in Pitt Football 1,352 Words

Frank Cignetti

By Michaelangelo Monteleone

Hello you POVerts, Maestro here.  It’s been a while, but I’m back, sitting at a dimly lit table on a weeknight, a glass of tequila in one hand, an unfiltered Camel in the other, obsessing about the season.

<lights cigarette.  takes sip of tequila>

You see, it’s expected to be a good one.  10-2 or bust.  Best defensive line ever.  Defensive backs 2 deep (at least).  Linebackers rounding into form.  Oh and the offense.  We’re oh-so-deep at wide receiver (even without a certain Biletnikoff winner).  We’ve got four-no-five competent running backs (at least two of which appear to have NFL potential).  There’s a new quarterback who can sling it (and a competent backup… if he sticks around).  And let’s not forget the offensive line.  (Oh that glorious, seasoned and mature offensive line.)

It’s all going to be run by one Mr. Frank Cignetti.  Oh sure, he’s been here before.  And we saw what he did…an 1800 yard rusher, 1100 yard wide receiver, an All-American Tight End.  But for as good as all that was, there’s a catch.  Because you see, I’ve been looking into Cignetti, and I’ve found some things.  Turns out Cignetti has a points problem.  And points are… kind of the point.

Take a look at Boston College.  Cignetti’s 2020 team put up 28 points per game.  Respectable.  But that was with ex-Notre Dame starter Phil Jurkovec throwing to NFL Tight End Hunter Long and all-ACC wide receiver Zay Flowers.  The punchline is that Cignetti had three elite weapons and put up 28 points per game.  In 2021 Jurkovec went down, and Cignetti’s crew could barely muster 24.

<takes another sip, taps ashes>

But maybe he was rusty.  He’d been away from the college game for a while.  Nine years to be precise.  In 2011 Cignetti called plays for Rutgers.  They averaged 26.  The year prior he was at Pitt.  Also 26.  For all you liberal arts majors out there:  the average of 28, 24, 26 and 26 is…26.  More than just a coincidence?  I think not.

But what about Pitt in 2009?  Well let’s take one more step back in time.  It’s true, Cignetti’s Power 5 peak the late-aughts.  2008 and 2009 to be specific.  Back in ‘09 Cigs caught lighting in a bottle with Billy Stull, Dion Lewis and Jon Baldwin and averaged 32 per game for our beloved Panthers.  The year before that?  Cignetti’s run-heavy attack put up 32.6 at Cal.  There was also a forgettable 18 point effort at UNC in 2006, but let’s be real, that’s when UNC wasn’t Cheating. Of course that first Power 5, UNC gig wouldn’t have been possible if it wasn’t for Cignetti’s work in the Western Athletic Conference.  True to his Pennsylvania roots, Cignetti signed on to a blue-collar program – Fresno State – where he spent four seasons working for Pat Hill.  Cignetti’s first two seasons (’02 and ’03) averaged 25 points for the Bulldogs.  (Awfully close to 26…)  His last two seasons (’04 and ’05) averaged 39.  His 2005 Fresno State squad took #1 USC down to the wire, losing 42-50.

Cignetti’s quarterback at Fresno was Paul Pinegar.  A walk on who played baseball in high school.  Head coach Pat Hill tapped Cignetti to develop the raw-but-talented Pinegar.  Cignetti coached Pinegar to a 147.6 passer rating in 2005 – his senior year.  It was the second highest rating of any Cignetti quarterback over a full season.  The highest?  Bill Stull in 2009 (150.1).  Honorable mention goes to Phil Jurkovec, who posted a 149 over six games in 2021 (prior to injury).   Sadly, there’s a drop off after that.  Jurkovec turned in a slightly-better-than average 138.7 in 2020.  Pittsburgh local-son Tino Sunseri put up a 137 in 2010.  The still-developing Pinegar posted a 135 way back in 2004 – his third season under Cignetti.  If you’re following along at home, that’s 6.5 years out of 11 where “Cignetti” QB play was above average or better.  But…we all know what Sunseri looked like in 2010.  How would we feel if the much-ballyhooed Kedon Slovis posts a 137 passer rating this year on the way to an eight-win regular season?

<sips tequila.  another drag on the cigarette>

What can we realistically expect in 2022 then?

First, we can expect a lot of running.  A Lot.  Of Running.  And by God, we all know that Pitt fans appreciate a good power running game out of the I-formation.  During 7 of his 11 seasons, Cignetti’s offenses have featured at least 2000 total rushing yards.  Fresno State’s Bryson Sumlin and Wendell Mathis (who and who?) went for 2099 yards and 25 TD’s in 2004.  Cal’s Jahvid Best and Shane Vereen (both future NFL’ers)  teamed up for 2295 and 19 in 2008.  And Pitt’s Dion Lewis and Ray Graham (beloved and revered) combined for 2148 and 21 TD’s in 2010.  Pretty, pretty, pretty good indeed.

Second, we can expect a vertical passing game.  Cignetti has had a receiver average 15+ yards per reception 7 out of 11 seasons.  Some of them even overlap with the 2000+ year rushing seasons.  You might recognize the following Wide Receivers:  Hakeem Nicks (39-660-4, 16.9 avg, 2006 UNC), Zay Flowers (56-892-9, 15.9 avg, 2020 BC), Jonathan Baldwin (57-1111-8, 19.5 avg, 2009 Pitt).  Two of those three were drafted in the first round.  The other one (Flowers) currently projects as a 4th. 

Third, we can expect a good Tight End.  Cignetti’s WAC’d out Fresno state offenses featured four wide, but after he came back east he got down to business.  In 2009 Cignetti flipped Dorin Dickerson from Linebacker to H-Back and made him Pittsburgh-famous (and also an All-American).  In 2020 Cignetti put BC’s Hunter Long in the NFL.  (Stats:  Dickerson 49-529-10, Long 57-685-5).  So the over-under for Pitt’s Gavin Bartholomew has to be what?  Second team All-ACC, with a state line of 55-600-7?

Sounds great doesn’t it?  A strong running game, long passes, and plenty of production from the Tight End is every Pitt fan’s dream.   But it comes with a price.  And that’s the point of this article.  What you shouldn’t expect from Frank Cignetti Junior…

<snubs out cigarette, finishes off tequila>

… is a lot of points, or even a ten-win season.  We are talking about a career 28 points guy, who once broke forty in the WAC  (Where defense is optional).  We are talking about a guy who has only been part of one ten-win campaign in his 11 seasons (You know the one).  Sorry, folks but stats don’t lie.

But hell, I’m drunk, and I love Pitt.  And until the first snap is played, there’s still hope and optimism.  So here is the bone I’ll throw you:  Matt Canada never broke 40 until he came to Pitt (Maybe he did at NIU, but MAC…)  And neither did Mark Whipple (except at DII Umass – even more irrelevant).  But at Pitt, under Pat Narduzzi, they both broke forty.  And now these two semi-revered-and-somewhat-reviled coordinators hold the highest points-per-game averages in Pitt history (40.9 and 41.4 per season, respectively).

Top Pitt Scoring Offenses (All-Time)

Still, it’s obvious that Cignetti was brought in to do ball control, and (to me at least) it’s obvious that this season is riding on the defense.  (Just the way Narduzzi likes it.)  So let’s keep our expectations in check.  We were calling for ground chuck three games into the Mark Whipple era, and now that that pesky Kenny Pickett is out of the picture, we’ve got it.  Enjoy the time-capsule back to the 1970’s folks.  All 32 points of it.

H2P!!

Michelangelo Monteleone

159 thoughts on “Frank Cignetti”

  1. Great assessment.
    Great assessments to everyone who has written them.
    The problem with riding the defense is that the cornerbacks on an island philosophy can break your spine.
    Live by the sword, die by it.
    Looking forward to WVU
    H2P!

    Liked by 2 people

  2. Ahhh, how we missed that writing style Maestro. Thanks for bringing us back down to earth, maybe. There are certainly a lot of good stats there along with the more dubious ones, and I am willing to expect Pitt’s current QB to play up to the level of Bill Stull. Call me undeterred. Any chance you will make it up for the Backyard Brawl?

    Like

    1. There is always more to the story Reed. In this case best receivers his freshman year, then some injury, covid year and poorly coached team his final year.

      He steps in with a mature O line, solid receivers and running backs with a great defense.

      Liked by 1 person

      1. … and to your point GC, his numbers his Freshman year were not an accident.

        Pitt will average over 30 points per game. Slovis isn’t Kenny, but he’ll be good. Especially with pass protection and a running game.

        Liked by 2 people

  5. Most excellent, MM. Great to see your byline. Clever use of revered-reviled!

    And I could picture you in that room – eyes squinting from the cigarette smoke. Bogie with his hat on and collar turned up sitting in a corner chair…

    I’m worried a bit about the WRs. The “B” guys haven’t done it yet and the transfer is an unknown. And will anyone step up into the vital, versatile role that Gavin Bartholomew played so well last season…

    Go Pitt.

    Liked by 1 person

  6. When Cignetti was hired that was a concern of mine as well but a ball control offense will tend to score less points. Michigan State went 13-1 in 2013 scoring 29 PPG with a Narduzzi defense.

    Cignetti’s Pitt team in 2009 went 10-3 scoring 32 PPG. Everyone here preaches about the overrated time of possession statistics each season and those teams winning TOP regularly will generally score less points because they are also playing keep away.

    Cignetti has been at Pitt, Rutgers and BC. Repeat … Pitt, Rutgers and BC … not really talent laden offensive juggernauts … and this Pitt team is probably even more skilled than that 2009 Pitt team across all positions. A Bill Stull lead team scored 32 PPG. Let that sink in, too.

    Regarding Slovis, there are excuses and reasons … in his case there are absolute reasons why his stats dropped. The Helton lead USC teams are a travesty to college football. And that Athletic Dept. You think Pitt’s AD is inept … USC says hold my beer. His stats went down as USC lost more more of the his predecessor’s elite recruits. Especially, the OL. As the OL went down hill, so did the entire program including Slovis.

    What does Slovis have at Pitt? Oh yeah, a great and deep OL. He’ll be fine.

    I am concerned about the PPG, however, as well. In this era you have to be able to score and score a lot at will. I was not in love with the hire. Safe. I generally don’t like safe. I do like how this offense is built though. I think it’s going to be a tough one to stop. Who do you key in on? Run … over the top you go. Cover 2 … Oh hey there Bartholomew. Pick that zone apart.

    We’ll see though. Defending champs until they’re not.

    H2P

    Like

  7. Gasman hit on my greatest worry about Pitt Football 2022-23. Our secondary! Look at W Michigan/ Miami/UVA and UNC last year. Our scheme cost us two games and could’ve cost us four. The Hoopies have a very good O line and a bunch of skilled receivers. They will not be able to run vs Pitt and will try to light up our secondary. If Duzz keeps us on an island, it hurts our chances.

    But, finally after WMichigan 21, Duzz started putting in some zone.
    It took until the bowl game with Wake to get everyone in our secondary on the same page. Pitt must generate a pass rush to beat WVCC and Tennessee.

    Liked by 3 people

    1. Let us all hope that Narduzzi has schooled his secondary on zone!! If a secondary is able to switch back and forth between man vs. zone with some semblance of expertise, it messes with college quarterback’s minds, even the good ones!

      Liked by 1 person

  8. From what I read the WMU game taught the defensive coaches they must be able to adjust quickly. It sounded like they were narrowing the game plans down so far they weren’t able to adjust. Bates states it in one of his Pitt Live Wire interviews.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. My guess is Coach Bates was protecting a player or two with that statement.

      I’ve seen where one of the safeties said he messed-up that game…

      Go Pitt.

      Like

  9. MM I am having difficulty typing…too much cigarette smoke. I think your piece hits on some areas that we have either overlooked or have taken for granted. Cignetti has quite a few well-polished tools to work with but the numbers as we all know don’t always tell the story. Despite having Jurkovec at QB and an excellent coach in Haffley BC was still stuck in the mud. If we can come out of our 1st three games 3-1 our road ahead is not completely smooth, but it is a definite possibility that the game against The Canes will be for all the marbles. I think Cignetti will be a big plus>>>our QB’s will save wear and tear on their spikes from not having to go to the sidelines for every play!

    Liked by 3 people

  10. Great article MM! I still do not understand why nobody appreciated Bill Stull! Hopefully Cignetti can pull the same job with Slovis now that he has been coronated starting QB at today’s press conference. Hopefully Mr. Patti stays around as I fear we will need him.

    I am really ready for all the noise to stop and the season to begin. If we only average 24 points per game, Mr. Cignetti will be gone possibly before the season ends. I do not believe that will happen though! We will average about 10 points more than that a game (34 for those liberal art majors). We will need every point as we will continue to be torched for long pass plays. Has Narduzzi ever heard of zone pass defense? Please someone send him a good technical treatise on it!

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  11. Welcome back, Michaelangelo! Your writing was sorely missed. Pitt has offensive weapons at all skill positions, and Narduzzi likes having those 40 point games to take the pressure off of his beloved defense. So I think coach Cig will surprise people with a more aggressive offensive approach than he is known for.

    Like

  12. Great to hear from you again Maestro. Here’s hoping you and your family are well and prospering. (And an 11-1 season will make us all happy campers, all the while replaying and regretting that one loss that kept us out of playoff contention.)

    Liked by 1 person

  15. Anne and Maestro, great jobs

    I see that HCPN naming K Slovis as starter made the crawl on ESPN and CBS Sports, but very little notice here. Guess we all expected it

    It also was a big topic of discussion on ACC PM which airs from 4 to 6 on ACCN … which I assume will be a regular show now with Mark Packer involved.

    Sent from my iPhone

    >

    Like

  16. Welcome back Maestro…love your style…Hey, at a minimum we gotta score 1 more point more than our opponent each game to get this show to Charlotte…we shall see…rooms in the “Queen City” are in the books and awaiting JeanieB and BigB…….if the PANTHERS go all the way, I bet your nephew abandons the Notre Dame ship!!!

    Liked by 2 people

  18. My other post got lost for some reason …

    TL;DR:

    Cignetti’s hire wasn’t very inspiring but he did average 31 PPG with Bill Still. Pitt, BC and Rutgers are not traditionally recruiting hot beds for offensive talent … is it Cignetti or the talent? I think that context requires further exploration.

    Another note … Duzz’s defenses have done well with ball control offenses. The 2012, 13-1, MSU team averaged 29 PPG with Duzz’s defense. He’s said as much in passive aggressive comments on the various OC’s he’s scared off.

    Regarding Slovis … there are reasons and excuses. In Slovis’s case there are absolutely reasons for his regression. The Todd Helton experiment at USC was a travesty. And the athletic department culture may have been even worse. Slovis was great with a good offensive line. As the talent that Helton inherited left and his poor recruits started playing more the entire teams suffered, including Slovis.

    What does Slovis have at Pitt? A very good offensive line. He’ll be fine. Experience is huge … Go look at Pickett’s numbers from years 1 to 3.

    That’s my problem with stats … they always need context. Cignetti and Slovis at face value look concerning. What happens when you start peeling back some context, however?

    They both have red flags. No doubt. But I think both require some proper context so that there is a proper narrative around those red flags.

    It’s not always black and white and as simple as data.

    I’m in sales. A very data driven and metric driven industry … They’re a tool to help but not the end all be all. Reality also matters.

    That TL;DR ended up a “just read it”. haha.

    H2P

    Like

  21. Great job Mikey, you put me right there with you as you wrote the article.

    We have to remember, the PITT football program was on “the verge” with Wanny and Cignetti when they were rudely interrupted by “the steve”.

    Putting my tailgate menu together. Most likely takeout? Either way there will be a fire involved, a PITT sign and my coveted poster from all my great Red 5A friends. H2P!

    Liked by 7 people

  22. MM

    He lives. I can’t wait till the Duzz does a news event and you can translate his answers and tell us what each really means.

    pmdH2P

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  23. Slovis highlights. He keeps his eyes down field, looks off defenders, strong arm, good pocket presence, beautiful deep balls. What else would highlights show, lol.

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    1. But I understand he’s slow, like tortoise-slow. Slower than old-man Big Ben. Slower than Smokey Burgess.

      That’s why Duzz has ordered Coach Cig to run the ball every play – no one will expect that…

      Go Pitt.

      Liked by 4 people

  24. If Pitt doesn’t put up 35 plus a game they won’t win six games. The defense is good, but this is college ball. Offenses put up big numbers. You can’t argue with Whipple’s philosophy last year. It worked. Frank worries me. I hope he puts that to rest against the Hoopies.

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  27. Clemson went 10-3 averaging 26 PPG … They don’t have to average 35 PPG to win 10 games. To be ACC champs again, they probably do have to be close to that number. If they want to be in the Playoff, they absolutely have to be there.

    Liked by 3 people

  28. wow, Slovis’ video above, not a dropped ball anywhere to be seen

    seriously, accuracy was good but some of his receivers made some very good catches

    hoping OUR receivers do not revert from what was a huge improvement last year led by the dude #3 that exited

    or was it KP learning to throw with that ball pointed sideways/up?/down?(or whatever direction he couldn’t quite figure out for the first several years he was at Pitt 😉 )

    looks like Slovis learned ball point direction best practices his first year at USC

    Liked by 1 person

  29. A reminder:

    These were Addison’s stats for last season:
    100 catches
    1593 yards
    17 TDs ***
    15.9 yards per catch

    And in the must-win game against UVA, he had 14 catches and 4 TDs.

    Stinks that he’s gone…

    Go Pitt.

    Liked by 2 people

  30. 28 points per game won’t get it done for Pitt this season. As GC stated the Pitt high risk D can give up many a point very quickly and that’s likely to occur more often than not. So if Cig hasn’t realized that the Pitt high risk D can’t be counted on in all games to protect the lead his experience in this sport should come into question quickly.

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  31. That high risk D is the same D that went 13-1 with a Michigan State team that averaged 29 PPG.

    Ball control = less offense for opponents = less risk opportunities

    I agree we need to score points but if you’re playing a slower paced game there will be less opportunities to score and generally less points scored overall by both teams. Points per possession is more important than points per game.

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    1. Well you could be right TT but I remember all too well the 21 points Pitt gave up to Wake Forest with over 3 minutes remaining in the first Q in the ACC Championship game last season. And I think I said that the 28 points can’t be counted on for many a game this season to bring home the win.

      Like

      1. How many did they score after the first quarter? We were scoring at will, too. That first quarter was definitely not a ball control game. Hahah.

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  33. I see that Narduzzi is blasting “Country Roads” at practice. It still cracks me up that West Virginians adopt that song as their own considering the song is about western Virginia and not their home state. Of course, John Denver is to blame because he didn’t sing it saying “western” like he should have. It fits musically and with the tempo of the song, but for some reason he shortened it to “west” Virginia.

    If there is a Jumbo Tron at practice, maybe Narduzzi can run a loop from the movie “Waterboy” of all the crowd scenes (prior to the fictional team going on their win streak.) Of course, that would be more appropriate for next year when we visit Morgantown.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. If I recall correctly, the majority of the song is about Maryland, west of Virginia, not West Virginia. My wife is from WV and when we got married, I wore a Pitt script tshirt under my tux. Little did she know until the unveiling exercise (our personal two minute drill, but that’s another short story), post nuptials. I started day one in the doghouse, but it was worth it. She’s the bomb. Planning our bet as we speak.

      Like

  34. In my previous posts I forgot to give credit to MM for another great write-up. With a drink in one hand and an unfiltered Camel in the other I can only visualize an old time sports reporter at his typewriter pounding out his copy for the next day morning paper.

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    1. I was certain he was being literal

      I admit to being a poor writer,,,, maybe a rather poor reader too… 😦

      .
      and yes, MM great to have your writing back for a bit though it seems absense has made your heart

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      1. ^^^^^got an important phone call, and accidently hit post ^^^^^ haha

        ….absence has made your heart grow a bit less fonder

        🙂

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  35. Great stuff, MM! Came across as fair/balanced assessment of Cignetti, especially with brining in previous point averages for the other OC’s prior to coming to Pitt. Very tough to figure out how he’ll translate, but I think everyone would agree Cignetti should at the very least be solid. I do disagree with some comments regarding the O Line, I’m still of the opinion that they will be solid, but I doubt they’ll be very good or great, I just don’t think the talent is there; hopefully I will be proven wrong and we’ll see an excellent O Line this year; I harp on it a bit because we’re expecting to run more this year, plus we’ll have a much less mobile QB.

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  36. Fun thought exercise …

    1 … 12-0
    2 … Slovis and Hallett
    3 … 51-3

    Liked by 1 person

  37. One thing to point out with Cignetti’s offense over the years: MM, maybe you have a feel for the overall offensive possession time of Cig’s teams as OC, but primarily running the ball is a low scoring possession strategy that he may have implemented to win with average offensive talent or a stronger defense. He has never been known for promoting a high octane (yes, I know..) strategy that attempts to outscore the opposition. Winning games should be the major objective.

    If Coach Cig is secretly a believer that defense wins games, or if he has worked for head coaches who do, then he could easily default to a possession strategy on offense. The key is how many games against superior opposition he has won, and if pursuing a possession (or even balanced) strategy has worked for his teams in the past.

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  39. Training camp comes to an end. Kickoff Luncheon tomorrow with representatives from the POV attending.

    Like

  40. FYI: A bettor on the Draftkings Sports Book has placed a $20,000 bet on Pitt over 8.5 wins. Potential payout $38,181.81. Anyone think that Tex just might have been that bettor?

    Liked by 1 person

  43. So, I understand the Eers new OC runs the Air Raid offense. Forgive my ignorance but have we played an Air Raid offense since Duzz has been here?

    Go Pitt

    Like

    2. UCF and TN Heupel, UVA Robert Anae now at Syracuse, UNC Phil Longo are considered in the Air Raid coaching tree. They all do it a little different. It’s no longer a new thing to face since it is so popular. I think every team took pieces of it they like, even in the NFL.

      I think Heupel is the best that Pitt will face. He added an unbelievable pace to it.

      Liked by 1 person

  46. MM Bogey – good to have you back. I hope for once in PNHC-ing career, he puts his big boy boots on and steps on the throats of our opponents.

    Too often we’ve played a conservative style in a close game that leads to a loss – psuX FG when a TD was needed, NCST, BC, Miami a few times, Virginia to start the season a few years back, Stanford…oh the bad memories.

    OT: our other men’s futbol team was ranked #7 going into last nights packed house in Pittsburgh vs #2 Georgetown. The Panthers held on for a 2-1 win – Pitt looked like the better team in the first half leading 2-1 but GT looked better in the 2nd half, but could not score, much to my liking.

    Go Pitt!

    Liked by 3 people

  48. O T
    Whoever designed the paper tickets needs a new position in the department.
    How hard is it to put the game number and the opponent on the ticket where you can easily see it.

    Like

  52. Walk on WR Gavin Thompson awarded the 85th scholarship today. But as the 6th or 7th WR on this years squad its hard to believe we will see a good deal of him absent some significant injuries at WR.

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  54. Just arrived at the kickoff luncheon.
    Tables set for around 500 attendees!
    The FAN broadcasting in the lobby.

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  55. Joe Starkey of the Fan broadcasting from the Kickoff Luncheon. Already has established that Pitt’s season will be a failure unless they win the ACC

    Fortunately Cook is on vacation this week.

    Jerry D. said that Pitt may have their best OL and DL in 40 years. Not sure about that, Jerry…

    Starkey should interview Fran and Scooter. And the Commander could co-host the show…

    Go Pitt.

    Like

  56. Stopped at the FAN set up and wished Starkey happy birthday…he laughed.
    Wearing my script Shady shirt.
    Hoping for a signature 🙏 on it to wear to the opener.

    Liked by 4 people

  58. Sitting in the hotel bar with Scooter post event and the bartender comes over to inform us a gentleman wants to buy us a drink.
    Billy freaking Hillgrove, baby!!

    Liked by 10 people

    1. Way to go, Fran! What was the reaction when Scooter was introduced to the crowd at the luncheon?

      Like

    2. Awesome!

      “My ball! My touchdown! Turn out the lights!”

      (That Scooter is such a POV celebrity!)

      Go Pitt.

      Like

  61. Ben Sauls named starting place-kicker. Wasn’t expecting that…

    Little bit scary…

    Go Pitt.

    Like

  62. VERRRY interesting because I remember expressing concern about our kicking about 2 months ago. I was a bit worried (and I still am) about our punter from Kangarooland. Aussie football is not for the faint-hearted so I am sure that he will not wither away, however, punting is an art as we all know and distance is NOT necessarily the primary factor in success.
    But, place-kicking was not what concerned me. Sauls has just had a ton of Panther Paws placed on his shoulders and I truly hope that he comes through for us with flying colors!!
    H2P!!

    Liked by 1 person

  64. Pitt Women’s Volleyball not doing too well today. Presently down 2-1 and got blown out in the third set. There have been a lot of hitting errors, which may be due to Ennis setting in place of Akeo. Akeo is still out with an injury. Fairbanks playing front line. Gomez is one of our six rotation players as is Dalton apparently. Nwokolo has 4 digs so far. She had 18 all last year. The match is not televised so it is hard to see what the overall problems are.

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  65. #6 Pitt is playing #25 San Diego in Women’s Volleyball. Should have started with that.

    Like

  66. I see Slovis being voted a captain as a very positive thing.

    Despite losing his starting position, Scarton deserved a schollie based on last year

    Sent from my iPhone

    >

    Liked by 2 people

  67. Pitt Women’s Volleyball loses their first match of the season to #25 San Diego, 3 sets to 2. They were blown out in the 3rd set when they hit -0.071. They also got blown out in the 5th set when they hit 0.095. They had way too many hitting errors. Ennis was the second setter. Perhaps in the scrimmage she should have been setting in place of Coach Akeo? Fairbanks had 30 assists to Ennis’s 17. Fairbanks also played front line with 4 kills and 1 block assist. The starting lineup for all 5 sets were Browske, Gray, Fairbanks, Gomez, Dalton, Buzzerio, and Nwokolo. Ennis came in as the second setter. Starks came in at the end of the 4th set to give the team a spark to win that set. The last set was a disaster for Pitt as they were down 4-10, losing 8-15.

    Pitt will drop out of the top ten next week after being ranked there for 18 consecutive weeks. Pitt’s next match is tomorrow at 5 PM versus Hawaii who received votes in the AVCA poll. Pitt needs to clean up its errors if they expect to win that match. It will be interesting to see if Fisher changes his lineup.

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  68. If you’re interested in how complicated it is to play QB, you can talk to BigB or Dave Havern in Red5A, or you can check out Curt Warner’s film break-down of Kenny Pickett’s first 2 NFL exhibition games…

    Find “Kenny Making Push” on UTube. Maybe someone can link it.

    I loved pitching in baseball because you controlled the game, but I can’t imagine having to make those split second reads as a QB has to do. Curt Warner explains the defense and where Kenny should be going with the ball…. I found it interesting.

    Go Pitt.

    Liked by 2 people

  69. On Fridays, one of the articles I always look forward to reading is Chris Peaks (Rivals) free 3-2-1 column.

    https://pittsburgh.rivals.com/news/the-3-2-1-column-slovis-a-history-of-transfers-and-a-season-prediction

    This week’s article gives a basically complete listing of all Pitt transfer portal entries and his ranking (excluding this years) of how they performed at Pitt. A discussion of what to expect on offense on the march to a 50/50 balance in run/pass plays. I just sprained my elbow patting myself on the back, after he mentioned sacks as run plays as I continuously said during my preseason reviews. But he did add that there was probably more due to a lot of Pickett’s runs where probably designed pass plays.

    Both he and I agree on our regular season prediction of 10-2 with losses to Tennessee and Miami.

    Am I worried – no.

    Football starts tomorrow. Duquesne @ Florida State 5:00PM ACCN.
    Florida A&M @ North Carolina 8:15 PM ACCN.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Thanks for that link, Richard. Finally got a chance to read the article.

      Two comments:
      —On his ranking of the transfers, I’d have WR Stoval ranked higher simply because his TD catch against UTenn totally turned Pitt’s season around, IMHO…

      —And this statement is why I’m hopeful about Kedon S. :

      “Slovis … has played a lot of Power Five football – 1,718 snaps and 953 career pass attempts – and has played well.”

      Go Pitt.

      Like

      1. I agree but no higher than the Rutgers TE at 12 & 13, but I can see Browne on potential still staying above Stovall.

        Agree on the Slovis statement.

        Also like to read the Free Football comment board when time allows. A different perspective on Pitt fans.

        Like

    2. Nebraska is playing NW in Ireland right now. Air Whipple is on the sidelines for the corn shuckers.

      Like

      1. I knew I would be outside until 4pm. Besides I don’t watch Big 10 football. Which is not a definitive statement as I have Wyoming-Illinois (Danny Devito QB’ing Illinois) on now due to rain delay of Duquesne @ FSU game. But then again, it’s my second choice as I have on the Jacksonville State – Stephen F Austin as my primary game. SFA was the nearest college team to where I lived in East Texas.

        Like

  70. Mark, didn’t see Sally.
    But some will be happy to hear that Heather wore a yellow blouse.

    Like

  72. I love Shady…won’t steal any of Reeds thunder though.
    He planning an article for tomorrow I believe.

    Like

  73. Yes, will write one up when I get home later this afternoon. Was great seeing Scooter and Fran.

    Also:

    2022 Pitt Football Weekly Media Planner: West Virginia Week

    Monday

    Pat Narduzzi Press Conference, Noon

    UPMC Rooney Sports Complex, 2nd floor team room

    The Pat Narduzzi Show presented by Dollar Energy Fund, 6 p.m.

    93.7 The Fan live from Pitt Studios

    Tuesday

    Pitt Football Bonfire (Photo/Video Opportunity), 8 p.m.

    Cathedral of Learning

    Wednesday

    No scheduled media availability

    Thursday

    Pitt vs. West Virginia (ESPN and 93.7 The Fan), 7 p.m.

    Like

  74. Jordan Addison has signed an NIL agreement with United Airlines which now will provide direct flights for west coast cities to college football destinations. Terms of the agreement are undisclosed

    Sent from my iPhone

    >

    Liked by 1 person

    1. New United Airlines commercial:

      Jordan Addison : “Take it from me, you need to get out of town quick? Call United Airlines.”

      Go Pitt.

      Liked by 4 people

  75. Desmond Howard just picked Pitt go make the CFP. Of course, he also picked Michigan, Texas and Texas A & M

    Sent from my iPhone

    >

    Like

      1. I hope they are … You want to win a championship, you have to think you can … Winners have ego’s.

        Like

        1. I think in a team sport it can poison the few that can ruin things

          with football you need that calm, confident leadership that remains composed and unfazed with the inevitable adversity that will happen and I don’t think the loud-mouthed talkers usually fill that role

          Pickett was that guy last year, there were others

          Like

          1. Not in my opinion. I want people who expect to win. No room for doubt or softened expectations. They won the ACC. The only next step is the Playoffs. If that’s not your end game, why even suit up on Saturday.

            Now, can they get there? I have my doubts but I’m a fan. The players and coaches better … in the words of Ted Lasso … BELIEVE.

            I’m also biased. I love confident bordering on cocky. I’m was that kid you had to point scoreboard to but was also the first kid to point to the scoreboard. Haha. I hate the business-like approach to sports … it’s sports … have fun. I embrace the entertainment value of sports as well. At all levels.

            When I coached I’ve sat kids who were better for not looking like they were having fun. Instead of yelling at kids for mistakes I would start talking trash with them. Getting a smile out of a kid who just messed up I’ve found is the best way for kids to understand they can move on and not worry about the past.

            As a sales manager I do the same thing. They’re adults. They know they messed up. Acknowledge it. Let them know I know. But always move forward.

            Forward for Pitt is the Playoffs. ACC Champs? Been there, done that.

            Like

    2. Think that is a strategy to gin up some fan interest as most of the country is tired of the same ole- same ole 4-5 teams year in and year out…… that being said PITT is undefeated!

      Liked by 1 person

  78. I see where Syracuse transfer Danny Devito has been named the starting QB for the Fighting Illini!

    It’s crazy out there…

    Go Pitt.

    Liked by 4 people

  81. Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha

    Ummmmmm … We tried to warn you, Scott …

    Liked by 3 people

    1. what do you mean here TT?

      I didn’t watch the game but was Whipple the problem?

      I did see the int to basically end the game and it certainly looked like it should’ve been caught for a first down to stop the clock but of course they still needed to go 70 yards and would’ve had clock problems unless somebody broke one

      Like

      1. I watched. Good first half but NW figured them out the second half. I’d argue a coach who has lost 15 straight one possession games is probably a bad coach. But, it’s the frustration with Whipple that was comical. Love or hate Whipple no one can say some of his play calling wasn’t quizzical.

        To be clear, Nebraska has a lot more problems than Whipple but the fact the HC is pointing fingers after game one is all you need to know about Whipple. He’s not an easy coach to get along with.

        Like

      2. I replied but it is stuck in no man’s land. Whipple being blamed after game one tells you all you need to know. Frost has a lot of other trouble , including himself, but the fact he was so quick to point a finger is very telling IMO.

        Liked by 2 people

  84. Pitt womens volleyball team bounced back today and soundly beat Hawaii 3-0. There are a lot of new people to incorporate into the lineup so once the coaches figure it out and the players adjust we should be ok. It’s tough losing a 3-year starting setter. Hopefully she’ll be back soon.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. San Diego is much better than the #25 team in the nation. They took down host Texas A&M in a 3-set sweep. Pitt looks to be the third best team in the ACC at this point in the season behind Louisville and Georgia Tech. North Carolina has proven to be a huge disappointment.

      As Annie mentioned in her article, Pitt plays fast. It will take some time for Ennis and the new additions to get used to this speed. Pitt will be on the SEC digital channel today at 1:30 PM. It is the first opportunity for most of us to see this year’s team in action. I am looking forward to it.

      Pitt plays at BYU next weekend. This weekend BYU let a fan threaten and racially insult a Duke player during a match without doing anything to expel the person. Duke is playing the next match in the tournament off campus in front of only friends and family due to the incident. One can search on-line to get further details. This better not happen to Pitt when they play there!! Totally disgusting behavior by the fan and by BYU for letting the fan continue his behavior the entire match!

      Liked by 2 people

  87. Maestro!! Thanks for the enjoyable read! Molto, molto bene!!! Nice to see you back on here.

    I took Duquesne and the points tonight 😉

    I guess Bill Hilgrove gave up driving?

    Saw Desmond Howard’s prediction of Pitt, A&M, Michigan and Baylor in the CFP.
    What a great season it would be if that turned out – no Bama, no Georgia, no Buckeyes and of course Pitt getting to that point would be mind-blowing.

    But forget about all the predictions….isn’t it great for Pitt to be relevant, taken seriously and at least part of the national discussion (again)?!

    Liked by 6 people

  88. I watched the Nebraska game. Full disclosure…Nebraska is my third most hated team behind PSUX and ND. Needless to say, I was very happy with the outcome today. My observations differ from Frosty the Notgonnahavajobmuchlongerman.
    I didn’t notice too many times when I questioned the play calling. Nebraska ran the ball in situations when I expected a pass. I guess I was still expecting to see the Whipple offense from the last few years.
    I will say that the game was definitely there for Nebraska to win. The QB had open receivers the entire second half…usually with no defenders within five yards. The QB kept throwing behind his receivers. On crossing patterns, the throws were behind and traveling about 102 MPH. I didn’t have an issue with the play calls…the execution was lousy. If Frosty wants to blame someone, he should blame the defense as much as the QB. They were poor at tackling, and Northwestern’s offensive line wore out them out in the second half.
    I am loving not only the loss, but the fact that there seems to be conflict only one game in…as mentioned by previous posters.

    Liked by 3 people

    1. Nebraska’s offense wasn’t that bad. You can’t win too many games with three turnovers and a D that can’t stop the run.
      The Nebraska QB will be good. Martinez was horrible for them. Frost is done if he doesn’t have a great year.

      Liked by 1 person

    2. The second have was a horribly called game and one first half TD was the result of a fluke scramble play where the wide receiver broke free. The scored a couple plays later. Great play by the QB and WR but it wasn’t a called play.

      NW had some great second half adjustments and shut them down.

      Frost pointing fingers so soon is telling. There have to have been some tension in camp for that to come out so soon. I’m assuming Frost having played NW before was probably telling Whipple “hey, Fitzgerald is a good coach and will have some adjustments. Lets not be predictable …” … but we all know Whipple won’t listen to a HC. He is the mad genius.

      Like

      1. I saw where after Neb. went up 28-17 in the 3rd Q., Frost called for an on-side kick, which NW recovered at mid-field and then scored…

        Some gambles work, some don’t. Seems like an odd call though…

        Go Pitt.

        Like

        1. Oh, like I said above, Frost is a bigger problem than Whipple. More to the point that it’s clear those two aren’t getting along. Same issues that Duzz had. Whipple is not an easy guy to get along with. Stubborn. Whipple was never going to be a quick fix.

          Like

  89. The last two reviews by ACC opponents are in. Here is Virginia’s:

    https://www.streakingthelawn.com/2022/8/26/23295644/uva-football-virginia-cavaliers-pitt-panthers-pittsburgh-opponent-preview-kedon-slovis

    This is Miami’s. A little longer and this writer likes to use short videos to prove his points:

    https://www.stateoftheu.com/2022/8/25/23284930/miami-hurricanes-football-summer-scheming-22-pitt-panthers-nov-26-acc-coastal-cristobal-narduzzi

    I don’t know if you read all of the Pitt opponents reviews, but they seem to have one thing in common – the loss of Pickett, Addison and Whipple.

    Like

  90. Whipple looked like a genius last year with KP and Addison, otherwise he was pretty average, so no surprise. I’m looking forward to seeing what Cignetti can do with the rest of the talent and the new guys.

    Like

  92. The line on the Brawl moved from Pitt by 6.5 to 7.5. Meanwhile the over/under tightened from 54 to 51.5

    Looks like bettors believe Pitt’s defense will hold the Hoopies under 24pts while the offense will get 30+ pts.

    Like

    2. I’m not a betting expert but put $20 down on Pitt giving 7. Will win $38.20 if Pitt beats the spread.

      As I said, I’m no betting expert but does Pitt giving 7 or 7.5 means that in either case Pitt has to win by 8? Also, there is a “-110” on ticket. What does that mean or why is it on ticket?

      Bought at Caesars Sportsbook at Harrah’s Cherokee Casino in Cherokee NC.

      Like

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