If anyone can actually tell me what Conner is saying I’ll buy them a beer. I got “great weather“, “opportunity” and “LA” …I think this is what wbb commented on yesterday. That will be a great venue for Mr Conner to get his message across though.
“He will travel to Burbank, Calif., on Tuesday to tape a segment of “The Ellen DeGeneres Show” that will air at 4 p.m. Thursday on WTAE-4. His message to cancer victims: “Keep fighting.”
Here is a nice longer video of Peterman. Note that he talks about the fact that the NCAA allows staff coaches to be present during the summer player’s workouts as long as there isn’t a ball there. But get this, the NCAA changed the rules and now allow the staff to require the players to attend mandatory eight hours per week practices over the summer months.
Let’s talk some more about those mandatory workouts...
Major college football coaches can now require their players to participate in up to eight hours per week of summer activities.
The NCAA amended its bylaws in late December to allow such mandatory activity, which can include conditioning, weight training and up to two hours of film study per week. In the past, any organized team workouts in the summer were supposed to be entirely voluntary.
How “voluntary” those workouts really were, though, has long been a subject of controversy. The coaching staff wasn’t allowed to have any contact with the players during the summer months, and any lack of participation by players wasn’t supposed to be punishable.
Get that? “…wasn’t supposed to be punishable…“. Hmmm, OK then! Fast forward to the NCAA kneeling down and orally spit shining the Big Football Dog school’s shoes in granting the request that the summer practice be made mandatory:
In the final proposal for the new football summer rules, there is a “rationale” given, which states that it “recognizes the importance of the accrued academic benefits of summer school attendance … Student-athletes who enroll in summer school, particularly early in their academic careers, tend to experience enhanced academic success during their collegiate enrollment.”
The proposal goes on to state that the “relationship between coach and student-athlete” will be enhanced by these new rules.
The new rules also allow coaches to require summer activity of players who aren’t enrolled in summer school, as long as those players have achieved a minimum, cumulative 2.20 grade point average.
I put that bold emphasis on that last part because even with all the bullshit rationalization the NCAA explains above they genuflect even deeper in making all football players attend these – unless they have, in essence, failed to meet the school’s academic requirements.
Good God – is there any wonder why these kids want to get paid fairly and even organize into a union as the Northwestern players tried to do after this NCAA ruling was announced?
Honestly, I think this is somewhat akin to formalizing athletic slavery in a sense – what other type of university scholarships require year ’round attendance in the classrooms or laboratories? Are there any? There weren’t when I went to Pitt.
What we now have is allowing a head coach to preach ‘fairness in competition’ and ‘talent will out’ as far as kids moving up the depth chart due to the hard work they put out in the practices of the spring and fall camps – yet you just know that the HCs are internally using these mandatory sessions as a ‘Go no Go’ point for the players.
Blah……
Here are some Monday morning news clips.
From the Trib-Review:
Lots of inconsistent play at the spring game.
But the game largely was devoid of offensive consistency, considering it was not designed for any side to excel. The first- and second-teams were broken up and sprinkled onto both sidelines, and Narduzzi had no interest in showcasing much of the system new coordinator Matt Canada is installing.
“You saw probably a vanilla offense,” Narduzzi said. “We held some things back. There are a lot more tweaks and stuff that we have in there.”
The Blue defeated the Gold, 19-17, before an announced crowd of 8,033. The running game was virtually nonexistent on both sides, with the Blue gaining 155 yards and the Gold 13.
It would have been worse if not for a 64-yard touchdown run by Blue wide receiver Quadree Henderson on a reverse that he said wasn’t installed until Friday. Henderson, showing speed and elusiveness, led all rushers with 107 yards on four carries.
Quadree Henderson looked good out there Saturday:
Given those rules, returner Quadree Henderson was asked how many of his returns he could have turned into big gains. “All of them,” he said.
He was kidding, but in reality he may turn into the game-changer Pitt will need with the loss of wide receiver Tyler Boyd to the NFL.
Henderson didn’t catch any passes, but he ran four times for 107 yards, including a 64-yard touchdown on a reverse.
That came four months after he returned a kickoff 100 yards against Navy in the Military Bowl. “I made a name for myself,” he said. “Going into the 2016 season, I can make a bigger name. My role in the offense will be to make plays like I did (Saturday).”
But in Saturday’s intrasquad scrimmage,Weah finally flashed his abilities in front of a crowd. With receptions of 42 and 47 yards, Weah displayed his ability as a vertical threat that Narduzzi said his team lacked last season.
“It was good to see Jester Weah on offense,” Narduzzi said. “He showed you guys what he’s shown us over the first 14 [practices] with two long catches.”
The primary source of Weah’s in-game troubles, according to the 6-foot-3, 205-pound receiver himself, is his lack of confidence. Saturday’s performance may have returned some of Weah’s lost mojo, quarterback Nathan Peterman said.
“I thought it was good to come to Heinz Field and do that again, especially for him, mentally,” Peterman said. “Now, in the season, he can come back with this mentally and be like, ‘I made plays here, I’ve done it before.’
Keeping with the Weah theme – WR Jester Weah and DL Shakir Soto won the annual Ed Conway Awards for their respective sides of the ball.
Here is the award’s background;
“Until his passing in 1974, Ed Conway was the radio voice of Pitt football for four years and a tremendous friend and supporter of the Panthers program. In appreciation of his work, the football team presents an annual award in his honor to the most improved players each spring”
Past winner include (for the last 10 years):
2006
Offense: C.J. Davis (OL)
Defense: Clint Session (LB)
Special Teams: Kennard Cox (DB)
2007
Offense: Jeff Otah (OL)
Defense: Gus Mustakas (DL)
2008
Offense:
Dorin Dickerson (TE),
Cedric McGee (WR)
Defense: Mick Williams (DL)
2009
Offense: Pat Bostick (QB)
Defense: Max Gruder (LB)
2010
Offense: Greg Cross (WR)
Defense: Antwuan Reed (DB)
2011
Offense: Anthony Gonzalez (QB)
Defense:
Tyrone Ezell (DL),
Buddy Jackson (DB)
2012
Offense: Ryan Turnley (OL)
Defense: Shayne Hale (DL)
2013
Offense: T.J. Clemmings (OL)
Defense: Tyrone Ezell (DL)
2014
Offense: T.J. Clemmings (OL)
Defense: David Durham (DL)
Special Teams: Todd Thomas (LB)
2015
Offense: Dontez Ford (WR)
Defense: Tyrique Jarrett (DL)
Before anyone gets excited about this year’s winners, and it is a great accomplishment to win it, much like investing mutual funds ‘past performance guarantee future results‘. Take another look at the names and you’ll see what I mean.
Here’s the thing though, Pitt is far removed from being elite, where they just reload with talented red shirts and never miss a beat, year to year. The defensive line is an obvious weak spot position that was victimized by our opponents opportunistic offenses. The chain is only as strong as it’s weakest link and the DL proved out to be that weakest link for Pitt’s defense last year.
All that I’m saying is that the guys that I mentioned are talented enough to make the leap to the college game as true freshmen, IF they come in mentally prepared to accept the challenges that come along with that opportunity. It is more of a, “we need you on the field to contribute” rather than, “you are so damn good that we can’t keep you off the field” situation here.
That being said, both Watts & Camp have the “bulk” right now to be thrown into that interior line rotation if they can handle the mental side of the college game as Freshmen. In so doing, their contributions could be realized in the statistics of our veteran troops on the DL rather than themselves simply because with having more bodies involved in the rotation gives these veterans the chance they need to remain fresh and play at 100% on every snap that they are out there on the field themselves.
Who knows, I didn’t even mention Rashad Wheeler, maybe he will be the guy who rises to the challenge, although I think that he redshirts. Somebody needs to contribute as a true Freshman on the DL. Who is it going to be?
Hope these new guys are the real deal.
To address your first thought. I think we have a killer schedule for 2016 because, top to bottom save Villanova, there is not one team on there we can consider a ‘gimme’ as far as a win.
I agree 100% about the Marshall thoughts above – they have had a better program than Pitt has had over the last few years carrying a 33-7-0 record. In doing so they beat Maryland, Purdue, UCONN, N. Illinois, FIU, LA Tech and Southern Miss (x3). Let’s be honest and say that Pitt would have had some tough games with those same teams and would have lost at least a couple over the last three years.
So I could easily see us losing that game especially if we get beaten in two out of the previous three games against PSU, OSU and NC… which I fear might happen.
Anyway, that’s why I look at 7 wins and think that will be a darn good coaching job to get there. As to whether it would be a good thing for us to get 9 wins and have Narduzzi leave? Well, I think Narduzzi isn’t going to be the long term HC everyone wants him to be, I would like that but I just don’t think Pitt can hold him back if he starts winning big here.
But I think you really want to know what I think of Pitt football overall and what we’ll be like in the future. Here it is.
I am not under any illusions as to what level of college football programs Pitt is and has been over the last 30+ years. We are firmly ensconced in the middle third of all the D1 programs IMO. We rarely if ever even break into the Top 25 even for a couple of weeks.
We have ended up in the final Top 25 three times in the last 20 years (’09, ’04 and ’02). In other words we are now and have been an average football program since before a hell of a lot of Pitt fans were even born.
OK – that said, I think Pitt is also a great football program to follow and to enjoy as a writer and a fan.
Why? Because personally I like uncertainty and I like not knowing how each and every year is going to turn out. Honest to God I’d go batshit crazy If were were like Alabama and had such an overpowering presence in the college football scene, won almost every game and was almost separate from the rest of the University’s missions.
I know 99% of the people on here would love that and give their right nut for it to happen, but that’s not me. I still think the most exciting season we have had since I moved back to the East coast and really started following Pitt football again was 2007. I enjoyed all the twists and turns, ups and downs, players coming out of nowhere to contribute, etc… and then to top it off with 13-9 was fantastic.
Above I said Pitt is “average” now and I meant considering the last few years together. Granted 8-5 is a good season for a new HC. But it is one year and basically when all is said and done and with how the season ended it was just one game better than 7-6. I don’t buy the ‘cupboard was bare’ because every new HC has to deal with the other HC’s players. That is just an excuse in my eyes especially when an excuse doesn’t have to be made for a good 2015 season.
That doesn’t mean we can’t have winning seasons and win a conference championship or get into the playoffs. Narduzzi might just be the guy to do that. I don’t think he’s the great coach some on here do but I like him and won’t be surprised if he has a pretty good winning average when he departs – whenever that will be – and hopefully not for some time.
But You can call me skeptical, a realist, a bad fan, a optimist – whatever you want to but I just don’t think we will ever see another National Championship in my lifetime (I’m 43!). That doesn’t mean it can’t happen, just that I don’t think I’ll see one. Nor do I think we will ever see another sustained winning decade like 1974-83 when we went 94-23-2.
We have never been able to hold our winning HCs in the modern era and I can’t see anything that is so different now that makes me believe we would hold Narduzzi if he wins big also.
I don’t believe the “Deep Pockets” stuff fans are throwing around when talking about Gallagher, Barnes and the athletic department. Pitt hasn’t and won’t spend the BIG $$$ needed to keep a winning coach at Pitt. We never have, ever, and I believe we never will.
I do think a lot fun is ahead with Narduzzi at the helm. Again, I like him but I am not impressed with Barnes so far at all and my jury is still out on Gallagher as a “Pitt Sports Fan’s Chancellor”.
Gallagher has talked a big game but all he’s done so far really, aside from the inevitable firing of SP, is to maintain the status quo in hiring an AD and two HCs who are stepping up from a lower level in ether the school’s level or the previous job’s level to get here to Pitt.
In a nut shell I see us have winning seasons under Narduzzi and then having to start all over again with another HC because of it.
The Stallings hire was a good one.
Spring game at Heinz Field smart move for players.
Marshall series another huge mistake by SP. why play a bandit
school home and home???
Not hiring Knight as HC smart move.
FB schedule is difficult 7-5 would
be acceptable at least.
Transfer QB on board plus incoming Frosh
Playing in the military bowl was a good call
getting gashed by Navy was embarrassing;
we should have been able to score v their D
Thoughtful comments, all really good stuff imho. I agree with your FB prognostications too. Slightly disagree on Narduzzi, nobody knows whether he would bolt if he were successful, but he does have several attributes that would bode for him staying put if successful. I hope we get the chance to be concerned about him leaving… I could also foresee Pitt forking over the dough (tons of it) for the right guy, time will tell, we have to get him first to find out. Narduzzi is totally unproven as a HC, but he does have the needle pointing in the right direction, so no reason not to be excited. H2P.
Guys like Erie Express and me are the optimists among us. I know what an optimist and you ain’t one, not that there’s anything wrong with that. You should have been born in the “show me” state because that is your mandate usually, wait & see, prove it kind of guy that you are.
You’ll come around on Narduzzi with time. He will prove to you that he is the ral deal soon enough.
Every car needs a rescue mirror but it is unwise to drive when fixated on the view out the back window. The future is where sizzle is and this bar-b-q is preheated any ready to slap the beef on it.
You are right this is a tuff schedule. A winning season will be success for Narduzzi in 2016, even if he can’t match the 8-5 record done last season. But it what’s going on behind the scene that spells success in the future with Pitt football. Especially in the recruiting department.
This staff is tireless in their recruiting efforts, they know who they need and they are not shy about going up against the big boys to compete for those better HS players. Just look at the offer sheets on our incoming Freshman and it is obvious that Narduzzi has been successful with this class in bringing in a better class of athlete than we have seen since Wanny was at the helm.
Will that ever result in a better W-L record than 6-6 to 8-5 mediocrity, who can say? But The optimist in me can only be excited by the recruiting that Narduzzi doing. If he keeps that going in the correct direction, then we Pitt fans are in for an adventurous ride during this current Narduzzi Era. May it be long and prosperous!
Hail to Pitt!
And we likely will be favored for the game at Virginia.
If so, there is 8 wins.
Having said all that, what do you think the expectations of the current administration are? Gallagher has said he wants Pitt football on the front porch of the University? Big talk. Do you believe that’s what Gallagher wants? Or is that just to appease the alumni?
The hiring of Barnes tells me that is indeed what he wants … fundraising. The hiring of Narduzzi also indicates that is indeed what he wants … excitement. You can’t fundraise without excitement. The two go hand in hand as do Barnes and Narduzzi.
You mention spending $$ and Pitt’s history of being thrifty but that’s really tied to the aforementioned fundraising. Alumni donations are what really truly drive successful athletic departments … Not self sustained athletic department budgets that Pitt’s been operating with the last 30 years.
Pitt has the largest alumni base in the ACC and lowest alumni donations. It’s why Gallagher hired someone like Barnes … to bring up donations to align with how big the base is. It’s not an easy or quick fix. It will take time and effort. That’s the reality.
I posted a pretty detailed post last spring about how when Pitt goes all in on football they have always risen to the top.
Do you think Pitt is all in on football right now? Or are they half-assing it for show?
I understand putting fans in the seats, and if we were stable and established this would be great, but sadly we are not.
I fear if we verschedule, or some would say adequately schedule BB we may suffer the same fate.
PSWho is scaring me more and more, as they have better talent and may now have better coaching( than they had before). Hope JF can still screw it up!
Hope all the Texas Blatherites are safe and dry!! H2P
I just don’t think he will.
Good and highly professionally talented guys want to be at the top – in college football that means the ‘big dog’ programs, perennial Top 10 or 15 programs, and a shot at not just ‘lightning in a bottle’ championships.
I believe that if Narduzzi gets this program to 9-10 wins they will come a’courting and he’ll stop performing off-Broadway and move directly onto 42nd street and on the nation’s biggest Broadway stages.
But I know enough about life to know that there are only so many sure things in every walk and in sports.
Not too long ago I posted up the list of our 4* & 5* recruits over the last 10 years and how many turned south as soon as they got to Pitt. I’ll find it and repost it later – but that is in part why I take that attitude with Pitt football (to say nothing of the reality of the history of the program).
I will complain, like I did last year, if they don’t win 10 games though. If enough people set that bar, there will be pressure on Pitt to deliver. If most take the approach Reed is taking in that he’s just happy with the ebbs and flows of the college game then Pitt will remain a 2nd or 3rd tier P5 program.
In reality, the first “big” year under Narduzzi should be in 2018 or 2019. It’s when last year’s class is the base of the entire football team and the 2017 class (which should be better than 2016) will start getting on the field setting the tone for Pitt’s return to the national stage in 2020.
Patience is a four letter word for Pitt fans but as long as we’re not suffering through 6-6 season I think we’ll finally be rewarded. Show improvement every year and then strike when the stars align. 6 and 7 win season though, won’t garner the excitement or momentum for 2018 and 2019 that Pitt will need to make the jump to national prominence.
If we lose our coach because of success so be it. Culture not coaching has been Pitt’s biggest obstacle … and I see a cultural shift in the athletic department … despite the Barnes gaffes.
Sorry TT, I won’t complain if we don’t win 10 games this year. Timing is everything. I admire the teams (ala Penn St) that have a strong front 7 as their foundation, that alone tends to keep teams in games. When we get to that point, I’ll like our chances a lot more.
I mean, for bs’ing sake, what if HCPN got Pitt to the point that they were the dominant team in the Coastal Division??
Just say for kicks, for strictly bs’ing, that we went to the ACC Championship game several times in a row, and everyone was waiting for the Pitt V. Clemson game or Pitt V. Fla State game every year for 4 or 5 seasons. Maybe we don’t get in one year, but 4 out of 5 say.
Yes, HCPN would be a hot commodity.
Then it will be up to Chancellor Gallagher and the Trustees to decide whether they want to pay to be big, big time or not.
We have a long ways to go to get to that point, if HCPN can ever even get us to that point, so I don’t have any worries about that right now for the next several years.
Flip side, if he doesn’t get us to that point…then what are we losing? If he gets us a couple 8-4’s, 9-3’s and plateau’s and he gets a better offer???
Then maybe we lose a pretty good coach, who did a pretty good job getting us 1 or 2 more wins a year than usual.
I say, enjoy the ride for the next several years, I don’t see him suddenly bolting without having done a miraculous job at Pitt.
Of course, with college football and basketball coaching, he could be gone tmrw, does anything surprise anymore in college coaching.
I think he’s a pretty solid guy though, IMHO, and will do Pitt right for the near future.
First things first. Build the program, get a 10 win season or two, get us to an ACC Championship game, then we can worry if we want.
He’s what, 49, 50?? I don’t believe that’s old, (beacuse that’s how old I am), but if he does spend 4 or 5 years here,
then suddenly he’s 53, 54 years old.
Again, this is not ageism, I’m the same age. I’m just saying in college sports……..
“…nor will you hold anyone accountable to set the bar higher.”
I’ll ask you…
Is it withholding your seat donations and not buying season tickets?
Is it using commenting on this blog as your forum to get your wants and needs to the administration?
Or is it drafting and writing strong and detailed letters to the University Administration about your dissatisfaction with the football program?
Is it bitching about things at tailgates and your having great ideas but then never putting them on paper and sending them as Registered Mail to the Chancellor or AD Barnes?
BTW – I do just that and that way I at least know that I’ve done more than only talked about stuff on the internet.
I honestly want to know because I have heard and read that “hold accountable” phrase probably close to a thousand times in the years I have been writing on here…and not one person knows what that actually means or what actions would work without cutting their nose to spite their face as in withholding monies from the program.
You must pick and choose what you read from all that I write – I have put a lot of effort in all these years to help positively influence things by bring discussions to light that will raise questions about what is happening in the athletic department.
Because if you, as a fan, want to really understand things then reading everything written about it and then making your decisions based on what you feel is appropriate and reasonable info and opinions is the right course of action.
There are discussions that are public and discussions that are private and you have them, Dr. Tom has them and I have them. I put a lot of those discussions on the Internet for literally thousands of Pitt fans to peruse and think about. Chas does it also.
Am I any sort of a advisor or decision maker for Pitt? Absolutely not! Do I purposefully write things that may ruffle some feathers and get people, inside Pitt and outside, to pause for a moment and think things over with maybe a different POV – I sure as hell try to.
As to what I think about the Powers To Be at Pitt wanting for the program? well, I had some pretty detailed conversations with Pat Bostick Jr, and others around the dinner table, about just this issue in Annapolis before the bowl game. He assures me “It’s a whole new world at Pitt”.
When I asked why he pointed to the money side of things as more resources and he specifically talked about the good hire of Narduzzi as a ‘game changer’ for the football program. In his opinion, if I can speak publicly for him, is that yes indeed Pitt is ‘all in’.
OK – if that’s true then perhaps we’ll get to the mystical ‘next level’ that the Pitt administration has talked about ever since Danny Marino left Pitt, That BTW is another phrase I an quite sick of.
But I just can’t ignore the fact that this situation has been repeated when every new Chancellor came to Pitt, when every AD was hired, and when every incoming HC was ‘the right guy for the job’.
Fan’s have an exaggerated opinion of Pitt’s place in the football world because they know and love the University and so much want them to do well – I get that 100%. I want the same thing but quite honestly haven’t really seen anything since the day Chryst left that leads me to believe that things are all that different.
LOI Day for the fans? Been there, done that and Narduzzi had about the shortest one on record.
Open practices so that beat reporters and bloggers can help drum up interest in the program – that is a big “NO” and we actually went backwards on that front.
The athletic department really trying to get the pulse of the fans and donors? Well, we just saw Barnes stick his nose in the ari, look down it and insult those same people on two fronts.
Really, except for some minor and rather silly “Fan Committee” what have we seen that is so different than what we saw with DW or PC? Oh – that’s right Social Media… which when you peel the curtain is most probably a staffer tweeting out crap under Narduzzi’s account.
When I see real and permanent change than I’ll say we are getting closer to a consistent and winning program… but all I have seen in the last ten years is a circus of an average program that makes a fool of itself, or is made a fool of by its people, more often than not.
We’ve heard it all before.
IF HCPN does get to the point, for simples sake, Pitt back to being a top 20 team for a couple years in a row, and someone throws a boat load of money at him
at that point, I would have to believe that Pitt would have some pretty good OC’s, and DC’s and other coaches that we would all be looking at to promote and be happy about it.
So, let’s hope that, that is our problem in a few years.
If Alabama, USC or Florida State are trying to steal him in a few years, we’ll be in great shape!
I truly believe that if he would get us a nine win season this year against this very tough (for us) schedule then the big offers will come his way.
In essence the prevailing thought would be “Wow, if he can do that at Pitt of all places we better get him now.”
Did you know that Pitt does NOT run their own ticket office????? A private firm does. All employees paid by that firm…. Not Pitt! And we wonder why there are massive problems. Just like with SP and Barnes…. No need for accountability!!! SOP!
I do that and I feel i’ve done my job as an alumni. I then ask others to do it here and I feel I’ve done my job as an alumni. I don’t have the time and effort to do anything else. I’m not going to rob myself of enjoyment by not going to games or not following Pitt football. I’m a Pitt fan after all and enjoy following Pitt.
I will bitch to the leadership. if you notice, I don’t bitch much here. I direct it at people who can make a difference. I have no idea if they listen or not. But that’s what I do. I do know if enough people bitch change happens … see Dixon and SP as recent examples as well as the move back to the Script. Just venting in this forum alone though will not do much. It has to be directed at people of influence.
Realistically, I don’t have enough financial influence alone to make a difference. I get that. No delusions of grandeur here. Hopefully, enough people with financial influence do complain though.
Now to the state of the program … you stated exactly what I wanted to know. Don’t take offense. I just wanted a clear understanding of where you stood.
You take the cable news approach to journalism sometimes (with good intentions) to drum up conversation and spark debate. This approach can mask where you truly stand though.
I’m not criticizing you. Let’s be clear on that. I asked questions because I knew you’d answer them and I appreciate the candor in your response.
The “hold accountable” statement was a little dig at you – i also knew you’d latch onto it 🙂 … I apologize but I also know you have a sense of humor.
What you just stated, however, almost makes Pitt football seem like a lost cause and that really does come across in your writing. What I took as sarcasm and over-compensation is not the case at all. You truly feel Pitt football, and maybe athletics overall, are a lost cause and not salvageable.
I agree with your opinion of Barnes although I think the intention was correct. It may have just been a miss on the hire by Gallagher. I can accept that. Barnes really hasn’t done much that is tangible yet, although, I’d like to see how fundraising has improved over the last year.
To your last point regarding permanent change … if the Gallagher and Narduzzi hires don’t give you hope that permanent change is within reach, what would cement for you that permanent change has happened or is happening?
Never met the guy, his family or any of his friends.
Just faith, gut, what ever one may call it, I don’t think he’ll leave Pitt or his recruits in a lurch in his first 3 or 4 years.
Better men, have gone quicker certainly, but I just see him at Pitt for at least 4 or 5 years.
And no, I have not said that about every new coach that comes in the door.
Matter of fact, he’s the first one that has made me feel that way.
Just a feeling, that’s all.
I’ve got bigger problems. My one and only concern, is 9-10.
And immaturely, the optimistic talk of PSU’s Spring Game, and excellent QB play, now has me fretting when I think of the Pitt-PSU game.
We can’t lose!! I can’t take it for a year from these asshats. Love em’ dearly, jump in front of a train for them, but on 9-10, they’re asshats!!
LOL
The pessimistic view is this is Franklin’s 3rd year, so some of the players from those good recruiting classes he’s put together are going to start seeing the field and having an impact, and this McSorley guy is for real and it’s going to be a challenge to shut him down along with Barkley at the same time.
At least once every 2 weeks in the offseason. Every week in the season.
The team is gonna do what the team is gonna do. I’m expecting a better season than Reed because I saw actual improvement last year and I see no reason for that to have stopped.
We are not going to have any idea of what the team looks like anyway until near the start of the season. Several very talented freshmen coming in who have good shots to see the field. And even then we won’t have much of an idea. PSU game is going to be the first real chance to see what kind of team Pitt is going to be in 2016.
BTW – I wrote an article when we were 8-3 that praised Narduzzi to high heaven and I sure did see some improvement over the season.
I also give Narduzzi a pass in losing the big games at the end of the season as a first time ever HC. Those aren’t easy games to win even if you have been around the block a few times.
Tossing – where I truly stand isn’t the purpose of this blog in any way. This isn’t MY blog and it doesn’t revolve around me. From the day Chas called me and asked me to write for the Blather I have felt it is all about the readers and especially the family of commenters we have.
I want the best of both worlds when I do an article – I want you guys to enjoy it, I want it to make your workday easier – that’s why I put so many news links – with my comments about them – into the weekday pieces. That way you spend time reading fun stuff and not searching for Pitt news.
Now that said – those are my articles. They are different from my comments. My comments are more freewheeling and more personal I guess you’d say.
I think Reed is very realistic in his assessment of Pitt athletics in general and football more specifically.
I am optimistic for the overall direction of football and a little more cautiously optimistic about basketball. Any improvement in the rest of the sports would be greatly appreciated and long overdue.
I have expressed my opinions on why I don’t expect great things this year due to the weakness up the middle of our D. However football is a team sport and if the offense overachieves, a good year is very possible.
Even if Conner is not ready, we should be able to run the football very well. Hopefully Peterman is much better in his second campaign, and picks up a few more needed third downs.
We should have the dominant offensive line we have been waiting for. Excellent starters and experienced depth.
The defense will have better ends and a lot more experience all over. If some of the young guys contribute they may do well.
Something many fans forget is that the opposing teams have great players and good coaches and want to win as much as we do. Saying a game is winnable also means it is lose-able.
Sometimes you just get your ass kicked by guys that play a better game.
Usually the team with the better players win, but not always (13-9). Narduzzi is starting to attract better players, this years recruiting class is extremely important, hopefully he keeps the curve in the right direction.
I would like to know how you define permanent change and when you recognize it. Is it only after Pitt wins a national title that you say the culture has changed? Or is it after some other arbitrary milestone?
Pitt, in the last 18 months has replaced it’s Chancellor, athletic director, football coach and basketball coach and replaced each with a polar opposite personality. How does that not qualify as permanent change or at least signify permanent change is on the horizon? Literally, you can’t really change much more than Pitt has recently.
You question “hold accountable” and “next level” as arbitrary phrases but permanent change is just as loaded.
Do you really see Pitt athletics, in particular football, as a lost cause?
Have heard of Samson Agonistes by Milton, but never really knew. Learned how to pronounce it and it’s somewhat meaning. Can see “agony” in there of course.
“enduring an inner struggle” ??
Pitt Agonistes, yes, yes, yes.
Go Pitt.
1.) Continued improvement of the D. Baby steps are OK, but I think (expect) Duzz will ratchet up the defense efficiency each year;
2.) An offensive scheme that fits the talent. OCMC has said that’s what he will do, and I have no reason to doubt him;
3.) A large increase in Time Of Possession. Our D isn’t over powering yet, so our next best defense is to keep the ball away from the Bad Guys … Not “Slog Ball On Turf”, but using the clock AND scoring on more possessions. Greater Red Zone Success than last year.
4.) A higher percentage of 3rd down conversions (goes hand in hand with #3 above);
5.) Continued recruiting improvement.
I don’t know if these improvements will translate to more W’s this year, but continued improvement in these areas will pay off sooner rather than later.
I think many are underestimating the self promoting of Steve Pederson. He put a brutal schedule which would have been Paul Chryst’s 5th at Pitt, right? Under Chryst, with the very average talent he was bringing in, we could’ve reasonably expected to go 4-8. Chryst would have gotten fired and Peterson have skated through for another 3 years. Thank God, Gallagher listened to the Blather.
With regards to Navy, they were solid. Personally, after chewed up early. I would have toyed with putting 7LB’s as my front 7, in order to out quick them. Big doesn’t beat smaller and quicker. We never had a chance in that game. None.
A consistent product, where our team plays with passion and heart every time, every play is what I expect.
As a Pitt fan, I don’t feel entitled to win every game, but I certainly feel just as bad when we lose as any OSU fan does when they lose. Every time.
H2P!
Defense: The defense will be about the same, maybe slightly better. Remember the games last year that Pitt was obviously over matched talent wise? That does not change in one year. Chryst did not recruit D well and it will continue to hurt Pitt this year.
Offense: It will take few game for the new offense to gel, unfortunately Pitt doesn’t have a few games with PSU at the beginning of the season. By years end, we will be liking Mr Canada. Don’t count on Connor being the same player early. Moss and Henderson will become the play makers with Ford being above average. The running game will be really good.
As a Pitt fan, I thought we were sold down the river by a flawed and biased hiring process. And even though I thought Brandin Knight was not a top candidate, I was enraged when I learned that he was not even interviewed .. especially considering that word went out that he was.
Stallings may end up doing well … I certainly hope so. And he passed his first test .. keeping all of the players in the fold. But he is definitely under the microscope.
I thought he was interviewed? When did that come out?
Total BS. WE DON’T HAVE THE NUMBERS!!!
For whatever reason. Not as big, not a big state school. Not as much true now since they’ve built some more dorms, but in the 80’s at least, I knew lots of people who commuted.
Yes, commuted. And I was one of those!! I had a pretty good job at a car dealership that I didn’t want to give up. Stayed on campus for Freshman year. Next three, lived at home, left the South Hills in AM for classes in Oakland, went back out in afternoon for work. Don’t feel bad for me, on Fridays I went back into Oakland for the weekend and did my share of damage.
More people like that than you would think. The point on that, maybe not the ties to the campus as much???
I digress. The point being, there is no more passionate fan even at Alabama, Michigan or Texas A&M than me, and I’m sure most of you.
It also bugs me when I hear radio people or others say, Pitt fans don’t show up.
What Pitt fans are you talking about?? I see 25-30K die hards at every game. We all show up!!
I’ve missed about 4 games in 20 years. Couple weddings and funerals. I’m sure the same for a lot of you.
We don’t have 100K fans. We don’t have that.
We have 30K, and hopefully pull 10-20K “Pittsburgh sports” fans in when the team is doing well or playing someone big.
Ahhhh, thank you, my rant is over.
link to pittsburghsportsnow.com
Now, I haven’t seen this anywhere else so not sure who to believe
For the first time in years we should have a decent pass rush, but will we be able to stop short third down plays?