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Did Narduzzi and Chryst know what they were getting into?

PittMan2003

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Jan 29, 2016
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Seeing how awful our fanbase is...Not showing for games and just brutalizing these guys when they lose makes me wonder if these guys ever could realize how tough it would be at Pitt. Everybody says these guys can't/couldn't recruit but look at the horrible atmosphere at Heinz Field. Narduzzi just told Lyke coaches are using the tarping conversation against Pitt in recruiting. Embarrassing! Of course we are going to lose recruits to Ped St and WVU with this bullshit. We had two 8 win years back to back in the past two year including wins over Ped St's best team in years and the eventual National Champion in Clemson. Yes two 8 win years in a row is progress for Pitt. But yet this year we have broken negative attendance records at Heinz field.

Say what you will about whether these guys are good coaches, but they are good guys. They don't deserve what they have gotten from Pitt fans and I just wonder if they ever could have realized how bad Pitt was.
 
When it comes down to it, coaches can't listen to fans. There are a lot of valid criticisms when it comes to Narduzzi, especially after this season. However, it happens everywhere. Franklin was feeling the heat last year. Michigan fans are starting to put some heat on Harbaugh. I bet Saban even feels it if they lose a single game. But Narduzzi is worried about negative recruiting because of tarps? Who cares? Everyone knows Heinz Field has about 25,000 too many seats for Pitt. Tarp off the extra and make a better game day atmosphere and then see what coaches say when the stadium looks full and has a more concentrated sound.
 
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I can't answer whether PC and PN knew it would be this bad.

But I am convinced that is precisely why Graham left.

Guy gets PITT to pay him.....gets here and realizes it's a black hole career killer.

To be fair, that was a terrible fit for both sides.
 
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Seeing how awful our fanbase is...Not showing for games and just brutalizing these guys when they lose makes me wonder if these guys ever could realize how tough it would be at Pitt. Everybody says these guys can't/couldn't recruit but look at the horrible atmosphere at Heinz Field. Narduzzi just told Lyke coaches are using the tarping conversation against Pitt in recruiting. Embarrassing! Of course we are going to lose recruits to Ped St and WVU with this bullshit. We had two 8 win years back to back in the past two year including wins over Ped St's best team in years and the eventual National Champion in Clemson. Yes two 8 win years in a row is progress for Pitt. But yet this year we have broken negative attendance records at Heinz field.

Say what you will about whether these guys are good coaches, but they are good guys. They don't deserve what they have gotten from Pitt fans and I just wonder if they ever could have realized how bad Pitt was.

Even when you find great coaches, is going to be hard to keep talent around when they get other opportunities. Western PA isn't anywhere close to the prep talent pipeline that it was 40 years ago, Pitt's fan base is small, revenue is bottom of the barrel even in good years, and a sizeable portion of the base is clearly delusional about Pitt's place in the world because they still think that it is the 1970s or 80s and has shown no tolerance for down cycles or off years. Honestly, Pitt has to worry about becoming viewed as a coaching graveyard. If Narduzzi, who was pretty universally respected, doesn't find better success here, it will may send a fairly bad message to the coaching fraternity about the difficulty of this job. And, no doubt, it is a fairly difficult job and certainly not viewed as a destination job.
 
Everyone talks about Western PA not being a talent pipeline for college football.
It isn't and it doesn't have to be if you're Pitt.

If a coach is relying on local connections to be a successful recruiter that coach isn't a good recruiter!

College coaches today must fill their staffs with coordinators and others who have recruiting connections in the HS football hotbeds i.e. FL, TX, OH, etc.

Regarding Pitt being a coaching graveyard? The Pitt admin is working hard to make this a reality! Once they get a good coach they make it difficult for that coach to max out his coaching potential by limiting comp for staff upgrades, hiring AD's who aren't transformational, and insisting Pitt play in an off campus oversized NFL stadium without helping out with tarping etc.
 
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I think they're both getting the on the job head coach training their careers needed as coordinators. So possibly yes, they know what they're getting into. It's not a bad deal for them, learn to become a Big 10 coach at Pitt instead of Toledo and get paid fairly well to do it.

The last two coaches we had here who probably viewed Pitt as a destination job, Walt and Wanny, we fired.
 
The sad reality many of our fans don't want to ace is our track record hiring head coaches isn't that bad. Our track record of signing quarterbacks isn't that bad either.

It's simply a hard place to win at. Pro sports town, poor attendance, average facilities, small budget for a power five, urban campus, a regional population that declined since its glory days, few boosters handing out shiny objects.
 
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Seeing how awful our fanbase is...Not showing for games and just brutalizing these guys when they lose makes me wonder if these guys ever could realize how tough it would be at Pitt. Everybody says these guys can't/couldn't recruit but look at the horrible atmosphere at Heinz Field. Narduzzi just told Lyke coaches are using the tarping conversation against Pitt in recruiting. Embarrassing! Of course we are going to lose recruits to Ped St and WVU with this bullshit. We had two 8 win years back to back in the past two year including wins over Ped St's best team in years and the eventual National Champion in Clemson. Yes two 8 win years in a row is progress for Pitt. But yet this year we have broken negative attendance records at Heinz field.

Say what you will about whether these guys are good coaches, but they are good guys. They don't deserve what they have gotten from Pitt fans and I just wonder if they ever could have realized how bad Pitt was.

Pitt's fan base is fine. We are a smallish school for P5 standards with smaller alumni numbers. Nobody complains about attendance at GT, BC, Min, Stanford, etc. The issue is stadium capacity, not attendance.

Coaches are going to use tarps or empty seats against us. If you can't sell past that then you need to move on. Whether Pitt tarps or not, it cannot continue to use 7OK seats. That is just idiotic. It needs close the upper deck endzone and the non-TV view upper deck to make a 45-48K capacity
 
Pitt's fan base is fine. We are a smallish school for P5 standards with smaller alumni numbers. Nobody complains about attendance at GT, BC, Min, Stanford, etc. The issue is stadium capacity, not attendance

1. georgia tech does have a hot ongoing attendance debate. google it.
2. minnesota and boston college are pretty bad football programs. they are not models to
emulate.
3. stanford is a unique situation. they are in the most populated and talent rich party of the country with the richest alumni base west of wall street and have a national recruiting appeal to academically oriented prep school players. we can't copy that.
 
Pitt's fan base is fine. We are a smallish school for P5 standards with smaller alumni numbers. Nobody complains about attendance at GT, BC, Min, Stanford, etc. The issue is stadium capacity, not attendance

1. georgia tech does have a hot ongoing attendance debate. google it.
2. minnesota and boston college are pretty bad football programs. they are not models to
emulate.
3. stanford is a unique situation. they are in the most populated and talent rich party of the country with the richest alumni base west of wall street and have a national recruiting appeal to academically oriented prep school players. we can't copy that.

And nobody goes to Stanford games.

If Lyke wants tarps and Narduzzi doesn't, compromise. No tarps but nobody upper deck endone and upper non-TV view sideline are closed forcing everyone into 45K available seats. 35K doesn't look bad with 45K available seats. It looks awful with 70K
 
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Stanford doesn't need attendance, they sell the fact you're going to be a millionaire if you graduate from there. Their alumni take care of their players after they graduate. And unlike Pitt, almost all of them do graduate. Considering we're a good school, too many former Panthers around here are seen behind a car wash counter.
 
Also compare Stanford's 2013 facility upgrades to our upgrade. Not close. Deep silicon valley pockets.

And fwiw they do fret over attendance too.
 
Seeing how awful our fanbase is...Not showing for games and just brutalizing these guys when they lose makes me wonder if these guys ever could realize how tough it would be at Pitt. Everybody says these guys can't/couldn't recruit but look at the horrible atmosphere at Heinz Field. Narduzzi just told Lyke coaches are using the tarping conversation against Pitt in recruiting. Embarrassing! Of course we are going to lose recruits to Ped St and WVU with this bullshit. We had two 8 win years back to back in the past two year including wins over Ped St's best team in years and the eventual National Champion in Clemson. Yes two 8 win years in a row is progress for Pitt. But yet this year we have broken negative attendance records at Heinz field.

Say what you will about whether these guys are good coaches, but they are good guys. They don't deserve what they have gotten from Pitt fans and I just wonder if they ever could have realized how bad Pitt was.
Ridiculous. Paul Chryst couldn't get a job to save his life before Pitt. Barry helped him greatly in greatly in getting the Pitt job. Plus PC knew it was basically an internship for him anyway. Narduzzi may not have known what he was getting into but the bottom line is he hasn't been doing a great job with actual coaching. So regardless of where Narduzzi would have ended up he still would have the same problems adapting his defense, adjusting in game, and managing the game.
 
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Other schools are using attendance against us already and have been for years. We have no other option, but to downsize Heinz. That is the best chance at improving the Gameday atmosphere. 45-50k in a 50k seat capacity is much better than 45-50k in a 68k seat facility.
 
Everyone talks about Western PA not being a talent pipeline for college football.
It isn't and it doesn't have to be if you're Pitt.

If a coach is relying on local connections to be a successful recruiter that coach isn't a good recruiter!

College coaches today must fill their staffs with coordinators and others who have recruiting connections in the HS football hotbeds i.e. FL, TX, OH, etc.

It really depends on what type of program you want to be. There aren't many examples of really good programs going as far as Pitt to TX, Pitt to FL, to recruit.
Jobs are largely judged based on how good the talent pool is surrounding your area. Listen to people talk about the current Tenn. job opening, and where it ranks. One of the first things brought up is the talent level in state, and how you have to go to the south east and steal recruits away from the more centrally located southern teams.
 
Other schools are using attendance against us already and have been for years. We have no other option, but to downsize Heinz. That is the best chance at improving the Gameday atmosphere. 45-50k in a 50k seat capacity is much better than 45-50k in a 68k seat facility.

Exactly right.

Quite frankly....I'm a little surprised that Narduzzi is upset about tarping.

It sucks.....but it can't be worse than a sea of yellow
 
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Seeing how awful our fanbase is...Not showing for games and just brutalizing these guys when they lose makes me wonder if these guys ever could realize how tough it would be at Pitt. Everybody says these guys can't/couldn't recruit but look at the horrible atmosphere at Heinz Field. Narduzzi just told Lyke coaches are using the tarping conversation against Pitt in recruiting. Embarrassing! Of course we are going to lose recruits to Ped St and WVU with this bullshit. We had two 8 win years back to back in the past two year including wins over Ped St's best team in years and the eventual National Champion in Clemson. Yes two 8 win years in a row is progress for Pitt. But yet this year we have broken negative attendance records at Heinz field.

Say what you will about whether these guys are good coaches, but they are good guys. They don't deserve what they have gotten from Pitt fans and I just wonder if they ever could have realized how bad Pitt was.
You're awful.
I'm not.
 
Ridiculous. Paul Chryst couldn't get a job to save his life before Pitt. Barry helped him greatly in greatly in getting the Pitt job. Plus PC knew it was basically an internship for him anyway. Narduzzi may not have known what he was getting into but the bottom line is he hasn't been doing a great job with actual coaching. So regardless of where Narduzzi would have ended up he still would have the same problems adapting his defense, adjusting in game, and managing the game.

What? Chryst turned down the Purdue HC job the year before he took over at Pitt. He also turned down multiple NFL coordinator positions, most famously the Cowboys because he didn't want his daughter to have to move for her senior year. He had plenty of opportunities to move up.

I also don't get the logic behind the 'internship' line of thinking regarding PC and Alvarez. There was absolutely no way that either of them thought that Bielema would ever leave, let alone that Gary Andersen would be gone after two years too. In fact Barry didn't offer PC the job when he was the obvious and only candidate the fan base wanted to take over after 2Bs left because he said it wouldn't be fair to Pitt. He did not need to do that, but out of respect for your program he went with his second choice to the detriment of his own. Do you really believe that Alvarez thought his replacement hire was going to be a total washout after a couple years and he would just go get Chryst then? Andersen was a hot up and coming name when he was hired and everyone around the program thought he would be a lifer. Obviously in hindsight that looks ridiculous, but at the time we all loved the hire and were content to root on our native son from afar.

After losing two coaches unexpectedly after 3 years, there was only one option and PC followed his heart. There is no conspiracy there, just an unfortunate set of circumstances.
 
I don't think they knew. Coaches = EGO's and can handle what's thrown at them.
Chryst may have had ol Barry tell him what to expect and the Duzz may have felt he was ready but once those camera's and questions are coming your way and all the glad handing you have to do plus manage a coaching staff Reality HITS.

The tarp idea maybe good in theory however, still everyone knows what's under them. Unless it advertising to get money for the program feel it's wasted dollars.

I wish for a competitive program that can consistently be a top 25 team. Rather support Duzz and this admin and get things going. When was the last time Nebraska or TN consistent or for that matter Miami? more then 3 years in top 25 over the past 10 years?
 
Pitt administration has decided the value of the job today , thinking any different is fantasy
 
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I can't answer whether PC and PN knew it would be this bad.

But I am convinced that is precisely why Graham left.

Guy gets PITT to pay him.....gets here and realizes it's a black hole career killer.

Give me a break. What a whiner.

Check out Tennessee if you want to see a miserable fan base....there twitter and message boards have been pretty entertaining this year.
 
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What? Chryst turned down the Purdue HC job the year before he took over at Pitt. He also turned down multiple NFL coordinator positions, most famously the Cowboys because he didn't want his daughter to have to move for her senior year. He had plenty of opportunities to move up.

I also don't get the logic behind the 'internship' line of thinking regarding PC and Alvarez. There was absolutely no way that either of them thought that Bielema would ever leave, let alone that Gary Andersen would be gone after two years too. In fact Barry didn't offer PC the job when he was the obvious and only candidate the fan base wanted to take over after 2Bs left because he said it wouldn't be fair to Pitt. He did not need to do that, but out of respect for your program he went with his second choice to the detriment of his own. Do you really believe that Alvarez thought his replacement hire was going to be a total washout after a couple years and he would just go get Chryst then? Andersen was a hot up and coming name when he was hired and everyone around the program thought he would be a lifer. Obviously in hindsight that looks ridiculous, but at the time we all loved the hire and were content to root on our native son from afar.

After losing two coaches unexpectedly after 3 years, there was only one option and PC followed his heart. There is no conspiracy there, just an unfortunate set of circumstances.

This is very enlightening, but you are dealing on a thread of Pitt trolls here. I liked Chryst, didnt think he was very good here, but he wasnt bad either, just kinda dull, not very charismatic. But, he could recruit Olinemen, which is great. defense was left in shambles though, and no QBs
 
This is very enlightening, but you are dealing on a thread of Pitt trolls here. I liked Chryst, didnt think he was very good here, but he wasnt bad either, just kinda dull, not very charismatic. But, he could recruit Olinemen, which is great. defense was left in shambles though, and no QBs

true. The definition of average here. 19-19 says it all. Could have done better, could have done worse than Chryst.

I'm truly surprised by the success he is having. I really didn't think he had it in him. He walked into a good situation, however. But so did Foge and he screwed it all to hell so there's something to be said about that.
 
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Pitt could be a big winner if it choose to be, they are embarrassed to have a top program , as history proves me right and you all that say, poor pitt, we have to stink, are foolish and know nothing. Pitt loves you types, useful idiots , like Pirate Homers , no different
 
yeah, but its worked out for alot.....
Walt- got a job at fricking Stanford hired by Bill Walsh nonetheless
Steve-his dream job a Nebraska
Long-an SEC gig
Paul-had like zero pressure here and got dream job at Wisc
Todd-P5 job and raise in sunny weather for wife
Even Barnes-P5 job closer to ill family
Canada-SEC 1m as a coord
so....
 
Give me a break. What a whiner.

Check out Tennessee if you want to see a miserable fan base....there twitter and message boards have been pretty entertaining this year.


Tell me something bro......

Where in my post is there one word of whining? Of complaining?

With all of the posts on this board....complaining about yellow seats.....the wrong blue jerseys....no commitment from the administration.....no commitment from the fans.....

How do u possibly find "whining" in my comment??

Graham left....I stated why. But nowhere did I piss and moan about his departure....

Weak weak effort.....
 
Tell me something bro......

Where in my post is there one word of whining
? Of complaining?

With all of the posts on this board....complaining about yellow seats.....the wrong blue jerseys....no commitment from the administration.....no commitment from the fans.....

How do u possibly find "whining" in my comment??

Graham left....I stated why. But nowhere did I piss and moan about his departure....

Weak weak effort.....


"I can't answer whether PC and PN knew it would be this bad"

This bad??? Never having less than 5 wins in 20 years. Great facilities, association with the Steelers, tradition, putting players in the NFL.

I dunno Ace, sure sounds like a whine to me.
 
"I can't answer whether PC and PN knew it would be this bad"

This bad??? Never having less than 5 wins in 20 years. Great facilities, association with the Steelers, tradition, putting players in the NFL.

I dunno Ace, sure sounds like a whine to me.

Slick, are you really using this as an argument?
 
PSU, Michigan, ND, etc. can't say the same thing. There were no total disastrous seasons like hackets 1990 or 1992 campaigns. So yeah, things werent "so bad"


well.....come Friday afternoon this ridiculous statement of yours will fall by the wayside

Then what utterly useless argument are you going to make to fluff up Pitt football?

This program has been and will continue to be mediocre. You need to accept reality. You will live a much happier stress free life.

Breathe...slick....breathe....
 
well.....come Friday afternoon this ridiculous statement of yours will fall by the wayside

Then what utterly useless argument are you going to make to fluff up Pitt football?

This program has been and will continue to be mediocre. You need to accept reality. You will live a much happier stress free life.

Breathe...slick....breathe....

Never said it wasn't mediocre. I was replying to the poster that said it was "so bad", which it isn't. You think this stretch is bad bubba? Far from it, after suffering through the 90's, the 1984 season, etc. Facilities that were a joke. That's bad. Big difference with mediocre.
 
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Never said it wasn't mediocre. I was replying to the poster that said it was "so bad", which it isn't. You think this stretch is bad bubba? Far from it, after suffering through the 90's, the 1984 season, etc. Facilities that were a joke. That's bad. Big difference with mediocre.
You might take a look at the Dave Hart fiasco in 1966, 67 and 68 with a grand total of 3 wins over a three year period. I think the game clock at some of the opponents stadiums are still running regardless if it is an inc pass, out of bounds play, time out etc.. I can still see Bill Wolski for ND running for 6 TD's at the stadium, pass the Tums please.
 
Pitt’s attendance problem is its Alumni. Since 1960 Pitt graduated a half a million alums with one familiar member attending this represents a million people who could go to the games. Target 10 percent of that base and you have 100,000 serious potentials game goers. Instead of 10% let’s use 5% or 50,000 possible alum attendees.

There are over 5,000 former Pitt players, which are high prospects to attend games. Add one family member to this target audience and you have total targeted audience of former players and family members of 10,000 attendees. Let’s say 4,000 of these should attend games.

There are 35,000 active students, at least half should go to games but let’s target 30% who should attend games or 10,500 attendees.

If someone ever did a real demographic of Pitt game goers I would bet it would show at least 30% of today’s attendees are not alums. Accounting for 10,000 attendees.

I known this exercise is not percise but it does get one thinking on how to wake up Pitt's sleeping Alumni base.
 
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Give me a break. What a whiner.

Check out Tennessee if you want to see a miserable fan base....there twitter and message boards have been pretty entertaining this year.
The difference is Tennessee has about 100k fans at every game. They also have won in their recent history unlike Pitt. Pitt fans don't show up to games and then want every coach fired when they don't recruit and win.
 
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Pitt’s attendance problem is its Alumni. Since 1960 Pitt graduated a half a million alums with one familiar member attending this represents a million people who could go to the games. Target 10 percent of that base and you have 100,000 serious potentials game goers. Instead of 10% let’s use 5% or 50,000 possible alum attendees.

There are over 5,000 former Pitt players, which are high prospects to attend games. Add one family member to this target audience and you have total targeted audience of former players and family members of 10,000 attendees. Let’s say 4,000 of these should attend games.

There are 35,000 active students, at least half should go to games but let’s target 30% who should attend games or 10,500 attendees.

If someone ever did a real demographic of Pitt game goers I would bet it would show at least 30% of today’s attendees are not alums. Accounting for 10,000 attendees.

I known this exercise is not percise but it does get one thinking on how to wake up Pitt's sleeping Alumni base.


BINGO! Send this to Lyke and Gallagher!!
 
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