I’m hoping Pitt is practicing hard. That they are gearing up for the game. That the coaches are pushing the “nobody believes in us” angle. Every little button, motivating tactic. Whatever. Pitt will need it to pull an upset. I’ve grudgingly watched this Notre Dame team play outstanding defense, especially up front. And do just enough on offense in games so that they can grind teams down. This is a very good team. Not a fraud outfit like Charlie Weis run teams.
Notre Dame is at home. Brian Kelly can be a jerk, but he is a really good football coach. He is getting all that highly-ranked talent to do more than have people make excuses for why they haven’t met expectations.
Notre Dame is the team positioned to jam itself into the national championship discussion if it keeps winning. At worst, a BCS Bowl. They are the 17 point favorite in the game.
Pitt is the team that lost to 1-A Youngstown State. Pitt is the program that has been in flux, at best. Absolute chaos at other points over the last two years. Lost recruiting classes. Shifting styles of play.
The upside is Pitt doesn’t have the pressure on them. They can be the spoilers (even if Chryst doesn’t want to publicly state that), while setting themselves up for a strong finish to the season.Pitt has been playing ND fairly regularly (12 meetings in the past 16 years, with this the 5th straight year of playing), so there isn’t any mystique about playing a game against the Domers in South Bend.
Of course, for Pitt to have a chance, Pitt can’t have the slow starts to each half that have set the tone. Pitt’s four losses, either out scored or tied after the first quarter. All four wins, had them leading after one quarter.
During the Temple game, a friend leaned over to me and asked, “What the hell is Chryst telling these kids at halftime?” That was a really good question, and all I could suggest is that maybe he just plays them some soothing music. Whatever they are doing in the locker room, it isn’t working. The third quarter has been where the offense fails to realize that the defense has adjusted. Pitt has been outscored 59-37. Not even averaging 5 points in the quarter. Some of that may be connected to the fact that Chryst doesn’t defer on kickoffs to the second half when Pitt wins the toss, so most of the games have had the opponent with the ball to start the third quarter. Still, that isn’t enough to explain the struggles.
Here are Pitt’s scoring totals by quarter with Pitt first: 55-52, 78-36, 37-59, 61-27.
Every coach that is worth their weight knows that games can be won and lost by the team’s mental attitude going into the game. NO ONE knows how guys like Trebitz and Doakes are going to perform in their respective replacement roles on the field come Saturday. For that matter NO ONE knows how ANY player on either team, on either side of the ball are going to play on Saturday.
This game will be won or lost on the field of play by the guys who strap on the helmets come Saturday. IMO, anybody that feels that they have the answer as to the outcome of this game by simply looking at the two deep roster of those doing the heavy lifting on game day is disrespecting the game and the teams.
Coach Chryst says that he is approaching this game and this team as he has every other game on the schedule. In that case, there is no other attitude that this team should have in their heads other than playing their best for 60 minutes and expecting to win.
“MASON UP PANTHERS” Hail to Pitt! Deal a defeat to the Domers!
I wish we could continue playing ND like we have but the ACC changed things.
I said to myself, “it’s a Pitt game, with orange seats instead of yellow”!!!
Hopefully some winning, and some ACC scheduling will get us some better crowds in the near future.
And it generally comes out of the gate flat as well unless the other team self-destructs (see Va Tech).
So I’m thinking I know what we should chip in and get PC for Christmas.
A Matched Set of Tony Robbins tapes 🙂
On top of that we’re starting a 3rd string middle linebacker on a team where linebacker isn’t exactly a strength. Oh and he’ll be tasked with leading the charge against a rushing attack that has averaged nearly two hundred yards a game – against very good competition.
Can Pitt win? Absolutely? But the chances are slim. They need to play lights-out for sixty minutes. Offense, defense and special teams. And they need to have a leader. Who will step up? Maybe it will be Trebitz. Maybe it will be Donald. Maybe it will be Ray Graham. Or maybe, just maybe this is the game where Tino comes of age.
Hail to Pitt!
I hope he picks Notre Dame and then we kick the snot out of them.
I really hope Clement picks Notre Dame. That will all but assure a Pitt upset.
And they can take Dorian Johnson too for all I care.
Only one question to ask at this point. “Are you with us?”
If not, let’s move on dammit!
Will understand, if get beat by a touchdown or two. (won’t be happy, will analyze and question some things for sure, but understand the situation).
Will not understand a blow out in any way, shape or form.
No pass given for a blowout.
Now, let’s go out and pull a rabbit out of the hat for ol’ Unlce Miltie!!!
I hope we win. It won’t be easy, but if we do, it will be because the light bulbs finally went off for another 6 or 8 guys this week in practice and on game day. We’ve got 6 or 8 guys there and we need the rest on board.. I’m excited to see what happens, good or bad.
Saw this on Cardiac Hill. Not good news at all right before the ND game.
I hope the racial slur is not true. This country really needs to get past this crap.
By the way, what “racial slur” would Graham, Pitts, and Street throw out at a guy with the last name of Osheski? Did they call him a Pierogi eater? (For the record, I enjoy mine pan fried with onions)
The stupidity of these players simply amazes me sometimes. Its one thing to assault soebody if your just the average Joe student but to actually know people are watching your every move as high profile athletes you have to be really lacking in judgment and character. Really dumb but hopefully more details will come out.
Not putting it past college kids to do something stupid, but again this doesn’t pass the sniff test, especially in light of Graham’s and Street’s reputation for being easy going and respectful kids. (I leave out Pitts only because as a Freshman, I haven’t heard much about his personality.)
The lesson learned here is that nothing good ever happens after Midnite…at least nothing good happens in the middle of the street after Midnite.
Intriguing to see how he deals with it given he most certainly knew it was coming.
Likely won’t be announced until gametime.
Temptation is there to just sit Street who is accused with throwing the punch. However, knowing the way Chryst is, the bet is he will sit all three.
Without jumping to conclusions, does sound though there could be another side to the story given the fog that is walking the sidewalks of Oakland late night. This could ultimately have a bearing on how Chryst handles it not just for Notre Dame but also the rest of the season.
With the hearing not scheduled until January, have we seen the last of Ray Graham in a Pitt uniform?
Wow, I would hope that is not the case, but for the right reasons.
Committing a crime is a far cry from being stupid. Might these 3 be guilty of stupidity? Probably so.
But no one heard about this for 10 days. In Pittsburgh, a complaint against any Pitt player is news and spreads long before charges are actually filed. This was nowhere; not even any rumors. To me. (and I have some connection to law enforcement), these charges were filed because there was no real option not because they are views as being legitimate. That is one reason people are presumed to be innocent until proven guilty.
I don’t suspend anyone unless and until I hear that there are legitimate anti-social behavior actions that are verified.
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1. Ya, sure, it seems sketchy.
2. Seen many times, a guy with a good lookin’ girl or two, and another group, usually drunk (and take race right out of it, call them 3 white guys), come up and say, “hey what’s up guy,” then totally dismiss him, wedge him out of the picture, and start chattin’ up the chicks.
Turns into some kind of disturbance.
Bottom line, Pitt football players in the papers again for something other than football.
but injury injury and to a all ready weakend LB
it i just to mutch to over come i think if we could have come into the game with every one healthly we might have won.
but to many players out to give us a real chance.
you have to be at your best to beat a really good team we have to many injurys.