12:30 pm
Multiple RSNs and ACC Network Extra/WatchESPN.
Stuck on the couch as my back flared up this week, and driving 4-5 hours in a day was not on the table.
Fun times to be in the football equivalent of bubble watch with bowl eligibility.
Virginia is the team poised to get it or see their opportunity narrow suddenly.
The stakes are clear for the Cavaliers (5-2, 2-1 ACC) as they visit Pittsburgh on Saturday: One more victory and they’re bowl-eligible for the first time since 2011.
And if not this weekend, then when? That’s the problem.
Games at home against Georgia Tech (4-2, 3-1), at Louisville (5-3, 2-3), at Miami (6-0, 4-0) and back home against rival Virginia Tech (6-1, 2-1) loom.
No pressure or anything.
While Virginia is doing everything it can to downplay the importance, Pitt is doing the same.
Pitt coach Pat Narduzzi also is trying to avoid bowl talk, and for a more logical reason than Virginia’s. Pitt (3-5, 1-3) has been to nine bowls in a row but must win three of its last four regular-season games to qualify this season.
“We’re just worried about winning the next one,” Narduzzi said.
Virginia at least has a chance to still make it happen if they lose today. Pitt is not mathematically, but they are realistically, eliminated from the chances of finishing at least 6-6.
So, by all means. Choose the days leading up to the game to decry the lack of leadership. Or really, make subtle, without saying it, statements in the last third of the season about the youth on the team.
Pitt (3-5, 1-3 ACC) has 14 seniors on the roster, but only eight have played important roles on the field. Two of those eight — quarterback Max Browne (shoulder) and cornerback Avonte Maddox (arm) — are injured and won’t play Saturday against Virginia. Maddox is new to the injury list, but Browne has missed the past two games and is out for the season after shoulder surgery. Both are two of the four captains.
Pitt had 17 seniors — plus James Conner — in key roles last season when it was 5-3 after eight games and finished 8-5.
“The more leaders and seniors you have running your team, it’s their football team,” Narduzzi said. “I truly believe that. The more you have, the better you are.”
Not that it is an excuse, because don’t worry. No excuses are being made. How dare you for thinking that.
Sorry.
I accept that this is a season of transition. That a step back had to be taken, even if aspects were far worse then expected. I just don’t like being told that these are not excuses for the performance, while the excuses are being stated.
Well, at least according to the Head Coach.
Don’t expect the breaks to go Pitt’s way this week like last. And don’t expect Hall to look like anything more than the AVERAGE Back that he is.
Narduzzi and his Staff are actually going to have to EARN this one.
I have a hunch that Nard-Dog is going to get outcoached by the Bronco. We may get our dicks dragged in the dirt today but I will be there cheering them on.
Hail to Pitt.
H2P!!!
If only he would have asked me, I could have saved him a lot of trouble.
– Defense came to play today, again
– Our O-line is smacking people
– Hall, and Ollison, are running hard
– Henderson looks like he’s getting over his injury and back to his 2016 form.
However:
Another Fool’s Gold win. UVA is okay but they played like garbage today…Benkert missed a lot of open throws a good QB would hit. Dinucci continues to throw into heavy coverage and again dodged bullets by luck and bad DB play…UVA’s DB’s played like our guys from last year, never turning their heads to make easy plays.
We should beat UNC but VTech and Miami will rip us like a can opener if our passing game doesn’t massively improve. I like the direction our D is going, and O-line, but if Dinucci can’t hit some downfield passes without the benefit of horrid DB play, we will be spanked in our last two games.
Hail to Pitt
No doubt DiNucci played better today with better protection, and a running game.
What that means against UVA is anyone’s guess.
H2P
—Urban Meyer
Dinucci played with more poise today but he still chucks it up for grabs far too often and has really dodged alot of bullets…and he doesn’t make that many plays with his feet given his mobility. He really needs to pick it up because everything I’ve seen so far screams mediocrity.
There may be some bright light on the horizon next year. At least be competitive.
The D held a 5-2 Power 5 team to 14 points. Encouraging.
Some Oline observations –
Good run blocking to the right side, not so good to the left.
Good pass blocking on the left side, not so good on the right.
The Oline must continue to improve for this team to finish this season well.
Finishing well = 2 more wins
On the “improve” side I just don’t like Watson for the long haul and despite his TD catch, Weah still has too many drops and loses contested balls despite his physical superiority over every DB he plays. Our JUCO transfer Ra-Ra is our best receiver and is a better match for DiNucci who struggles beyond 12 yards with accuracy. I’d like to see a lot more of Ra-Ra and for Weah to work on his “want to”…
If Nate Pete was our QB this year, I bet we’re 7-2 and maybe even 8-1 and a solid top 15 program…he was that good and the D has improved that much this year…the stats don’t look good because our O can’t score and let them rest.
Dinucci should have enough to beat UNC but unless he gets a lot better, VTech and Miami are really gonna expose his limitations…rooting for him but I just have a gut feel he ain’t the answer. If he flubs up, they really need to give Pickett a start or two and then make the QB competition WIDE open heading into the off-season…including MacVittie and anyone else worthy.
But we enjoyed the win.
Wife says Pitt fans are the worst fans ever … one dropped pass and they boo. She also doesn’t like the booing of the opponent. Neither do I.
These are college players, not the Steelers after all.
Will go to the game today in the rain, get the ponchos, at least for the first half. ( I must be nuts).