The shock came as it was Pitt that had Big Plays plus solid Drives for ball Control Minutes. The talent penn State has was very impressive. Barkley, McSorley, Hamilton, and Godwin all very good and will play on Sunday, but the Coaching on Defense was lacking. Penn State really misses DC Shoop. The Trib called it a sea-saw win, but I don't recall Pitt ever being behind? Everytime Penn State tried to play "Ketchup" at Heinz, Pitt stepped them down again?
Joe Moorhead will have a Good Spread this year but still doubtful Penn State can beat OSU, Michigan, MSU with it and will struggle against upcoming Iowa, Maryland, Rutgers, and next year Wisconsin and Nebraska that have better Coaching. Moorhead created a great system to compensate for the Penn State OL that is still struggling in its Third Year. Moorhead Pitt Think Tank System created at Pitt will do fine for the Nittany Lions covering for the OL but doubtful they will win more than 9 games or less the each of the next 4 years.
It quite clear to me that Pitt has the better coaching to rebuild Pitt into a Top 25 Program Return before Penn State in the coming years. Shadows of 1972-1976 as Pitt Return Eastern Football into prominence by winning The National Championship within 4 years and helped Paterno Teams become better to win it in 1982-86.
In fact, it is Pitt that looks like a Paterno Team from those ages never giving up and out playing the Nittany Lions up to the last minute. Pitt also looks like a Big Ten Team creation made of Paul Chryst & Pat Narduzzi with shades of ACC Southern Offensive Home conference cooking as well.
Top Talent will be heading increasingly to Pitt now, as Penn State struggles to overcome MSU, Michigan, and OSU, and will have a tougher time staying with Iowa, Wisconsin, Nebraska, as Maryland and Rutgers grow with better Coaches & Recruits too. Penn State Fans Wish-in and Hope-in seem to not understand that since 2000 they rank 7th to 8th in Big ten Wins, that trend is not going to change much now.
Excerpt:
The Nittany Lions appeared ready to take charge. Just when you thought Pitt had disappeared in the heat of the moment in Saturday's renewal of the long-lost series, back came the Panthers — again and again. The Panthers twice regained their double-digit lead in the high stakes taffy-pull and held on to secure a 42-39 victory over the Nittany Lions before 69,983 at Heinz Field......In an emotional game filled momentum-changing plays, Pitt's overall resilience stood out. “It was a back-and-forth slugfest,” Pitt coach Pat Narduzzi said. “Our kids fought their tails off.”....No matter how hard Penn State pushed, suggested Conner, the Panthers always pushed back harder. “We've got to play 60 minutes of football,” Conner said. “We wanted to run downhill and get in a rhythm. That's what we did today.”........Pitt responded with more power running — or tried to. Conner fumbled on first down and Penn State defensive back John Reid recovered at the Pitt 11. Holding Penn State to a field goal, courtesy of Quintin Wirginis' sack on third down, Pitt powered up again, this time riding a wave of momentum created by Quadree Henderson's 84-yard kickoff return to the Penn State 10. “Give me a seam, I'm going to take it,” said Henderson, who returned a kickoff for a touchdown against Villanova in the opener. “We never get down on ourselves. When they cut our lead, we never lost faith.”.....“After James put the ball on the ground, our (defense) went three-and-out,” Narduzzi said. “To hold them to three points, that's the game right there.”
LINK:
http://triblive.com/sports/college/pennstate/11057052-74/pitt-conner-panthers
Joe Moorhead will have a Good Spread this year but still doubtful Penn State can beat OSU, Michigan, MSU with it and will struggle against upcoming Iowa, Maryland, Rutgers, and next year Wisconsin and Nebraska that have better Coaching. Moorhead created a great system to compensate for the Penn State OL that is still struggling in its Third Year. Moorhead Pitt Think Tank System created at Pitt will do fine for the Nittany Lions covering for the OL but doubtful they will win more than 9 games or less the each of the next 4 years.
It quite clear to me that Pitt has the better coaching to rebuild Pitt into a Top 25 Program Return before Penn State in the coming years. Shadows of 1972-1976 as Pitt Return Eastern Football into prominence by winning The National Championship within 4 years and helped Paterno Teams become better to win it in 1982-86.
In fact, it is Pitt that looks like a Paterno Team from those ages never giving up and out playing the Nittany Lions up to the last minute. Pitt also looks like a Big Ten Team creation made of Paul Chryst & Pat Narduzzi with shades of ACC Southern Offensive Home conference cooking as well.
Top Talent will be heading increasingly to Pitt now, as Penn State struggles to overcome MSU, Michigan, and OSU, and will have a tougher time staying with Iowa, Wisconsin, Nebraska, as Maryland and Rutgers grow with better Coaches & Recruits too. Penn State Fans Wish-in and Hope-in seem to not understand that since 2000 they rank 7th to 8th in Big ten Wins, that trend is not going to change much now.
Excerpt:
The Nittany Lions appeared ready to take charge. Just when you thought Pitt had disappeared in the heat of the moment in Saturday's renewal of the long-lost series, back came the Panthers — again and again. The Panthers twice regained their double-digit lead in the high stakes taffy-pull and held on to secure a 42-39 victory over the Nittany Lions before 69,983 at Heinz Field......In an emotional game filled momentum-changing plays, Pitt's overall resilience stood out. “It was a back-and-forth slugfest,” Pitt coach Pat Narduzzi said. “Our kids fought their tails off.”....No matter how hard Penn State pushed, suggested Conner, the Panthers always pushed back harder. “We've got to play 60 minutes of football,” Conner said. “We wanted to run downhill and get in a rhythm. That's what we did today.”........Pitt responded with more power running — or tried to. Conner fumbled on first down and Penn State defensive back John Reid recovered at the Pitt 11. Holding Penn State to a field goal, courtesy of Quintin Wirginis' sack on third down, Pitt powered up again, this time riding a wave of momentum created by Quadree Henderson's 84-yard kickoff return to the Penn State 10. “Give me a seam, I'm going to take it,” said Henderson, who returned a kickoff for a touchdown against Villanova in the opener. “We never get down on ourselves. When they cut our lead, we never lost faith.”.....“After James put the ball on the ground, our (defense) went three-and-out,” Narduzzi said. “To hold them to three points, that's the game right there.”
LINK:
http://triblive.com/sports/college/pennstate/11057052-74/pitt-conner-panthers
