Here is What Should Have Been Asked in the Presser

[counselor10]

Reporter: Coach, you are down 7, at the one yard line with 5-6 minutes left? Why not go for it to tie the game?

Moron: Because we need 2 scores anyway!

Reporter: Huh?, coach, so your assuming you make the field goal, and can hold them and have to score a touchdown to win????? Right coach? We know it's 2 scores because if you went for it and tied the game, and you went to OT, then technically you are right. The decision you made, to kick the FG (regardless of you making it or not) you still have to hopefully get the ball back, and maybe go 80 or 90 yards with ZERO timeouts because you are a horrible game manager.

Moron: You still need two scores..................

Report: Again, if you tie the game with a TD. if you can't get a yard there, how do you expect to go 80 yards in 2 minutes with no timeouts????

Moron: We still need two scores.

You get my point. A High School coach would have gone for 7 there to try and tie the game. If you don't you have a chance to hold them on downs and have a shorter field to tie the game with a TD. Not to mention you don't give your offense any trust of getting in the endzone. Regardless of how you love your kids or not!

Just dont get it.

 

[HailToPitt1985]

I don't know what happened because I didn't watch the game or listen to it. But from what I've had the chance to read, which isn't much, it was a bonehead decision by a dumb, stubborn coach. It seems that the 2 coaches on the sidelines today would be strong contenders for the dumbest coaches in college football at any level.

 

[pittmeister]

Think about this for a second... He was out coached by Franklin... I’ll bet that doesn’t happen often, if at all...

 

[FieldHouse12]

OK smartguys, who do you get to come to Pitt to be his successor ?

 

[DiehardPanther]

Think about this for a second... He was out coached by Franklin... I’ll bet that doesn’t happen often, if at all...

No he wasn’t. Franklin had far more talent and should have smoked us.

 

[BFo8]

OK smartguys, who do you get to come to Pitt to be his successor ?

Whoever it is will probably win between 5-8 games every year, seems to be a trend for Pitt.

His arrogance is troubling, as is his proclivity to continually make these kind of mistakes. There are a lot of things he does well as a head coach, but down and distance/clock management isn’t one of them.

 

[wicker]

Took a one-possession game and tried to keep it that way

 

[buckage]

OK smartguys, who do you get to come to Pitt to be his successor ?

I will let Heather Lyke decide.

 

[revampedpanthers]

Think about this for a second... He was out coached by Franklin... I’ll bet that doesn’t happen often, if at all...

God some of you guys are so stupid. So on was outcoached by a coach whose team was favored by 17.5 points playing at home with a roster of 4 and 5 star players

 

[revampedpanthers]

No he wasn’t. Franklin had far more talent and should have smoked us.

They completely outcoached PSU. Yes he made one bad decision to not go for it on 4th down, but psu was a 17.5 favorite playing at home

 

[HailtoPitt]

OK smartguys, who do you get to come to Pitt to be his successor ?

They can't replace him. Should have hired Mike Leach before be went to WSU.

 

[UPitt '89]

OK smartguys, who do you get to come to Pitt to be his successor ?

Don't fire Narduzzi.

Just put the timeout management, clock management, and critical thinking decisions in someone's hands who has a modicum of math skills.

 

[BFo8]

They completely outcoached PSU. Yes he made one bad decision to not go for it on 4th down, but psu was a 17.5 favorite playing at home

That still doesn’t excuse that this is the second game in a row he’s made an inexcusable blunder. This team isn’t good enough to continually overcome these kind of mistakes.

This is his 5th year as a head coach, there is no excuse for these things.

 

[DiehardPanther]

Don't fire Narduzzi.

Just put the timeout management, clock management, and critical thinking decisions in someone's hands who has a modicum of math skills.

Maybe they did and Whipple is his go to guy. Whipple suggested kicking the FG.

 

[pittmeister]

God some of you guys are so stupid. So on was outcoached by a coach whose team was favored by 17.5 points playing at home with a roster of 4 and 5 star players

Not stupid at all. What’s the use of putting together a great game plan, have great performance by your QB, have the defense play stout, if at the most important point of the game you make a decision that costs you a chance to win? Game day decisions are the essence of coaching...

Some of you guys need to stop making excuses. It’s all about VICTORIES. It’s about finishing the job.

 

[pittizit]

OK smartguys, who do you get to come to Pitt to be his successor ?

Temple coach or UCF coach to name a few

 

[DiehardPanther]

Not stupid at all. What’s the use of putting together a great game plan, have great performance by your QB, have the defense play stout, if at the most important point of the game you make a decision that costs you a chance to win? Game day decisions are the essence of coaching...

Some of you guys need to stop making excuses. It’s all about VICTORIES. It’s about finishing the job.

I didn’t like the call, but it didn’t cost us the game. If he makes the FG, then we have about 3 mins left and the ball around the 35 yard line. The score is 17-13, and we are going for the game winning TD.

 

[gary2]

I didn’t like the call, but it didn’t cost us the game. If he makes the FG, then we have about 3 mins left and the ball around the 35 yard line. The score is 17-13, and we are going for the game winning TD.

How do you get from making the FG to

3 mins left and us having the ball on the 35 (our?) yard Line?

Assume we kick off into the end zone and they get it at the 25. What happens next? Can you reasonably guarantee what happens next?

My best guess is that PSU continues to get the ball out quick into the flat and gets a first down.

 

[pittmeister]

I didn’t like the call, but it didn’t cost us the game. If he makes the FG, then we have about 3 mins left and the ball around the 35 yard line. The score is 17-13, and we are going for the game winning TD.

Absolutely wrong.

Based on what I saw in the game, there was a very good chance we would not get that close to the goal line the rest of the game. The entire sequence of calls were pathetic.

Narduzzi talks bravado all the time about winning. You have a chance to tie the game and you decide to kick a FG.

Again, coaches are paid the big bucks to make critical game day decisions. He made the wrong decision and everyone knows it. He was put in a position to tie and possibly win the game at the end. The decision cost us a chance to win.

 

[DiehardPanther]

How do you get from making the FG to

3 mins left and us having the ball on the 35 (our?) yard Line?

Assume we kick off into the end zone and they get it at the 25. What happens next? Can you reasonably guarantee what happens next?

My best guess is that PSU continues to get the ball out quick into the flat and gets a first down.

Hamler had been returning everything and they started between the 13 and 23 yard line. 3 and out. 40 yard net on the punt. Feel free to move the ball back to the 30 if that makes a difference.

Franklin wasn’t running the ball on all 3 downs and we had a TO. We would have actually had closer to 3 and half mins.

 

[gary2]

Hamler had been returning everything and they started between the 13 and 23 yard line. 3 and out. 40 yard net on the punt. Feel free to move the ball back to the 30 if that makes a difference.

Franklin wasn’t running the ball on all 3 downs and we had a TO. We would have actually had closer to 3 and half mins.

Whenever their QB was not greedy and missed on a long throw, or didn't miss on a first down pass or didn't take a sack they converted. Every time PSU was patient and made the simple play they converted.

That was the difference between their first half and a lot of their second half.

We do not play bubble screens or passes to the flat well. We are too far off and don't tackle well.

 

[UPitt '89]

I didn’t like the call, but it didn’t cost us the game. If he makes the FG, then we have about 3 mins left and the ball around the 35 yard line. The score is 17-13, and we are going for the game winning TD.

Why would we have the ball at the 35 with 3 mins left if he makes rhe FG, but not if he misses the FG?

PSU gets the ball at the 20-25 whether we make or miss FG.

Your post makes no sense.

 

[Phillypanther2]

OK smartguys, who do you get to come to Pitt to be his successor ?

Are you kidding. The coach made a decision that was beyond stupid that may have cost us the game, and we’re wrong to criticize him.
Maybe we should give him an extension because we only lost by 7 to PSU. If we can win 7 games this year, maybe a guaranteed lifetime contract.

 

[UPitt '89]

Hamler had been returning everything and they started between the 13 and 23 yard line. 3 and out. 40 yard net on the punt. Feel free to move the ball back to the 30 if that makes a difference.

Franklin wasn’t running the ball on all 3 downs and we had a TO. We would have actually had closer to 3 and half mins.

Um... PSU got the ball at the 20 with the FG miss. They wouldve gotten it between the 13 and 23 with a FG make, roughly the same.

The ensuing sequence of plays wouldve been the same with a 17-13 score as it was with a 17-10 score.

From the perspective of where and when Pitt got the ball back, it was immaterial whether the FG was good or not.

 

[pittiswhereiamfrom2]

Or you could get a touchdown. Tie the game and still stop them and go for the win.

If you don’t get the TD you still need a TD.

If you want to go for the win... go for 2.

 

[DiehardPanther]

Why would we have the ball at the 35 with 3 mins left if he makes rhe FG, but not if he misses the FG?

PSU gets the ball at the 20-25 whether we make or miss FG.

Your post makes no sense.

I would have gone for it. Let’s establish that. But the difference is we are driving for the game winning TD with the score 17-13 versus down 17-10 and trying to tie the score. There would have been plenty of time on the clock with us trying to win the game 20-17.

 

[UPitt '89]

I would have gone for it. Let’s establish that. But the difference is we are driving for the game winning TD with the score 17-13 versus down 17-10 and trying to tie the score. There would have been plenty of time on the clock with us trying to win the game 20-17.

There would have been exactly the same amount of time when we got the ball back. The FG being missed or made didn't impact the clock.

In fact, there would have been about 5 or 10 less seconds if PSU had a kick return after the made FG.

 

[UPitt '89]

I would have gone for it. Let’s establish that. But the difference is we are driving for the game winning TD with the score 17-13 versus down 17-10 and trying to tie the score. There would have been plenty of time on the clock with us trying to win the game 20-17.

And driving for a winning touchdown from 80 yards and 1:56 left is exactly as difficult as driving for a tying touchdown from 80 yards with 1:56 left.

 

[superstein61a]

They completely outcoached PSU. Yes he made one bad decision to not go for it on 4th down, but psu was a 17.5 favorite playing at home

Exactly. Narduzzi, Whipple and Bates had a great game plan. Put the team that no one gave a chance in a position to win. Yes, not going for it on 4th and 1 was a really boneheaded call. But it was one call. No coach is perfect

 

[UPitt '89]

Exactly. Narduzzi, Whipple and Bates had a great game plan. Put the team that no one gave a chance in a position to win. Yes, not going for it on 4th and 1 was a really boneheaded call. But it was one call. No coach is perfect

One call at a high leverage high impact point in the game is more important than the same call made in the first half.

One call... when it is at that point in the game, is more important to the outcome than a boneheaded move in the first quarter.

 

[DiehardPanther]

There would have been exactly the same amount of time when we got the ball back. The FG being missed or made didn't impact the clock.

In fact, there would have been about 5 or 10 less seconds if PSU had a kick return after the made FG.

We had 3 shots and couldn’t get in. We got stuffed in the 1st half as well. Kessman missed a 19 yard FG, and their guy made a 57 yarder. Thinking Kessman would make any kick at the juncture would be a losing proposition. Guess what - their Jimmys and Joe’s made more plays. We can toss in missed tackles, dropped passes, and missed blocks as well. Blaming this loss on coaching is wrong IMO.

 

[9nationalchampionships]

We looked terrible on the 1st three attempts! Put Conner, Hall or Ollison on this team and we would have won by 2 TDs. We do not have a thumper right now!

 

[UPitt '89]

We had 3 shots and couldn’t get in. We got stuffed in the 1st half as well. Kessman missed a 19 yard FG, and their guy made a 57 yarder. Guess what - their Jimmys and Joe’s made more plays. We can toss in missed tackles, dropped passes, and missed blocks as well. Blaming this loss on coaching is wrong IMO.

The Pitt "Jimmys and Joes" put Narduzzi in a position to win the game. And he blew the opportunity.

 

[BFo8]

Exactly. Narduzzi, Whipple and Bates had a great game plan. Put the team that no one gave a chance in a position to win. Yes, not going for it on 4th and 1 was a really boneheaded call. But it was one call. No coach is perfect

It wasn’t one call. Add in the stupid timeout for the punt in the 1st half as well. Might as well toss in the declining the penalty last week also.

It gives the impression that this guy doesn’t know what he’s doing.

 

[gary2]

It wasn’t one call. Add in the stupid timeout for the punt in the 1st half as well. Might as well toss in the declining the penalty last week also.

It gives the impression that this guy doesn’t know what he’s doing.

He was very bad early in his first year, then seemed to get better. Now he seems worse. This has nothing to do with getting experience as a head coach. This has to do with having an identity. Knowing who you are. Having a feel for the game.Narduzzi does not have that.

Ask yourself, imagine yourself the coach. How many decisions in all the games over all the years, did you have any indecision on the proper move to make? My guess those hesitations would amount to around 5%.

 

[superstein61a]

It wasn’t one call. Add in the stupid timeout for the punt in the 1st half as well. Might as well toss in the declining the penalty last week also.

It gives the impression that this guy doesn’t know what he’s doing.

The timeout that was meaningless and had zero impact on the result? Ok whatever.

 

[4Mark_Marty]

Don't fire Narduzzi.

Just put the timeout management, clock management, and critical thinking decisions in someone's hands who has a modicum of math skills.

There are so many math nerds at Pitt now. Take your pick.

 

[BFo8]

The timeout that was meaningless and had zero impact on the result? Ok whatever.

We didn’t know that at the time, Pitt may have needed that timeout at the end of the half to score points.

Just because it didn’t end up hurting them doesn’t make it any less stupid.

 

[gary2]

The timeout that was meaningless and had zero impact on the result? Ok whatever.

Narduzzi frequently uses timeouts in unusual ways. A lot of people would say he wastes timeouts.

He uses a lot of timeouts on defense for big third down plays. I have no problem with that.

He uses timeouts on other teams fourth down plays. That has worked to his advantage several times when the opponent changed their mind and punted or kicked a FG.

He also uses timeouts at times for no apparent reason.

No one would confuse Narduzzi with any kind of truly strategic coach.

 

[DiehardPanther]

And driving for a winning touchdown from 80 yards and 1:56 left is exactly as difficult as driving for a tying touchdown from 80 yards with 1:56 left.

We would have had a lot more time left if PS was forced into a 3 and out. Plenty of time to score the game winning TD.