    Is insurance available and purchased by the schools and the bowl (and maybe ESPN) to cover the costs incurred?
    pmdH2P

    Like

  46. An interesting bit from The Athletic:

    Quarterback > stars. — David C.

    Forgive me, but I am going to pull out my favorite stat that is the knockout blow to any assertion that stars don’t matter or that they aren’t important. Only three teams since 2002 (the beginning of the modern recruiting area) have won a national title without having signed a top-five class in any of the previous four years — 2010 Auburn, 2016 Clemson and 2018 Clemson. All three of those teams did, however, sign at least one top-10 class before winning it all.

    The quarterbacks on those teams? Cam Newton, Deshaun Watson and Trevor Lawrence. You can see the pattern there.

    Interesting

    Like

    1. I’d like to know where those teams rank as far as football budget. I would imagine in the top 10 also.

      Like

  47. These might be my favorite tweets of the month … and 1000% on point … if bowls want marquee players … give them a cut … they now have the ability to do it …

    Like

      1. It would probably take like $200K to get Kenny or another superstar to play … they could not afford an entire team. Each player for himself with the NIL. Maybe Kenny could get a stipend for the team, too.

        Like

  53. Mark Myers was a 5*, a 4* and a 3* recruit by the three big rating sites.

    Brown was a 5* as was Ricky Town.

    I believe the key is to get as many 4* and 5* recruits as you can because if even a third of them play to their ratings you’re going to have a great team.

    That is if you want to sustain a successful program year in and year out.

    As has been talked about on here Pitt rises for a year or three when they have superstar player(s) to carry the team.

    Dorsett, Marino now Pickett / Addison have all done that and from the offensive side.

    So, imo, we need a great QB or amazing RB next season to keep this going.

    Is there one on the roster…and can our QB, whoever it is, get Addison the same number of passes & TDs?

    If not we’ll slouch back to 6-8 wins.

    Like

  54. Was in the car and heard Ron Cook again say the Pitt football has a chance to win 12 games – something he doesn’t think they’ve ever done. That’s 3 or 4 times I’ve heard him say that, and usually I only listen when I’m in the car.

    I sent the station a message stating that Pitt fans would appreciate it if someone informed Ron Cook that Pitt football won 12 games in 1976…

    Go Pitt.

    Liked by 4 people

  55. @Reed – That’s why Pitt brought in Slovis. You 100% need a QB, even with top recruiting classes, to win. We’ll have to see what we have in the QB battle this spring. Pitt will have one 4 star, Beville, competing with Patti, Yarnell and Slovis for QB1 next season. I don’t think the keys will be handed to Slovis but he’ll go in as the favorite. Can someone take it from him?

    I think Patti and Salem got the promotions for the bowl game based on their commitment to the program but I don’t think Patti or Salem are leaders in the clubhouse for next season by any means. I would not be surprised if we see Beville in the game, either.

    @Reed – We also have a pretty solid stable of RB’s and a fully returned starting offensive line … I think we’re okay in that department … even more so than at QB.

    I’m very curious what we do with the OC position.

    Like

    1. All the snaps and drop-backs and reads that Slovis has done make him the clear front-runner, IMHO. Especially with our tough opening schedule.

      Slovis would likely make less mistakes and give us a better chance of winning those early games…

      Tough situation for Patti and Beville, but I hope they stay. Both seem like good guys.

      Go Pitt.

      Like

  56. Reed, I really don’t think PITT fans poo poo 4 and 5* players. Would love to get them all but PITT fans appreciate what PITT can accomplish without them. 3*’s are our friends and pretty much all PITT can get at this time. PITT’s 4 *’s are the bottom of that group or local.

    Say what you want but I’m looking forward to this Peach Bowl like I did in 1976 and the Sugar Bowl. This one would hurt a lot if PITT loses. For these players, 12 wins will not be stuffed away like so many other stats that only Richard can uncover. It’s a legacy of and for a lifetime.

    Liked by 5 people

    1. I will spin your comment like this:

      While I would love to land 5 star players, I don’t see Pitt doing that…and if they did, it would be some sort of luck… a local kid who wants to stay in the area, etc. And I accept that.

      In order to consistently compete in the ACC, I believe Pitt can get away without 5 stars, but they need to land a few 4 stars each year. If someone wants to force me to cite how many, I will go with 2.5/yr on avg.

      What some of us have maintained for a very long time is that while Pitt won’t get the 5 stars and will not load up on 4 stars, we can still compete in the ACC. And we have been doing that.

      Now, if someone wants to make the point that in order to win the National Championship we need what Reed indicates, you will get no argument from me. But I don’t hold an NC as a goal for measuring the program’s success. That would be great, but gravy for me.

      Liked by 3 people

  57. It depends on what your aspirations are? Regulars in the top 10 have top 10 recruiting classes. There are always exceptions but they generally do not have lasting power. It’s less about the stars, though, and about depth. You can win with 3 stars starting but top 10 teams don’t have a significant drop with the next man up … places like Pitt do, because it takes time to turn a 3 star into a 4 star caliber player and the 3 star backing up another 3 star probably will have a steeper drop in talent than if you have a 4 star in that backup position. That’s where the recruiting rankings matter the most. Depth. Lots of teams don’t do squat with their top recruiting rankings … you still have to develop them. A 4 star should just be easier to develop.

    Liked by 1 person

  58. Just how do you think Pitt can compete with the elites for the 5 stars in any given year? The 5 star numbers are small and the Alabama, OSU, ND et all are going to get most if not all of that group. The half filled Heinz probably hurts us the most for all the 4 stars who also have many options. Pitt’s best selling point of late is still the playing time option they may not get with the elites and our recent success in some star NFL names coming from the program.

    Liked by 4 people

    1. Investing is the only way. Pitt would have to open the bank. $10M for a HC. $30-40M in facilities upgrades. Money is the differentiator. Only way.

      Like

  59. Hopefully Pitt and the Steelers have learned not to hire people who are from west of Ohio. 😊

    Scott Barnes, Steelers OLine Coach Klemm…

    Okay, Walt was an exception…

    Go Pitt.

    Like

  60. I remain a bit skeptical that Pitt has turned the corner and will continue to field ranked teams in the near future. While things are looking up for next year with Slovis and a returning OL, it is still a fact that Pitt made out very well with Super Seniors and a returning QB who could just as easily have left for the NFL. If Pitt had finished at 7-5 this year with Patti as QB, we would all be singing a different tune..

    This year’s small recruiting class of about 12 recruits is not enough replacement value in two years when the Super Seniors, starting OL and Addison all have left. Pitt has been very fortunate that very few players have entered the transfer portal, and Narduzzi has done well picking up a few key pieces to augment his typically average recruiting classes. But I don’t see star quality down the line in the Freshman and Sophomore classes (except for the RB, TE and maybe a DE or two) that is capable of continuing winning Division and Conference football.

    So while I am hopeful that SOP is a thing of the past, I cannot in good conscience say that Pitt has finally turned the corner. It will take a successful 2-3 year transition to the next wave of recruits for me to feel good about the future.

    Liked by 2 people

    1. Only the football gods know for sure, whether Pitt has ‘turned a corner’.

      Did Cincy suddenly start getting 4 & 5 star kids.

      Like

    2. Voice – I suspect you’d have a hard time finding more than a couple Pitt fans who think Pitt will now be a “juggernaut.” I agree that many factors came together in a fortuitous way.

      I do think Pitt is finally paying more attention to OLine recruiting – and the DLine seems to continue to have young talent. So we could be better in the all important line-play – but QB play remains the key…

      So the OC hire is important in that he has to have a good passing game / QB Coach reputation to attract and develop QBs…

      Go Pitt!

      Liked by 1 person

    3. They had a huge class last year that will be red shirt sophomores by then. The small recruiting class will be offset by transfers.

      Like

  61. In Other Sports that make money (well it use to !)

    Pitt vs Notre Dame in Hoops this evening. Can the Panthers make it 3 in a row.

    Will the Pete be more than half empty ? Does The Zoo still exist ?

    These and other questions will be answered in tonite’s episode. BE THERE !!!

    Like

    1. Our seats will be empty cuz were on our way to Atlanta. Tried to give them away but no takers.

      A sad state of affairs. In the heyday, any of my unused tickets were scooped up quickly by friends or coworkers (I no longer have coworkers but I think I still have a few friends😁).

      Liked by 2 people

  62. PJ, it could happen, but seeing is believing.. Pitt also played in a soft Coastal this year. Everything aligned perfectly this year, which is why I remain skeptical..

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  65. Holiday Bowl was just canceled only hours before kickoff today due to COVID on the UCLA team. No game is apparently safe until the ball is in the air! This is the fourth ACC Bowl game to be cancelled. So that means the ACC is receiving $7.6M less or $543K less per team than expected

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    1. Getting beyond absurd. Here is the stmt. Not that I was going to watch it anyway.

      “UCLA’s statement makes it very clear that their inability to play was due to the protocols in place and not the virus itself,” Bowl Season Executive Director Nick Carparelli said in a text message to ESPN. “I feel bad for both teams as well as the great people at the Holiday Bowl who worked so hard all year long for today. This continues to be a very sad and frustrating situation.”

      Like

      1. North Carolina State was hoping to win its 10th game for only the second time in 106 years of playing. Well, I guess there’s always next year😉

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        1. Oh yes…Phillip Rivers junior year with Chuckie ‘The Terminator’ Amato as HC they went 11-3.

          Wow, hate to have traveled to over 2500 miles from Raleigh, book a Hotel, etc…and then they say…
          ooops////they all have colds. No game.

          Like

    1. Drove through Oakland yesterday after lunch.
      I did not see one student. Anywhere.
      Zoo will be empty.

      Can’t imagine more than a couple hundred people in the stands tonight.

      Like

  67. At the rate these Bowel Games are falling…it’s probably 50/50 the Peach Bowl will even be played.

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    1. Well schools have to take care of their players and coaches. Not sad to see ESPN lose programming. Way too many bowls.

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  68. I did plan to watch the Peach Bowl….probably the ONLY one I was gonna watch. Might tune in to the CFP bowls for some snippets…..if they’re played. If you could only avoid the commercials & the announcers.

    Like

  69. Went to Hemingways for pregame…closed. Bad Karma.
    Went to Primantis…open.
    Karma is back.
    Drinking again with Scooter.
    Life is good!

    Liked by 3 people

  70. According to some of the most reputable Public Health Experts and personal testimony I am hearing, the symptoms for the latest Virus variant (i.e. Omicron) are MILD, similar to the common cold.

    That is… even you have ANY symptoms at all.

    My guess is that many if not the VAST majority of the young athletes in question do NOT have symptoms.

    Like

        1. I am no fact checker, Juggs. But it appears that the NYT editor died of a heart attack. The only reference to covid in the story i read was about the reporting he did on the subject.

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          1. Yes….blood clotting and of course heart attacks appear to be a problem with some of the vax’s. Soccer players over in Europe are dropping dead as well.

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  72. Unlike the first version of the Virus and even the Delta Variant, Omicron appears to be a strictly UPPER respiratory infection.

    Milder symptoms ALL the way around.

    Check the FACTS. It does wonders.

    Like

  77. Of course cases are rising. Believe the common cold and flu are also pretty contagious, especially during the winter months.

    And they’ve been around awhile.

    Not to mention the number of CHILDREN who die from the flu each and every year.

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  78. My 5 year old niece spent the night in the hospital last night and they’re keeping her at least a second night because her oxygen levels are low. She’s unvaccinated. Her older sister who is vaccinated, tested negative and no symptoms. Her mom, my sister, negative and no symptoms. Her father, mild symptoms. Both were vaccinated.

    My oldest son currently has covid. Too young for a booster but got Phizer in June … runny nose and sore throat. The kid who gave it to him, I’ve been giving a ride to and from practice all last week. Me and my wife who got our boosters 3 weeks ago, no symptoms. My vaccinated 12 year old son … No symptoms.

    You don’t know how this will hit you. If it will hit you. Or if the symptoms will be mild or not …

    Yes, reports are that it tends to have milder symptoms but if you get a bad case of it, it’s no different than any other strain. It’s still hitting some people very hard … and no one knows why or who will get a worse case of it.

    One of my really good friends … disregard what he’s wearing lol.

    90 days in the hospital. His wife was told he was going to die 3 different times.

    https://wjla.com/news/health/no-manual-for-covid-long-haulers-recovery-inova-loudou-rehabilitation-clinic-billy-donnelly?fbclid=IwAR08uW1RRcCyD3hNp3U9ToFaHFJfmwRX1B49z2ZziERuNxWTNnsTMuxzYxw

    Liked by 2 people

    1. Prayers to you and your family. My son got it at college this year. Luckily he had very mild symptoms. It is certainly scary. I’d like to believe the vitamin C, D and zinc we pump in our bodies every day helped. Couldn’t have hurt. 😀
      Hope everyone recovers quickly!

      Like

  79. Pitt has taught me not to get involved in its men’s basketball success or failure as I used to do. The decision to hire Capel was a mistake and his history at Oklahoma was clear for anyone to see. That is anyone who wanted to see. I used to donate to the basketball program but stopped during Dixon’s final years. So Pitt will do whatever it wants…if supporting the team is watching games on You Tube TV then I’ll do that. It’s included in the subscription. Thinking Heather Lyke has a plan in any shape or form is fool’s gold and thinking she is a good AD is the same. Not one assistance coach change demanded by the AD during Capel’s disastrous reign of error shows a lazy AD.

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  80. Tossing… sorry to hear that. Thoughts and prayers for your family.

    Similarly, I have family members, both very young and adult, currently positive for the Virus. Similar to your situation, the youngest are NOT vaccinated while the adults are. Thankfully, they’re ALL doing well.

    Every situation is different. There can always be genetic or specific health issues that play a factor into someone’s outcome with ANY virus.

    For children, this certainly includes the flu.

    Like

    1. I’m just saying, it is what you get regardless of whether it’s supposed to be mild or not. To say is severe is as untrue as saying it’s mild. It’s as dangerous as your body reacts to it.

      Liked by 1 person

  82. L’ville has just lost to Air Force in the First Responder Bowl. This is 11th straight bowl game the ACC has lost. The last bowl game won was December 30, 2019. The good news is the ACC was not able to play in 4 scheduled bowl games this year so far. Those are considered a tie. Right? 😉 0-11-4

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  83. Wolfpack would have kicked UCLA’s butt… sad for the players who practiced, gave up Christmas with their families only to have the rug pulled out from under them 5 hours before the game…. It psux!!!

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    1. I was looking forward to watching that game too. Imaging those who bought tickets drove or flew and booked hotel rooms for the game.

      Like

  85. Looking forward to the hoops game. I realize they may get destroyed, but the reason college sports are great is the possibility of new players having break out years.

    I like Odukale off the ball. He can certainly drive. He’s 6’5” and if he can get just a little consistent from outside he is a big bonus.
    Hugley will keep improving.
    Maybe Gueye keeps playing aggressive and adds a nice element to the team. That kid should juice up and gain about 80 lbs. He’d be a force, lol.
    Free Horton!

    Like

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