NBC or the NBC stream.
It’s been a week. Quite literally, since I last posted. Been one of those weeks with work, kids. Life in general. Hell, I have to miss most of the game because my wife is off camping with my daughter and I was conscripted to take my son to one of his Boy Scout events. Yay.
And of course, Pitt hasn’t had the best week leading up to today.
Pitt’s best defensive player this season, Quinton Wirginis, went down in practice early in the week with a season (and likely his Pitt-ending) knee injury. The senior linebacker could, conceivably, get a 6th year of eligibility in the face of other injuries suffered over his career; but that is hardly anywhere close to a given.
Sophomores Chase Pine and Elias Reynolds will primarily play in his place. It’s a big loss for a defense that has struggled mightily for many parts, even with Wirginis playing.
In other losses, tight end Tyler Sear is leaving the program. Given how little the tight ends have been involved in the offense — beyond serving as an additional offensive lineman — that is more of an annoyance then what can be considered a big loss.
The obvious key to the game on offense is to run the hell out of the ball. Practically, there is no choice. The passing game is horrid. An offensive coordinator that lacks imagination. Kenny Pickett has not looked good most of the year at QB. The receiving corps have been meh. Plus the one reliable vertical threat, Taysir Mack is banged up and with questionable availability. Then there is the fact that the O-line is absolutely pathetic at pass protection.
Bad O-lines do amazing things to QBs. If you look back on what a bad Rutgers O-line did to a string of what appeared to be good QBs and their confidence in the mid- to late-aughts (including Tom Savage), it was astounding. There’s a good argument to be made that is what is going on with Pickett. He frequently has no time in the pocket or is being hotly pursued. The result being, even when he does get some time, he’s being skittish and it’s taking a toll mentally. It’s also on Pickett, but you would be hard pressed to find many QBs that didn’t start to think too much about what is coming at him on a pass play.
Defensively, Pitt has to play its best game. Not a quarter (UNC). Not a half (GT). It actually has to play the kind of game we’ve yet to see from them. One we’ve definitely not seen from them against good teams. There isn’t just one aspect. The entire defense has been bad this season. Not breaking news, I know, but it makes it hard to say, “well if Pitt does ‘X’ on defense, then…” No. Pitt has to do X, Y, Z and a few other variables.
On the other side, it’s hard to say for sure that Notre Dame is taking Pitt lightly, but let’s just say the partisans who cover the Irish are thinking that way.
A rout would allow some reserves to play, and that serves more of a practical purpose than it would have a month ago against Ball State. Remember how that was supposed to be a showcase for the freshmen taking advantage of the new rule regarding eligibility?
Obviously, that did not happen, and Saturday (2:30 ET; NBC) could fill that role, but at this point doing so would also get key starters additional rest.
Oh, does this go on a bit.
Finding playing time for Jamir Jones, Simon and Bracy is not about testing freshmen in a blowout like it would have been in early September. Now it is about giving snaps to players who will need to contribute in November so as to also give a rest to starters who will certainly need to produce then, as well.
When (yes, it is NBC-backed which has a big financial interest in ND being good) a beat writer is openly treating the game on the level of what was expected against Ball St., that kind of stings.
I will say that this article did something I did not expect. It got me a little pissed, and fired up for this game.
I’m not saying I was apathetic about it, but I have been tempering expectations. Feeling like all this talk about how Pitt now has a rep as a mediocre team that once a year rises up and wreaks havoc on some top team; well, it felt a little overblown and unlike the previous three seasons there has been little of this season to give a reason to believe in that possibility.
Now, though, I want it. Even if it is a one-week burst and it all reverts back to type by the next game. Mess them up.
Previously laid out that I expect the Defense to SHOW UP today. Much of this has to do with Randy Bates and the changes being made.
Expect Reynolds playing in place of Wirginis, Brightwell on the Outside and Pinnock remaining at Corner opposite of Jackson… all to have a POSITIVE IMPACT. The changes come just in time as Notre Dame Quarterback Ian Book looks to create HAVOC with an uncanny ability to buy time and improvise in a way remindful of a certain Pittsburgh Quarterback.
Problem is… even with expected improvement with the Pitt Defense… the funny thing about the Game of Football is there is also something called OFFENSE.
Not hard to imagine Notre Dame’s Front Seven unleashing HELL on Kenny Pickett and the PASS Game. However, when he actually has time to throw… which might not be all that often… some SURPRISING connections can be made. Matthews is a name that comes to mind.
Something else surprising… in the end, we might actually see it is passing more than running that keeps Pitt in the Game.
Closer than what MOST expect with the Pitt Defense playing a KEY role in keeping the scoring down.
Final 24-21
Anyway you want to look at it… a WINNER for this Pitt Team.
Lol
H2P!!!
Missed Field Goals… Where’s BLEWITT when you need him.
Notre Dame HOMER CALL on the Interference against Dane Jackson who did nothing but make a PERFECT Play.
And last but NOT least… Narduzzi being Narduzzi by electing to have your AUSTRALIAN Punter throw a pass instead of your Quarterback.
A REAL shame given the effort on BOTH sides of the Ball… but ESPECIALLY the Defense!
I guess its up to Capel now to salvage any respectability for Pitt athletics this year. But I suspect it will be OK for him to suck for a couple of years to build “his program”. And I’m OK with that, but it’s gotten old with football. Unbelievably, perpetually old. Perhaps the ACC will wake up, realize they made a grave error, and give Pitt the Temple treatment before things get any more embarrassing. Pitt basketball could stumble red-faced back to what’s left of the Big East, and Pitt football could find a nice, safe, happy, irrelevant home in the MAC or the AAC.
Home games at South Stadium, anyone?
That’s even worse… considering how HORRIBLE the pass was.
The SMART thing to do was to put the Game in the hands of Pickett and call a GOOD play.
Did they actually take the time to DISGUISE a 6 to look MORE like an 8?
Say it ain’t so.
I must say Bates going to a 4-2-5 is smart. Our best athletes are DB not LBs. That and it clogs up the space on the 4 WR sets so common in college
football. they should just call it a base defense.
Was anyone else sick of the NBC announcers going on and on and on about Picket liking ND as a kid – that’s what you get when NBC is the ND channel – exhume Lindsay Nelson.
POD that was a perfect play by Jackson on the interference call – never touched the WR and went for the ball.
OH HOW I HATE NOTRE DAME. HAIL TO PITT!!!!!!
A TOTAL Homer Call.
Something you can count on happening at the MOST critical moments when playing either in South Bend or State College.
With our OL and RB we should be 5 and 2.
Unless Nardazzi wakes up and gives the transfer QB’s a chance Pitt will be win 4 games and the only bonus is Narduzzi will be gone. Pitt needs a young motivated coach and recruiter.
Just sayin’.
He is seriously QUESTIONING whether the Game-Changing Pass Interference call against Dane Jackson was a Bad Call.
Despite the fact that the Referee who called it is a GRANDSON of a Notre Dame Quarterback.
And despite the fact that a few years ago the same Referee Gary Dancewicz was part of the Officiating Crew that made a SIMILAR Game-Changing Call that benefited Notre Dame against Pitt.
Just when people were starting to think that Saunders knows what he’s talking about.
Just saw another ANGLE on the Interference Call. Clearly shows Jackson EVER SO SLIGHTLY grabbing a hold of the ND Receiver’s arm.
Still confirms Dane Jackson to be NFL Ready… a certain NO CALL on Sundays!
Canada’s “Smoke ‘n Mirrors” Offense exposed… again!
********
In getting shut out for the first time since a 28-0 home defeat to Michigan in 2015, Maryland (4-3, 2-2 Big Ten) didn’t make it over 100 yards until a 16-yard run in the game’s final minute by sophomore Javon Leake, who finished as his team’s leading rusher despite making only one carry.
Carroll County Times
********
Time to FINALLY close the doors on the Matt Canada Pitt Fan Club.
Any coordinator needs the right players to be successful. He had all the pieces in 2016. Give him props for fitting the scheme to the players on hand, which is the opposite of how the defense has operated for the past four years.
I don’t have a feel for this game yet – the D needs to dominate Lyke they did vs ND, but I’m not sure what to think of Watson’s plan of attack. It would be a good start if he planned to attack, instead of calling a conservative game.
I’ll be watching the first half but expect to spend the second half in the woods in a tree stand. Hoping our Panthers give me reason to alter my plans.