in Pitt Football 245 Words

Up Next: Virgina Tecxis

Note: written this way on purpose. 🙂

The Pitt Panthers play the Virginia Tech Hokiewes next Saturady at 3232 PM.

The Hokies, despite their 2-3 record are 3rd in teh Coastala, having beaten BOston College and lost to North Caroline.

They also lost to Od Dominion (and you thot loosing to Georgia Tech was bsad…) and West Virinnna.

VT is 111th in the FBS in ofnseeev yards, with 319 yerds per game. And 117th in scoring offense with 18.2 ptssss p game. But Gorgia teach was pretttty bad too and they diminate us.

Tech is a bit better on defisnse, which you’d expect from head coach Brent Pry, since he was a Defoisoise Coorindanator. They rank 50th in scoring defens (22.2 ppt). They are in the tooop twenty fivwa in yards per game allowed though, with just 310, and their pass efficneey defnase is 51st in the counteray, so not to bad there either. What we should rellly werry about thoug is their rush defense whih is 24th in the country, at just 100 YPG.

West virginoa rolled up 421 yarsd against them tho, and UNC rolled up 527. Stillll, after expriencig last week’s debacle at Heinze fild, I have no fath in Pitt’s offenxe.

SOrry aobut the crappy article. I had a great plan, but I just coulnd’t execute. I’ll have myself reeddy for next qeek.

Ed: P/S: Trying something new here. Can someone try the QR code below and tell me if it takes you to a different article please? Thanks…

132 thoughts on “Up Next: Virgina Tecxis”

  1. I posted this on a previous thread

    I still say the elephant in the room is the loss of Addison. He now has 29 catches, 442 yards and 6 TDs. He gets open on almost every play, rarely misses a catch and routinely makes the spectacular catch. How much better does Slovis look with him to throw to? How much more open are the other guys while the opponent tries to defend against him?

    This cannot be overstated, yes KP was the biggest difference maker obviously enhanced by Addison but he was gone for sure. The loss of Addison was a tragedy caused by NIL. I predicted his loss would cost us at least a couple games, it looks like it will be much more than that.

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  3. So I’ll jump in here. Reed emailed me this morning, said “Mike there is something completely wrong with your article, It’s practically unreadable. Please proof it!”

    I guess I should have told him my goal was to make an article that was equally unreadable to the game we watched last week!

    Sorry about all the deleted comment gang. My fault.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. MM

      I figured that you were still “hungover” from Saturday or commenting on the VT Hokie fanbase, even though there is no comparison with WVU.

      pmdH2P

      Liked by 1 person

    2. That hurt my eyes and brain!

      Pitt has a longstanding (and deserved) reputation fro losing games it has no business losing. The loss to GT feels a little different in that with so much change in the offensive unit, its hard to know if its just a momentary soiling of the sheets or a real failure.

      Pitt also has a longstanding (and also deserved) reputation for winning games that no one thinks it can win.

      The VT game is somewhere in the middle and Im not sure what to expect on Saturday.
      Important for Slovis to start sharp. If he waits for the 2nd half to play well, I wouldn’t actually give him that chance.

      Yarnell… Duzz says Slovis is their best QB and a number of people (media folks such as Chris Peak for one) agree. I’m not sure anyone really knows, but he made good decisions and threw nice balls against WMU. Its not a reach to think he could have had a better day than Slovis against URI.

      Pitt is a 14.5 point favorite (ugh)…pressed to decide, I’d be inclined to take VT and the points.

      Liked by 1 person

  4. I had posted before Reed lost it that games are won by the team that makes the most big plays and usually the team with the best playmakers. The GT game was won by their QB, RB and Linebacker who made enough big plays. Pitt lost because they made very few big plays.

    Last week I criticized Jurkovec’s mistakes in the first half and he went on to make me look foolish by having an excellent second half largely because of the stellar play by Flowers, BC’s version of Addison. Yes Slovis is no KP, but he has no Addison or Flowers, guys that routinely make big plays and take over games. While our two transfers would have been great additions to Addison they are not adequate replacements. Also the loss of Mack and Krull, two other big play guys is making it tougher for Slovis to succeed. Our current group has not been getting enough separation and making enough catches in comparison.

    Combine that with the injuries you can see why we are where we are. The knee jerk reaction is always to point to coaching, but it is almost always the players that win or lose games.

    Liked by 4 people

  5. Agree with GC above and will add that I think the loss of Marion, our 2021 WRs coach was a huge loss to the offense also. We screwed up when we let him go but seeing the writing on the wall he took off.

    Texas has a strong passing game, beat WVU, lost to Alabama but one point and lost to Texas Tech in OT. They are 3-2 now and will have a much better record than last year’s 5-7. Marion is a big part of that turnaround.

    Liked by 2 people

    1. I agree to a point, but Addison made Marion look like a superstar. Underwood has far less talent to work with. When you add the difference between KP and Slovis easy to understand the drop in productivity.

      However I was in the camp of those that wanted Marion promoted to OC, more risky but with much greater upside.

      Liked by 1 person

    2. Reed – would have loved to have seen how you would have managed a guy who was looking out for himself before the team. Did you see his Twitter activity?

      Liked by 2 people

  7. GC… Since you’re obviously fully onboard the Addison train at this point, I thought you might appreciate this.

    PittofDreams
    October 2, 2021 at 1:50 pm

    But let’s face it. Pitt is BLESSED with a VERY special football Player. I’ll leave it to you to decide who that is.

    Like

  8. From The Pitt News:

    Opinion | Even if football isn’t your thing, you can have a great time at games and tailgates

    By Juliana Morello, For The Pitt News
    12:42 AM

    I’m just gonna say it — I don’t like football. And it’s not because I don’t understand it. I mean, I don’t — at least not completely — but I’ve been at Pitt for three years now, and I’d like to think I’ve got at least a very surface level idea of what’s going on.

    Since my first year I’ve been in the stands, cheering when other people cheer, booing when other people boo. Coming from a high school with a less-than-successful football team and a noticeable lack of cheerleaders, it was great going to a school with such tangible school spirit. Don’t ask me what any of the calls mean, but I can follow what’s happening — if, of course, I’ve got my friends in my ear explaining everything.

    But even if I didn’t, it’d be OK, because I don’t go to the games for the sports. I might not enjoy football, but I’m a sucker for a game. Whether you’re a sports fan or not, football games are a crucial aspect of Pitt’s culture. It’s fun dressing up in blue and gold, and it’s a great way to hang out with your friends. Tailgates are the best part of the whole game day because you get to eat and drink with a group of people all excited for the same thing, playing cornhole and beer pong and bonding over disliking the other team’s quarterback.

    It’s not about the sport, or the score at the end, but about the energy. More than anything, it’s about the community. Now, I get it — maybe you don’t like football, or you don’t see the appeal of pregaming, but I really believe that anyone can have fun on game days.

    When COVID-19 interrupted the 2020 season, my roommates and I tailgated in the parking lot outside our apartment. We watched each game comfortably from our own living room, free to use our own bathroom without waiting in a line or grab a snack that wasn’t a $10 soft pretzel. It was fun, and I look back on it fondly, but once games went in-person again, we couldn’t wait to go back to Heinz — or, sorry, Acrisure — we missed the camaraderie of the stadium and the energy of the crowds.

    Now that we’re older and back in the stadium, games are even more fun. Tailgates are better than ever because we can mingle with other fans and add to the community. At a tailgate for the Backyard Brawl, I found out that one of my friend’s parents went to West Virginia University. Exchanging trash talk with adults, talking to older siblings who were seniors at Pitt when we were first-years, tossing around a football with strangers who’ve set up in the lot across from us — it’s all a genuine college experience.

    The homecoming game is especially magnetic, at least for Pitt football fans who aren’t exactly fans of football. Homecoming is when alumni visit Pitt, so you get a chance to see how deep the Pitt community really goes. It has a similar energy to parents’ weekend, but it’s more celebratory — a game whose whole point is to give alumni and students a reason to be proud of their University. And it might be cheesy, but the feeling you get as everyone starts singing “Sweet Caroline” — well, it’s just not something that you can easily replicate.

    Again, I get it. Football games are long, and they can be exhausting. The stadium environment can get overwhelming, and if you’re new to Pitt or aren’t from Pittsburgh, it can be hard to find a tailgate to go to or a community of fans to join. But you won’t regret going to the games, especially the homecoming game. Being herded into the student section, joining cheers started by drunken strangers, trying to get on the Jumbotron — these are all things that every Pitt student should experience, even if it’s only once. And the homecoming game is a great opportunity to jumpstart your school spirit.

    Maybe it’s because I’m sentimental about this being my last year at Pitt, but I really believe that the football games are one of the best ways to make lasting memories, and it makes me sad hearing people say they don’t like going to the games because they don’t like football, or because it’s “not for them.” Football games at Pitt have something for everyone.

    So even if you have an exam on Monday and really need to study, or the last thing you want to do on a Saturday afternoon is sway along to a Neil Diamond song surrounded by thousands of strangers, you can’t deny that it’s tradition. And, if anything, you and your friends can have a good time laughing about how confusing football is — that’s what I do.

    Liked by 6 people

    2. This is great. I know way more than she does. But, it all comes down to just living the experience. My time at Pitt almost overlapped 6&34 (I did not go back to see the actual numbers) We hated the Notre Dame fans that invaded Oakland. Packed themselves into the Irish bar (Billy Coyne, I forget) It was all fun, even when we mostly lost.

      I hated the way we played against GT. But, life goes on. Next up, the Hokies.

      pmdH2p

      Liked by 1 person

    1. I hope not. Wherever the Steelers end up picking, I hope the team starts building from the trenches out.

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  10. The most disappointing thing about this year’s Panthers is pass protection. While Slovis needs to make quicker decisions, pretty obvious that he needs more time from his fifth and sixth year seniors who all have been playing together for some time, but are getting beat like the proverbial rented mule.

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    2. Panthers need a jump start. Yarnell is the answer much like KP is with Steelers. I’ve studied his film. And told y’all two years ago. The kid just needs experience. His ceiling is sky high. But I’m a biased Texan.

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    1. I think we all agree that it would be great if the homecoming game was on campus. But if you’re in town for homecoming and want to experience the campus experience, go to Oakland on Friday night. There’s an alumni reception in the Commons Room. Various alumni groups host private receptions in other campus buildings. And the fireworks and laser show are impressive.
      Get to campus early and walk the campus. If you haven’t been on campus in a while I think you will be surprised. I was in there a few weeks ago to visit a relative at Presby. It was a bright sunny day. The campus looked fresh and clean. The sidewalks were alive with students. Even Atwood Street and McKee Place were cleaner than I remembered. In a word, it was Vibrant.

      Liked by 3 people

      1. I’m with ya. But I’m pretty sure south oakland still smells like New Orleans on a early Sunday morning before the street crew hoses down the streets.

        Liked by 1 person

  12. Jordon Addison is a great player. It was PITT who recruited and won the recruiting battle for him. I believe he was a 3 star player out of high school while PITT could see his amazing talent and landed Jordan. It was after Marions coaching that Addison became a superstar.

    This is another example of what it’s like to be the coach at PITT. It almost makes me want to quit watching college football.

    Personally, I still am astounded, yes astounded, when I see the players recruited by this coaching staff and move on to the NFL. I know many are driven crazy at times but it you stop and look a little deeper, you’ll find more good than you think.

    Liked by 3 people

  14. I thought Pitt would keep rolling this year because Cignetti would keep a lot of Whipple’s offense. That was a very bad assumption.

    Pitt will be lucky to win eight games with Cignetti’s scheme, game planning and play calling. We can only hope that the curve of learning new offense is holding the offense back and they will get better. I seriously doubt it.

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  15. This first (paragraph) comment is mainly for JoeL – I am now a firm believer that the 2021 Pitt FB team was lead by KP8 – I was thinking it was more on the coaching abilities, but there is no longer any doubt in my mind.

    I am not convinced this coaching staff can “right the ship”. Every game from this point on is a toss up because of our coaching leadership.

    Duzz – needs better assistants and better QB recruiting.

    Cig – too early to tell? Look at the guys history, not the tape.

    Tiquan – if we cut his hair will the WR’s run crisper routes & catch the ball?

    Borbes – did he not know Cig’s history and make the necessary off-season adjustments? Feels like he did not…

    Salem – is he in Cig’s ear telling him that 2 of our best receivers are TE’s?

    Powell – we were told we had 5 RB’s who could play for almost any P5 team in the land – #1 & 2 are hurt and it appears to be a huge drop off from there.

    On the defensive side I will only pick on the LB coach from D2 Bucknell – that kind of says it all – we currently have one D1 LB on the roster. The two transfers are invisible – Simon from ND starts and he has zero tackles in the last two games (RI and GT).

    Fingers crossed that we squeak out a win vs the Hokies.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. anxious? YES

      but not the bated breath kind

      more like watching a slow moving train wreck with explosions mixed throughout(and not good explosives by the Pitt WR’s or RB’s 😦 )

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  18. We need to beef up our NILs for recruiting and transfers (lot of local big companies) or we will be in DII football.

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    1. Right – Pitt gives the players a standard “living stipend” but does not give out NIL money. That is the decision Pitt chose as a university.

      Associated clubs, businesses, individual donors etc. pay the NIL fees.

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  19. I don’t think Addison was all that improved by Marion, it is correct he had major talent coming out of HS.

    But I do I think that because the WR corps as a whole had Marion’s coaching they were much better at doing things without the ball then in the years before…blocking downfield and better blocking for KP’s called runs, circling into open zones, coming back as a target when KP was scrambling. All those things help very much to make KP’s 5th year so successful.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. I agree, Reed. Like the Slovis interception that the TE didn’t come back for. Bart would have made that catch, but for some strange reason they choose that critical drive to take him out.

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  20. Call me crazy, but I think that Slovis is FAR better than many on this site give him credit for. We got a slight taste of his physical abilities in Q4 of the GT game. I said all along that he needed work, and shame on the coaches for not getting him ready to play and comfortable with the new offense.

    He should be running more RPOs, play action, bootlegs, and mixing things up much better, but Narduzzi insists on running vanella offenses against weaker teams. How does a QB play catch up when he hasn’t run the plays needed to do so? We have been witnessing a major failure in coaching from the head coach and offensive staff.

    Liked by 4 people

    1. Couldn’t disagree more. GT was in prevent D late and game was all but over when Slowvis hit those passes. He has little athletic talent and locks on to one receiver. Slovis IS the problem that and the Harry High School offense Pitt runs. VT will sack him 3-5 x in their victory over Pitt Saturday.

      Liked by 1 person

  23. Yes
    Sept 15
    Pitt at western Michigan
    The QR code
    But I expected to be lifted to Heaven
    I guess still stuck here on earth
    Better than the alternative. 🔥

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  26. I seem to remember that it took KP a few years before he became accurate throwing on the run. For the most part when he got flushed he would end up running until last year. One of the reasons he was so much better last year than in prior years. We certainly don’t know what Slovis ability is on a roll out pass. A big part of this is receivers that make themselves available when a play breaks down.

    I agree that it is too early to give up on Slovis. Comparisons to last year are not worthy since KP was in the same system for 3 years and had chemistry with his receivers for multiple years. He also had multiple go to guys that he had developed trust in. Have we seen Slovis throw a pass before the receiver makes his break trusting that he will be where he is supposed to?

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  27. I don’t deal very well with Pitt football losses – especially losses where we “should” have won. My defense mechanism is to force myself to think about anything but Pitt football for a few days – which I’ve done since Saturday…

    I did manage to scan down through some of the POV comments. I see Lone Star is back. 😊

    Couple thoughts:
    —Only saw this loss on TV – (first home game I’ve missed aside from a couple wedding conflicts in over 20 years). But on the limited field of vision on TV, the WRs looked well covered. Their routes looked too simple – down and in for the most part.
    —As the Duzz would say, without studying the tape, how do we know whether Slovis is indecisive or no one is open – at least No. 1 isn’t open…
    —Slovis certainly showed he has an excellent arm. His down the field completions – to well covered WRs – were thrown where only they could catch them. And they made the tough catches – at least Wayne, Mumpfield and the B guy did (I don’t know Barden vs. Bradley…).
    —I scanned thru Duzz’s latest press conference. Seemed like some interesting tidbits in there. Like the B guy WR having too much on his plate – sounds like he ran some wrong routes – but when he did we probably blamed Slovis.
    —As an aside, if you have to teach a WR how to catch a basic pass – you are recruiting the wrong kids at WR.

    I’ll stop there. I need to go and distract myself from Pitt football thoughts…

    Go Pitt.

    Liked by 8 people

  28. Good thoughts John.
    Watching the replay today i thought the same about really simple routes by the WRs….and some sloppy route running too.
    Hope to see you this weekend!

    Liked by 1 person

  30. QR Code worked for me too Reed, bringing back the Western Michigan article of 9/22/22. Like Major Majors, looks like I picked a good time to be elsewhere last weekend, where I couldn’t even stream the game. Sorry you had to see that Richard.

    Liked by 2 people

  31. I watched the first half again last night

    shoulda’ won

    if we don’t go in at halftime with the lead probably woulda’

    4 interceptions missed and really 3 shoulda happened and LB’s weren’t very bad, YET

    not going to watch the 2nd half and I’m nauseous even thinking of the late run to seal it with GaTech TEAM overpowering our mostly mentally broken defense

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  32. btw, has anyone ever seen a more stumble prone RB than VD? he’s been that way forever and even if he is finding holes, tends to trip himself up inexplicably or falls trying to cut or spin in some way to excess>>>>then goes down barely touched

    and with all that, he’s shown potential and would be ok to fall back on IF he never fumbles again

    Izzy had been a disappointment and while fast, and has developed that cut back behind zone blocking, but just doesn’t appear to read run opportunities quite right(granted, too few have been provided)

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    1. I agree, Reed. Watched just a little bit of a UNC game – their passing game looks excellent. They will be completing deep balls on us all day – or getting pass-interference calls. Excellent looking talent…

      Go Pitt.

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    2. He’s really good. We will need our best pass rush to unhinge/rattle him. Hope we have folks back for that and that they are up for the challenge.

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  35. Yarnell had a nice game for the circumstances he faced, but a team like Pitt needs a QB who is a run threat. My impression was Nate is not.

    I would guess a run-threat QB is worth at least an extra TD per game. That’s from picking up a couple first downs you wouldn’t otherwise have had. Or just scoring TDs versus FG when inside the 20. A team like Pitt – which will not have an elite OLine, shouldn’t waste valuable playing time on one-dimensional pocket passers, IMHO…

    Go Pitt.

    Liked by 2 people

  37. OK, sad admission but I was so disgusted after the second fumble that I stopped watching.
    Did not see the two TD throws and catches to Bradley. I hear prevent defense etc. but it must be somewhat encouraging that we have another guy making plays and Slovis getting a little more confidence, am I wrong?

    Also Slovis lead a nice drive for a TD at the end of the first half so it looks like we just need a little more consistency.

    So if Hammond, Izzy and Carter are all out this week does Pitt lean more on the passing game?

    What is it going to take to stop the stupid blocks in the back on special teams?

    Can Pitt finally get off to a fast start on both sides of the ball?

    Will we ever see a deep ball completed to Barden?

    Hopefully this loss is a wake up call like last year’s and the team realizes it has to play all out/in in all games.

    I sure do miss Cam Bright, a great run stopper, wonder what happened there, will we ever know?

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Gordon, Bright already graduated at Pitt and he may have wanted to go to UW for his grad degree. Whichever, he’s doing a great job there. He’s on pace to match or pass what he did for us last year.

      https://www.espn.com/college-football/player/_/id/4240713/cam-bright

      “2022: Voted a captain for 2022 … has started each game this season … made four tackles vs. Kent State … led the Huskies with five stops vs. Portland State … six tackles, including a 10-yard sack, in the victory vs. No. 11 Michigan State … four tackles, half a sack, and a key, early interception deep in UW territory in the win over Stanford … six tackles at UCLA.”

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      1. You may not remember but he was involved in a fight/scuffle with a teammate during the bowl game without any explanation. Just wondering if that had something to do with his departure.

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        1. Gordon, I was about 50 feet away from that fight/scuffle at the Peach Bowl and it was ugly…had really good seats. I would imagine that is the reason for Mr. Bright’s transfer. There are two questions I have:

          1) Why is Scarton our back up kicker after being 3rd team ACC?
          2) Why did we let Shocky Jacques-Louis go? He may have been our best receiver this year and he did lots of cool plays like end arounds which Cignetti has an aversion to.

          Also, Davis Beville is getting an emergency start for Oklahoma in their big game against Texas on Saturday. Good luck to him, Cam Bright, and all former Panthers.

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          1. Saw Davis B. play a bit for Oklahoma last week when their starter got hurt. Davis struggled while I watched – but the whole Oklahoma team looked like crap while I watched…

            I looked it up and Beville was 7 for 16 for 50 yards with no TDs or INTs…. He was sacked 3 times. Probably be the starter this week…. Hope he does well, but I’d be surprised.

            Go Pitt.

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        2. Bright was getting pretty toxic for the locker room. A change for him was needed. The sideline scuffle was a bad look for Cam and he gets a chance to play in a beautiful setting.

          I wonder how much of it was the LB coach, who no one seems to be impressed with.

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  38. Sad to say but I’m expecting the Pitt offense will be able to keep VT in the game until the 4th Q. Then it will be a flip of the coin as to who wins. Much the same as last week when Pitt lost the flip of the coin.

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  39. From the Pitt News:

    The University of Pittsburgh’s Daily Student Newspaper

    Preview | Narduzzi needs to right the ship against Virginia Tech before it’s too late<a href=”https://pittnews.com/article/175708/featured/preview-narduzzi-needs-to-right-the-ship-against-virginia-tech-before-its-too-late/” rel=”nofollow ugc”>

    By Dalton Coppola, Sports Editor
    OCTOBER 5, 2022

    It’s time for the Pitt football team and its fans to accept the truth — this team is not built for a national championship. Coming into this year, the expectations from fans and the media alike were high. Some even predicted Pitt to finish in the top four teams in the nation.

    Just five weeks later, Pitt is no longer ranked in the top 25, and the Panthers have suffered two losses at home. Two losses just five games into the season — especially a loss to a bottom-feeder in the ACC — essentially put the nail in the coffin for Pitt’s College Football Playoff aspirations.

    While the Panthers’ chances at winning a national championship are likely down the tubes, they still have a full ACC schedule to play. Pitt (3-2, 0-1 ACC) will host the Virginia Tech Hokies (2-3, 1-1 ACC) this Saturday for its annual homecoming game. After falling to one of the worst teams in the conference, there are a lot of concerns hanging over the Panthers heading into the game with the Hokies — namely the offense.

    The Panthers boasted one of the country’s best offenses in 2021. Quarterback Kenny Pickett rose to stardom in front of the Panther faithful’s eyes, leading the most prolific passing attack in Pitt football history. Pickett reached heights that no Pitt player had ever reached before, breaking nearly every Pitt passing record and leading the Panthers to their first ever ACC Championship. The Jersey native did this all in his final year of eligibility and became the first quarterback off of the board in the 2022 NFL Draft.

    It’s safe to say that the Panthers have missed Pickett so far. The Panthers are averaging 251 passing yards per game in 2022, down from 2021’s season total of 337.4 yards per game. While Pitt fans certainly didn’t expect the same level of production this year, it seems they may have underestimated just how critical Pickett was to the team’s success.

    Head coach Pat Narduzzi lured in senior quarterback transfer Kedon Slovis from USC to take over for Pickett. The fans believed Slovis could build upon the 2021 season and lead the Panthers to the promised land.

    Truthfully, Slovis hasn’t played poorly. But he hasn’t played great either. He has appeared in three and a half games, exiting the Tennessee game early with an injury and missing the win over Western Michigan the following week. His performance in those games has earned Pitt a 2-2 record in games he started, though he admittedly didn’t finish the game against Tennessee.

    Slovis’ stat line against Georgia Tech was deceiving. He registered more than 300 yards of passing, but most of this came with the Panthers trailing by two possessions and the Yellow Jackets playing prevent defense. The senior held onto the ball for just a hair too long on a fair amount of plays, causing errant passes and sacks. Slovis acknowledged this and said he needs to make decisions faster to win football games.

    “I think at times I should’ve been more decisive,” Slovis said. “I’ve got to play better for us to win.”

    The other glaring issue for Pitt starts all the way at the top with Narduzzi. He’s in his eighth year as head coach for the Panthers and while he has reached incredibly high highs, he’s also hit some really low lows.

    Narduzzi has lost at home four times in the last two seasons — three of which the Panthers were favored to win. The most recent loss was the third largest upset in the ACC over the past 25 years. Losing to inferior teams has become a pattern for Pitt under Narduzzi’s watch.

    That’s an issue.

    Narduzzi said on Monday that he thinks his players didn’t execute on Saturday, and he needs to do a better job getting his team ready to win football games.

    “I don’t think we did a great job coaching, the whole deal,” Narduzzi said. “Our kids are playing their tails off, I can tell you that. Look at the back of the wall, I talk about our attitude. I think our attitude is really good.”

    Narduzzi received a lucrative contract extension keeping him in Pittsburgh for quite some time. It’s time he starts getting his guys ready to go for every game — not just the ones against marquee opponents. That starts this weekend against Virginia Tech.

    Pitt can’t afford to lose many more games if it wants to return to the ACC Championship game. Narduzzi realistically needs to win the remainder of his conference in order to win the Coastal Division. It’s now or never for Narduzzi and the Panthers — take each game one at a time and take care of business.

    Prediction: Pitt wins 27-17

    Virginia Tech is a team the Panthers can and should beat — but so were the Yellow Jackets. After an embarrassing loss in a primetime time slot, Narduzzi will have his team ready to go.

    The Hokies are averaging just more than 310 yards of offense per game, but don’t surrender many sacks either. The Panthers’ defense played uncharacteristically poorly last week against Georgia Tech. It’s hard to imagine that the defense doesn’t return to form against the Hokies.

    Pitt has the week to iron out its issues on offense. Offensive coordinator Frank Cignetti and Slovis will get on the same page and the offense will find the endzone a few times against the Hokies.

    The matchup with the Hokies will kickoff at 3:30 p.m. at Acrisure Stadium and air on ACC Network.

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  41. What a life to be a sportswriter. Whether it is the Pitt News or the Trib or the PG, come up with something to say and try to sound llike you really have insight. The Madden guy at the Trib is a perfect example. He just spouts.

    pmdH2P

    Liked by 1 person

  42. I agree with Dan. I am NOT a fan of these sidelines antics, nor the end zone antics for that matter. Players should act like they’ve been there before, and not like a bunch of clowns who celebrate even when they are losing the game..

    Liked by 2 people

    1. Well their heroes act like jerks on Sundays so what do you expect. But then, who hasn’t broken into a choreographed dance routine with their coworkers when everyone agrees with your idea in the conference room?

      Liked by 5 people

  43. Since I didn’t watch the Peach Bowl I didn’t know about Cam Bright’s fight. After watching this I can understand more about why he left or was pushed out. Pretty bad look for Pitt’s team. Who was it he knocked down? Rashad Battle? Some with a # ending in 5.

    Like

    1. Yes, Rashad Battle – a 4* DB who has rarely seen the field at Pitt – this is his JR season and he is injured and out for the season.

      A friend of mine who used to work in the Pitt AD was on the sidelines – his story is that Battle was goofing off while the team was losing to Michigan State.

      Captain Bright was really upset with the team’s effort while losing, and he took his frustrations out on Battle. As a captain, it was said that Cam should have pulled Rashad aside and verbally put his head in the game.

      I think this Pitt team is soft – the loss of KP3, DT Camp, TE Krull, WR Mack, WR Shockey, LB Bright, LB Pine, CB Mathias took the emotional leaders from this team.

      Name the emotional leaders on the current team – Alexander (no), Slovis (no), OL Warren (no) – the other captain is SirVocea Dennis (maybe).

      This team seems dead, lacks spirit (except for tictok dances) and out of gas in the 4th qtr.

      Like

  45. There are a lot of reasons why this team has been so bad. Since most of them have already been mentioned, I won’t repeat them here.

    What I would like to know, though, is what is the reason that so many players have gotten injured this year?

    Is it their conditioning, their scheming, something else??
    If anyone knows, please share because I can’t recall a time when so so many have gone down so soon after only a handful of games..

    Liked by 1 person

    1. With the size, strength and speed the players have, I’m more surprised there aren’t more injuries.

      And for the same reasons, I’m surprised there aren’t more fumbles…

      Go Pitt.

      Like

  46. Interesting time for Kenny Pickett. I’m thinking if he can move this Steeler offense and get them to score some touchdowns, he’s going to show he’s not your ordinary rookie QB.

    I mean these Steelers are a complete mess – I’d guess it will take two years to fix the problems on both lines. Hope Kenny can survive the re-build…

    Go Pitt.

    Like

  47. John you echo my thoughts. The Steelers offense is obviously in bad shape and as talented as he is there is only so much that you can scramble. I don’t want to see him get seriously injured because the OlIne is out to lunch…not funny.

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  48. is there a way to sort and find poster comments on players in the blog history

    seems to me history is rewritten to fit situations

    could be poor memory(not mine)

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    1. Well, when things change week to week and year to year you’ll have people saying things that might not be what they said before.

      Case in point. We had some commenters who thought we’d be 11-1, others that we’d kill GT, etc.

      Now those commenters probably have changed their thoughts and opinions by now.

      I was the first person to write an article about Pickett’s talent back in his first spring practices and I wrote that he’d be a star QB by his soph year.

      I was wrong and revised my opinion of him to reflect how he actually played in his first four years where he was average at best.

      Some on here felt Narduzzi was going to have a fantastic season after his first two 8-5 seasons and predicted great things in 2017…where he went 5-7 then 7-7.

      During those mediocre 2017-8 seasons their comments were very different than before.

      So, yeah, we sometimes see things differently as things progress then we did earlier.

      Like

      1. Reed, my recollection is that prior to 2021 you were certain Pickett was not going to be drafted. At the time, a sentiment held by the majority of POV posters.

        My post in response was that ABSOLUTELY Pickett would be drafted but not until the middle to late rounds.

        I also made clear my position that he was destined to be a career BACK-UP Quarterback, not the worst situation.

        Seems at this point Pickett has OUT-PERFORMED both of our expectations.

        However, I still believe career Backup, sometime Starter, could be the future.

        Like

        1. That said, I am rooting BIG time for Pickett starting this Sunday. Don’t know there has ever been a situation where a ROOKIE QB has been thrown to the WOLVES like Tomlin is doing now with Pickett. This takes into consideration both the schedule and the less-than-impressive supporting cast which of course includes the Offensive Coordinator.

          Liked by 1 person

      2. yeah, sometimes legit, many times just convenient

        not you Reed

        of course contrast that to some who never move from their position, just conveniently appear and disappear

        Like

  49. Former Pitt DC Josh Conklin has resigned after 15 straight losses at Wofford. Conklin got off to a good start. however, the roof has fallen in with no turn around in sight.

    Like

        1. Watson only appointed OC prior to this season. Wofford/Conklin began transitioning from the triple option in 2021. Hasn’t gone well. Ran the option for 20 years or so under previous HC and Conklin’s first few years.

          Conklin won the Socon conference in his first two years. Sometimes it happens with a new HC. Then it goes south – see Pitt in 2015-16 vs 2017 and Fuente at VT in his first few years ay VT. That’s one reason why new HC’s hires are now getting 5 -6 years contracts to start.

          I drive by the Wofford campus to see my three Spartanburg doctors. Nice campus and roofs seem to be in good shape.

          Like

    1. If I recall there were similar reports while Paul was at Pitt where recruits did not get returned calls, were not met at the airport by a Pitt rep, etc.

      I believe those situations spilled into the early days of King Pat’s reign.

      I also heard a so called CFB expert (may have been Mike Golic Jr) this week on ESPN XM 84 radio comment that Pat Narduzzi should be a serious candidate at Nebraska since he has taken Pitt as far as this program will go as he believes that “Pittsburgh” has hit it’s ceiling and that the Cornhuskers have plenty of 4 & 5 star talent to work with – just need the right coach.

      L O L !!!

      Liked by 1 person

      1. How in the heck is there a Pitt to Nebraska pipeline? Steve Peterson, Whipple, Chubba Purdy, and next the Nard Dawg…strange fruit in my opinion.

        Like

        2. Heck, Mike Rozier and Irving Fryar were both ready to commit to Pitt in 1981, but at the last minute decided on Nebraska because “there is nothing to do out there.”

          That was written in the 1983 SI college football preview. For how trouble still finds Fryar to this day, I can see why he made that decision. Rozier should’ve gone to Nebraska, but Fryar to Pitt to play with Marino would’ve been sweet. Jackie couldn’t sway them all.

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  52. Hammond sure looked like he could play Saturday. Much laughing on the sideline. My question is why does it take so long for these kids to get back on the field? A minor ankle sprain takes a month to heal? We’re not talking concussion here. These kids should be pushing to get back out there.

    Like

    2. Really, you want to know why it takes so long for these kids to get back on the field? Answer: Because the health of the kid is more important than anything else. N.B. A kid “laughing on the sideline” provides zero evidence that a kid is ready to get back on the field; nor does it provide even a scintilla of evidence that he is not “pushing to get back out there.”

      Liked by 3 people

    1. That’s amazingly helpful to appreciate what a QB needs to do. I don’t know why your post didn’t get 37 Likes.

      Like

  54. Hoping Pickett doesn’t end up in the tent as well. That line is bad and running QB’s get hit.
    But Tomlin didn’t have much of a choice, Trubitsky not mobile at all.

    Like

  55. I think we are in for another tough game. VaTech like GT a wounded animal with nothing to lose. Hopefully the Pitt faithful show up in decent numbers, a dead stadium will not help.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. ike, I was watching the news today, and some wild turkey inadvertently got into an Ohio home owner’s place and really busted the place up, including shattering a window, before escaping to the outside. Those turkeys can put up a pretty stiff fight!

      Like

  57. We have turkey and chicken hawks in our area. They have great vision and look for wounded (Pitt) animals.

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  58. I disagree with you, 6&34. Not counting concussions, it seems that relatively minor injuries keep players out way too long. Coaches expect them to perform perfectly in practice before they can get back out there, and I sometimes think coaches use injuries to make personnel changes without explaining to the player or the public. Maybe if Narduzzi provided more information about the extent of injuries we would have a better idea of when to expect them back on the field.

    If Hammond had a high ankle sprain it might take a while longer than some other minor ankle injury. But players should know that cameras are everywhere (just ask Cam Bright) and laughing on the sideline, like the antics we are seeing, does not impress or convey the right attitude, especially when Pitt is losing the game.

    Like

  59. Red5a will be hopping…
    Scooter is back!
    PittPT is back!
    Major Majors is back!
    Erie Express is back!
    Dr Tom is in town!
    Good karma!!

    Liked by 4 people

    2. Unfortunately, PittPT will still be sidelined by family matters (helping son get moved into his new home). I fully expect to be ready for action in November. Miss younz guys!

      Like

  61. I tried the QR code. It led to an article about Western Michigan’s loss to Michigan in SBNation. Not sure why you want to use QR codes instead of a plain link to an article. Makes no difference to me except the QR code requires an extra step.

    Like

  62. Reed – responding to your thought on the UPitt sports writer suggesting that for all intents and purposes, there is no shot at a national championship now. Need to remember there were predictions that Pitt would go 11-1 here or 10-2 at worst, with an ACC championship, would land you at or near the top 5, especially 11-1. So yes, some believed it to be the case, hence the reporter indicating same.

    Injuries – My contention with respect to injuries, as weird as this sounds, is that the players do not experience physical contact as much as they did just two years ago. As every year passes, less time is spent hitting in practice. This is for player safety reasons, mostly around concussion litigation. As such, AD’s need to be smarter with scheduling and have cupcake wins at the beginning, easing the athlete back into the schedule of contact. Look at the nfl now. 3 pre-season games gets you acclimated to contact. They play everybody so they all have some physical contact and get ready. Two bye weeks help repair your body. Our scheduling is bad to awful. The saving grace is a terrible acc and a terribler (pitt english) coastal. We can still win it and i expect us too!

    Sideline Antics – Hate em! I do not like the sophomoric dunking of a football, especially when losing. It’s a bad look, copying miami. If we copy miam at anything, it should be the NIL money, not the antics. As far as non-active players cutting it up on the sideline, I don’t care about that. Their job is to rehab and get better. The game is down time, so I am in full support of them having some fun. We do as fans, so a non-participating athlete can have some fun too. Now, bring in a participating player into that scenario and it can easily be misconstrued as not caring or just indifferent. That is a coaching thing. Coach is okay with it, it’s on the coach.

    Sparty? – What does MSU have to do with anything. A couple of years ago, they doled out a 10yr contract to a coach at 9.5m per year. Our AD used MSU as the poster for extending Nardstop. Look at MSU now. Tucker is overall 15-10. They are 2-3 this year and on their way to an at best .450 winning percentage in my opinion.

    Liked by 2 people

  63. There are a lot of arguments for and against playing early cupcake games but I think avoiding injuries is one of the weaker ones. The only exception to that would be your quarterback. Playing a top 25 opponent is more likely to have your QB put on his backend more often. But the other injuries are more bad luck than strong opponents, in my opinion. If that theory were true, we should have watched a steady stream of injured Rhode Island players when we played them. I don’t recall that happening.

    If a 300 lb lineman rolls up the back legs of your lineman, it doesn’t matter if he is a D1, D2, or D3 player. Your guy is in trouble.

    One thing I would like to see regarding injuries is for our kick returners to signal a fair catch when the kick is inside the 10 yard line. Surely someone has studied the average starting yard line when running back a kick versus taking the automatic 25 yard line spot. I’d be interested in what that looks like. Seems like a lot of injuries on kick returns.

    Liked by 1 person

      1. Possibly, I don’t recall. When did Jared Wayne get injured? Was it the Rhode Island or Western Michigan game?

        Like

    2. I get your point but it is a whole new era. These kids and professionals are mandated as to the number of times they can have physical contact. Assimilating into that is indeed more difficult, hence the need for ease of scheduling, so everyone can get used to it, including backups. Try not having physical contact for months and getting tossed into a fray. Injuries. Apprehension occurs. Ask a new age coach.

      Rhode Island was game three. Everyone used to contact so you kind of made my point. A couple warm up games to get used to contact and things are fine. Now, will you still get the weird knee blowouts, for sure.

      The WMU’s and Rhode Island’s have good players. They don’t have depth however. That is why they hang in games before late losses. They just can’t sustain it.

      Like

  64. Just heard on radio that the Steelers have yet to have one of their WRs score a TD. Can that be true? If so, pretty sad…

    Go Pitt.

    Like

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