2024 Predictions & Outlook:

[LaRocka2012]

It's officially Game week!

Below are my 2024 official predictions and overall thoughts going into this season.

1.) The old saying rings true IMO "IF you have two quarterback's , you don't have one" - Today's Narduzzi presser confirmed these initial thoughts to me... I believe there is *some* potential for Holstein to end up being an above average starter in CFB if given enough opportunity. The bottom line question is will Duzz be patient enough with the new offense to allow for this to happen? I have and will always be in the camp of Yarnell being competent enough to run an offense without turning it over, but he just seems like his ceiling isn't very high. Him not immediately winning the starting job is a firm indication of that.

2.) Our defense may start out a bit slow this year but I really am intrigued by a a lot of the younger pieces they have. I agree the depth on the D-Line is a concern but I think this team can really mesh as the season goes on. I love the potential of the linebacking room and think they will be a strength on this roster in 2024 and maybe the team's best unit in 2025.

3.) I'm genuinely excited about how this season is going to unfold... there are a ton of question marks everywhere for this team and i certainly don't expect Pitt to win more than 6/7 games. The overall goal of this team from a fans perspective is to make this a "bridge" year so to speak to build into 2025. IMO the only disaster is if Pitt wins 3/4 games and the entire operation falls on it's head. (I don't think it will) but if it does, this is going to get bad in a hurry for Narduzzi.

PS - I'm really excited about Kade Bell's offense, and I think given the right QB play, has a chance to be awesome in the coming years. HOWEVER I'm a little concerned that the recruiting is going to take a step back and he is taking chances on very small RB's / WR's that are scheme fits... let's hope I'm wrong and guys like Poppi Williams and Dez Reid prove to be solid ACC players.

My prediction is 7-5 ( 5-3 ACC)

Wins: Kent State, Youngstown State, UNC, Cal, Syracuse, Virginia, Boston College

Losses: Cincy, WVU, SMU, Clemson, Louisville

 

[Pitt2009]

Really well thought out. I mostly echo what you wrote.

I wonder how much last year’s QB situation is affecting Duzz’ preparation. Jurkovec was THE guy all camp. Veilleux and Yarnell didn’t get enough first team reps and Pitt jumped out to a 1-4 start.

This year, you have 2 guys ready in the case one plays extremely poorly.

 

[pittizit]

4-8

 

[Gunga_Galunga]

Really well thought out. I mostly echo what you wrote.

I wonder how much last year’s QB situation is affecting Duzz’ preparation. Jurkovec was THE guy all camp. Veilleux and Yarnell didn’t get enough first team reps and Pitt jumped out to a 1-4 start.

This year, you have 2 guys ready in the case one plays extremely poorly.

If one QB hasn't separated you have to play both and it remains a competition until one wins the job. There's nothing wrong with that.

Why Jurkovec was handed the starting job, and trotted out there so long, will always remain a mystery to me. He couldn't throw and his arm was shot. It was visible to everyone after a couple games, and had to be visible in camp.

I'll rely on Bell to make the right decision. It's his offense and he's a former QB who ran it under his dad. Assume he knows what he needs.

 

[Pitt_Boss]

Can't bring myself to write it....

 

[Joe the Panther Fan]

It was visible to everyone after a couple games

There were a few of us that said after the Wofford game that his numbers looked OK, but his actual play during the game was poor, and that it looked like he could not make the throws he was going to need to make when we played someone who actually had a pulse.

Of course that didn't go over well with some, but it was absolutely spot on. You didn't need a couple games to see it. It was right there from the start. Which is why him starting in the first place was such a dumb, dumb decision.

 

[Usuallyunusual-partdeux]

If anything has been proven so far it's that anyone can win the ACC. I look at the conference and our schedule and say 8 wins is very likely with a few toss up games that could go either way. If they catch lightning in a bottle this season could be a significant bounce back with a potential top 25 ranking

 

[Burgh15]

Nice post! Watching the offense evolve is what I'm really looking forward to.

 

[cashisking884]

One of the reasons for going to these types of offenses is that it doesn’t take a lot to learn it. The playbook is small.

Thinking about the recent examples of teams moving to similar systems that are based on small playbooks, and space and pace:

2018 SMU 12 to 88

2018 Houston went from 49 to 15 in F+ offensive rankings

2019 FSU went from 60 to 63

2020 Miami 84 to 23

2020 Arkansas 103 to 70

2021 Tenn went from 90 to 6

2023 South Florida 59 to 68


So really, most teams saw a pretty significant jump in improvement.

FSU and South Florida just didn’t have the talent, as those were the bottom completely falling out seasons due to the previous coach’s lack of recruiting.

I’m not sure why SMU struggled so badly the first year under Dykes’ space and pace system. Could be difficulty implementing and learning the system. The next year is when the Texas QB transferred in and they jumped up to 11. So it could also be the same issue FSU and South Florida had, where’s the cupboard was so bare it didn’t matter what they ran that season.

I don’t think the issue is going to be the offense is a complete 180 in concept and trying to implement the pace and learn it.

It’s talent that has held back these types of systems in their first year. Not the system itself.

 

[cashisking884]

There were a few of us that said after the Wofford game that his numbers looked OK, but his actual play during the game was poor, and that it looked like he could not make the throws he was going to need to make when we played someone who actually had a pulse.

Of course that didn't go over well with some, but it was absolutely spot on. You didn't need a couple games to see it. It was right there from the start. Which is why him starting in the first place was such a dumb, dumb decision.

Biggest red flag after Game 1 last year was the lack of push from the OL.

I don’t care what type of system you’re running. When the OL couldn’t people them on skates, it was going to get ugly for an offense that was built on lining up and manhandling the other team.

 

[cashisking884]

My prediction is 7-5 ( 5-3 ACC)

Wins: Kent State, Youngstown State, UNC, Cal, Syracuse, Virginia, Boston College

Losses: Cincy, WVU, SMU, Clemson, Louisville

There’s no way they lose to Cincy and beat all of UNC, Cuse, UVA, and BC.

You’re not appreciating just how bad Cincy was last year. They finished 95th in F+ Power Ranking. Arguably the worst P5 team in CFB.

Just as losing to them last year was the signal to a 3-9 season. Losing to them this year means a 3 to 4 win season.

 

[jivecat]

3-9 This is the worst PITT team since 1998. No O Line, No D-Line, No QB, No WRs, No punter.

Average LBers, TE, and Secondary.

Real fans will still be there at the end of this horrible season. As the saying goes..." I don't eat with people I won't starve with".

 

[VincePITT]

It's officially Game week!

Below are my 2024 official predictions and overall thoughts going into this season.

1.) The old saying rings true IMO "IF you have two quarterback's , you don't have one" - Today's Narduzzi presser confirmed these initial thoughts to me... I believe there is *some* potential for Holstein to end up being an above average starter in CFB if given enough opportunity. The bottom line question is will Duzz be patient enough with the new offense to allow for this to happen? I have and will always be in the camp of Yarnell being competent enough to run an offense without turning it over, but he just seems like his ceiling isn't very high. Him not immediately winning the starting job is a firm indication of that.

2.) Our defense may start out a bit slow this year but I really am intrigued by a a lot of the younger pieces they have. I agree the depth on the D-Line is a concern but I think this team can really mesh as the season goes on. I love the potential of the linebacking room and think they will be a strength on this roster in 2024 and maybe the team's best unit in 2025.

3.) I'm genuinely excited about how this season is going to unfold... there are a ton of question marks everywhere for this team and i certainly don't expect Pitt to win more than 6/7 games. The overall goal of this team from a fans perspective is to make this a "bridge" year so to speak to build into 2025. IMO the only disaster is if Pitt wins 3/4 games and the entire operation falls on it's head. (I don't think it will) but if it does, this is going to get bad in a hurry for Narduzzi.

PS - I'm really excited about Kade Bell's offense, and I think given the right QB play, has a chance to be awesome in the coming years. HOWEVER I'm a little concerned that the recruiting is going to take a step back and he is taking chances on very small RB's / WR's that are scheme fits... let's hope I'm wrong and guys like Poppi Williams and Dez Reid prove to be solid ACC players.

My prediction is 7-5 ( 5-3 ACC)

Wins: Kent State, Youngstown State, UNC, Cal, Syracuse, Virginia, Boston College

Losses: Cincy, WVU, SMU, Clemson, Louisville

ESPN's FPI, has Pitt's projected W-L record: 6.3-5.7 and a 65.9% chance of winning 6 games! I'm going with a 7-5 regular season record! But it'll depend on QB play, Bell's offense is a QB driven offense!

 

[Las Panteras]

6-6

I stick to my prediction this will be Narduzzi's last year.

 

[ButtPilgrim]

my computer simulation puts us on average at 5-7, but there's a few tossups in there. anywhere from 3 to 8 seems possible