Interesting Perspective
- Thread starter PittHOFs
- Start date
Our defensive ranking is 94th in the S&P+. In Year 4. Under a Defensive Guru. We are 94th.
We are 115th in Special Teams in the S&P+. In Year 4.
We are 115th in Special Teams in the S&P+. In Year 4.
pittdan77
Athletic Director
I’ve never played or coached a down of organized football in my life but how can defensive ball be much more than “there are 11 of them and 11 of you, each of you pick one guy and cover him.” In all seriousness is it really much harder than that?
I think it’s obvious Narduzzi is in way over his head and it’s showing on the field. His antics are like a guy who is worried about his job.
so basically Pitt's defense has gotten lit up in the ACC except for their first season in 2012. And their worst year in defense came at the absolute worst time, when they had maybe their best offense and school history and could have made it to the playoffs with even a mediocre defense.
Good coaches don’t need 4 years to improve a defense just like it shouldn’t take 4 years to improve and offense if you’re an offensive coordinator.
I don’t know if this is a Kirk Ferentz situation with Narduzzi?? How was his first 4 years at Iowa?
I don’t know if this is a Kirk Ferentz situation with Narduzzi?? How was his first 4 years at Iowa?
Last edited:
Lyke spends, she will hire the right coach, and allow him to bring in a good staff. Main focus will be recruiters all over the next staff.
She surprised me with the Capel hire, in a good way , she wants to win, more so than most that been around Pitt in a long time.
She surprised me with the Capel hire, in a good way , she wants to win, more so than most that been around Pitt in a long time.
Last edited:
One possibility, just trying to find logic in the madness...a significant emphasis was placed on defense for the Georgia Tech offense the week before ... and likewise looking ahead for the prolific UCF offense... taking the liberty / risk of light to no prep for UNC game. Maybe the players slacked as well after a nice D performance with GT.
Again just trying to look for reasons for the seemingly inexplicable.
Again just trying to look for reasons for the seemingly inexplicable.
Not trying to be mean, but that’s one of the dumbest things I’ve ever read here.
If you really thought that was true, you should be saying Narduzzi needs to be fired.
More red flags are being exposed, but the lack of improvement with his defense is the biggest one.
There has been a lot of various stuff thrown on this board lately but this is an important and telling stat. Especially considering the number of games Pitt loses by less than a TD.
How does that compare to another coach? Do you remember .....
Decided Schematic Advantage
1-10, 3-9, 7-5, in his fourth year Iowa went 8-0 in the big ten (did not play osu who won it all that year) and went to the orange bowl. He did already have HC experience at Maine before this though FWIW.
The guy narduzzi obviously gets compared to though, his former boss Mark Dantonio. His first 4 years at MSU were 7-6, 9-4, 6-7, and then 11-2 (7-1) his 4th year, big ten co-champs (wisky got the rose bowl bid, MSU went to the capital one bowl. He also of course already had HC experience too, at Cincy before MSU.
Obviously we know what James franklin has done. Gets a job at psu who’s under sanctions and goes 7-6, 7-6, 11-3 big ten champs in year 3, then 11-2 fiesta bowl champs in year 4. His previous experience came at Vanderbilt.... Vanderbilt! Took over one of the worst programs ever. 6-7, 9-4 in year 2 and again in year 3. 2 years to win 9 games at Vanderbilt is unparalleled.
So how bout a coach with no previous HC experience? Dana Holgorsen at WVU... 10-3 big east champs in year 1, beat Clemson 70-33 in the orange bowl. Followed by 7-6, 4-8, 7-6 after moving to the big 12. Not looking great in year 4, but the OB victory probably bought some good grace. 8-5, 10-3, 7-6 since then.
The trend I see is that in year 4 you pretty much get what you see by then. If it is a first time head coach though, 4 years is a little soon to fully be where you want to. In that sense, narduzzi is not on the wrong track, he’s actually in pretty good standing.
The problem I see is that it’s year 4, this is his system in place and he has his players if he so chooses to play them. You could deal with mediocre seasons right now but the defense is beyond alarming. It should not be this much of a disaster and the fact that he’s so stubborn and stuck in the 80s (on top of subpar recruiting) gives me no hope this ever works. Flat out refusing to ever take a linebacker off the field and insert an extra DB is criminally insanse in today’s game.
Whenever someone starts a sentence with the words "not tryin to be (fill in derogatory term here) that is precisely what they intend to do. At least if you're going to insult someone, own it.
Your last paragraph is the essence of the problem. By year 4 things should be trending upward. But HCPN
stubbornness to not change is killing this team. A good coach adapts to the constantly changing factors that effect his team. Offensive schemes, rule changes, and new players are all elements that you have to account for. While the basics don't change, ( block, tackle etc.) how you scheme to stop different teams must be flexible. The round peg in the square hole approach just doesn't get it done.
She also extended Narduzzi after a 5 win season, so let's not act like she's made all the right moves to date.
pittdan77
Athletic Director
I've been asking for two weeks now, what is the buyout? She may have negotiated it down.
sort of like George Costanza pretending to be annoyed at work so that he looks busy and people leave him alone as he really accomplishes nothing...
Nobody digs the prospect of public firing but for these guys, it's a little different than if it happened to most of us. If it happens to him he gets a nice chunk of coin as a parting gift. Even if it's not a terrible contract for Pitt, there's still going to be a significant buyout, a few mil at least. Couple with what he's made already. And there's bound to be a soft landing spot for him as a DC somewhere, or maybe even a HC in a lower conference. LB coach at a blue blood. Lots of possibilities. Remember, people see Pitt as the problem, not the individual coaches, so his rep won't be tarnished. Heck he could even possibly a TV guy for a few years if he cares to ... he had done that coaching roundtable on ESPNu for the NC game before I believe.
So what's to be afraid of? Obviously not much as long as he's continuously rolling guys like Briggs out there endlessly. A guy truly afraid for his job would be changing things up.
So what's to be afraid of? Obviously not much as long as he's continuously rolling guys like Briggs out there endlessly. A guy truly afraid for his job would be changing things up.
Hence why I don’t even see the point in continuing with this anymore. I’ve been maybe narduzzi’s biggest fan since day 1, I really want the guy to succeed here. Im a bigger fan of the program though, I just want pitt to win.
The defense is just so far away from being even close to only slightly below average, I just can’t believe that it will ever get better anymore. It’s not happening unless he makes changes to his schemes and if he hasn’t done it yet why would he all of a sudden decide to now?
What most concerns me is....the defense is what it is....
But we are essentially breaking in a new QB.
Our OL is below the line.
We have no playmakers at WR.
Our TEs are non existent
Our RBs are okay, but there is no James Conner or Dion Lewis you can consistently count on.
You don't have Matt Canada or Paul Chryst calling plays
So......in Narduzzi's 8 win seasons, you could outscore teams.
But we are essentially breaking in a new QB.
Our OL is below the line.
We have no playmakers at WR.
Our TEs are non existent
Our RBs are okay, but there is no James Conner or Dion Lewis you can consistently count on.
You don't have Matt Canada or Paul Chryst calling plays
So......in Narduzzi's 8 win seasons, you could outscore teams.
Actually, my observations are that he doesn't appear to be someone who is worried about his job security at all, because there has been very few changes to his demeanor or style. And from my perspective, that may be an even BIGGER concern.
Similar threads
