Per the intricacies of the ACC deal with the Mouse Monopoly, game times are supposed to be announced no later than 12 days before the day of the game. Not just the time, but the channel. So a game on Saturday, November 9 should be announced by Monday, October 28. But… out of the more than 100 ACC games that ABC/ESPN has the right to air, they can designate up to three of them for a decision only six days before the game.
ABC/ESPN chose November 9 as the day to play random flux. VT-Miami, FSU-WF and ND-Pitt are in the blender. All three will be shown by ABC or ESPN. But the when and which channel is a mystery until early Sunday afternoon. Which also happens to be when Daylight Savings Time ends, so you can add another hour to it.
So the sold out ND-Pitt game could be at noon. It could be at 3:30. It could be at 7 or 8 at night.
VT-Miami, regardless of what Miami does against FSU this weekend could decide which team wins the Coastal Division. From a conference — and probably match-up — perspective this should be the marquee pick. But if FSU curb-stomps Miami this weekend like they did Clemson (and Pitt), the game is diminished. Especially considering how unglamorous both teams’ style of play is. I could really see this as a noon game to give ESPN some real early strength. The noon issue is finding room since it appears that they have noon on ESPN set, and ABC doesn’t do regular noon Saturday games.
FSU-WF has 3:30 on ABC written all over it. A regional blowout game for the South while CBS airs Mississippi St-Texas A&M. (Plus, Florida is playing at noon on ESPNU.)
ND-Pitt is assuredly not a 3:30 game. ABCESPN has the Midwest fully covered with both Nebraska-Michigan and BYU-Wisconsin in that time-slot. That leaves a nooner or night choice.
It makes a lot of sense to expect Pitt-ND at either 7pm on ESPN or 8 on ABC. Obviously there is the media/ratings love for Notre Dame. The Irish will likely be 7-2 and ranked (assuming they don’t find a way to pull a Pitt against Navy this weekend). Add in the dramatics from last year’s meeting to play up “revenge” and “what ifs.”
CBS has LSU-Alabama that night and FOX is showing the Oliver Luck Sweepstakes with Texas-WVU. Most of the attention will be on the SEC game, but if ABC can at least stick it to FOX, it will. The best way to do that: ND-Pitt on ESPN at 7pm and then K-State-Texas Tech on ABC at 8pm (this game is guaranteed to be on ABC, but the time is still TBA leaving it either as a 3:30 regional or primetime game).
The one issue is Pitt. At 4-3 and not looking good, putting Pitt on at 7pm — let alone two weeks in a row on their network line-up — would be questionable. If Pitt is coming into the game 4-4 and having lost three of its last four games. Well, hello forgettable time-slot.
So, the Georgia Tech game this Saturday night looms large. It, as much as anything else, decides what time and how much tailgating there is for the next home game. Of course, a close game means nothing if you can’t actually win one.
Pitt is 1-4 in games decided by a single-digit margin during Chryst’s first two seasons. The only victory was against Duke this season, and Pitt lost by one, three, seven and three points to Syracuse, Notre Dame, Connecticut and Navy.
“You do need to learn how to win,” he said. “At least you gain authentic confidence when you’ve been in a situation before.”
Chryst said he hopes he is learning how to react in those close games.
“I would hope that every game I’m growing and getting better,” he said. “It would be pretty hypocritical if I’m asking the players to do it and I don’t.”
All five of those games were on the road.
Could we have an example of improving? Especially in-game. Oh, I don’t know, like maybe calling a timeout or calling for a review of a close play rather than gently suggesting it to the officials.
Chryst questioned game officials four snaps into Navy’s 16-play, 91-yard touchdown drive in the second half after safety Ray Vinopal appeared to intercept a pass. His feet were ruled out of bounds, but Vinopal thought it was a legal interception and watching video the next day confirmed his belief, he said.
Chryst said he asked the officials if they were in contact with the replay booth, but no review was ordered.
He suggested he could have used a timeout to “make sure they were looking at it.”
“I thought (Vinopal) got it down. I thought he had it. I thought it was a heckuva play by Ray.”
Inspring.
That’s why I joked about Chryst’s half time pep talk being less than effective.
But I was still surprised that we were effective at all vs. the option. Not enough speed on the outside. Thomas can only cover his half of the field. They can run by Gonzalez every time. Last week losing Gordon hurt big time. Galambos not fast enough and hasn’t played enough, to know the angles.
Do you have a theory on why we play so poorly in the second half. I have said it is youth, coaching and conditioning, but it is dumbfounding. And as you said it is both O an D.
Really ?
That is really mindboggling. Pitts & Williams were pretty good last year.
I’d say Mr. Excitement won’t be here in 2 years.
He will have done his job, providing stability for Pitt while we were shifting to the ACC.
I’m not off the band wagon, but I did ask the hostess to switch to a window seat!
And like a movie we’ve seen repeated times, we know all the plots, subplots, the warning signs before trouble begins and indeed the ending.
A signature win. Notre Dame or Miami. Something to at least hang our hat on.
Something.
I just don’t see how we’re gonna do it. I’ll be there for both trying to cheer my best.
And to rev up the Blather site, a win against Georgia Tech.
I think most fans, even upittbaseball would cheer up.
I think the problem is, many of us have seen the first half of the year, and now know we face the more difficult part of the schedule.
Hey, suprise me Pitt!!! I’m all for it!!!
Coffee, tea or Kool-aid ? Or something stronger sir ? haha
0-4 in the ACC. 3-4 overall only beating 2 FBS scrubs and 1 FCS team (barely)
Our favorite team has dropped some
Only consolation in losing to Navy, it was a non-con game. ikr
Typically respect-enjoy your perspective:
It’s just that today I really do not give a flying FK about HCPC’s dress code.
All things need point to a W this week. And supposing it’s a L, I’m still not going to get aft a sideline dress code.
The days of Bear Bryant (like Tom Landry), are just pure- gone.
But for whatever it’s worth, my spine tingles when I see that both Tom & Bear were born SEPT 11; aka 911.
Prove me wrong, anybody.
And let us remember a claim to fame 2007 wherein we watch Wanny in sweats and crutches KILL a Mountain Queer squad with McCoy @ helm.
@ FRANKCAN – I’ve acknowledged many times that Chryst has made some mistakes in-game. However, I don’t agree with you that his coaching is so bad we’ll never win football games. I listed above just a few pretty horrendous mistake previous coaches have made.
But I forgot the biggest mistake of all was Todd Graham trying to get Sunseri to fit the role of a dual option QB. Because of the type of football Graham wanted to play he recruited, and we are stuck with, Voytik and Anderson as our main QBs next season. IMO not a great prospect to look forward to.
Recruiting is hard to gauge especially when in the discussions we mix the different recruiting sites. Rivals grades the toughest and Scout the most lenient IMO. I hate to start this line of conversation again, but our all-time leading receiver Devin Street was a 2* on Rivals. I know, I know – that is subjective as hell as is all of recruiting.
Right now Chryst’s recruiting success, or lack of it depending on your POV, is a two edged sword. Are these true and rsFR that good to play so much so early on… or are the rest of the personnel so poor that Chryst is forced to play his kids so soon? I believe it is a bit of both but more of the latter.
The truth is that Chryst didn’t inherit any quality depth at all and has been forced to play his guys right off the bat. Of all the FR who are getting major playing time; Boyd, Ibrahim, Holtz, Orndoff, Conner, Bisnowaty, Parrish, Galambos, etc. I can’t think of anyone who has been on the roster and is an upperclassman who would be better players to start ahead of them. But you know what – that group right there is a pretty talented bunch of players.
Dorian Johnson’s redshirt was burned specifically to get some experience under his belt to be a starter next season. Most solid football programs are able to redshirt their FR OL, have them on the bench in the two deep the next season and then start them as a SO or JR. Our starting OL next season will be filled with FR and SO kids.
That might not be so bad though because the OL they are replacing are definitely replaceable. I’m looking forward to seeing Bisnowaty, Johnson, Roberts, Officer, Reese, Jones-Smith mix in with the returning OL players and maybe even supplant them maybe. There is some talent in that pipeline also.
The fact is that Chryst doesn’t have the leisure to let most of his recruits redshirt and get that first year in college and in the weight room behind them. That is a pretty big disadvantage right there.
Anyway, I’m pretty happy with the FR who are getting playing time so early, even if they are forced to do so, and think it will pay nice dividends in the next couple of years.
@ Upittbaseball – Conner sure is a D1 RB and will be more productive and consistent when he has a decent OL to run behind.
My main concern is the lack of defensive recruiting, Galambos, Caprara, and Soto are not nearly enough. All of his high profile guys have been offensive (no double entendre intended).
The whole issue with House is also a concern. If it was money, then administration needs to wake up and copy the budgets of the successful programs in the ACC. If it is Chryst’s alleged comfort zone issues, he needs to grow some new ones.
In any case, in recruiting, and on the field House needs to up his game.
Lastly, I have been asking for opinions on why the second half malaise, do you have one?
Hail to Pitt! Wreck the wreck
Start off with a Coffee or Coke on a nice Saturday morning, reading up on Pitt at the start of season.
Win a game or two, start drinking the kool-aid and getting excited.
By the end of the year you’re in the gutter with an empty bottle of Wild Turkey rolling around beside you??
more suited to Div1 fullback – than Div1 running back
.
Oh you took that class at Pitt too !
I should have known.
When King went down, they didn’t turn to DJ, they turned to 5th year senior Ryan Schlieper.
And Clemmings is progressing so DJ is not getting any reps there and it appears they aren’t going to sit Biz, for anyone.
So they broke DJ’s redshirt for a limited few amount of reps he’s got, for an offensive line that is pretty much a disaster, his being added doesn’t improve it at this point in his career. And being a true freshman he’s not strong enough or big enough at this point which is why the redshirt freshmen O-lineman.
Doesn’t make a lot of sense to me, but it’s in keeping with quite a few decisions this staff makes.
Groundhogs Day the movie did start out in Pittsburgh.
Saturday indeed seemed like that for long suffering Pitt fans.
We would have most assuredly found out that one Phil Connors was a Pitt grad !!
we won’t find out until we grow”
Yes after a few cycles of living thru Groundhog Day, Murray had a wreckless period in the movie where both he and Punxsutawney Phil (whom he had stolen) go over a cliff in a pickup truck after being pursued by police. (not recommended for Pitt fans) (at least not yet) lol
But he wakes again the next day, and it’s G-hog day again with ‘I got you babe” playing on the clock radio, like it does everyday for Phil.
Good ole Phil does end up with Rita (Andie McDowell), so all turns out good for Phil (we should all be so lucky).
As far as the 4X sweatshirt attire. Don’t know, probably depends on the temps/weather in Atlanta. lol
Wonder what his rain gear will look like ?
Something like what they give you at Niagara Falls on the Maid of the Mist >? including the rubber hat
‘Cause you got me, and baby I got you
I realize that it’s a long time to wait but I predict that the “make or break” game that Coach Chryst’s job will hang on, will be the Pitt vs. penn state game in 2016. And that fateful day will only be relevant if Coach Chryst continues to plod through every season with an average .500 record or there abouts up to that date in time. If he revives the program more than that he might be safe by then.
So until then we have trust in Chryst, like it or not.
@Wardapalooza, you’re right. Not fair to pick and choose. Plenty of good guys under Wanny. I guess I just have low expectations for what a coach (any coach) coming into the position Chryst did with the program in such bad shape that it made this class look better to me than it does to most. I like this crop of freshmen a lot, and although several of our top guys were PSU commits, football isn’t a zero sum game, they could’ve gone to WVU, or any number of other schools, but they did come to Pitt and Chrys deserves some credit for that. In any event, I do think it’s too early to say he can’t recruit. Regarding the current class, as it stands now it’s weak. But who knows what happens by national signing day.
On a nother note, it’s just stunning how badly our special teams has been. Both in terms of our opponents field position and our inability to return the ball. Chryst’s decision not to have a specific coach in charge of this unit is truly inexcusable. That needs to change next year.
On a positive note, we still have UNC and Syracuse on the schedule, both very winnable games. We can still get to 6 wins. Without making excuses, we lost a lot of players in the off season, we changed conferences, and we have a lot young guys playing significant minutes. Making a decent showing in the ACC and making a bowl game in our innaugural season is a solid – not great – showing for this team. Going 6-6 for his first two years isn’t something to write home about, but it isn’t a sign that Chryst has us in a death spiral either.
Think we discussed this years ago E-MEL.
Andie, Andie, Andie. Yes, sir..
And another thing of beauty. Cheerleaders aren’t bad either!! LOL
Actually a nice little article on the Ramblin’ Wreck!!
Our team may not be any better, but our opponents are much better. I’d rather be watching Georgia Tech in Atlanta, than UCONN in Stoors Sat. Nite!!
As to Navy, here are 3 points I’d raise:
1. Navy scored a touchdown on the flukiest, luckiets, craziest broken up pass I have ever seen in my life which will not be repeated. 2. Vinopal’s interception was incorrectly called out of bounds, and if either Chryst had called time out in order to give them time to review it or it had been called correctly they don’t score that touchdown either. That’s 14 Navy points off the board. 3. Yoklics 20 yard shank punt was a fluke, he’s average 43+ yards per punt this season, good for 25th in FBS.
So the real question is this: had we won 21 v. 7 how would we feel about the season.
The problem is that we have seen way to many “Navy” like games where it seems almost impossible to lose, but we find a way. Hence the Groundhog reference. We have been conditioned to expect the worst. Some seem to revel in it.
Unfair to Chryst but he has to bare the weight of history as well as his own shortcomings.
While we might not be that good, I don’t think we are as bad as most think.
I hope the team never gives up the way most of the fans have.
I’d say insecure for very good reason!! LOL
Suprise me Pitt!!!!!!
We win, I’ll be first to come on and proclaim…
“what a game!!!!”
I do have more faith in Chryst than most, but it’s primarily because he needs a roster full of his own men for me to really feel confident that what we’re seeing is a result of his coaching and recruiting not just patching holes in someone else’s clothes. He’s learning, House is learning, our veterans are learning his system and our freshmen are learning college football in its entirity.
Being the headcoach in a BCS league is tough to do well immediately. Look at fellow Wisco coaching alum Dave Doeren, as was pointed out. He was great at N. Illinois, but look at him now. He’s doing as poorly this year as Chryst did last, with 2 full years as a headcoach and a BCS bowl under his belt.
Miscommunication, the whistle blows, the troops go over the top …….
while not nearly as dramatic, but you the idea.
The other way you can look at that though, is maybe the Wisconsin blueprint only works at Wisconsin.
That is the case over the years with other schools as well who have had good success. It only works in that place.
But, I’m going to remain optimistic while I can, for as long as I can. Chryst made a huge mistake by hiring House instead of Orlando or someone else more qualified for the DC job.
All I can do is hope that we win enough games to become bowl elligible so that we’re at least not falling further behind, that we land enough of the top recruits on our target list to produce a good class, and that House and the other Def staff are all fired after the Miami game – bowl or not. And I hope they’re replaced with strong, seasoned vets with ties to VA, NC, GA, and FL.
It is as if PITT fans have very selective memories when it comes to how long it takes new PITT HCs to start having winning seasons.
Hell, DW went 1-4 in his initial five games, 5-6 overall, after inheriting a BE championship BCS bowl team from Harris, with a hell of a QB behind center also. It was his fourth (4th!!) season before he broke .500 but lets not talk about that. Hell, there was only one singular high point to Wannstedt’s first three seasons and that was 13-9, which I believe that was the only Top 25 team he beat in those three years.
Fast forward to Chryst’s initial season in 2012. We played four teams that were currently ranked in the Top 25 at the time we played them and we went 2-2, with one of the losses to a #3 ND in three overtimes. That team was more competitive than either of the two preceding HCs beginning teams by far.
My fellow Americans and PITT fans, I counsel that we try to look at Paul Chryst’s start in relative terms to the HCs we seem to so desperately miss. It seems brighter to me now than those HC’s first 2nd years did then, especially considering what transpired at PITT over the two years prior to Chryst’s being hired.
We all get frustrated with “It takes some time” or “Wait until he gets his players out on the field” but sometimes that is just what has to happen. IMO it is WAY too early to pass final judgement on Chryst, which a lot of fans have done already, until he has a full three years behind him.
Here is an interesting article and workup of how new HCs do in relation to the team’s previous wins total. It is a one year snapshot but interesting…
Look we are PITT! A school with a long,old,and storied winning tradition. Maybe our reputation is not deserved, but nationally we are considered a major player.
Why can a Cinn or a UConn (nobody schools in my mind) come along and have better teams than us in a short period?
Is it that hard to hire a winning coach? How come Lousiville and Miami don’t take that long to come back?
Granted the city of Pittsburgh is considered the rust belt, the area has taken some hits. The campus is a city one, and contrary to recent Pitt ads is not that pretty. Still alot better than NYU!
No, plain and simple, we have lazy people running the athletic department. Not enough research in picking a coach. The so called search firms are intersted in money only. They have no idea who they represent.
Wannstedt could recruit. It is a shame we lost that. Granted Wannstedt had some coaching issues in game situations. The personal player problems are unfortunately part of major college football today. No sure a lot of these guys belong or want to be in college.
With a little imagination, the athletic department could have found a way to bring in a really great X’s and O’s guy to run the games and have a Wannstedt oversea. Too late now, we don’t have a Wannstedt type in the wings waiting.
Reed, your answer is always lets wait and see in a few three years. I’ve got enough experience to see waiting with this type of situation just adds more time to finding the correct solution.
Chryst can’t recruit, his assistants are second rate. Next year’s team will be worst than this year. It is just a matter of time before we go out to one of those search firms again.
Not to worry, Nordenberg and Pederson will walk away with a piss pot full of money. No need to feel sorry for them.
I do wholeheartedly agree with you on many other programs that have rebuilt.
We have all kinds of excuses why we can’t. Guess what, other schools have excuses too, but somehow they’ve done it. I know em’ all. City, pro sports town, not enough alumni, Pa. no longer a hot recruiting base, the cold weather, ad infinitum!!!!!
And really, my opinion doesn’t matter. I’ll just go on what our athletic director said some 12 years or so give or take a year or two.
Paraphrasing, but close.
“We’re here to win championships and fill Heinz Field”
Don’t anyone be mad at me. Google it. Our athletic director said it. Not me.
That’s not my prognostication of this weeks game.
It’s what I think we have to do, in order to give us a …….chance…..to win the game.
Since we’ve been playing conservatively now for 4 games in a row now, it might be asking way to much to expect these clods (C-staff) to start playing aggressively on defense and offense. I mean if you can’t play aggressively against two undersized, inferior athletic scrub teams, just who are they going to play aggressive against ???
GT had 5 turnovers last week however they resulted in ZERO points for UVA.
Obviously (a tomlinism anymore) if we get that many turnovers they have to result in some points.
College football is so screwy from week to week, again who knows. Although Pitt is getting a little too predictable.