Not much going on at work, a few thoughts before the big weekend and Pitt's game on Monday:
1. If there was ever a team that did not want to be in NYC on a cold day it was the Miami Hurricanes yesterday. Talk about about no effort. I understand your missing two big defensive players but fact is that team did not want to be on the field. Pretty brutal performance.
2. It is funny how we get so attached to players that somehow we think it's their birthright to come in and start. Paris Ford was a game changer, a big time recruit with all those stars. It must be the coaching staffs fault for not playing him. What do the coaches know? I mean when I was covering those Pitt teams for the Pitt news I remember one lb complaining to me off the record that it's politics that he wasn't playing. This player, who was highly recruited, swore he was better than the guys in front of him. Sherrill was partial to the Southern players he told me. One problem the guys in front of him were Rickey Jackson, NFL HOF and Hugh Green, maybe the greatest college def player of the 20th century. I choose to trust the coaches on who gets on the field and who doesn't, high school reputation aside.
3. BTW while I'm at it it's not like the Star System by these recruiting sites are exactly accurate. How many big name players are transferring out when they don't play? I mean a 5 star QB from UGA is transferring after his freshman season and do we even know if he's any good? Such is cfb today. How many 5 and 4 star guys are busts? It's just the nature of the sport.
4. I think the Sun Bowl is not very important in the scheme of things but I am looking forward to seeing if Pickett and the Pitt offense can actually pass the ball. If we have another lame performance I don't know how you don't have open competition for the QB job coming into the spring? Yes the schemes need to be better, and the protection needs to improve but so does the qb play.
5. I'd love to see some of the Linemen that are scheduled to play next year get a series or two in this game.
6. RIP Bill Fralic. I remember seeing that dark red neck roll downfield destroying people. A generational cfb offensive lineman. But as talented as he was I firmly that Offensive Linemen are not born but taught. Pitt had the legendary Joe Moore back then and he took a converted DL in Jimbo Covert, a converted QB in Russ Grim and turned them into All-Pros. No small feat. More than any other position on the field a good OL coach can do wonders.
7. Love Clemson tomorrow. I just think the matchups are in their favor only thing that might swing it if Lawrence plays like a freshman and shows some nerves. But even without Wilkins I think Clemson wins easily. I'm not sure about OKL/Bama. Smart money says take Saban with so much time to prepare but frankly OKL offense is so dynamic that it's making me nervous. Watch to see if Murray is pressured early in the game. Gonna pick Bama in a closer than expected game.
8. Zero feel for our game. Narduzzi hasn't been great in bowl games so not sure what to expect. The Morissey injury has really hurt this OL, but hopefully almost a month to prepare will help. Just not sure what to expect. ACC Coastal hasn't exactly lit it up so far so while maybe that's not a barometer it does say something.
9. the NFL has slowly become unwatchable to me. The amount of penalties and bad refs along with the endless stops is really denigrating the product. I used to be a huge NFL fan but there's no question cfb for me is more enjoyable. The refs are still bad in cfb as well but the game just moves at a better pace. My personal opinion.
To all in Panther Nation have a happy and healthy New Year! H2P.
Pitt82
1. If there was ever a team that did not want to be in NYC on a cold day it was the Miami Hurricanes yesterday. Talk about about no effort. I understand your missing two big defensive players but fact is that team did not want to be on the field. Pretty brutal performance.
2. It is funny how we get so attached to players that somehow we think it's their birthright to come in and start. Paris Ford was a game changer, a big time recruit with all those stars. It must be the coaching staffs fault for not playing him. What do the coaches know? I mean when I was covering those Pitt teams for the Pitt news I remember one lb complaining to me off the record that it's politics that he wasn't playing. This player, who was highly recruited, swore he was better than the guys in front of him. Sherrill was partial to the Southern players he told me. One problem the guys in front of him were Rickey Jackson, NFL HOF and Hugh Green, maybe the greatest college def player of the 20th century. I choose to trust the coaches on who gets on the field and who doesn't, high school reputation aside.
3. BTW while I'm at it it's not like the Star System by these recruiting sites are exactly accurate. How many big name players are transferring out when they don't play? I mean a 5 star QB from UGA is transferring after his freshman season and do we even know if he's any good? Such is cfb today. How many 5 and 4 star guys are busts? It's just the nature of the sport.
4. I think the Sun Bowl is not very important in the scheme of things but I am looking forward to seeing if Pickett and the Pitt offense can actually pass the ball. If we have another lame performance I don't know how you don't have open competition for the QB job coming into the spring? Yes the schemes need to be better, and the protection needs to improve but so does the qb play.
5. I'd love to see some of the Linemen that are scheduled to play next year get a series or two in this game.
6. RIP Bill Fralic. I remember seeing that dark red neck roll downfield destroying people. A generational cfb offensive lineman. But as talented as he was I firmly that Offensive Linemen are not born but taught. Pitt had the legendary Joe Moore back then and he took a converted DL in Jimbo Covert, a converted QB in Russ Grim and turned them into All-Pros. No small feat. More than any other position on the field a good OL coach can do wonders.
7. Love Clemson tomorrow. I just think the matchups are in their favor only thing that might swing it if Lawrence plays like a freshman and shows some nerves. But even without Wilkins I think Clemson wins easily. I'm not sure about OKL/Bama. Smart money says take Saban with so much time to prepare but frankly OKL offense is so dynamic that it's making me nervous. Watch to see if Murray is pressured early in the game. Gonna pick Bama in a closer than expected game.
8. Zero feel for our game. Narduzzi hasn't been great in bowl games so not sure what to expect. The Morissey injury has really hurt this OL, but hopefully almost a month to prepare will help. Just not sure what to expect. ACC Coastal hasn't exactly lit it up so far so while maybe that's not a barometer it does say something.
9. the NFL has slowly become unwatchable to me. The amount of penalties and bad refs along with the endless stops is really denigrating the product. I used to be a huge NFL fan but there's no question cfb for me is more enjoyable. The refs are still bad in cfb as well but the game just moves at a better pace. My personal opinion.
To all in Panther Nation have a happy and healthy New Year! H2P.
Pitt82
