in Pitt Football 65 Words

It’s Portal Mania Day

Should have posted a new article this morning when I wished everyone a Happy Portal Day. Went outside around 9:30am and came in around 1:15PM. and 55 new comments had been made.

I will try to remember to post a new article in April when the second Happy Portal Day occurs.

To catch up on the portal discussions, please read the 12/5/22 comments in the prior article.

207 thoughts on “It’s Portal Mania Day”

  1. Rashad Battle sent out a tweet just now saying “as a captain he (Slovis) should have told his boys first…”

    Looks like no love lost there! 🤣

    Liked by 2 people

  2. Reposting …

    Regarding the idea of Phil hypothetically being eligible for the bowl … there may not be anything in the rule book because doesn’t he have to be enrolled at Pitt? He’s currently enrolled at BC and would not be eligible until classes start, correct? Or since the game is after finals, does that clear him? I get it’s not happening but it is a fascinating scenario.

    Liked by 1 person

        1. Wait….Hines Ward was a QB in college…..oh, never mind. But Jared Wayne an toss the pigskin (if he doesn’t opt out of the bowl game)

          Liked by 2 people

      2. Depends on the coach. On the morning news here in Upstate South Carolina, Dabo said he would let anyone practice and play as long as they lived up to the practice standards, he has set as coach.

        Some coaches (Fuente at VT as an example) go the exact opposite and say you want out – you are out as of now.

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  8. I watched a highlight video of Phil J. He made some nice runs to escape pressure in the pocket, plus he made some nice runs when he kept the ball on options. That’s a big element he adds to the offense, IMHO…

    Now his arm didn’t exactly look spectacular, but it looked adequate…

    Go Pitt.

    PS: Phil J. – you should talk to Gavin Bartholomew immediately — tell him you promise to feed him some passes…

    Liked by 4 people

  9. Maybe the stars just aligned but I give Nard and Cig a lot of credit for pulling this off. The fact that no bridges were burnt when J passed on Pitt twice and then Cig left BC and J still wants to play for him says a lot to me about the character of our coaches.

    Yes they missed on Slovis, obviously not a good fit, and then they get burnt by Minchey and ND. Never say die, while it is only a one year solution you got to play them one at a time.
    Other than KP transfer QB’s have been the standard at Pitt. Maybe a freshman with potential signs next.

    Great first day of the portal, hopefully this good fortune continues and Pitt picks up a few more starters.

    Liked by 5 people

    1. Really great comment GC! I torture Duzz w criticism and many times fail to realize his good points.

      I understood why Phil did what he did to ND as soon Minchey will realize. He knew Kenny was at Pitt so off to BC he went. I for one am utterly thrilled at this news!

      Liked by 2 people

  10. Posted this at the end of the last thread: Kudos to whoever called this on a thread a few days ago. You really have some inside information. I looked back at old posts and now can’t find them to give the poster credit…but, someone on here said Slovis got in an argument with Duzz, wanted to transfer, and Jurkovec wanted to come here. I texted my brother about it last Thursday and we both thought fat chance. So it was written and so it came to pass.
    I never thought Slovis would transfer and I never thought my fellow PR alum the Big Phil Dizzle would end up at Pitt. Someone on our blog has some big league insider information and reported everything earlier than the media lol. Thanks and keep it up.

    Liked by 1 person

      1. From the previous thread:isnore99
        December 5, 2022 at 2:39 pm

        If any of you read my post several days ago about meeting Jurkovec’s dad in York you understand his motivations for playing for Notre Dame and BC. PSUX was NEVER in the picture. We have added a very talented QB who I hope and pray can stay reasonably healthy. Cignetti knows what PJ can do and I believe that his offense will be tailored to his capabilities. BC did not have a very good supporting cast for Jurkovec, let’s all hope that we can keep some of our better players and have good fortune in the portal.

        Liked by 1 person

  11. Posted this at the end of the last thread: Kudos to whoever called this on a thread a few days ago. You really have some inside information. I looked back at old posts and now can’t find them to give the poster credit…but, someone on here said Slovis got in an argument with Duzz, wanted to transfer, and Jurkovec wanted to come here. I texted my brother about it last Thursday and we both thought fat chance. So it was written and so it came to pass.
    I never thought Slovis would transfer and I never thought my fellow PR alum the Big Phil Dizzle would end up at Pitt. Someone on our blog has some big league insider information and reported everything earlier than the media lol. Thanks and keep it up.

    Like

  12. If I’m Nick Patti I’m staying only as long as Cig70’s promises the starting job is mine for the bowl game. Patti needs some film to show before he inevitably enters the TP. Why stay and wear headphones another year. If no promise, his best interest is to enter immediately.

    As for PJ, his stats at BC aren’t great but also aren’t horrible. 37 TDs to 17 INTs with an average completion of 60%. He clearly was more mobile that we saw with Slow-vis but only started 6 and 8 games in ’21 and ’22 likely due to injuries but not sure of that. BC was 12-12 in games he started.

    Also need to consider that BC was (1) not a very good team and (2) they faced better competition across the board in the Atlantic division compared to Coastal. I’m trying to not allow the fact he consistently said “no” when Pitt showed interest, cloud my judgement.

    If they guaranteed him a starting job, then I consider this to be a very bad decision by coaching staff. I don’t think he or almost any other QB deserves that promise. If the Cincy QB recruit signs with Pitt (highly unlikely) I’d be much more excited that the PJ news.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Patti needs to stay on the field for at least a whole half before being carted off the field with another injury. He’s worse than TJ Watt…☠️

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      1. I heard he stubbed his toe on the coffee table running to pick up his phone when his agent called. Just a rumor though…😄

        Liked by 3 people

  15. Given the choice I would rather be a starter at a lower level than ride the bench at the higher.
    But I do understand why a guy like Patti has stuck around and I hope he finishes at Pitt. His luck has been awful, first off playing behind KP who didn’t miss many games, then getting hurt on the first drive of his big opportunity, then getting injured on his next big opportunity and not being able to start when Slovis went down. He hasn’t even gotten the chance to play poorly.

    If I was him, I probably would stay at this point since Jurkovec has missed a lot of games and I might get another meaningful chance.

    Heck, the food and travel accomodations are much better in P-5. The other guys go on a lot of long bus rides, and play in high schoo like stadiums.

    Anyway, I hope he gets the start in EL Paso and wins the elusive bowl game and ninth win, he deserves it.

    Liked by 2 people

    1. Patti has several degrees and multiple job offers and I’m thinking he will move on in life. But now if wants to go for a doctorate degree maybe he stays and have Pitt foot the bill.

      Liked by 1 person

      1. He should go play at Arkon and tear it up like Shockey Jaques-Louis. Nick, here’s some advice from us older folk, “You have the rest of your life to work. Play one more year. We are cheering for ya.”

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  17. Pitt offered Dante Cephas a local kid that played as a WR at Kent State today. He has 2 years of eligibility remaining. Were are attempting to bring home some lost souls from the Pittsburgh region.

    Liked by 2 people

  18. There is a tweet out there now from Brandon George’s mom saying “Well there is a C out there now for someone who deserved it and will wear it proud.” I’m guessing that petty much sums up how most of the Pitt players felt about Slovis wearing the Captain C this year.

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        1. Who is she to say he didn’t deserve being captain? Did she spend the last year in the locker room.

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  19. I don’t think Phil is a great get. He’s been average so far. Plus he is just being stuck in the same crappy offense.

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  20. Hate to point back and say told you so, but really, Slovis was never going to be a good fit at Pitt.

    When he first transferred in I reached out to the USC area writers I used for that USC QBs 3 part article I did on Ricky Town and both guys told me that the USC players and coaches had lost all confidence in him before Slovis was sat down for a true FR.

    I gathered he was pretty distant from the players here also…

    Wish the Bowl was in Annapolis…

    Liked by 4 people

  21. Even with PJ, Pitt’s QB room needs more quality and quantity. They desperately need to land a good younger QB.

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  22. NCAA needs to allow only 60 scholarships for these D1 programs. Spread the talent around.. earlier playing time… maybe less jumping around..then get some rules in place for this NIL monster… how about no marketing name, image and likeness PERIOD… look at how many of just bought a bunch of Slovis junk with his recent deal!!!! No taker here… NEVER

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  23. I’ve wondered what happened to PJ since HS. Why he wasn’t the guy at ND, why limited success at BC? Now, I really didn’t follow him much when he didn’t go to Pitt, but it was puzzling. Just something I’ll throw out. Saw he was listed at 6’4”, 230. Now this is 20-25 lbs more than HS weight. That could really affect a mobile qb ( see Clemson’s DJ). Wonder if ND wanted to bulk him up and ended up screwing him up instead? Hope weight is wrong, but could explain.

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    2. He got beat out at ND, not a huge surprise kinda like Foster at Alabama, there are really great players out there. He played pretty well at BC when he was healthy, but BC doesn’t have a lot of talent on either side of the ball. He may be a good fit in Cig’s offense but without the two 1000 yard guys who knows? He should have a better O-line which will help.

      However, with the difficult schedule, Narduzzi needs to find a few more playmakers on both sides of the ball, since we are losing the biggest stars on defense as well.

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  24. Freshman QB Dieffanbach from California de-committed from UNLV today. Pitt offered him last week. Only a 2 star but lets hope Cignetti saw something special in him to make the offer.

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  25. I just read the comment thread about negative comments on the POV that was attached to the last article. Let me clear up a few things:

    First off, if you think the POV is overly negative you haven’t read other school’s fan’ blogs. We are tame in comparison. What do you think this blog would be like if we didn’t uphold the commenting standards on here?

    Very, very few other non-commercial blogs demand a degree of civility that we do on here. Most have no rules at all.

    Second, Pat Narduzzi has a standing rule that the players don’t read the media about them, their teammates and the program…at least that was in place a few years ago when I was interviewing some players. But – I’m sure some look up everything about themselves.

    Third, the vast majority of recruits are just pleased to get offers from P5 schools and could care less what a group of fans think. Some 4* or 5 * might delve into that as some sort of a deciding factor because of the number and quality of their school choices but almost all recruits are 3* and 2* and really just want the offer.

    Finally, if you think comments on the POV are negative then you should hear what the players’ parents, family members and HS coaches have to say about the other players and the college coaching staff And what the players have to say about the staff.

    Catch these people in an environment where they can talk freely and you’d be shocked. I posted about 10% of the things I have heard players’ parents talk about since I started writing articles in 2009. The night before the bowl game in NYC I spent hours drinking beer with numerous families and it seem like one of those reality shows the way they were throwing crap around.

    Believe me, what is said on here is minor and way more positive (and more true in most cases) then what players read and hear in other venues. Not even close…

    Liked by 2 people

    1. And if its too negative, so what? Don’t get me wrong, the negativity from certain posters is a turn off but, hey, freedom of speech. This is after all America.

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      1. Well, Freedom of Speech is an interesting thought. It means nothing on here really except for the right to pose differing opinions under the standards we hold.

        We edit some comments, trash others and even ban some commenters…but I truly try to do everything possible as an editor before that happens.

        Liked by 1 person

  27. Agreed, Reed. But I try to draw a distinction between college and pro players. And any legitimate criticism of plays, skills or team related matters is perfectly fine. It just doesn’t seem right to make personal attacks against college kids who don’t perform as expected.

    Liked by 1 person

  28. So no matter who Nard brought in as QB, last year was going to be a hard act to follow.
    Slovis wasn’t what was hoped for, but it surely wasn’t all his fault. Also he wasn’t a total fail like those other California guys.

    Saying this blog is more genteel compared to PSU is kind of funny. Maybe I expect more from Pitt People. I am definitely not opposed to critisicm, just the “he stinks, she stinks” without any specifics. There definitely is room for objective criticism, Slovis’ slow decision making, bad reads and poor throws were evident on many occasions. However he also made enough good plays to help win seven games.

    I guess my question is if Slovis was that terrible and Cig is horrific how did Pitt win eight games? Not to mention that Nard is paid a lot. How did we have a 1000 yard RB and a 1000 yd receiver, something that has only happened 4 times in Pitt history?

    I do appreciate everything Reed does to police the site and agree it would be much worse without the guardrails.

    Liked by 7 people

    1. Cignetti’s calling card is a 1000 yard running back and a 1000 yard receiver (and nobody else) and middling quarterback play. Case in point his best statistical qb’s have had the last names of Stull and Pinegar

      Liked by 1 person

    2. Cignetti has called him worse things during games and in the film room. He’s lucky he didn’t get locked in a closet.

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  29. There was a story floating around about Jurkovec and ND that Kelly lied directly to him and his parents about playing time and an opportunity to compete for the job. He may have had an interview with someone about this, and the family was so outraged at how he was treated that they said he would never play for Kelly. Kelly is a grade A scumbag who bailed on ND after telling them he was staying. So not surprised.

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  31. Interesting paragraph about Phil J. from PSN:

    “His debut season at Boston College, with Frank Cignetti Jr. as his offensive coordinator, Jurkovec completed 61% of his pass attempts for 2,558 yards with 17 touchdowns and five interceptions — adding 150 yards and three touchdowns on the ground.”

    Go Pitt.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. with Cig?

      that was quick 🙂

      .

      btw, any possible player or recruit that reads HERE or FB or other social media and changes their school choice I am GLAD to see them go(or not come)

      you would have to be a fragile, and frankly naive idiot to care to that degree what anyone posts here enough to alter your school choice over coaching, NIL and academics and location relative to home or it’s overall geography(city v rural v whatever mix)

      any kid that is worth anything who comes upon comments about players will laugh off the poster’s opinion and give it the consideration and standing it deserves, absolutely NONE

      I hope my opinion isn’t offending anyone reading here 😉

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    3. The UNLV head coach was fired on 11/28/2022. Might have something to do with his decommit and immediate committing to Pitt.

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  38. Slovis went 7-3 in games he started and finished. He was far from a disaster. He didn’t have the three receivers that he did at USC and who are now in the NFL.

    He had terrible games versus GTech and Louisville and it cost Pitt dearly. I think a break is best for both parties, but he did beat WVU.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. You are right I just watched 2 years of HUDL and it is difficult to tell how strong his opponents are but he does appear for some reason to have been overlooked by most schools.

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        1. Wrong he didn’t have a strong senior year as he only played in 6 games. He did have a strong junior year however. He was a WR prior to his junior season until the coach saw him throwing the ball in practice and encouraged him to move over to QB.—That’s pretty much the same scenario Big Ben took in HS. But I believe Big Ben only played QB his senior year and hence his recruiting to MAC school Miami of Ohio.

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    2. He’s a man among boys in that tape and pretty raw IMO but the athleticism and size are enticing. If he puts in the work he could be pretty good…if he puts in the work

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  41. Couple things,
    1) Glad to see the QB change, but I would take Kedon Slovis over Tino Sunseri.

    2) chicken and egg, which came first?..Did Slovis state his transfer intentions, prompting Pitt to get PJ or did Cignetti start a dialog with PJ, prompting Slovis to transfer? Does anyone have a scoop on this?

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Rumor has it Narduzzi wanted Slovis to stay and that just gives me another
      reason to doubt his judgement particularly on the offensive side of the ball.
      With Slovis wanting out Cignetti had to move fast for a replacement. And IMO it was very unlikely he would be able to bring in a big name based on the boring offensive passing game he displayed at Pitt.

      Like

    1. Super impressive — hit every single guy in stride…which was my chief complaint against Slovis. Clearly HS competition but still, on the money…and pretty mobile too. Good get, Pitt.

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  47. Please don’t waste anymore words worrying about what some recruit thinks about POV comments. Most were dead on accurate as to Slovis’ liabilities. Few had the words “he stinks” in them without good observed reasons attached.

    Hope I didn’t hurt any feelings with this my delicate little POVers!

    Liked by 2 people

  48. So Cal guy covering HS FB

    Liked by 1 person

  49. Dieffenbach trivia — according to Rivals:

    -He was offered by Yale. 👍
    -He visited Penn State…👎

    One good thing – Cignetti, not Duzzer, went out to see this kid throw… 😊

    Go Pitt.

    Like

  50. Very small sample size but what was there showed:

    Decent accuracy
    Wind-up throwing motion (holds ball too low)
    Reasonable arm strength
    Well above average athleticism

    If nothing else, Pitt got a big, fast WR project. “Slash” anyone???

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Well if he fails at QB he could go back to being a WR which is the position he played his first two years in HS. Then Pitt would have that tall WR that we have lacked for many years.

      Liked by 1 person

  51. The ironic thing, TWICE in the past Pitt was not good enough for Jurkovec. Now it might very well turn out that Jurkovec is not good enough.

    The reality is he looked more and more like an average or less quarterback as his career went on. Whether due to injury or whatever, he seemed to have lost his ability to run and the overall athleticism that made him a stand out in high school.

    Don’t be surprised if at some point he finds himself on the bench. I won’t. And I won’t be feeling all that bad about it.

    Liked by 2 people

  52. Pitt will make this guy a Tight End and then never throw to him.

    Good for Phil. I do think playing at Pitt will get him drafted in the late rounds. Now is he an upgrade over the last four games of Slovis. I don’t think so.

    And Slovis wore out his welcome. And probably doesn’t even date his soccer girlfriend anymore. That was a reason why he came to Pitt.

    Forums and message boards are representations of real world discussion and thinking. Blend of opinion and fact. Recruits should read them. I know heathers minions do as well and practically every other P5 administration.

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  53. It is ridiculous to think that players actually concern themselves with much of anything posted here.

    They got WAY too much being said by their PEERS on social media to worry about what a small band of Pitt curmudgeons have to say.

    Liked by 2 people

    1. But there’s some good humor, smackdowns and just general peeing contests out there. Players do look and partake in social media. Sometimes a comment string traps you and it’s tough to escape. Oh well my five minutes is up. Back to behind bars.

      Like

  54. I played golf yesterday with our own Tailgate Iron Chef, Wolfe.
    Not just to play golf but to talk him out of entering the Transfer Portal.
    I was promised at the end of the round he would stay but I know how money and power corrupts.
    I’m suggesting a go fund me page to retain him before large offers begin to pour in…and I’m offering my services to handle all the incoming 💰 as a public service.
    We must keep Wolfe happy!
    If we lose him we are totally intercoursed.
    H2P and
    #keepWolfeoutofthefreakingportal

    Liked by 7 people

    1. Haha! No fear of that, Fran. What a great group of people we have at your tailgates! It is truly depressing to me when our last tailgate of the season is over. Thank God for Hemingways! And I hope more of the folks posting messages here can join us there before the basketball games. Good times!

      Liked by 3 people

    2. Oh, and when you hit your ball in the lake and it skims across the ice and up on to dry land on the other side, that’s a good time of the year for a golfer like me to be on the course.

      Liked by 1 person

        1. N.B
          Slovis stinks and if you went to the games, it was clear he did not have many friends on the team.

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  55. I’m not yet on the Phil train either. 3rd stop and all of a sudden he needs Pitt. He needs Pitt maybe more than we need him at this point. Yes he knows the Cignetti system, but is that enough to make him good? I’m not so sure. Maybe he will resurrect his career, swagger and attitude and translate that into wins. What I really hope is that the coaching staff is not just handing him the keys like they did with Slovis. Let there be competition and let the best player start.

    Liked by 4 people

  57. Whether Phil is successful will depend a lot on who he has to throw to. If Wayne goes pro and I don’t know why he wouldn’t, not much left. So the need is there for a couple more portal guys. The two we got last year were underwhelming. Phil’s success at BC had a lot to do with a guy named Flowers.

    Pitt was once known as wide receiver U, other than Wayne, very weak last year and need to pull an inside straight this year.

    Liked by 3 people

    1. That lack of improvement of wide receivers falls on the wide receiver coach. I hope he is replaced after the bowl game.

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        1. I agree, overall, a player’s talent will ultimately decide how good he will be. My problem is that our wide receivers did not improve in the basics such as route running, catching the ball, etc. These are areas where a good coach should be able to make a difference. I did not see that this year. Wayne was taught under the former wide receiver coach but the new transfers into the program this year were the ones who lacked development.

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  60. I’d like to see Reed’s analysis of PJs previous years. I think the excitement is only based on his Pittsburgh roots.

    Slovis got a raw deal. He was promised a Whipple like offense and got a 1960s Frank version. Remember all the preseason coach speak about keeping what worked from Whipple’s offense. That was all BS. We all got a raw deal. I don’t blame the kid for leaving. My guess is he picks an Air Raid school. If he starts, I guarantee he puts up better numbers than any QB in Cignetti’s offense.

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    1. The thing is that a “Whipple- like offense” needs “Kenny-like QB “ and good WRs. Look at all the big plays KP made on the run after he was driven out of the pocket. KS doesn’t and didn’t have that game.

      Go Pitt.

      Liked by 1 person

  61. Just looking at career stats, which QB would you want?

    QB1 59.7% completion rate, 137.5 career QB rating, 5405 yards passing
    QB2 65.9% completion rate, 144.5 career QB rating, 9973 yards passing

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    1. QB2 is Slovis, you know the other. That being said I hope PJ has a career year, wins 9 or more games and is drafted.

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      1. How many sacks?
        How many 3 and outs because you can’t gain a yard?
        How many horrific pics?
        Put QB 1 in at USC in a down year in the PAC with a bunch of 4/5 star players.
        Take QB 2 and let him roll into Death Valley with BC

        I agree about Cignetti

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  62. I’m not sure why there are comments that Jurkovec passed on Pitt twice, but that is not true. The second time when he transferred to BC, Pitt had already secured a commitment from Joey Yellen, who transferred from ASU. This happened BEFORE Jurkovec was available to Pitt. I know there was an article on PSN about this at the time. Narduzzi basically told PJ that he didn’t have room for him after bringing in Yellen.

    I also don’t think Cig deserves all the blame for the offense he ran this year. If your QB can’t read through progressions and find the right guy to throw to, why would you want to operate a pass first offense? I think there was hope that Slovis would progress, no different than DG at Clemson. Maybe it never translated from practice to the games, but he never kept improving like we are seeing with Kenny Pickett this year. Slovis was just awful in the Duke game and they are really lucky to have won that game with the way he played. A healthy Jurkovec is a big improvement over Slovis. Maybe Slovis just couldn’t fit in this system, or maybe he the concussion really did affect him all year. Either way, his time here was not what we all expected. When he had a chance to carry the team to victory, he didn’t have it in him. I think the rumblings about him not fitting in with the team also were an issue. If they land the PSU transfer to develop for their future QB after one year of PJ, I think that is a solid plan.

    Liked by 6 people

  63. Slovis has declined steadily. Phil, hopefully, hasn’t reached his potential.

    Best year
    Slovis 12 games, 71.9%, 167.6 QBR, 3502 yards
    PJ 10 games, 61%, 138.7 QBR, 2558 yards. He did have a 149.9 QBR in 6 games in 2021 but a lower completion %.

    Worst year
    Slovis 11 games, 58.2%, 127.1 QBR, 2397 yards. This year.
    PJ 8 games, 59.5%, 125.9 QBR, 1711 yards. This year.

    2022 was not kind to either QB.

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    1. Jurkovec had a terrific wide receiver in Zay Flowers a future NFL prospect. Pitt absolutely must get several quality receivers through the portal or his goose will be cooked. Means is meh, Mumpfield will probably show improvement and Wayne ?? will he or wont he stay. Bart was lost in the shuffle and if he stays I would hope that his potential starts to be reached. If you look at the above video you can see that Jurkovec was throwing downfield and not living off dinky, dunky doonky sideline passes of 5 -6 yards….and yes, he can use his legs to get 1st downs. So, Coach Cignetti and Duzzi what will it be for next year?>>another boring offense with LOW SCORING or will we make an attempt to play modern football……recruiting, recruiting, recruiting…HELLO PORTAL!

      Liked by 1 person

    2. Good wheels and athleticism for a tall guy, but mediocre arm — not in love with him but could be good enough with a run game…if Izzy stays, great, if not, not sure if Hammond is the answer — tough but not great speed. Check the portal for RBs.

      Like

  65. I saw an interesting point made by a few Pitt fans on Twitter. Maybe Pitt needs to relish the role of a destination for transfer players. A “Second Chance U” if you will. Still a P5 school, exposure of a certain degree, and a real opportunity for playing time. Maybe we pick up more of the MAC type players looking to move up, or the transfers from the powerhouse schools where the opportunity just didn’t work out.

    I think this is the new way of college football. The transfer portal, IMO, has become more valuable than HS recruiting. I don’t like it personally, but it’s the new reality.

    Liked by 5 people

  66. Here’s the comparison I think works BEST for Slow-vis…

    2022 Pitt… Jared Wayne + Konata Mumpfield + Bub Means = 1,796 Yards 7 TDs

    2019 USC… Michael Pittman Jr. + Amon-Ra St. Brown + Drake London = 2,884 Yards 22 TDs

    Liked by 1 person

  67. Pitt has turned the page on the Slovis era and I am pretty positive about Jurkovec, just sorry it is for only one year. Continuuity is important. Having the Whipple offense and KP for three years paid dividends. Although Canada was only here for one year it was Peterman’s 2nd and most of the offense had been here for multiple years.

    So it is good that Cig’s offense won’t be new to most including Jurkovec. Hopefully they can get him some playmaking receivers and Bart sticks around. I think Means and Mumpfield will improve, but how much? Phil throws a catchable ball and should be better on the short throws and throwing on the run. I was not a fan of KP’s designed runs nor would I like them to be a part of Phil’s arsenal, but a guy that can pick up a third down when the play breaks down is invaluable not to mention a guy that can sneak on the goal line.

    I agree that Phil did not have an opportunity at Pitt when he left ND. BC offered him the opportunity to start which Pitt did not.

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  68. John is SC has written another detailed article on the Pitt Women’s VB team and their winning ways. We are now in the Sweet 16 and his article will post early tomorrow morning and our game against the Florida Gators will take place on 12/8 at 4:30pm.

    Keep an eye out for it!!

    Liked by 1 person

    1. The game is at 3:30 PM EST on Thursday not 4:30 PM. The NCAA tournament site had it wrong initially but corrected it. I have the correct time in my article.

      Like

  69. I hope PJ has a really productive year here. I also hope there is real competition for QB1. Tough competition makes everyone better. Welcome home Phil, good luck and make us western PA people happy. We love our hometown players!

    Liked by 1 person

  70. I remember when I was writing for the Pitt Blather and someone took offense at something I predicted and said “That is pure speculation!!” I wrote back – “That is exactly what we writers and fans do on these media sites every single day – speculate”.

    Of course we do, and we pass judgement on every little thing and you know what? Nothing that anyone says on here or any other public venue about the players and staff is going to make one bit of difference as to how many points Pitt scores nor how many points we give up in a game. Our won/loss record isn’t influenced one bit either.

    As to criticizing the players. They put themselves out on the public stage to be evaluated and talked about every single time they walk out on the field of play. The fact is now they have a financial stake involved.

    Now, 20 years ago there might be a softening of criticism toward a Pitt player by fans because, well, he signed on to play for us for four years. That dedication to the university was to be admired in a sense and we appreciated it.

    Now? Forget about it. These kids are football mercenaries who not only get paid for being on the team but they also will leave Pitt at the drop of a hat when they see greener grass anywhere. Any ‘loyalty’ these players have to the school or their teammates take a backseat to their own greed – whether it s NIL $$, better playing time or whatever.

    Ask your self this – in the past historic years of Pitt football how many players turned their backs on their teammates during the season because they might get hurt? Take a look at this list and think about it.

    And spare me the crap about the money please – there are people in all professions who don’t follow the money trail just because it is there. Many, many of us take a hard look at the positive impact we make on others in execution of our profession and decide that is more important than chasing a buck.

    You’d be shocked at how many military members don’t bag out just because they are offered a golden goose egg. Tons. I also know people who have left very high paying jobs to join the Peace Corps, Doctors Without Borders or the Seminary, just to name a few. Money does not, and should not, rule the world when it comes to personal decision making regarding what one can do for the greater good vice what they can do for themselves.

    I truly don’t begrudge any player for wanting to make money – but then please don’t throw trite team slogans around in public like “We Not Me” when you absolutely know you’d turn your back on your teammates and school for possible money in the future.

    So yes, when a kid, of any age, puts themselves in the public eye as these CFB players do they had better be prepared to take the “slings and arrows of outrageous fortune” once they don that uniform. In that they shouldn’t be surprised when others judge them on their talents, merits and actions be it good or bad.

    Liked by 9 people

    1. Excellent post, Reed! I agree 100%. People who think there is some magical dollar figure beyond which it’s okay to toss your integrity, loyalty, commitment, character out the window, I just don’t understand. Maybe that’s old fashioned thinking, but I don’t care.

      Liked by 2 people

    4. Great post Reed…and the days when a pecan pie carried any weight recruiting these kids (pros) has long been over.

      Like

  71. You can’t build a successful program via transfers and sustain that success. Best to recruit kids out of high school. Indoctrinate them in your culture. Be the first to develop them. To mold them. Break their bad high school habits. Immerse them in your system and schemes. Get them to buy in from the very beginning. No mercenaries or free agents without loyalty.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. You are 100% correct, however, the way college football has evolved most recruits who do not get on the playing field believe that they are disrespected,,,,and Hi HO off to the portal they go. One or two and done on STEROIDS!

      Liked by 1 person

      1. Glad I grew up in the time that I did…the vast majority of us were blessed to have a Dad to teach us “the ropes.” A lot of these young man cannot relate…culture is too often a role model and in a very negative way….

        Like

  72. So true Reed. There’s more than money. But these kids have handlers. And they want paid.

    Phil coming back to Pittsburgh is a good feel good story. I hope he does well.

    Remember, mo money, mo problems.

    Liked by 3 people

  74. Watching the new FR QB commit, I can see him surpassing Yarnell. He’s big and very athletic with a good release. Both these kids need to hit the weights hard.

    Wow, the transfer portal adds a weird dynamic to a locker room. If you’re a freshman WR for example, and a team keeps adding junior and senior WRs through the portal it has to be discouraging. Hard to develop and work your way up the depth chart if you don’t see some playing time and guys jump the line in front of you. A balancing act for the coaches.

    Liked by 3 people

    1. Dabo prefers high school kids. If I was a billionaire who owned a NFL team, he would be my pick. No top five list from me needed. He’s it. He knows culture is key. Steelers don’t have one under Tomlin today. He wants to be liked too much and doesn’t discipline. I’m an old school Parcells guy. His constructive criticism of your performance was an art. 🤠

      Liked by 2 people

  75. Cool breakdown of Jurkovec’s QB play vs Pitt in 2020. Good pocket awareness/mobility, decent accuracy. Formations look familiar? Cignetti as BC OC

    Like

  77. One of the biggest ironies is that these guys like to think of themselves as role models for young kids. They actually seem to feed off the adulation they receive when surrounded by kids wanting autographs and such. Well, if you want to be a role model, be a GOOD role model. Don’t show them that it is okay to quit on your team if there is a chance that helping your team could adversely affect your wallet.

    Like

    1. As a captain and leader, Slovis should have addressed his teammates before the news became public. What he did was no better than Fraud Graham. Are there any pictures of Slovis in a plane? He’s probably got relatives in 49 other states.

      Like

            1. And the fat rat made sure he hired away our assistant coaches so that the kids he recruited would have no one to coach them in their bowl game. He couldn’t even wait until Jan. 1st.

              I hate and and am glad he got fired.

              Like

  79. Chryst not only told the players he was taking the UW job, he also was good enough to tell the team he was going to UW to interview for it.

    https://news.yahoo.com/blogs/ncaaf-dr-saturday/pitt-coach-paul-chryst-reportedly-told-team-he-d-meet-with-wisconsin-212756476.html?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbS8&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAABlNOJ1VBRIprH6-FY5WUfXbrT7RZX_9BET98q7ystgV103ZsbYkcjVBAiDhM2gakMwm_HwPNBsyjb2u5bOWjNRrStbU5YkoRIVBpe6ODNXvglyuLZFYEZbwzsfzQn1JcIUoU3HtniGe9-rl9mnsVQw3a1JfjBl2hyfLu4HJ2AHw

    Say what you will about PC’s W/L record at Pitt – he was a stand up guy.

    Liked by 1 person

  80. Link: CBS Names Two Panthers First Team All-Americans

    CBS Honors Pitt’s Abanikanda, Kancey as First Team All-Americans

    PITTSBURGH—Pitt football juniors Israel Abanikanda and Calijah Kancey were named to the 2022 CBS Sports/247Sports All-America Team as first-team selections on Tuesday.

    Abanikanda garnered recognition as an all-purpose player, while Kancey was one of three defensive lineman named to CBS’ first team this season.

    Two of the nation’s standout players in 2022, Abanikanda and Kancey are worthy candidates to be honored by multiple media outlets as All-Americans in the coming days.

    Abanikanda leads the FBS in total touchdowns (21), rushing touchdowns (20) and scoring (11.6/game). He also ranks among the nation’s leaders in rushing yards (1,431) and rushing yards per game (130.1). That combined with his all-purpose exploits landed him on CBS’ first team. An elite kick returner and prominent pass catcher, Abanikanda ranks second nationally in all-purpose yards (164.1/game).

    The 2022 ACC Defensive Player of the Year as well as a Bronko Nagurski Trophy and Outland Trophy finalist, Kancey’s campaign continues to be recognized as one of the best in all of college football.

    Despite facing constant double teams, Kancey finished with 14.5 tackles for loss and 7.5 sacks while spearheading a Pitt defense that leads the country in sacks (3.75/game). The Panthers also rank seventh in run defense (95.5 yards/game) and 17th in total defense (319.7 yards/game).

    Abanikanda (Brooklyn, N.Y./Abraham Lincoln) and Kancey (Miami, Fla./Miami Northwestern) amassed their impressive outputs despite each missing more than a game this season due to injury.

    The Panthers (8-4, 5-3 ACC) will travel to El Paso, Texas to play in the historic Tony the Tiger Sun Bowl on Friday, Dec. 30 at 2 p.m. EST against the No. 18 UCLA Bruins (9-3, 6-3 Pac-12).

    CBS Sports will televise the contest nationally, with KDKA-TV airing the broadcast locally in Pittsburgh.

    The Panthers enter the postseason as one of the hottest teams in all of college football.

    Pitt outscored four conference opponents by a 126-58 margin during November and finished in second place in the ACC’s Coastal Division in 2022, a year after winning an outright conference championship.

    Following last season’s 11-win campaign, the Panthers will be seeking a 20th victory in a two-season span for the first time in 40 years. Pitt last won 20 games over two years in 1981-82.

    Fans can purchase tickets to the 2022 Tony the Tiger Sun Bowl at this link.

    Get more information by contacting the Pitt Athletics ticket office by calling 1-800-643-PITT (7488) or emailing tickets@athletics.pitt.edu.

    #H2P | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

    R.J. Sepich | Director of Football Communications

    University of Pittsburgh | Petersen Events Center

    E: rsepich@athletics.pitt.edu

    O: 412.648.8240 | C: 412.452.1992

    @Pitt_Athletics Pitt Panthers PittsburghPanthers.com

    Liked by 5 people

  81. I’m just not seeing what others are regarding the former UNLV QB recruit. He needs to quicken his throwing motion big time or Pitt will become Sack U, but for all the wrong reasons. Do I think he could be molded into a decent QB, maybe, but as Reed says that’s all speculation.

    As for his speed/athleticism, it’s all relative to the players he competing against. He appeared to outrun many on the film but at what level was he playing?

    However you can’t coach size and 6’6″ is legitimate for sure, and I’m confident a year in a college weight room can put another 20lbs of muscle on his frame, if he dedicates himself.

    Finally, I think discounting Yarnell so easily is a mistake. He played very well even though only threw 19 times but remember he never had a chance to take significant snaps with the 1st team offense and he was also learning, just like KS, a brand new offense. If Pitt gets a transfer QB with 3 years of eligibility I wouldn’t count out Yarnell in a honest competition.

    I guess my point is, I truly hope Yarnell does not enter the TP.

    Liked by 2 people

    1. I agree, guess I’m missing what some are seeing. I see a major project who most likely will never see the field. From footwork to release. Oh well, to each their own.

      Like

        1. The 6Ft 5″ recruit was originally a wide receiver who was converted to being a QB by his HS coach who saw him throw some passes. He only played for about a year as a QB. you can’t teach height or speed (which he appears to have) and if he can hold onto a football without a case of the dropsies he might be a hidden gem. How many times have we had our midgets in the secondary trying to defend against Sequoia Trees disguised as receivers?

          Like

  83. Pitt will have 4 QB’s on the roster as is the norm across college football. Yarnell is likely gone.

    Jurk … the present
    Veilleux … the future
    Ty … the project
    PWO/Yarnell … the scout team

    Yarnell had an okay game against Western Michigan … but it was pretty clear the coaches did whatever they could to not let him throw the ball. I never saw much confidence in him as a future starting QB.

    Welcome to the new era of recruiting. The blue bloods will continue to focus on recruiting as the foundation of the program while everyone else will try to balance recruiting with the portal.

    Like

      1. Veilleux is a freshman quarterback at Penn State that is in the transfer portal. I have not heard anything about him coming to Pitt. Has someone else?

        Like

        1. Very hot rumor out there …

          Liked by 1 person

  86. I’ll post this here and again in the comments of the volleyball article.

    The AVCA announced their all-regional teams and awards today. Pitt did very well.

    AVCA All East Coast Team
    Courtney Buzzerio – OH
    Rachel Fairbanks – S/Opp
    Serena Gray – MB
    Chiamaka Nwokolo – MB
    Valeria Vazquez Gomez – OH

    East Coast Region Player of the Year: Courtney Buzzerio
    Courtney was chosen over Julia Bergmann of Georgi Tech!!

    East Coast Region Coach of the Year: Dan Fisher

    10 regions in total, regions make no sense in terms of schools in a region. Pitt and Penn State are not in the same region. Penn State, Wisconsin, Ohio State, Princeton, and Youngstown State are in the same region. Louisville, Syracuse, Towson, Creighton, and Delaware are in the same region. Schools in the same region as Pitt include University of Miami, Duke, Georgia Tech, North Carolina, St. John’s, Binghamton University, and UMBC.

    Liked by 1 person

  88. Darn! Another post with a link that did not get past Word Press. Richard or Reed please retrieve it!

    Like

  89. If you have a comment that is hung up in WP. Post a comment like John in South Carolina above did.

    I try to read all comments from where I last read. In approving John’s WP hang-up, I noticed
    several comments to this article were originally posted around noon. I didn’t approve because
    they are old.

    When or if I approve, I will respond to where it is.

    Like

  90. Found this, wow, the portal can potentially devastate a team.

    These are the programs with the most portal entries from yesterday & today.

    Louisiana Tech – 18
    Colorado State – 17
    Texas A&M – 16
    Arkansas – 15
    Kent State – 14
    Oklahoma State – 13
    Oregon – 13
    Maryland – 12
    Virginia Tech – 12
    Washington State – 12
    Alabama – 11
    Jackson State – 11

    Liked by 2 people

    1. Wondering how many on the TA&M list were in their last recruiting class. The one they reportedly paid $35 million to buy.

      Like

  91. I obviously have no idea if the rumor is true, but if we add the PSU kid I’m beyond excited. They kept the wrong kid. They’re all excited about the freshman, but I think it’s typical PSU overreaction. He might be good, but this kid can be better. If we land him I’m all in on the qb room. He can move, has a nice arm, and made good decisions. The more I think about it there is no way we get him. It’s just too much to ask for, even for Christmas, lol.

    Liked by 3 people

    1. Good buddy of mine who is a PSU grad and knowledgeable football guy told me the other day that we’d be doing well to secure the PSU transfer QB. Likes him a lot.

      Like

    1. Daniels was benched for younger QBs. WVU played their 4 star FR and another QB the last game or two preparing for next year. Maybe teams should stay away from former USC QBs. LOL

      Liked by 1 person

  93. ESPN had a list of the top 10 quarterbacks transferring but it was in the “paid” zone. If anyone has access could they print the list?

    Like

    1. Devin Leary NCSt
      Spencer Sanders OKSt
      DJ Uiagalelei Clemson
      Austin Reed W Kentucky
      Davis Brin Tulsa
      Hudson Card Texas
      Brennan Armstrong UVA
      Drew Pyne ND
      Luke Altmyer Ole Miss
      Nick Evers OK

      Like

  100. So I am wondering about a few things about portal mania. Do these top kids have agents or lawyers that are negotiating the NIL deals? How about tax accountants? Looking at WV’s record last year their investment in Daniels was a poor one compared to Pitt with Slovis.
    I wasn’t that high on Cephus until I saw Georgia offered. Apparently Pitt is in the hunt for some difference makers but as always have to wait till the dust settles. With NIL the stakes are much higher.
    For now, wondering who will play/opt out of the bowl game on both teams.

    Like

  101. If anyone wants to see Jurkovec in ACC action, the ACCN is showing the Louisville at BC game at 11:30am. It’s one of 3 BC wins during the 2022 season.

    Like

  102. Looks Luke our AD us planning for a yellow blouse in next year’s college football playoffs!

    “Heather Lyke on football-“A little disappointing not being in a New Years 6, but a strong finish. A chance to win five straight games. Excited about where this program continues to head. The college football playoffs are expanding next year that is where we expect to be.”

    H2P

    Like

  104. UVA’s Armstrong is a serious talent — strong, accurate arm, can run, and lefty to boot…thought he might transfer given how far they dropped this year with the new coaching team. He looked great against us last year and put up big numbers vs the whole ACC — rather have him than Jurkovec. If the PSU kid isn’t coming, go grab Armstrong and let him compete.

    Like

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