As we have been stating on here for sometime it looks like it is shaping up for Manny Stocker to be the QB2 going into fall camp… no, actually that’s a done deal now.
Still, one of Narduzzi’s goals this off-season is to find a backup quarterback to replace Chad Voytik, who is transferring.
Voytik, a starter in 2014, would have been a nice safety net to in case of an injury to starting quarterback Nate Peterman. Instead, senior walk-on Manny Stocker has taken the early lead over sophomore Adam Bertke and redshirt freshman Ben DiNucci.
“Right now, I’d say he’s the guy,” Narduzzi said of Stocker, “but we’ve still got a lot of football to play. We still have all summer for those guys to go out and throw together.”
Here’s some not so good news for the listening audience… Billy Osborne back in the radio booth:
Bill Osborn, who served as the color analyst for Pitt football radio broadcasts from 1995-2003, is returning to the booth this season.
He will replace Pat Bostick, whose duties as director of development in the Panther Club are expanding. Bostick, a former Pitt quarterback, has been the analyst since 2011.
Osborn was a three-sport athlete at Pitt from 1985-88, including a three-year stint as a starting wide receiver. He also played basketball and baseball, becoming the first Pitt athlete to letter in three sports since Mike Ditka.
Longtime play-by-play veteran Bill Hillgrove will remain in the booth for the 47th consecutive season, 43 of them spent doing play-by-play. Larry Richert will return as the sideline reporter.
I’ll state this publicly now and get it out of the way so that you can say you heard it here first – Pat Bostick, Jr. is being groomed for big things at Pitt and I personally wouldn’t be surprised to see him as a Pitt Athletic Director within 10-15 years.
There is no organization within Pitt athletics that has more of a direct influence on the student-athletes and perhaps just as importantly the financial donations as does the Panther Club. He’s been a great ‘face and voice’ of the Panthers for the last five years and now Pitt’s moving him up.
One thing to realize here is that Pat Jr is only 27 years old yet has been thrust into some highly visible jobs representing Pitt starting at age 22 when he first went into the radio booth as the Color Analyst.
On a personal note when Pat was a SR at Pitt I had a long talk with him trying to convince him to apply for the US Coast Guard’s Officer Candidate School… that is how much I was impressed with how he conducted himself over the four years he was an undergrad. You all know how much I love and care about the Coast Guard given my 33 years of Service with them – and very rarely am I aggressive with seeking out who I think would be a good one also.
So, I’m not surprised one bit at what Pat has been able to accomplish in his 27 years.
Here is a more detailed article about the radio changes.
Take a listen to Chris Peak talk about the Pitt Spring Game… but hey, 1st day of trout season so expect a lot of yellow seats. He makes an excellent point right off the bat about how really wishy-washy fans are when it comes to actually getting off their asses and supporting the team.
Peak has a nice interview with Pitt’s LB coach Rob Harley starting at the 23:30 mark. LB is going to have some big question marks going into fall camp especially when all the injured LBs are able to go full speed. We could see some new faces. I think Caprara is pretty set at Mike LB but Galambos may be looking over his shoulder at Wirginis taking over his job.
RB James Conner is lending his story to the biggest LGBT forum on television, The Ellen DeGeneres Show and good for him. What would make it perfect? Him walking on from backstage wearing a rainbow wristband… and I’m not kidding at all.
The Press says that Nate Peterman has been looking good this spring. At the very least let’s hope he’s much more consistent from the opening game until the bowl game. If he can do that we may get a great deal of production out of him.
Pitt coach Pat Narduzzi praised quarterback Nate Peterman today after the team’s final practice before Saturday’s Blue-Gold spring game, noting that the senior has become a more central component of the Panthers offense and has assumed more of a leadership role on the team.
“Kids understand what he’s doing,” Narduzzi said. “You just watch him in practice and observed how he talks to the receivers, running backs and offensive line … the quarterback knows everything. He knows the protection, he knows who is supposed to be where. They’re the field general, and I think he has [developed into that].”
That increased role has to do both with timing and Peterman’s production last season.
Peterman enrolled at Pitt last June as a graduate transfer from Tennessee, where he played from 2012-14. Because of that later arrival, he was unable to practice with the Panthers in the spring, and much of his work in fall camp was geared toward competing against Chad Voytik for the team’s starting job.
After Voytik started the first two games, Peterman took over as the starter for Pitt’s final 11 games, a span in which it went 6-4, including a 6-2 mark in ACC play. Peterman completed 61.5 percent of his passes for 2,287 yards, 20 touchdowns and eight interceptions, ranking him second in the ACC in completion percentage and third in touchdown passes.
OK then – I’m walking out the door for the drive up to PGH now and will see all of you tomorrow morning at Heinz for the spring scrimmage (I hope at least all of you want to be there).
I’ll be at the Partying Panther’s spot in Gold Lot 1. He’s almost impossible to miss because this is his ride…
As always, I’ll be the 6’6″ guy with a mustachio & earring and a Coast Guard hat on… looking forward to seeing you again or to meeting you if that is the case.
Billy Osborn is fantastic. Bleeds blue and gold. High energy Pitt guy.
Pat was excellent too, moving up though, so good for him.
This is a good story all the way around.
I guess your saying no more “Beast Mode” only “Rainbow Mode” and unicorns for Conner from now on………SURE DAVE!
I only remember Osbourne being enthusiastic but noto much more, he was better than Bill Fralic who was just not built for the radio booth.
HAIL TO PITT.
But realistically, it’s unfair to expect that. Instead, I think the Pitt PR machine encouraged him to go … good PR for him and the school.
Hell, give Todd Graham the Nobel Humanitarian award
JC is battling lymphoma. He has been an admirable spokesman for renal disease and has helped children afflicted with renal disorders. Now, to drag him into the LGBT fight is self-serving, political and diminishes the fight he has before him.
JC has more pressing issues than where one can urinate in public and how ubiquitous wedding cakes with two grooms on the top should be.
Tino, the worst Pitt QB of all time, who sucked completely, but beat out better QBs like Patrick Bostick, got Coach Dave W. fired, and any one else who was a Panther, who had to tolerate this mess.
Anyhow, if not for the mysterious hand that somehow got Tino a major three year stint, Bostick beat Notre Dame in a great game. Only to be topped by WVU 13 -9. WVU best shot to be NO. 1. Derailed by Pat Bostick 13-9. H2P
Bullshit should have been called.
Pat beat Notre Dame in a great game.
He was THE MAN who lead Pitt to the famous 13-9 whooping of WVU. This, when WVU only needed to win one more game to win the national championship.
H2P 13-9, 13-9
Those are Prime Time opportunities with people with little time on their hands and beaucoup dollars. Bostick is going to spend his Pitt time more wisely without question.
Billy O is very good at what he does and that he lives in South Jersey/Philly gives us a radio voice presence in that lovely Haven for high school football.
Plus… and this is a foreing concept to many in Pgh…but if you don’t promote someone who deserves to be promoted, they will look to leave.
I doubt that Bostick is an unknown in his field and could be great at any university. He has likely received offers or the equivalent.
Not everyone who comes to Pittsburgh is willing to work for less than East coast or other venues pay.
—Like to see Jester Weah make some big catches tomorrow and build up that confidence…
Go Pitt.
He’s also a former Pitt Panther and he brings a lot to the broadcast booth. So we’re in good hands. Bill Hillgrove and Billy Osborn have worked well together in the past and I expect they’ll work well together.
I’ll take the over as well. Unfortunately we might end up with a situation where the weather is so nice that the locals will be pulled in different directions for a few hours.
I do guarantee that Pitt will win today!
He is not going on to endorse anything I’m sure but the fact that he is going on says a lot about the young man himself.
The rainbow comment was a joke.
SFPitt hit it on the head – Bostick is a major fundraiser for Pitt and those saturdays are better spent by Pitt having him with the $$$ donors and being a face of the program at that higher level than it is having him as color analyst… and I agree it is a win/win for Pitt.
Dr. Juhle as A/D is a figment of the fan’s imagination… like Nordenberg he retired and is out of the University’s business.
See you guys at Heinz Gold Lot 1 soon – I’ll say 3-4 thousand at the game, 10K is too much for a spring game I think.
The QB is the field general that sees that the plays get executed and Pat did in those wins. It is like a baseball lineup your SS is a field general solid play must come form the SS to win. If my baseball team wins 12 in a row and my SS hits below the Mendoza line and I have a guy sitting on the bench capable of hitting 300 at SS I change nothing if the team is winning. Pitt won big games under Bostick yet changed the lineup for Tino, Pat should have started that opening game in Utah playing until that team went on a losing streak. DW never gave Pat that chance.
BTW, I’m looking forward to the day that we fill Heinz every year for the spring game!!!
I’m looking forward to the day we fill Heinz for the regular home games! :>) #H2P
On my way to game now, and if we get 5k it will surprise me.
Pens game, Pirate game (Fireworks draw Burghers like moths to a flame), first day of trout, and construction season begins as I am currently in a standstill in the Parkway West. Sorry just too much going on today for many to care about Pitt other than us diehards.
WVU
10/19 0TD 2INT 67 yards 14.1 QBR
ND
14/27 1TD 3INT 164 yards 22.3 QBR
Shady ran wildcat for the win against ND. Without shady in either game, no chance.
We are intelligent fans, no?
The Fan is covering it. I don’t think it’s gonna be an actual play by play per se. Probably a lot of interviews as they give updates of what’s going on in the game.
Was supposed to go with my old man, but he has a nasty cold. My brother couldn’t go either. Called a few buddies, one was golfing and the other 2 just laughed. Thought about going down myself, gonna cut the grass instead.
Anyone going have fun. Sadly I agree with Iron Duke on under 10K
Hope it translates to upcoming season. Both players could be huge for this team. Weah can flat out fly, looks like he is figuring out how to catch the ball. Soto moved inside to DT from DE. Very thin at DT and a veteran presence can help. He’ll be undersized for sure, but can use quickness as leverage.
cheap shot artist
I liked Weah, Stoker, dline, tackling, and all rbs.
So far in a very talented 2017 WPIAL Pitt has landed Paris Ford. Lost Hinnish and Adams to the Domers and Thorpe today. Wade seems like a long shot.
It’s early but not a great start.
i question the heinz venue
i think only worth it if you can draw 20k and tarp off upper sections
not sure how pitt will ever draw that many unless free beer, pirogi’s and fireworks
and perfect weather and no pirate or pens game
I watched Weah a lot. He’s improved, but I’d say he is still a work in progress. As big as he is, he really has trouble releasing. The CBs basically manhandled him in press coverage.
Not much at TE behind Orndoff. It is really going to be interesting to see who catches the ball in September. Q looks like he’s ready to become a full-time weapon.
Hard when it is not first team but instead a mix.
Weahs hands are much better but Iron is right. He gets no desperation.
It isn’t football season.
I have been to many(some at other Universities) and they all have been boring because teams don’t want to show too much.
The places that draw are the only show in boring towns.
The defense is ahead of the offense, Weah shows improvement, and Henderson is still a game breaker.
I advise you to remember that the star of PSU’s scrimmage 2 years ago was a walk-on RB who has since transferred to Shippensburg.
Attendance wise — I believe even a large university in a large city without a pro team doesn’t draw that well. Don’t know what they did this year but in the past, they didn’t do very well … too many other things going on
You can’t get much of a running game going when you split up the O-line. This game is more for fun. If it ere for real, you play the first string O vs D. Give you a better idea of where things stand.
Overall, yesterday meant very little, except it did point out areas where we are very thin.
For all of our out of towners, one thing I have definitely noticed over the past few months is the increase in people of all ages wearing Pitt gear around town. Meant to comment on this before. Friend actually pointed this out and I agreed with him. Old,young, even infants!! Hope the new gear looks good, need more kids wearing stuff!
–Always look forward to the football fix of the spring game; always leave somewhat disappointed.
–Looks like Coach Canada has a ton of work to do and the freshmen WRs have a great opportunity to play.
Go Pitt.
PS — my computer freezing up again – only on this site for some reason… Took me at least 5 minutes to type in this post…
And sorry to be ignorant on Osborn, I don’t know anything about his analyst work, but it sounds like a downgrade based on the tone of the article…
I’m happy for Pat Bostick, he attended my local high school (a mile away from my home), however regarding AD, is Mr. Juhl a consideration at some point in the future. He seemed to garner a lot of admiration in a short window…