I could be wrong but it seems to me that a window has opened in the PN era. I sense that Pitt has a shot to get over the proverbial hump and get to the fabled next level. These next 15 games and next two recruiting classes will go a long way to determining PN success or failure at Pitt. If they can go at least 2-1 the rest of the way this year there is a chance they end up ranked at the end of the season and would likely be ranked to start next year. Win the next two and the bowl game and they could start the year next season in the top 10. Finish up what appears to be pn best recruiting class and it's a major building block for the future and if they can be in the top 25 it should make next year's class, already off to a good start, even better than this one.
I sense a window
- Thread starter revampedpanthers
- Start date
I think preseason top 10 may be a little strong, and I expect a decommit or two, but the premise of the OP is accurate.
PN has put Pitt in a very intriguing position.
Let's beat Va Tech sat and keep building.
PN has put Pitt in a very intriguing position.
Let's beat Va Tech sat and keep building.
If and it's a big if but if they win out they are likely around 15 to end the season, this is assuming they don't play Clemson in the championship game. They are likely to return a ton of guys on offense and defense so I think top 10 is definitely a possibility
We aren’t going to be a lock to start next season in the preseason Top 3 in the Coastal, let alone preseason Top 10 nationally.
That’s not to say anything about where we should be objectively or anything like that. But UNC, Miami, and VT are going to return their entire teams plus QBs with much higher ceilings, and the national media is going to jump onto that.
That’s not to say anything about where we should be objectively or anything like that. But UNC, Miami, and VT are going to return their entire teams plus QBs with much higher ceilings, and the national media is going to jump onto that.
Well we have definitely gotten to that next proverbial level under PN, from the 6-7 chryst era anyways.
two years with 8 regular season wins, probsbly a third here soon, another year with a coastal crown. We’ve definitely taken the next step from chryst. Now we have a chance to take it one more.
two years with 8 regular season wins, probsbly a third here soon, another year with a coastal crown. We’ve definitely taken the next step from chryst. Now we have a chance to take it one more.
You know I hate getting my hopes up and I usually don't care about rankings until the end of the season, well guess what , It is the end of the season and this is a huge game. Would love to win these last two and finally get a bowl win for Duzz.
Its starts Saturday. Lets see what this team is made of.
Its starts Saturday. Lets see what this team is made of.
The top 10 will be usual suspects not named Pitt. Frankly, the voters are voting off of popularity and whatever some clowns on ESPN tell them to think.
It doesn't matter that Pitt does this year-- they won't be in any preseason rankings.
I thought beating UNC was the barometer? Or was it Miami? Maybe it's beating the neutered chickens? It's so hard to keep this straight.
The preseason narrative next year in the Coastal is going to be, “The Return of the QB.”
And you’re going to see a ton of articles written about the 3 freshmen QBs that grew and got better as the season went on. And how they are ready to lead their teams. And how these teams return essentially everybody and are locked and loaded to make some noise behind their young studs.
Pitt will be included in the preseason conversation, but that narrative is going to dominate, and Pitt won’t be included in that narrative. And those teams are going to get a lot of the preseason hype in the Coastal.
And you’re going to see a ton of articles written about the 3 freshmen QBs that grew and got better as the season went on. And how they are ready to lead their teams. And how these teams return essentially everybody and are locked and loaded to make some noise behind their young studs.
Pitt will be included in the preseason conversation, but that narrative is going to dominate, and Pitt won’t be included in that narrative. And those teams are going to get a lot of the preseason hype in the Coastal.
Lol, some of these trolls will keep moving the bar back on narduzzi. It was beating unc but now it’s something else.
some pitt fans just wont admit it and they’ll just keep moving the finish line further and further til we lose and then they will come out and say “I told you so.”
Only chance of a preseason top 10 ranking next season would be Pitt wins the Coastal AND beats Clemson in the title game. Not gonna happen.
yeah, I know we beat Clemson against all odds in 2016. That was with a team that scored 45 ppg.. And Pitt can't beat Clemson this year with good defense and this offense.
That said, top 10 versus top 20, who cares? I think a preseason top 20 ranking would be a big step for this program and most would be plenty happy with that.
interesting, guess we'll see first hand on Hooker tomorrow.. if pickett finishes season strong, i think he'll get some good national press. i get your point though, the freshmen angle is a bit more appealing of a story..
I am not on of those trolls. I just sense we are looking at a opportunity to finally get to a spot we have dreamed about. I honestly didn't know if they could and it is still not likely but I can see a path. We should have a pretty darn good team next year and if we can finish strong this year it sets up next season to be the best one in a long time. I also see recruiting picking up. If they can stack a couple of really good classes together it could push us over the top of the hill. If we don't get there now the chances of getting there diminish greatly. 2021 is going to be a bit of a rebuild year. Tough to recruit well when you don't have success to point to.
Next year we’ll have a great chance. We bring everyone back + Camp and Weaver and the schedule is a bit easier. Hopefully we can finish this year strong first!
So I guess you are saying UNC, Miami, and VT have no starters this season that are going to graduate and move on. That seems highly unlikely if not down right false.
I agree his next season and class are critical. Less convinced the next two games matter much, unless we got a ton of luck and snuck into an Orange Bowl and finally won a bowl game. Then the next two would, sure.
Of course being a Pitt fan I expect to lose a bizarre defacto division championship game against Miami next year on a hail marry, followed by Narduzzi immediately accepting a job offer to take over Michigan State.
Of course being a Pitt fan I expect to lose a bizarre defacto division championship game against Miami next year on a hail marry, followed by Narduzzi immediately accepting a job offer to take over Michigan State.
The coastal next year will no longer be a joke.
The top 4 teams in the coastal all have Top 20 ability as long as everyone comes back and no one is hit by injuries.
Pitt only losses 4 starters. Add Weaver and Camp to the defensive line. Our defense has a chance to be as good if not better next year. On offense. We get the entire line back. A returning QB who is going to have the same offensive coordinator which is huge. Sounds to me like a Top 25 team.
ADD Miami, VT , UNC with most of their top players coming back. The coastal is going to be a pretty good conference next year.
You got to figure Virginia takes a step back losing Perkins.
No way any of those QBs top KP next year. Under Whipple KP continues to improve to his best game ever last week.
Next year KP has a better line Wide outs and backs I would speculate the O will match the D to some extent.
Nobody will want to play Pitt next year.
There was a lot of preseason talk about THIS season being the barometer. Then the UNC game was do-or-die. Was having a little fun at your expense but not calling you out.
Connelly has the defense 7th in the country based on the analytics. It’s hard to improve upon that, if for no reason than you’re already at the top. I’d settle for maintaining it next year.
offensively I don’t really buy it. If you told me Pitt can bring back this OL and QB, or I could do a blind random trade, I’d take the trade. I think the WRs maybe have some decent projection to them going forward. But KP is what he is. And the OL seems like the same thing. I don’t see a ton of projection in them.
Which is probably where we get hit in the Coastal rankings next year preseason. If Miami, Pitt, and VT are all essentially the same team in quality right now. You’d go with the younger teams with higher ceiling players if you’re projecting forward into next year.
good god, you guys are such shills for Narduzzi.
to this point the results are at best mediocre. He needs to step up or Pitt needs to move on.
I'm a shill for Narduzzi? That's something that's going to surprise a lot of people on the Lair.
Care to elaborate on this "step up" he needs to make? Just so we're clear where that line is, of course. I have no issue with drawing one but it seems to keep moving.
Going 6-2 consistently against a totally garbage conference schedule. They did it last year, but 5-3 this year would be an abject failure.
he has to win the last two games. If they lose the last 2 he should be fired before the bowl game.
I mean, if you think an 8-4 season is an abject failure, I don't know how to help you feel better about things. That's unless you don't know what "abject" means or you have a flair for the dramatic or things are boring over on BWI so you're here to seed the Pitt thread. I don't think anyone here is thrilled with 8-4 but there are a few reasons to consider some of the trends the program is experiencing and not feel like this season is as bad as it could have gone.
The window has been WIDE open for many years. Pitt just hadn't been able to climb through. Hopefully they will soon.
it doesn’t matter...
To you trolls, even when we WIN, we LOSE!
What trolls say:
- If the QB of the other team over throws his intended receiver - Trolls say: we were lucky
- If Pickett over throws his intended receiver - Trolls say: Pickett sucks.
- If a few brakes go our way, Trolls say: We had no business winning that game.
- If we make a few mistakes and allow a team to stay in the game - Trolls say: Narduzzi sucks and should be fired.
- If Narduzzi decides to go for it on 4th down and it fails, - Trolls will say: He should have kicked the field goal!
- If Narduzzi decides not to go for it on 4th down and decides to kick a field goal, Trolls will say - He should have went for it!
Regarding the window, it's a solid point and I agree.
Defense will be solid and the offense should improve. Disagree with cash on the OL, it's already improved this year. It will be better next year. Would expect slight improvement in KP and in the backs with better OL play. If they had a TE it would help the most. A good TE would be a weapon in this offense.
As long as they don't find a way to screw something up....
Defense will be solid and the offense should improve. Disagree with cash on the OL, it's already improved this year. It will be better next year. Would expect slight improvement in KP and in the backs with better OL play. If they had a TE it would help the most. A good TE would be a weapon in this offense.
As long as they don't find a way to screw something up....
I’d be ecstatic if they are ranked in the top 25 after this season. Realistically, I think a preseason top 20 ranking is possible next year.
In the off-season, we all come up with benchmarks for Narduzzi. Mine was 9 wins. In-season benchmarks are like micromanagement from a fan/alum perspective. We are in a much better situation now than any time since Walt Harris as a comprehensive program. The way I see it, as long as the program has positive press off the field and continues to improve with record/ranking/national reputation, then Narduzzi is king. In college football, this will snowball into better things for the program.
I have waited nearly 4 decades for this program to reenter the top tier. I will wait a few more if they continue to progress. Next year is a better opportunity if they can close this year out well enough.
In the off-season, we all come up with benchmarks for Narduzzi. Mine was 9 wins. In-season benchmarks are like micromanagement from a fan/alum perspective. We are in a much better situation now than any time since Walt Harris as a comprehensive program. The way I see it, as long as the program has positive press off the field and continues to improve with record/ranking/national reputation, then Narduzzi is king. In college football, this will snowball into better things for the program.
I have waited nearly 4 decades for this program to reenter the top tier. I will wait a few more if they continue to progress. Next year is a better opportunity if they can close this year out well enough.
But a different kind of wild. Next year doesn’t seem like as much of a, “who’s going to be the tallest midget next year?” But closer to 2016.
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I think finishing strong this year is important and having a breakout year next year is critical
Finishing strong (at least two more wins and preferably 3) will help secure this class and perhaps add a few more pieces we don’t know about
next year the D will be as good or better and they’ll have a good and improving OL, a better group of Wrs More seasoned RBs and hopefully a SR QB who improves further. A 10 win season is a must.
Should be interesting if not fun to see how the next 12 months unfold
Finishing strong (at least two more wins and preferably 3) will help secure this class and perhaps add a few more pieces we don’t know about
next year the D will be as good or better and they’ll have a good and improving OL, a better group of Wrs More seasoned RBs and hopefully a SR QB who improves further. A 10 win season is a must.
Should be interesting if not fun to see how the next 12 months unfold
