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Pitt’s Women Volleyball; 2022 NCAA Playoffs

Here is another very in-depth article by John Demko (John in South Carolina) about our Women’s Volleyball Team who are heading into the post-season NCAA tournament as the 6th seed!!

Pitt’s ACC co-champion women’s volleyball team continue their season this weekend as they play in their seventh consecutive NCAA women’s volleyball tournament.  They were named the 2nd seed in the Wisconsin led bracket.  Overall, they were the 6th highest seeded team in the tournament.

This is Pitt’s highest seeding in the NCAA tournament.  It is their 18th overall trip to the tournament.  Under Coach Fisher Pitt has won eleven NCAA tournament matches.  Prior to “Fish” Pitt had a total of two wins.  Last year Pitt made it to the Final Four for the first time.  In 2020 Pitt made it to their first Elite Eight.

Pitt will host the first and second rounds of the tournament.  Pitt’s first match will be against the Colgate Raiders on Friday, December 2nd, at 7 PM in the Petersen Events Center.  The winner of this match will face the winner of the preceding match between #7 seed BYU and James Madison.  The second-round match will start at 7 PM on Saturday, December 3rd, in the Petersen Events Center.

The ACC placed five teams in the tournament.  Louisville, Pitt’s ACC co-champion, is one of the #1 seeds.  Georgia Tech is a #5 seed.  Florida State and Miami are #7 seeds.

Pitt’s first opponent in the tournament, Colgate, is the champion of the Patriot League which includes Army and Navy.  Pitt and Coach Fisher are 1-0 versus the Raiders with a sweep on 9/5/2015.  Colgate and Pitt have played one common opponent, NC State.  Colgate got swept by NC State at NC State.  Pitt defeated NC State at the Fitz in four sets.  Colgate other losses were to Villanova, Southern Cal, Navy, and Army.

Colgate is surprisingly tall for a lower conference champion.  They play a 6-2 offense like Pitt’s offensive scheme.  Another similarity is that one of their setters is a six-rotation player and is an important part of Colgate’s front-line offense.

In a comparison of team offensive statistics Colgate hits at 0.260 versus their opponents 0.188.  Pitt’s numbers are 0.268 versus 0.151.  Colgate does not have a good service ace to error ratio with 153 aces versus 242 errors.  Pitt’s numbers are 152 aces versus 158 errors.  Pitt has an advantage in all offensive categories.

In team defense Colgate has 14.28 digs/set along with 1.98 blocks/set.  Pitt has 13.1 digs/set to go with 2.6 blocks/set.  Colgate has more digs per set than Pitt, but Pitt is the better blocking team.  Pitt had more sweeps than Colgate with more lopsided scores.  This could easily account for the difference in digs per set.

Colgate’s main offensive player is outside hitter #8 OH hitter Abby Shadwick.  She is a 6’2” sophomore that leads the team with 302 kills, hitting at 0.293, along with 33 blocks.  The next highest kill total with 196 belongs to setter #17 Julia Kurowski.  She is a 6’1” graduate student who is hitting at 0.293.  She is also a very good blocker with a total of 71. 

The third outside hitter in terms of kills is 6’1” freshman Carlie Rzeszotraski.  She has 192 kills hitting 0.230 along with 22 blocks.  Colgate’s two middle blockers are tall.  The leading middle blocker is #11 6’3” junior Harper Snyder.  She is hitting 0.382 with 180 kills and 91 blocks. 

The second middle is #19 6’2” senior Sophie Thomson.  She has 84 blocks and is hitting 0.284 with 139 kills.

Pitt’s lineup is led by right side hitter #8 6’5” graduate student Courtney Buzzerio.  She leads the Panthers with 379 kills hitting at 0.329.  She also has 75 blocks and 30 serve aces versus 21 serve errors.  After playing for years at Big Ten doormat Iowa, this is Courtney’s first NCAA tournament!

# 2 Valeria Vazquez Gomez, who is a 6’1” redshirt junior outside hitter, is our second highest kill leader with 309 hitting at 0.251.  She has 36 blocks and 21 aces versus 18 errors. 

#7 6’5” sophomore Julianna Dalton is our third outside hitter in terms of kills with 254 kills hitting at 0.166.  She has 57 blocks.  Julianna had a heavily wrapped thigh during the last match of the season against Boston College.  Hopefully she has had some time to get healthier this week.

Pitt’s two middle blockers are #21 6’2” graduate student Serena Gray and #20 6’1” senior Chiamaka Nwokolo.  Serena leads the team in blocks with 113 followed closely by Chiamaka at 106.  Chiamaka leads in blocks per set 1.13 to 1.10.  Gray has 208 kills hitting at 0.387 along with 19 serve aces versus 35 errors.

Pitt’s main setter is #10 6’1” sophomore Rachel Fairbanks who also plays the front line.  She had a triple double (kills, digs, and assists) earlier this year, Pitt’s first in the modern scoring era.  She had multiple double doubles during the year (digs and assists). 

Our second setter is #1 5’8” Senior Lexis Akeo when she is healthy.  Our libero for the playoffs now appears to be #12 5’7” Emmy Klika who replaced #4 5’10” senior Ashley Browske in the last sets of the Georgia Tech match and played the entire Boston College match.

So how does Pitt stack up against Colgate and what do they need to do to win the match?  Even though Colgate is tall for a lower conference champion, Pitt is taller at the corners.  In the middle Pitt’s athletes are better than Colgate’s and can easily make up the 1” differential.

To win the match Pitt can simply play their normal game.  Colgate will run a 6-2 which Pitt sees in practice every day.  Pitt needs to concentrate on two Colgate players, #8 and #17.  Colgate’s setter, #17, is more valuable to Colgate than Fairbanks is to Pitt.  Pitt needs to treat her as an outside hitter when she is on the front line. 

Pitt’s outsides should be able to handle Colgate’s outsides one-on-one whereas the opposite will not be the case.  This allows Pitt’s middles to help double team the two key front line outside hitters. 

Pitt should win the match in three sets if Akeo is healthy enough to play the entire three sets.  If #5 6’0” graduate student Cam Ennis must play as our second setter, we will still probably win in three sets.  I would prefer a healthy Ennis play in place of a less than 100% Akeo.  This would allow Akeo to be in better shape for the Saturday match.

If you are in the area head down to the Pete this Friday and Saturday to cheer on our Panthers! 

Hail to Pitt!

150 thoughts on “Pitt’s Women Volleyball; 2022 NCAA Playoffs”

    1. great update. i’m excited for the ladies. very good visibility for them and the program. fisher has done a great job. i watched a vball podcast and the 2 commentators pretty much are going with all the #1 seeds to the F4. they have texas winning it. outside of a few “upsets” in the lower seed/non-seeded matchups, not much off script. they think Pitt’s bracket is the mostly likely to play out with a #1 vs #2 final. H2P !

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  2. November 28, 2022​

    Four Panthers Earn ACC Football Player of the Week Accolades

    PITTSBURGH—Four Pitt players earned ACC weekly football awards following Saturday’s 42-16 victory at Miami.

    The Panthers’ honorees: Jared Wayne (receiver of the week), Dayon Hayes (defensive lineman), Erick Hallett II (co-defensive back) and Javon McIntyre (rookie).

    · Wayne posted career highs of 11 catches for 199 yards and three touchdowns. His initial TD was a career-long 66 yards, followed by scores of 26 and seven yards. Wayne’s production against the Hurricanes gave him a personal-best 1,006 receiving yards for the year, making him only the eighth player in Pitt history to achieve a 1,000-yard receiving season. Wayne was also named the Pro Football Focus National Team of the Week for his performance.

    · Hayes was simply dominant at Miami with five solo tackles, four tackles for loss and three quarterback sacks. His TFLs went for 26 yards in losses (23 yards on sacks). Hayes’ tackle, TFL and sack totals were each career highs.

    · Hallett had a highly active night, compiling seven stops, two forced fumbles and a fumble recovery. He recovered his own forced fumble at the Miami 19, setting up a quick two-play touchdown drive, giving the Panthers a commanding 21-0 lead early in the second quarter. Hallett also was recognized on the Pro Football Focus National Team of the Week.

    · McIntyre, a redshirt freshman safety, made a big early impact, intercepting a pass on Miami’s second possession of the game. In addition to his first career interception, he had a three-yard tackle for loss and two additional pass breakups.

    Winners of four consecutive games, the Panthers (8-4) will learn their bowl destination this Sunday, Dec. 4.

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  3. November 29, 2022​

    Pitt’s Calijah Kancey Named Outland Trophy Finalist

    PITTSBURGH—Pitt defensive tackle Calijah Kancey has been named a finalist for the prestigious Outland Trophy, presented to the nation’s best interior lineman by the Greater Omaha Sports Committee.

    Kancey is one of three finalists chosen by the Football Writers Association of America (FWAA) All-America committee. He is joined by Michigan center Olusegun Oluwatimi and Northwestern offensive tackle Peter Skoronski.

    The recipient of the 2022 Outland Trophy will be announced on ESPN’s live telecast of The Home Depot College Football Awards on Dec. 8.

    In addition to the Outland, Kancey is also a finalist for the Bronko Nagurski Trophy, presented to the nation’s top defensive player. He is the only player selected a finalist for both the Nagurski and Outland honors by the FWAA.

    Kancey is the first Pitt player to be named a finalist for the Outland Trophy since 2013, when defensive tackle Aaron Donald became the Panthers’ second winner of the coveted award. (Donald also won the Bronko Nagurski Trophy that season.)

    Pitt’s initial Outland Trophy winner was offensive tackle Mark May in 1980.

    The 6-foot, 280-pound Kancey (Miami, Fla./Miami Northwestern) has been one of college football’s most dominant players regardless of position this season. He compiled 31 tackles, 14.5 tackles for loss and 7.5 sacks in 11 games played.

    Last week, Pro Football Focus touted Kancey as the nation’s top-rated defensive tackle.

    A leading candidate for ACC Defensive Player of the Year, Kancey spearheads a Pitt defense that leads the country in sacks (3.75 avg.), ranks seventh nationally against the run (95.5 avg.) and ranks 19th in fewest total yards allowed (319.7 avg.).

    Liked by 1 person

  4. Pitt seems to have gotten taller. Was that a focus with fisher via transfers and recruits?

    I like sports where you don’t have to be tall for an advantage. 🤠

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    1. Yes, one of our short- coming in the past has been small front lines. With our recent success Pity has been able to attract taller players, a needed upgrade. Success breeds success!

      Liked by 1 person

  9. Women’s volleyball, men’s soccer and a football team that has shown signs of major improvement are all signs that Pitt athletics is rising up from the bottom of the heap.
    Coach Fisher signed a new contract last year and hopefully it was good enough to keep him in the Burg for many years John, thanks again for informing us about a sport that I feel safe in saying, most of us had no idea of the nuances and excitement that exist in this great team game.

    Liked by 2 people

  13. Very good article. Thank you.

    I couldn’t resist. Frank strikes again. One of Pitt’s fastest receivers that inexplicably played less this year than last transfers.

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    1. I wish I had a magic transporter to Pittsburgh. The drive just kills me. In my 30s-40s I’d make the 5 hour drive up and back same day.
      I’d surely be there Friday eve.

      Liked by 1 person

  15. Thank you John…..awesome detail. I can’t believe what a passionate volleyball fan I’ve become. Thank you John and Annie. I’ve watched many Wisconsin games this year.
    Pitt will have their hands full when they get that far.

    Liked by 2 people

  16. OT – Troy Aikman was very positive in his comments about KP’s play last night. And I saw one of Kurt Warner’s film breakdown of the previous game where he pointed out some plays KP missed, but he too was very positive KP as an NFL QB…

    I think I heard on the radio today that KP had the highest QB rating in the league this week. Can that be true? (A nice game but not much yardage and no TD passes, though he should have had one…).

    Go Kenny.

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  17. The game of college basketball has changed to an uptempo ability to shoot threes. Gone are the days of slow deliberate offenses and four corners. Last night Pitt played the new game to perfection. H2P

    Liked by 4 people

  18. Similarly, the college football game is now a game of QBs who can both pass well and run some.

    Walt used to say that the best athlete on the field should be your tailback. He was always looking for the next Eddie George. Now the best athlete on the field should be your QB…

    Go Pitt.

    Liked by 3 people

    1. It is highly unlikely the Pete will be sold out. I will be surprised if there are going to be more than 3 to 4 thousand people. I will be happy if the lower bowl is sold out for the Saturday match.

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  20. Brice Pollock decommits. That makes 5 decommits and to this point no new commits. I’m guessing the PITT FB recruiting class is probably at the bottom of all the ACC teams currently. I’m not sure how Narduzzi is going to solve this problem in the current season. A hell of a lot of transfers is probably going to be his only option.

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    1. The NIL effect. Heading to Mississippi State it appears. Pitt is going to struggle to get kids without the backing of cash. Sins of the dullards who’ve run the university since 1938 and hated athletics.

      Pitt might have become a big portal school to fill holes. To think the ACC commissioner told the conference to start getting better at football. Tough to do when the SEC and B10 have monster television deals and the ACC has a laughable one.

      Pitt is hanging on by a thread with its best recruit, Jordan Bass.

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      1. I’d say no use wasting too much time on HS recruits at this point. If they are still available with decent star rating Pitt will most likely be outbid for their services. The portal in the past has had many a name resulting in many a name finding no place to call home unless they stepped way down in class to play the game. Narduzzi better hope the fish he catches in the portal barrel turn out to be productive.—This past year Wiltz, Flemeister, Simon and Mumpfield turned out to be pretty good. Means and Slovis below average if I were giving out grades.

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  21. Very nice update, John. I tend to be a worry-wart so while we should beat Colgate, I can’t help but remember the Towson loss. Then we’ll need to beat BYU for a second time. Despite my concerns, I expect Pitt to win both matches at the Pete and beat Florida in Wisconsin if things go according to form. That would set up a classic with Wisconsin (or Penn St if there is an upset).
    Let’s go Pitt!

    Liked by 2 people

    1. I am looking forward to the Colgate match and then will go from there. Let’s not get too far ahead of ourselves.

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      1. Agreed. All of the teams that make the tournament are very capable. All are also capable of having an “off night.” So, we’ll take them one at a time and enjoy the high level skills of these young ladies.

        Liked by 1 person

  23. I’m thinking Pitt should decommit to the acc and go elsewhere. Not a good conference for football. And football pays the bills.

    Need to really seriously think of ways to get into the super league. New stadium, bigger budget, fan commitment, booster resources, BOT support.

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    1. Let’s make our own conference. How’s this for a lineup:

      Pitt
      WVU
      Penn State
      BC
      Va Tech
      Rutgers
      Temple
      Maryland
      Syracuse
      FSU
      South Carolina

      Too many weak links? Oh well. Just an idle thought.

      H2P!!! TGFV. Go men’s soccer.

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      1. I was thinking of this last week, maybe a 10-team conference:
        Pitt
        WVU
        Syracuse
        BC
        UConn
        Cincinnati
        Louisville
        Miami
        Houston
        Temple

        I’d prefer others from the ACC over Temple and Houston, but not sure those long-time members would leave. Georgia Tech, maybe?

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  26. Next year Pitt needs middle blockers from the transfer portal. Only very good ones need apply.

    UCLA’s all PAC 12 middle blocker Anna Dodson is in the portal. She is 6’5″ and would be a great addition to Pitt’s squad to go along with our 6’4″ freshman Rachel Jepsen. It appears Anna has two years of eligibility left.

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    1. Another thing in our favor in her coming to Pitt is our Royal Blue and University Gold are an upgrade of the UCLA Blue and Gold.

      Liked by 1 person

    1. Interesting because I was thinking the same thing. Bryce Pollack and Phillip Daniels bailed out from Pitt on the same day. Pitt is better than average on the field and yes, we all wanted a 9-3 or 10-2 season, but 8-4 could be far worse. The NIL gremlins? I don’t see how either of these players is so super valuable (maybe Pollack) that schools would be bending over backward to steal them. The bottom line, we are going to have a poor recruiting class and now must rely heavily on the portal……something is going on behind the scenes to cause the recruiting class to crash.

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      1. They’re looking at our coaching staff. Cignetti and his boring, boring 1970’s offense, Andre Powell and his Special Teams clown show, Tim Salem and his tight ends track record . . . Narduzzi’s abrasiveness . . .

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  30. Pitt is now ranked 60 in recruiting. Just ahead of Navy. And below Colorado State. So much for an 8 win season. Recruits see beyond the wins or even the losses. Narduzzi just stinks. Must be his crown.

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  31. If NIL is the issue, I wonder if there is some turmoil in the athletics dept, and maybe some broken promises with Narduzzi. What should be a ranked class after the ACC title is slipping away. If Narduzzi ever decides to leave it could be over Pitt’s failure to play the NIL game.

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  33. Hudson Card enters the transfer portal. If he had already transferred once doesn’t he need to sit out a year? If so, he could sit while Slovis plays his final year.

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  34. PITTSBURGH—The bowl-bound Pitt Panthers earned significant postseason recognition today with nine selections on the 2022 All-ACC Team.

    Pitt had four first-team All-ACC honorees, three second-team selections and two on the third team.

    Earning first-team accolades were running back Israel Abanikanda, guard Marcus Minor, defensive tackle Calijah Kancey and linebacker SirVocea Dennis.

    Abanikanda has rushed for an ACC-leading 1,431 yards with Minor helping pave the way. Kancey, a two-time first-team pick, collected 14.5 tackles for loss and 7.5 sacks this season. Dennis, a three-time All-ACC selection, leads the Panthers with a career-high 94 tackles.

    The Panthers’ second-team selections were wide receiver Jared Wayne, safety Erick Hallett II and return specialist M.J. Devonshire.

    Wayne has compiled 1,006 receiving yards to rank third in the conference. Hallett has been responsible for a team-high six turnovers (three interceptions and three fumble recoveries). Devonshire paces the ACC with a 9.9-yard punt return average.

    The versatile Jake Kradel, who split his 12 starts between two different positions, earned third team All-ACC at guard and was an Honorable Mention center. Another road grader up front, Matt Goncalves, was a third-team pick at tackle.

    In addition to his second-team specialist nod, Devonshire received Honorable Mention at cornerback. Other Panthers receiving Honorable Mention include defensive end Deslin Alexandre, safety Brandon Hill and cornerback Marquis Williams.

    The ACC’s offensive, defensive and overall players of the year will be unveiled on Wednesday.

    Winners of four consecutive games, the Panthers (8-4) will learn their bowl destination this Sunday, Dec. 4.

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  35. Hudson card is no better than Slovis. You’ll be disappointed. He’s from the same Austin high school as Yarnell.

    And this new 12 team playoff will only hasten the formation of a super league. Again Pitt better be doing everything to make itself attractive. I would prefer to play penn state and Clemson over temple and east Carolina.

    Many factors can explain decommits. A perceived better school offers. A change on the Pitt coaching staff. Promises broken. NIL money. But rarely does it have to do with a teams record in any one season. Now consistency counts so if a player wants a lousy bowl each year, Pitt is the perfect school for that.

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  38. I can see Narduzzi trying to convince as many seniors to return to fill roster holes. There will be more players entering the portal and more decommits to come.

    So I can possibly see returning:
    Slovis
    C’Bo
    Wayne
    Kradel
    Zubovic
    All three defensive tackles
    Simon
    George (medical redshirt)

    I don’t think Wayne comes back and just one between Kradel and Blake.

    I thought one defensive end would return but think both bolt.

    Was hoping Hallett and Williams would return but think both leave. I never thought Woods would return but I can see that happening. A fifth year might be beneficial to him.

    Someone on the Lair says Partridge is a goner. Hope it is bogus but $$$$$$$ talks and Pitt has little of it.

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  39. No way to put a positive spin on what is happening to this year’s recruiting class. A year’s worth of effort and resources going down the drain fast. It looks like the Minchey defection has caused a domino effect, but it is still hard to understand.

    It will cause a lasting effect on future seasons if it the reasons are not evaluated and addressed.

    It looks like the portal has been used successfully to change the trajectory of Pitt basketball along with some solid freshmen recruits, only time will tell how much.

    The portal is Narduzzi’s only option at this point to stop the bleeding. Hopefully administration and boosters will provide the resources needed to make this possible.

    Has any other program been devastated by losing a guy like Addison, then a class being raided like this one?

    In Pro football you are compensated for this type of thing.

    Pitt has faced many hurdles in it’s attempts to be competitive, it is always one step forward and two steps back. Being out bid for talent has always been a factor. Majors, Sherrill, Canada, and many players during the recruiting process have often gone to the highest bidder.

    However this feels different. The usual suspects will point to their foils to support their POV, but the recriminations mean little, some positive news is sorely needed with some positive actions taken. Reed may not appreciate the metaphor but this is war and Pitt needs a way to fight back.

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  40. Sometimes it’s more than just money to convince recruits.

    They also want playing time
    They want a system to showcase them
    They want a great game day atmosphere
    They might want to good easy on the gpa and kitten saving
    They may want to be closer to home
    They might not care that Pitt plays in a pro stadium
    They might not care for sweet Caroline
    They might not care for an urban concrete campus
    They might not look good in blue and yellow

    Money can’t solve those things

    And I agree with the three doak walker candidates. Izzy isn’t better than any of them. He’s top five though this year.

    Liked by 1 person

  41. The portal hit basketball hard first, now it is having a bigger impact on football. Narduzzi has been able to avoid the transfer impact (besides Addison) for the most part but he can’t avoid it any longer. It will hit all teams. Like basketball it will be a game of recruiting free agents. Narduzzi, like all other head coaches, will have to adjust to an ever changing roster. We will see how it plays out. Coaches have to accept the climate and be aggressive. They have to change or they will get steamrolled.
    That being said, you can’t have an offensive or defensive scheme that is too complicated to learn quickly for incoming players. Roster turnover is here to stay. It isn’t just NIL making kids move. It’s still playing time and stats. You have to rotate players and get them all some PT.

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    1. Good points, that rotation has been used effectively on defense, and with the running backs on offense. It is kind of dumbfounding that Barden and other receivers got zero PT.

      It took a while for Simon and Wiltz to elevate their play which didn’t help in our early losses.

      Adjusting to that ever changing roster is definitely going to be a factor, but guys that are productive for 3 or 4 years are still the most valuable in winning football games.

      Liked by 1 person

  42. Good point on transfers. You need to find players familiar with your system so no learning curve. What transfer is coming from a Cignetti system. Zero.

    I also think the less complicated the better. That benefits everyone. The key is always execution.

    Liked by 2 people

  43. The recruiting domino’s were falling well before the Minchey domino fell. Minchey was the 5th domino out of 7 to fall.—-There is now a snowball effect taking place as IMO some recruits are deciding to bail out Pitt’s fast sinking recruiting ship. The less than dynamic Cignetti/Slovis led offense this season did the Pitt recruiting effort on that side of the ball no favors. I’d be willing to bet that was one of the main reasons Minchey decided to look elsewhere. The Pitt O this season helped Notre Dame greatly in getting Minchey to jump ship when he did.

    Liked by 2 people

  46. I agree about the Pitt O. but the Domers have not exactly been world beaters. Pitt must be doing something very wrong (do we stay in close communication with our recruits?). The portal is a stop-gap measure that is potluck and as much as I hate to say this we have the path being created for becoming bottom feeders for many years. Realignment –Pitt will be left out playing the Temple’s, BC’s, Buffalo’s of the world…THE CRASH IS COMING and I am disgusted.

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      1. Funny thing… the Defense last year finished #43. Seems to me Pitt might just have Defense problem… UNLESS you have Kenny Pickett throwing the ball and more than one receiver who can get open.

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  48. I think I just had an epiphany. I have always been opposed to loading up the OOC schedule with tough games, but reading Lone Stars list made me see the logic behind Heather scheduling the tough ones. After money, the biggest thing recruits look for is the stage they play on. A packed Acrisure is much more enticing than a 30,000 crowd for New Hampshire or even a competitive Duke game. Unfortunately Pitt doesn’t have enough of a fan base to pack the routine games.

    So we are kind of between a rock and a hard place. When you create the great atmosphere of the big game you will negatively effect your win loss record. But I am now leaning toward the big game atmosphere because even a championship didn’t help with recruiting.

    Liked by 1 person

  49. Here is another Plan for the Pitt Campus – renovating Hillman and more tree coverage.

    Here is the 2021 Campus Plan that is referenced in the above article. Again folks, Pitt is never going to put an on-campus stadium in Oakland so quit worrying about it. I never realized that the State of PA owns so many buildings on the Pitt campus (see pg. 34 of the actual plan.) Those PA owned properties are “run” by Pitt and include: Hillman Library, Sennett Square and Salk Hall to name a few.

    PA owns land all through Oakland and that is why I’ve been saying for years there isn’t enough ground space of completely owned Pitt land to do an OCS – and you know the State of PA won’t care for or sign off on giving land away for an OCS.

    Click to access PittIMP-Approved%20July%2029%202021%20%281%29.pdf

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    1. Never say never. And always have hope.

      I only vaguely remember the ‘76 championship as a small child but I will always hope Pitt will find its way out of the desert.

      Pitt fans have been wandering for over 40 years. All it takes is a leader to guide them out.

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    2. On campus stadium–no way. Pitt has many justified needs to improve academic and student resident facilities and money does not grow on trees. Speaking of trees Pitt simply does not have the needed space for a campus 45,000 seat stadium with parking and
      transportation access. Put the on-campus stadium dreams away forever.

      Liked by 1 person

  50. It’s a double edged sword. Better teams means better atmosphere and more gate receipts. But I think scheduling those teams works best if played middle of year or the end.

    And I have no problem paying narduzzi the fourth or fifth highest salary among coaches in the acc. But he isn’t.

    https://richmond.com/sports/college/week-14-acc-power-poll/article_7a70120e-016d-56d3-9ba8-7a00ce877e94.html?utm_source=richmond.com&utm_campaign=%2Fnewsletter-templates%2Fnews-alert&utm_medium=PostUp&utm_content=61e46dc9e93fd657dc74af94c0d5127f8382c0e9

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    1. Seriously?

      With 30,000 empty seats on most games. A stadium name that has zero meaning or connection to Pitt history and tradition. And your fellow students always leaving early and complaining about being bused off campus.

      I’d gladly kill a few trees for a OCS. More gladly clean south oakland of slum housing.

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  53. Some people on the Lair and a Pitt Facebook page are adamant that an on-campus stadium is happening. Groundbreaking after 2027 and open for play in 2030 is what one person was told. I won’t bog myself down with it but those who are against it don’t have to go to the games.

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    1. But where on campus?

      Eminent domain won’t work

      Would need to already be property and land owned by Pitt. Unless Pitt is secretly buying up properties and land in Oakland.

      We’ve discussed panther hollow, along the mon, between hillman and Carnegie, old Syria mosque site, somewhere in south oakland, the va hospital, projects behind the ball fields, the school below the va.

      But the only site that makes sense is the existing Pete location. And then the design becomes a MPC. A smaller 40k stadium still fits despite victory heights taking over the grassy field outside the Pete.

      I say it’s a conspiracy theory on the Lair.

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  54. I understand that ND lost out on some 5 star QBs and was down to one QB of any stature on the roster. So they went after the Pitt recruit. Even legendary programs have trouble retaining recruits and players. Look at Texas with the upcoming loss of Card, who Tex thinks is only an average player, and they have the money to retain players.

    We also saw with the QB and WRs this year that it takes time to acclimate new transfers into a new offense. The transfer portal may help fill some gaps, but the pass routes and blocking schemes require constant refinement and continuity of playing together over multiple years.

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    1. He played terribly for a guy two years into the sark system and of legal drinking age. Texas is glad to see him go. They have Arch coming next year. He will start right away.

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  55. Having spent an hour and a half stuck in traffic for the Pitt vs WV game there is no way they would get approval for a facility. Pitt lost it’s last chance when they didn’t buy up the brown field in Hazelwood.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. UPMC’s new facility being built on the Old Children’s site will tie up traffic for the next few years. The current construction on Lothrop is creating a massive mess.
      Where do these dreamers think this stadium would be built?

      Like

    2. $$$$$ Where does it come from folks?…..many of you are very successful in business and and understand that having forward looking plans is vital, however, an integral part of any plan is the means to pay for it…PIPE DREAMS!

      Liked by 1 person

  56. NCAA defense stats rankings through 11/26/2022. Total defense – #19, Rushing defense – # 7, Passing defense – # 68.

    NCAA defensive stats rankings for 2021 season. Total defense – #39. Rushing defense – #6,
    Passing defense – #115.

    Liked by 2 people

      1. For any facility, Pitts preferred financing is via debt. Look at victory heights.

        But for a larger and more impactful project it would be through donations both private and corporate, various naming rights, suite licenses, other upfront monies from premium seat purchases, advertising revenues, gate receipts, other license fees.

        I did not ever once say money from the commonwealth or money from students.

        Like

  58. Lone Star, jump in that dang Tardis of yours and check out 1976. You will enjoy the National Championship year!
    Look me up while you’re back there and tell me NOT to go to Homecoming with Maureen…PLEASE!

    Liked by 6 people

  59. I always like to see recruits “commit” to Pitt in June and then stay away from Pittsburgh during the season so they don’t see the “atmosphere” during the games. The atmosphere last season was good, this season, not so much. If any recruits attended the last couple games, that could easily be a deal-breaker right there…. The send-off for the seniors was embarrassing.

    We will play with those who sign up. And I will root for them.

    Go Pitt.

    Liked by 4 people

  60. The portal is no longer a stop gap in recruiting deficiencies. Teams are looking at three to four starters per year. Maybe more. Look at Pitt.
    Flemister, Simon, Wiltz, Slovis, Means. It is hit or miss like any other recruits. This is the same as many teams. It is the new norm. Adjust or fail. I think it is apparent PN and staff are adjusting and there is a learning curve.

    I remember when one and done started in men’s basketball. Who capitalized on it the fastest and had the biggest success? John Calipari. He was super aggressive and the other coaches bad mouthed him for it. Now they all do what he did.

    Like

  61. So Mack really lucked out with Drake Maye but they lost their last two games one to GT. The opposite of finishing strong. They can salvage the season with a win this weekend but not bloody likely.

    Pitt finished undefeated in the last two Novembers, that is pretty solid coaching.

    Liked by 2 people

      1. It is always easy to point out a guy’s faults, but you don’t get fired with a record like that. I know that is disappointing to some.

        Next year promises to be tough, you should have plenty to complain about then.

        Liked by 2 people

    2. And there is a rumor Alabama is going to offer Maye an eight-figure NIL deal. I didn’t realize he originally committed to Saban.

      Like

      1. I hope that is true because it would really put the icing on the cake. Top-tier P5 football is the AAA League of the NFL. Pitt belongs in a nice AA League like The Eastern League or Southern Association. The rapidity for a changeover to semi-pro college football is on our doorstep and at the rate, it is going I would guesstimate it will happen in 3-5 years. The key to the change in structure is obvious>>>WATCH THE TV DEALS AND SEE HOW FAST THE LAWYERS CAN ALTER THEM TO ACCOMMODATE THE DESTRUCTION OF OUR PRESENT SITUATION>>MONEY TALKS AND NOBODY WALKS!!

        Like

      2. Most rumors are just that, but if that one is true college presidents will have to step in. Most don’t like scandal and that will surely follow.

        Like

        1. The future of college presidents will follow the ceo model.

          Schools are business enterprises. Most will become for profit institutions. Academics like athletics is a business.

          There is no right for an education beyond the 12th grade.

          With profit as a focus, you will see schools divest a massive amount of costly to maintain real estate and ensure business decisions are judged on irr, npv or roa/roe.

          The mentality that college is for everyone and state related schools should cater to every students desires and whims for a multitude of worthless degrees is going to be over soon.

          Pitt cannot sustain their current model without heavy subsidies from the commonwealth. Serious discussions about going private have already taken place and will continue.

          What are they waiting for.

          Like

          1. Ridiculous, no way these guys ever give up their non-profit status. Who would donate to a for profit institution? Their endowments would become immediately taxable.

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            1. Then why is Pitt even discussing becoming a private enterprise? And they are very serious discussions. Harvard is private. Doesn’t scare away gifters.

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    1. But what other players would narduzzi be going after that are significant upgrades.

      Does he plan on going the transfer route? I’d rather recruit my way to success than use mercenaries. Apologies to the French foreign legion.

      Like

    2. Not likely the 7 domino’s were told to look elsewhere when we haven’t replaced them with any new commits. It’s hard to say what the main reason is behind the implosion but there are many to pick from(NIL money, the PITT 1960’s O, the snow ball effect when the domino’s began to fall are some reasons).

      Like

  65. Here’s the NIL cherry picking the already proven very best. Nothing can be done about it as teams like PITT takes another shot to the heart. Talk about not playing fair. Maybe that’s the reason the players are allowed to jump around like loonies after making a stop 12 yards down
    field while losing 35-0.

    Let the NIL pick their sponsored clients right before signing day and not allow a player to be NIL recruited until 3 years out of high school. I know, when pigs fly!

    Like

  66. Drake Maye will go to the highest bidder. Same situation as Addison. And I don’t think Jordan worried about Cignetti or Slovis coming in. When his reported $2M offer became $3M, you knew it was all about the money and there were serious negotiations underway. I would bet that SirVocea is mullling over numerous offers as we type.

    Liked by 1 person

  69. Pitt would face a very small tax bill of about three million for its endowment each year if they were to go private. Look at what Harvard pays. They are full private and an endowment over ten times Pitt. Last I checked, Pitts operating budget was over two billion. Pocket change Gordon.

    Like

    1. Harvard is a non-profit organization. I guess what you are talking about is being a state related institution and getting state funding. I don’t think any major university is private for profit enterprise.
      I am not sure what you are arguing, PSU, tOSU, and many great football schools are state related.

      Like

      1. Technically you can be state related if you only received a penny from the state as subsidy. Pitt for all intents and purposes is private. Gets very little from the state. Less than five percent of its operating budget. And it’s tuition is in no way close to that of a true state school.

        Liked by 1 person

  70. And the last I checked, Pitt can use around $150 million each year from its endowment for discretionary purposes. That’s another way to fund a MPC. No strings attached to that. No strings. It’s just convincing the Nitter laden BOT.

    Like

  71. Each players decommitting is for very different reasons even tho we Pitt fans take it as a stake to the heart. We want to blame Duzz, Cignettis offense, Pitt’s campus,
    Lack of game day attendance the Pitt Colors, off campus stadium etc.

    In fact, check Twitter. It’s happening at every school including Notre Dame and Michigan. First and foremost seems to be NIL $$. After that a huge variety of reasons.
    NCAA has accidentally created a monster that is completely out of control. I have no idea what the solution is but they better come up with one soon !

    Liked by 2 people

  72. Remember. These private entities are educational related. So they get very favorable tax treatment despite their for profit focus. Only get charged an excise tax on the funds used each year and only if a taxable gain is realized. And remember more than half the senate has a degree from an Ivey.

    Like

    1. Let’s be very clear, the excise tax is on investment income net of certain distributions from the endowment fund.

      Also, to the extent that they earn certain types of income known as Unrelated Business Taxable Income, such income is subject to tax as if they were not a tax-exempt entity. Many large endowments invest, for example, in debt-financed real estate. All or part of the income from that investment may be UBTI.

      So, it is possible for an endowment to pay tax twice on some income.

      H2P!!! TGFV. GMS

      Like

    2. What is their for profit focus? How are they different from Pitt?
      They are all 503-C entities, they have no stockholders. They are not private enterprise.

      Like

    1. You’re only looking at undergrad. Include the grad degrees. You think any senator only has a bachelors. Most are lawyers.

      Like

      1. You’re so right. If you add higher degrees of senators who didn’t attend an ivy undergraduate institution (after all, you can’t count them twice), the number is 28. Far less than 50%.

        H2P!!!

        Like

        1. So I embellish. Point is you’ve got a sizable number of senators that would always be very lenient tax wise to high endowment institutions. You are never going to suffer any material adverse tax consequences if you say to the commonwealth to pound sand. And I know probably a bit more than you about these discussions at Pitt. A tax on endowments which they currently already pay is not a reason why Pitt wouldn’t tell the commonwealth to shove it. Breaking from the commonwealth gives the school liberties and new found freedoms.

          Like

          1. What are these school liberties and new found freedoms that you speak of, and how will they affect our football future oh wise one?

            Like

  75. I had another, longer reply about excise tax and UBTI but it seems to be lost in the WordPress ether. Oh well.

    H2P!!!

    Like

      1. OK so they will be private non-profit. What is the benefit of doing that regarding football or basketball? They are not going to be a private for profit enterprise as you seemed to state earlier. What am I missing.

        Like

        1. Your BOT gets abolished Gordon. Right now it’s comprised of 33 percent bureaucrat. That’s a game changer right there.

          Like

    2. I found and approved. Your reply is to a Lone Star comment at 2:58PM. Your reply is timed at 3:46pm.

      Like

  76. Alabama is a public university, it doesn’t seem to be a problem for their football team. I am still trying to understand your point.

    Like

    1. What subsidy do they get from the state?

      Pitt will privatize because they won’t have strings attached to funding from Harrisburg.

      And it will also allow them to structurally reorganize with no impediments from the commonwealth.

      Those are the major justifications in discussions.

      Like

      1. All that is fine, but there are many private schools that have lousy football and basketball programs, and many public universities that have great football programs.

        Like

      2. In 2018/2019, the University of Alabama got about $170 million in state funds.

        Facts always trump hyperbole.

        H2P!!!

        Like

  77. Pitt Defensive Back Khalil Anderson Enters The Transfer Portal

    I had him penciled in on the 3-deep. Maybe he read my 2-deep and jumped to the portal for more playing time

    Liked by 2 people

  79. Pitt’s current recruiting class is ranked 60th.

    There are currently 65 P-5 teams, soon to be 69.

    Is it possible there are more veteran players coming back next year than we think and the coaching staff knows who and they are conducting exit interviews with guys buried in the depth chart and allowing certain recruits to fly the coup?

    Like

  80. OT — Saw the Pitt women basketballers get destroyed by Illinois today. Huge difference in talent. Illinois had open 3s and open layups the whole game. Don’t know about the final numbers, but half way thru the 4th Q, they were shooting over 60% both overall and from 3. They led 50-30 at the half…

    I don’t think one Pitt player would crack Illinois’ top six players.

    Coach White has been playing three true freshman a good bit – trying to improve the shooting. Pitt scored in the 70s, which is good for them. Unfortunately Illinois scored in the 90s…

    I’m hoping Illinois is as good as they looked.

    Go Pitt.

    Like

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