Everything else about this day has been a bit half-assed and last-minute. Let’s complete things by doing the same with the open thread. Sorry, just a long, lousy day.
Not to put too much pressure on what should have been presumed to be a gimmee game, but if Pitt sleepwalks or blows this one, the season is done. There’s the NIT, but we saw last year how little they care about that.
I suppose it’s a little unfair to be this down. Pitt faced three of the top teams in the ACC. They were underdogs in all of them. Still, the poor play of the team, overall, in this stretch has been disheartening.
Been a snowy day. It’s a weeknight game against a bad team. Pitt has slumped. Don’t think this is going to be a raucous crowd at the Pete tonight.
We’ll see if Artis and Young can get out of their ongoing funks. Maybe the guards might shoot a bit more, so that no one has to see Robinson hoist too many. Maybe, just maybe some effort on defense tonight. Okay, I may have gone a bit far on the last one.
Winning this game and not covering is like beating your great uncle in golf only after he lost his left leg in a farming accident. If Wake could shoot FT’s we would of lost to them and given them the first win since JFK was in office.
I give him credit he had a great game. If he repeats it against Cuse I will buy you a keg of Yuengling.
LOL UPitt….and right on too.
We don’t play enough up tempo offense OR defense to wear these guys out that this amount of substitution is necessary.
Something is terribly wrong with this team. At least JR didn’t have a point guard that was his equal tonight. Artis makes dumb dumb mistakes and MY forces shots all game. Neither plays defense worth a damn!
Just get to the dance Pitt! Anything can, and does happen, after that. Liked the way Robinson stepped up. If he can get hot Pitt has a chance. He is a senior and may be finding himself. Timing is key. Basketball is a funny game of emotion and getting in a groove
The Panthers are in the WIN column.
Hip!
Is Slessinger still teaching? Alive?
That was my favorite class. wink wink.
A win is a win fellas.
JR with his overall best game as a Panther, we can be hard on him, but give credit when it is due. He played well all game and made two game saving plays.
Another guy that played one of his best was Maia. Lot’s of hustle.
Of course Jones who played well early and if he didn’t….
Young was a beast and fought hard against bigger guys. Artis and Jeter came through when needed.
Jamie was switching between Smith and Johnson, offense and defense down the stretch even at 1.1 seconds.
This was one we probably should have lost, thrilled with the victory, small crowd, but a lot stayed to the end.
Lot’s of stupid mistakes, but that is who we are, too many bad turnovers.
Wake Forest, like NCST is better than their record. The ACC is pretty tough, always good to get a victory.
Mona, I am very happy for you JR was great and be very proud this week.
uni..too bad pitt couldn’t keep him in PA…a tough, gutsy
player
Next three games and we must go 2-1 to secure a bid.
My thoughts exactly!
Don’t see how we’re gonna be competitive the next three games?? And our last two ain’t no gimmies either! VT will beat us and GT almost did beat us
Football season can’t get here quick enough!
H2P!
Congrats JR. You were the MAN tonight!
Football recruiting is better than we realize, WE WILL BE GOOD IN 2016,
I like your optimism, but answer a few questions for me on offense:
1. Who will be our starting WR’s?
2. Who will be the back-up QB & TE?
3. How will the players adapt to their 3rd OC in 3 years?
4. Will it be RB by committee or will one or two get fed the ball so they can get into a rhythm?
The main thing I am optimistic about on offense is that the new OC, Canada has good talent to work with. I hope he is a good chemist.
There are too many questions on D right now, but I do trust that HCPN will present an improved unit in 2016.
HTP!
The point I was trying to make this past week about both of these guys are that they give great effort all the time even though they may not always get the results.
While their output may vary, their hustle doesn’t.
2. Bertke and Devon Edwards and/or Jaymar Parrish.
3. We will score the same amount of points.
4. Ollison will be the starter out of camp and will be our best RB but Narduzzi will play Conner out of loyalty.
The improvement in the Defense next season will be monumental. A 6th year for “The Price is Right” is nice, on the other side, Hendrix will be pounding QBs into a purple haze, Allen won’t be denied his reps this season as he proves his 2 star rating out of JC was ridiculously under rated. Then you got our late commits in both Watts & Camp. Coach Peterson is going to challenge both of these youngsters to contribute early, the winner gets to personally tourch their Freshman RS. Then of course, no more Pitts, that alone will bring improvement to our secondary. Can imagine fast, tall, quick CBs, equipped with swiveling hips, looking back at the right time playing as Pitts replacement? Both Hamlin & Miller are good enough right now to be an upgrade at the position, and unless Maddox has figured out a way to grow about 6 inches during the summer, then he may also be in a fight to keep his starting job if both Freshmen are as good as advertised. Then of course we have our fabulous Whitehead just hanging around back there at safety admiring the talent that he all of a sudden will be surrounding him.
Narduzzi builds defenses and this Pitt defense is taking shape very quickly with the recruits scooped up in this recruiting class.
-Pitt again rebounded well off the offensive boards
-Pitt again provided ample opportunity for offensive rebounds
-Either WF shot better or Pitt defended poorly (or combo)
Does Coach Duzzi still have James Conner as his backdrop on twitter? This is a slippery slope in a team game. I understand the initial loyalty as it shows the coach cares about the player. But as we get closer to 2016 practices, the backdrop should go back to team…just sayin!The best players play and I think a “healthy” Conner beats out Ollison. The question is whether 24 will be healthy in August.
AS far as bball, JR and Chris Jones played mentally and physically tough. One thing I have noticed is that Mike Young when defended physically, drops the ball and turns it over. He should stay and get stronger, but I think he has little confidence in our guard play to help him achieve next year which may cause him to leave.
Spring football should begin in about a month, which sadly will not coincide with the exploits of the BB team.
If I read between the lines, you are saying we probably need to win games in 2016 with our D.
HTP!
The bloom is off this rose.
Gonna be 3 out of 5 years not in the tourney.
Telling a coach how to coach, I don’t how that works? What can Barnes say to him?
Possibly hire some better assistants and recruiters I guess?
Looks like we’re in a quagmire that we’re not gonna be getting out of any time soon.
Damn shame. Although we were not Duke, Kansas, Kentucky or Duke elite, we had carved a nice niche as being one of about 10 teams in the next category for about eight years.
National announcers calling us a powerhouse, a beast, brutal team to play.
Can’t fire him, no hope with him.
Sometimes you just have to sit back and take it I guess.
I think that the entire team understands what is meant by being “Conner Strong” is.
Ollison is set on stardom and has three more playing years ahead of him. He should get every chance he has to keep that starting position in camp. Just because Conner can go out on the field and play doesn’t necessarily mean he should automatically get the start’s share of touches… unless he’s truly better at carrying the ball next season than Ollison is.
Notice I said NEXT season and not Last season (or 2014 in Connors’ case). Narduzzi needs to be 100% honest about his promise to play the best player and if that means starting Ollison or Starting Connor then replacing him with Ollison if Ollison is producing better than he should do so.
Or, of course, the other alternative is Conner is better all around and Narduzzi plays him as the RB1. Either way I don’t see Conner getting the number of carries he did in 2014 with Ollison, Ibrahim and Hall being capable of carrying the ball and getting passes out of the backfield also.
We need to remember that going into 2015 Conner really had no competition behind him except for James who had a handful of touches. The year is completely different..
However, he wasn’t just a guy to plug a hole, he was a difference maker as a running back.
I’ll give you playing strength too.
If he’s 100% and in game shape…..
Hope he is healthy.
I think our RB corps is strong enough to sit Conner down if he’s not capable of playing better than those on the bench.
Then, when that is finally the case, I want to see him run out of the tunnel in his Pitt uniform to a standing O in Pitt Stadium at Heinz Field. That will be a special moment.
And finally, I want to see that wicked straight arm knocking over a defender on the way to a 1st down.
One step at a time. Let’s all praying for a healthy outcome for Conner.
As for HCPN, he will stoke up the competition at every position. He’s not like the other coaches at Pitt in the last 35 years. He wants a winner and he knows that if he gets a healthy James Conner, the he’ll get a RB who will put in the time and effort to being not only the best on his team, but shoot for being the best in the ACC, again, and reach to be the best in the nation. In the process, both Duzz and Conner will be pulling & pushing the Pitt FB to be the best they can be.
Remember, Hall, Hill and Moss have not taken their redshirts yet. There are plenty of carries for Conner, QO and Rashid. We will be six (+) strong at RB in 2016, but more important than that, PITT WILL BE CONNER STRONG!
