in Pitt Football 660 Words

2021 Production Lost – Clemson

I am doing the non-ACC Pitt opponents in alphabetical order. That means Clemson

Dabo Swinney enters his 14’th season leading the Clemson Tigers, Since Pitt joined the ACC Conference in 2013, Dabo’s record against ACC foes (excluding Notre Dame) is 71 – 7. Those seven losses were to Georgia Tech (2014), Syracuse (2017) , NC State (2021) Florida State (2013,2014) and Pitt (2016. 2021). Pitt’s overall record against Clemson is 2 – 2.

2021 schedule and results and upcoming 2022 schedule.

Here are the Rivals 5.7 and above 2022 signees. Also included is the lone Transfer Portal (TP) addition.

2022 recruit QB Cade Klubnik was not only a 5-star but was ranked by Rivals as the overall number three recruit in the 2022 class.

Hunter Johnson was the first TP addition Clemson has ever signed. Originally, Johnson was a 5-star Clemson recruit in the 2017 class. He transferred to Northwestern for the 2019 season. He has not lived up to his 5-star ranking. After graduating, he wanted to move south for a postgraduate degree. To pay for it, he wanted a graduate assistant job. He talked to Clemson. He was asked if he still had college football eligibility. He did and Dabo gave him a scholarship for QB depth.

For color coding, a light blue color indicates a player who is leaving the team due to eligibility or the NFL. A reddish pink color indicates the player left via the TP. A bright green color are for those with medical, grades or disciplinary reasons. There are very, very few of the “bright green” and only one on Clemson.

Clemson currently has 11 players who entered  the TP – four defensive players and seven offensive players. All eleven had either an offensive or defensive stat.

On to the stars identified as NCAA team leaders in selected stats or    members of the All ACC teams.

I was planning to add some 2021 team season ending statistics to these articles. After further thought I decided they would not add any illuminations.

The  offense revolves around QB play.

D.J. Ulagalelei had a horrid 2021 season. His 108.7 rating was 108’th of 111 NCAA ranked QB’s. If he starts the 2022 season with the same type of QB play, it will not surprise me to see the Cade Clubnik era start at Clemson. BTW, Ulagalelei was also a Rivals 5-star and the third ranked player in the 2020 recruiting class.

Clemson running backs and receivers 2021 activity. Also returning production for the first three teams reviewed.

That is a lot of names and a lot of returning production. Thirteen different players had a rushing attempt. A whopping 26 had a reception. Dabo likes to get players (including walk-ons) into all games. (He played 90+ in the 2018 championship game against Pitt.)

Clemson’s offensive line may be a slight matter of concern.

A bright green sighting. Rayburn has a neck injury and will help the team as a student assistance this year. In articles I have read, Dabo may be on the look out for a TP OLinemen with starting experience. This ESPN article makes that claim. Slovis and Narduzzi are also mentioned and quoted.

How college football’s transfer portal is changing spring practice (espn.com)

Only one chart for the defense. There were a total of 48 players who made a least one defensive stat. Of those 48, three were offensive players and an additional two where a long snapper and kicker. Forty three defensive players had a stat. All four of the defensive players who entered the TP made a defensive play.

Instead of a chart with 48 names, I will be cutting the list down to those players who had at least double-digit tackles. Instead of 48, only 24 will be shown. At the end, there is the summary data by position. The summary in the chart below only includes defensive players. I have stripped out the stats for offensive and special team players.

That ends the review of 2021 Production Lost for Clemson. The media likes Clemson to win the Atlantic division and the ACC. Pitt can meet them again in Charlotte.

131 thoughts on “2021 Production Lost – Clemson”

  1. Great stuff, on paper Clemson leads the conference by a mile. Glad we played them last year.

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  4. These walk-ons get to go after their dream and get a good football education. If they don’t develop in a couple years they can move on to where they can play. Encouraging that so many have chosen Pitt for this opportunity.

    Liked by 3 people

  5. That Clemson QB was Ron Cook’s preseason Heisman Trophy pick in 2021. Nice one there, Ron.

    In a couple of years, we could see two Austin-area products battling it out if Pitt was to face Clemson: Yarnell vs. Clubnik.

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  6. It’s pretty darn impressive that Dabo can get a 5 star QB out of Austin. Clemson remains the only elite ACC team

    That doesn’t mean Pitt and others should concede to them. They can be beaten— just not very often

    I’d like to say that I would be overjoyed to see Pitt lose to them in the ACC Championship game this year. Just hope the team doesn’t feel that way

    Sent from my iPhone

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  7. Richard – excellent work! Pitt FB articles are hard to find anywhere.

    I finally heard two guys on XM college sports radio discussing Pitt as the Coastal favorite with a loaded Miami nipping at the Panther’s heels. Mark Packer and another whose name escapes me.

    The mentioned that our D is loaded and Slovis a good transfer pick-up at QB with our depth of “frisbee catching dawgs” (WR’s).

    Liked by 2 people

  8. Clemson goes as their QB goes. They have had great QB play most years.

    Love all the walk ons signing with Pitt. One, it gives Pitt a stronger practice squad and scout team. Two, they are all potential diamonds in the rough.

    How many walk ons can a college team have? Did Pitt increase budget for them? No scholarship cost, but certainly football cost, meals, trainers, medical, etc. No negative aspect to it for the program.

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    1. My understanding is 20 preferred walk-ons who get all the benefits you mention. Don’t forget academic help as a benefit.

      Liked by 2 people

  9. The Pitt victory over Clemson last year was the most decisive of their losses. It kept them out of the championship game and an outside shot at the playoffs. Clemson only lost to Georgia by 7. That’s how good Pitt was last year.

    Liked by 3 people

  12. Capel recruits Fede Fredericko, 6’11’ JUCO. Didn’t start playing until age 14. Looks very good against the equivalent of JR Hi teams. 54% FT shooter.

    When all the recruiting spots are filled (4 to go) I will watch their tapes, get feedback from outside sources and post a write up on each!

    H2P

    Liked by 9 people

    1. Looking forward to it. Did you foresee the success Mo Gueye had at Pitt? I never thought that skinny kid would have an impact. I thought he would be used more under the hoop and get bullied, lol.

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    2. That would be much appreciated. It is getting harder to know the players in this age of transfer at will!

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  13. I can’t wait until the NFL draft is over. Every day the Gazette and Trib have what-if articles for the Steelers. It is beyond old, lol. I am very curious to see where Pitt players go.

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  14. Fredericko appears to be a project. JUCO basketball is a loooong way from the ACC. The 6ft 11″
    tree has something that can’t be taught HEIGHT!! But, he has NO OUTSIDE shot ability unlike Gueye and will be a disaster from the charity stripe. Pitt needs to go all out to condition him because if he can’t play outside at all (unlike Mo) he will be brutalized under the boards in the ACC. Duke, Miami, UNC, UVA , etc. ain’t Northern Oklahoma Junior College. The ability of Capel and his somewhat useless assistant coaches to upgrade his game is very much in doubt….Mr. Jeffress is a bench player who is going nowhere so, why do we think that Heather’s basketball coaches will suddenly find the magic wand to wave over Mr Fredericko?

    Liked by 1 person

    1. I see a guy who is extremely athletic for a big guy who has the frame to put on 30 lbs of muscle easily. He has a giant wingspan and can jump. Will he realize his potential only time will tell but I like taking a guy that Huggy Bear wanted. Depending on who else comes he will be a role player, what role to be determined. Hopefully he can become a devastating shot blocker he has the physical tools.

      Liked by 1 person

    2. If true that heather wanted to remove Capel for cause then I can respect that. But you need evidence and not fairy dust. If she recommended assistants being replaced, then why did that not happen?

      Because Gallagher calls the shots. He’s The guy that’s retiring next year. But He and the BOT should have no say in these decisions. Pitts accountability structure is very flawed. Hence epic failure at the business basics.

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  16. If I am team X, Y or Z I am going to foul the 6Ft 11″ tree and put him on the line….after taking a battering he will be (I believe) very disillusioned. I hope that I am VERY WRONG!!

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  17. Off topic regarding the baseball team. They lost in extra innings vs the Hoopies on Wednesday while missing 5 starters out with injuries. What’s the problem?? Is it strength and conditioning failures or freak accidents? I haven’t followed them closely enough to hear why so many are out.

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    1. The guys lost contributed like 30 of pitts 58 homers this year. Very unusual to have so much of the offense out at the same time. There’s more to it than what is publicly being disclosed. Most likely a frat party gone wrong. Not real injuries. Just punishment. But we’ll never know.

      Liked by 2 people

  18. The kid started playing basketball when he was fourteen. His foul shooting certainly can improve.
    Obviously Capel/Pitt can not attract elite players, Capel has to look for guys with upside who can fill a needed role. I believe he has five more scholarships available. The biggest thing is getting guys to fill those roles who want to be at Pitt and will be good team guys. We not me is really needed at the Pete.
    Still needed and most difficult to find is a good ball handling, good passing point guard. Always room for a sharpshooter and forwards that can score from mid range.

    Liked by 2 people

  19. By the way I think Capel is working hard and doing a decent job of recruiting all things considered.
    It can’t be easy with his recent track record and all the rumors floating around.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. I like your positive attitude, but I am so tired of hearing wait until next year. Capel and his assistants have no choice, they have to find real talent in a hurry. Not an easy task for a very tarnished team like Pitt.

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  21. In defense of Fede ..

    He has 3 years left and some weight training and practicing against a (hopefully) better quality of players can only help

    He is very athletic and runs the floor well. He should be able to defend the perimeter when playing against a big guy that can shoot from from out there

    In his 8 minutes per game this coming year while giving Big John a rest, if he can get a put back or two, a block or two, a few rebounds and maybe a dunk on a fast break … it will be a plus

    Sent from my iPhone

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    Liked by 1 person

    1. Hope you’re correct. He is tall and that’s a plus. I will do an in-depth profile of all the recruits this Fall.

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  22. —Interesring upcoming November schedule for Clemson with 3 in a row games at ND, and home against Louisville and Miami.

    —Richard, thank you for all your work, but I must say that I was disappointed to see no Clemson stat on the number of shovel passes they threw last season that were returned for a TD…. 😊

    Go Pitt.

    Liked by 9 people

  23. With so many schollies to give taking a chance on a 6’11” player that can run the floor and has 3 years of eligibility doesn’t seem like a bad move. However, I doubt he’ll be much more than a role player filling 5-8 minutes of playing time per half, at most.

    Get him on a weight training program or he’ll get pushed around at only 210 lbs.

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  25. Historically, Pitt has recruited centers who need to develop. Fede has 3 years to develop and he could be making major contributions next year and beyond.

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  26. JR OF Kyle Hess was hit by a pitch on the wrist – out the past two weeks – you need both wrists to swing a bat and play outfield.

    SR OF Ron Washington Jr with a hamstring injury – he pinch hit last weekend late in the game vs then #5 UVA and delivered an RBI shot to the fence – only a single in the books, but if healthy, probably a double.

    SR 3B Sky Duff ripped up his shoulder in a head first slide in the rubber game win vs UVA while sliding headfirst into home.

    SR SS Brock Franks has an undisclosed injury, but may have lost his starting spot to FR SS Tommy Tavarez who looks like a future superstar. Tommy hit 4 homers in the last 9 games.

    I’m not sure who the 5th starter is who is injured, but Pitt plays #4 Miami tonight at 7pm in south FL. I’m hoping the walking wounded have healed.

    Go Pitt!

    Liked by 3 people

    1. I comment in reference to Annie’s 12:52pm post today about the injured – I tried three times and failed for some reason to get it through when I used the reply button – the straight comment made it through.

      I got smart after the second write-up and copied as I went – I felt like Frat Boy needed to know the truth.

      Liked by 3 people

      1. Rick – Just checked to see what the problem may be. Obviously not approved. Not in pending, spam or trash files. I do not have a clue why your reply didn’t go through.

        On the bright side, I did find a comment from Major Majors that chastised me for the lack of using the word “Juggernaut”. I laughed and am still smiling about it.

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      2. Good info, Erie. Boring old baseball injuries that UPitt can relate to…

        Not nearly as exciting as mysterious injuries sustained in a frat brawl…

        Go Pitt.

        Liked by 1 person

    2. Let’s just say I wasn’t born yesterday and it’s not my first rodeo. When half your starting lineup is out for alleged injuries, that raises a red flag. You most likely are being fed the corporate line. And that line ain’t anywhere near the truth. I don’t buy it.

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      1. I actually saw the two plays that injured Sky Duff and Kyle Hess. One was a hustle play while trying to score sliding head first into home and the other was a high and tight fastball that cracked Hess on his wrist.

        That’s two of the five injuries you refer to – legit and no corporate line being fed to me.

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  27. So I am hoping Fede is a lot like Baldonado. A skinny kid born overseas, picks up the sport late and develops into a monster.

    Liked by 4 people

  28. Pitt baseball hanging tough in extra innings with #4 Miami in south FL.

    Two of the five injured are playing – the starting pitcher Gilbertson with 8 strong innings giving up 1 run.

    Go Pitt!

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    1. The baseball team lost to #4 Miami in extra innings last night.

      The HC made a questionable pitching decision when he brought in a reliever with a 5+ ERA in the 9th inning of a 1-1 ballgame. He pitched a solid 9th with no runs yielded.

      I thought to myself, with a 5+ ERA that should be the end of his night. We have a really good closer who can throw 2 innings, let’s go win this game.

      Instead, HC Mike Bell brought this 5+ ERA reliever back out – he walked the 1st batter, hit the 2nd batter and gave up an RBI single to end the game.

      Why do I follow this madness?

      I can see coaches making mistakes in the heat of the moment and I can forgive that. Pitching decisions are NOT heat of the moment decisions. They are calculated, with historical data to rely on.

      Side Note: Pitt batters stranded at least 10 runners last night.

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      1. Bell was a former pitcher himself and has always been a pitching coach. He’s too close to the weeds to make the right pitching decisions. He needs a no BS assistant who has common sense. That’s where a quality staff and assistants come in handy. But it takes money to assemble and keep. Pitt has never been known to be generous with staff to attract the best and keep the best.

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  29. It appears that Pitt has a new FB commit … and possibly a new BB commit

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  30. The FB commit is a transfer from LaTech, WR Bub Means who supposedly adds a deep threat element. Not necessarily a position of need, but they must really like him

    Per Pantherlair, they are now at 84 scholarships

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    1. Makes no sense other than we created even more competition in our most talented position room.

      Alabama-esque?

      Some of the players have been talking NC.

      We were one really bad loss away from being in the playoff conversation last season – Western Michigan folks. I still scratch my head.

      But I loved the ACC championship that resulted from that wake-up game.

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  32. There is a PG editorial that urges the PIAA to say no to NIL. There are already a large handful of organizations that have sanctioned it, with many more considering it

    The PG points out that the difference between the large colleges which is involved with large volumes of revenue as opposed to most high schools that have limited budgets

    Of course, endorsement money comes from external sources, so it is quite possible that rich suburban schools may prosper. We will also see how it affects the Catholic and charter schools

    Sent from my iPhone

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  33. Wow, looks like another really good one. Big target who will get off the line. 19.5 yard average last year.

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  34. According to PG, Means may have to sit out this year since this is his 2nd transfer. He still should have 2 years of eligibility.

    This makes more sense since Addison and Wayne will be gone after this season.. I guess

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    Liked by 1 person

  35. I’m getting the impression that Underwood is going to be a monster recruiter…. Hoping he’s here for a while.

    Another possible factor in Means recruitment – Bradley and Barden didn’t exactly light it up during the spring game…

    I still say we need a ready-to-play TE to go with Bartholomew…

    Go Pitt.

    Liked by 1 person

  37. And this from PSN:

    Means was a player that was being pursued while in the transfer portal, as the staff at Miami (Fla.) was making a heavy push to try and bring him to South Florida. He is a redshirt junior and will have two seasons of eligibility remaining at Pitt.

    Note: keeping him from being a cane was good too.

    Liked by 2 people

  38. The only thing that can hold Pitt football back is Cignetti’s offense. Sure hope he can put up 35 per game. That will most likely put Pitt in the top 25 in scoring.

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        1. Who will get sacked 40 times this year. Has poor pocket awareness and absolutely no scrambling ability.

          They will win more games with Patti. He reminds me of Palko.

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  39. Watching the Pens play Detroit on the road…..the fans there just sang Sweet Caroline. 🙄

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  40. At least all the Pens fans got free chili. Good to see Geno back. And real chili has no beans. That was invented by someone from of all places Boston.

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  41. Regarding Cignetti and ppg, his reputation is making sure he gets his best weapons involved and exploits match-ups. Perhaps that is why we are seeing and hearing more about Daniel Carter this year. All that to say I trust him to start the QB who he thinks gives us the best chance to win, and if its Skovis, I wouldn’t be surprised to see him bring in Patti in short yardage situations to utilize his wheels.

    Liked by 1 person

  42. One play I vividly remember from Cignetti’s previous stint in 09 was from the I formation in short yardage. He would fake a handoff to Dion off tackle and then hit Hyno who leading the play on a short out. (NY Giants also ran that with Hyno)

    I fully expect to see a lot of 2-back backfields especially on short yardage taking advantage of Carter’s blocking and power running

    Sent from my iPhone

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  43. I trust Coach Cignetti wholeheartedly. As a matter of fact Pat Narduzzi has done a great job hiring assistant and position coaches for more than a couple years now. His secondary and LB coaching hires have been very solid. The former WR coach Marion and his replacement Underwood have drawn rave reviews. On top of this, PN has been able to retain the services of DL Partridge who has been pursued by several other programs in recent years. I think King Pat (as others refer to him) has really turned the corner as a respected and successful HC.

    Liked by 2 people

    1. We shall see if the King has clothes or crown this year.

      No Kenny
      No whipple
      Tougher schedule
      Mark on back

      I expect 8 wins and a lame bowl.

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  44. Sharp shooter Roche from Citadel to the Richmond Spiders.

    Another very good portal get for JoeL.

    Note to Capel – avoid scheduling the Spiders in the very near future.

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    1. woohoo!!! No one will replace Jacob Gilyard – the all-time NCAA steals leader – but glad that Chris Mooney is having success rounding out the roster.

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  45. One more point than the other guys and you win. I see a much more balanced offense with plenty of weapons and a D-line that is going to be a nightmare for opposing QB’s.
    No doubt Kenny will be missed, he had a great year, but it would have just been average without Addison the real superstar on the team.

    Liked by 3 people

    2. Any WR will tell you. The QB makes all the difference. The QB makes the WR. It rarely works the other way. You severely underestimate KP. Could be a Steeler in six days. The Steelers would be foolish to pass on Kenny if he was available. Don’t make the Marino mistake.

      Liked by 1 person

      1. with the drops I saw in the Spring game I beg to differ

        and I don’t think it was Marion that made a difference either, Jordan is great, others including Barden and Bradley aren’t,,,, even if the ball points the right way, left?

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  46. Anyone know if wwb’s earlier post about a Pat Signal and Capel commit had any legs to it (Capel commit, that is)?

    Basketball needs good news…

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  47. Erie, last night, Dokish put out a tweet that he had commitment tweets loaded and ready to go for both a FB and BB commit. He does have contacts and is usually aware of commits before the public but never discloses them. Thus I expected 2 commits today. Maybe I misinterpreted his tweet

    Sent from my iPhone

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    1. Thanks for the clarification.

      On a baseball note, our starting pitcher in tonight’s game vs #4 Miami has a 6.80 ERA.

      Hard to win with that…

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      1. Our pitcher has already given up a single, a double and a HR – it happens to only be the first inning with 1 out and 4 runs in.

        Why even watch?

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        1. You know heather hired Bell. He was a pitching coach at FSU. But Pitts field is not a pitchers park. And bell has a tough time divorcing himself from pitching. He needs a strong right hand Man to slap some sense into him. He doesn’t have one because pitt is too cheap, Bell is too insecure, and pitt just doesn’t get IT. Capturing IT is like the ball in Quidditch. Miami is a spare team on a good and unfamiliar run. Very similar to vagabond Pitt but ranked 40 higher in RPI. I still expect Pitt to pull a regional bid out of their hineys. The first since 1996. UPitt remembers that. But those were different days. In a chilling good way.

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  48. Pitt baseball losing 11-1 after 5 innings in south FL behind a HC who was never a HC, but he was a pitching coach.

    Our starting pitcher tonight had his 6.80 ERA balloon to who knows how high.

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    2. Pitts MO is to hire assistants from P5 Schools. The schools that get IT do Not. Always hire proven Head Coaches. Even if they came from a lower level. But Gallagher and the BOT don’t care. lyke doesn’t know any better. It’s the blind leading the blind. I wear sunglasses at night.

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      1. Corey Hart’s MO is to use fake POV names to rip on Pitt any chance he, she or it gets. Tex would be better served using his real identity. 🤠. Just messing with you after too many bourbons.

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        1. Corey Hart is a good Canadien. Much like guy lafluer who just passed. There’s a great photo of a young Mario standing and clapping behind him when he scored his 1000 points. Guy was Mario’s idol.

          I leave too many bread crumbs. No fake handle required.

          Liked by 1 person

  49. The pitching coach turned Pitt HC sent in a reliever with a 7+ ERA and the guy on the mound right now has an even 9.00 ERA.

    The Pirates are taking a look at this bullpen for future reference.

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  50. A terrible showing against the Canes May cost Pitt a regional bid. Miami is vastly overrated. Our pitching HC sure doesn’t know pitching. Just like Narduzzi doesn’t know DB’s. Rid me of this terrible coach.

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  51. Our pitching coach turned HC has two good starters and one closer who is good for two innings.

    He usually throws the SR in game one of the weekend series and the JR in game three.

    The middle game usually requires a 6+ ERA type pitcher.

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  52. Miami with runners on base in each of the 7 innings tonight with a 13-1 lead.

    Pitt with 3 hits.

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  53. NRS, Tex and TT – the fake handles make me laugh – I read most, respond to very few.

    I’m thinking of following in the footsteps of Jay Wright.

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  54. Miami now with 8 straight innings with a runner on base.

    The score is 16-1

    I should not be watching…

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  56. Per post above … as far as a QB always making the WR, who were the QBs for Pitt’s two previous Biletnikoff winners?

    Yes Rod was a pretty decent college QB but John Turman?

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    Liked by 3 people

      1. Jerry rice had Montana throwing to him. Jerry is pretty arrogant but he would admit that his numbers would be half if joe wasn’t the QB. Can you imagine him being a hall of famer with mason Rudolph as his QB?

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    1. Megaton was the exception. Not the rule. In 99 percent of cases, the QB makes the WR. Not the other way around.

      But don’t get me wrong, a QB’s job is much easier if he has receivers who can separate off the line, are great route runners, have speed and height and most importantly good hands.

      Imagine what Fitzgerald’s numbers would be if he had Brady throwing to him.

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  60. If Capel brings in sufficient talent to make the NIT, does he keep his job? I see where the last two transfers appear to have multiple years of eligibility left. I suspect that Heather will be watching the inner workings of the Capel locker room for any signs of discontent. Also, if he loses any significant players to transfer it could be the kiss of death.

    Liked by 2 people

  62. Pitt did lose the series but it’s nice they avenged yesterday’s brutal beat down. Pitt is in a good position to get a bid to regionals. The top 64 teams make it. Pitts rpi is around 45. They’d probably be a three seed at the moment in their four team bracket. They just can’t crash and burn like last year.

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  63. Kind of off topic, but maybe not. Nijel Pack, the Big12 first teamer in basketball has transferred into Miami and as part of the transfer, receives a two year NIL deal at $200k per year and a new car. Every recruit that goes by, Pitt falls further behind. Gotta have deals in place!

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    1. Pitt refuses to play the game. No booster clubs allowed. Maybe that changes with a new chancellor next year who knows how to count dollars as opposed to atoms.

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      1. Pitt better play the game now because by mid-next decade, college football as we know it won’t be the ever be the same. If the si.com article on what Jack Swarbik said comes to fruition, we know Pitt will join the academic group and not the athletics group featuring such a school known as Oregon Athletics, inc. Swarbik saying ND will join the athletic group was comical though.

        Pretty frustrating how Pitt pissed away the last four decades when the college football we’ll look back on was mostly fair and being a good program just took some commitment and smart people in place.

        Have you been back to Austin recently?

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  64. While the QB is the most important player on the field, they rarely win games without great receivers so I would say they are at least equally as important to winning games. When KP threw the ball up for grabs and Addison ripped it from the defenders hands and ran for the TD who was more important.

    Would Montana be in the HOF without Rice, Bradshaw without Swann and Stallworth?

    KP had one great season, would it have happened without Addison, I don’t think so.

    Will Addison make this year’s QB better? Pretty sure that is the case.

    Did Emanuel Sanders career go down hill when he left Ben?

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    1. Not to get into a peeing match but anyone who is a pro that has played will say the same thing that I did. I’m just repeating what I’ve heard and read others more expert than me say. We can debate all day if Addison or Kenny would have been impacted more or less if one wasn’t around. But if that receiver was sooo good, why wasn’t he invited to New York.

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    2. Ben would have made him a hall of famer. Just my opinion. Steelers are totally screwed if they can’t get their QB this year or next. Next is a far deeper and better quality class. I like riddler who reminds me of a taller wilson. Kenny is more carr like. Coral is like that stud SD QB. Willis is a crapshot. Boom or bust but with the most upside. Colbert ain’t drafting a WR first to cement his legacy.

      Liked by 1 person

  65. Not touching that circular argument. Actually a coach once told me that if all 11 offensive players do their job, each play should go for a touchdown.

    Explanation of Portal – May 1 marks the day the transfer portal shuts down for the academic year. It closes for three months before reopening Aug. 1, the start of the 2022-23 academic year. Players in the portal by May 1 can still transfer after that date, so signings still occur up until the season starts. Athlete students however, are shut out of signing if they don’t claim portal status by May 1.

    Liked by 2 people

      1. So if every player pancakes their opponent, and a runner or pass catcher does their job and makes one player miss a tackle……who is left to tackle? The people want to know tvax???

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  66. It’s easy to see why the old guard of basketball coaches is getting out now. NIL has totally ruined college sports. The courts “acknowledged” blanket earnings rights for college players without imposing any controls, which is not their job. Until the NCAA, which still has the ability to regulate college sports, steps up and issues some controls over the manner and methods of handling NIL, then college sports will remain a mess.

    The NCAA is a voluntary organization of colleges and universities that recognizes fair competition comes only through everyone following a common set of rules. If they publish NIL guidelines and some colleges don’t want to follow them, those colleges can get out and establish their own rules, but this would come with a PR price. The NFL, NBA, NHL and MLB all have rules that control spending without limiting an individual player’s opportunity. The NFL has established a pay structure for draft picks. It can be done with college sports on a more modest scale..

    College players don’t have more rights than pro players, and the universities control the field of play with their facilities and TV contracts. Maybe legislation is needed to in effect establish a university as a franchise similar to a professional sports team in its ability to control outside contracts and outside money. If the NCAA said that no university could exceed a certain amount of player money from outside contracts it would force colleges to oversee the process to ensure that the limits are not exceeded. There is a solution here if the colleges want to find one.

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  67. I agree VoR. What the NCAA needs is a committee of a cross section of people who really have college sports in its best interest. Coach K, J Wright, B Alvarez … people who really care about the sport

    Sent from my iPhone

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  69. Yes, NIL does not appear to be the answer, much to easy to abuse. Since the NCAA is unable, unwilling to take charge conferences need to come up with a better way to compensate players while attempting to maintain fairness, competitiveness and some semblance of the student athlete. In a system where players will go to the highest bidder, there will eventually be no need for college football.

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  70. As Huff points out QB vs Receiver is a chicken vs egg argument. You obviously need both for success.
    Hopefully our guys are spending the summer throwing and catching and improving their timing and collective skills.

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  71. What did this guy do to you…he likes it here, made it his home, recruited as well as possible at Pitt without cheating, the team wins, is competitive…my God I know you’re a football guy…but look at our basketball and baseball programs…give Duzz a break man…

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