Is this the biggest game in HCPN's tenure at Pitt

[pittbb80]

I think it can be argued that this in fact is not only the biggest game in his tenure but will go a long way in determining his fate here at Pitt.

1. Winning this game sets Pitt up to do something the program hasnt done in 30 years and that is play for a championship in December.

2. Winning the game will go a long way in generating fan excitement going into next year and breaking the depressing trend of falling flat for every big home game.

3. Winning this game puts Pitt in the driver seat to go to the ACC championship and will have a significant impact on closing out recruiting this year and generating more interest from recruits next year.

4. Winning builds on itself and will give the team confidence it needs to win these types of games in the future.

Of course all the opposites hold true if they lose. IMO this game is HUGE. GO PITT

 

[Jsr862]

From where the team was and is now, yes sure is his biggest game... we haven't had a game that actually meant anything till now (except maybe the first PSU game) but as far as where this team can go, this is the first true test of what him and his staff can do and how the players respond. Winning this game and next, just getting to the ACC Championship alone will push him over the hump that Wanny could not as far as winning games we need to. We may not win the ACC , but just seeing a coach actually winning the games to get us to a place we want to hasn't been done since maybe Harris, even then we lucked out with the tiebreakers. So he can either look to instil some great enthusiasm to this program and fan base, or he can sit and be just another coach on our list with a loss.

 

[President Stache]

I think it can be argued that this in fact is not only the biggest game in his tenure but will go a long way in determining his fate here at Pitt.

1. Winning this game sets Pitt up to do something the program hasnt done in 30 years and that is play for a championship in December.

2. Winning the game will go a long way in generating fan excitement going into next year and breaking the depressing trend of falling flat for every big home game.

3. Winning this game puts Pitt in the driver seat to go to the ACC championship and will have a significant impact on closing out recruiting this year and generating more interest from recruits next year.

4. Winning builds on itself and will give the team confidence it needs to win these types of games in the future.

Of course all the opposites hold true if they lose. IMO this game is HUGE. GO PITT

This is like the 10th time this post was written before a game

 

[Jsr862]

This is like the 10th time this post was written before a game

But this time it's the truth for once... I think I saw it before the Albany game this year and the Akron game his first year. Lol

 

[TIGER-PAUL]

I don't know, but the season is starting to feel like 2004 (if you were here) where its 7 teams all bunched up with no real elite with a feeling like its now or never. So kind of making it more important imo.

 

[Slick Manager of Champs]

I don't know, but the season is starting to feel like 2004 (if you were here) where its 7 teams all bunched up with no real elite with a feeling like its now or never. So kind of making it more important imo.

yes that or 2010.

And 2015 NC and Pinstripe bow were the biggest games in the Narduzzi era. This ranks up there with those.

 

[MarshallGoldberg]

I'd say yes for Narduzzi era.

The 2015 UNC game was big but happened about a game earlier/further out for a division title. 2016 Penn State game was big for the fans but not as much for season relevance (didn't seem to generate a PA recruiting bump or anything either.) 2017 didn't have any big games before they happened though the win over #2 Miami at least somewhat salvaged a waste of a season.

 

[President Stache]

But this time it's the truth for once... I think I saw it before the Albany game this year and the Akron game his first year. Lol

I understand where it is coming from, and I think we should win because VT is banged up a bit... but...

-We are missing our 2 best defensive players
-We have zero passing game
-We are not good against the pass

these three things means that we are not a great football team, and we should not be upset if we lose a particular game. VT certainly has recruited well, and has excellent players, and we have played very hard and very well to get to the spot we are now.

It is a big game, and WF and Miami will be really big games too... winning an ACC title would be super, and for that reason I agree a bit. But even if we win it, we are looking at an ACC champ game against Clemson. And sure, we can try to suit up all the guys from 2 years ago and pull off another miracle, but if its a UCF type game, which is probably will be... down that really make this game the most important ever?

 

[rmf05]

We've had several games where bowl eligibility was in the balance but this is the first game where a division championship was on the line. So yes, I think it is, if only slightly, considering how little clout the title Coastal Champs carries.

 

[MarshallGoldberg]

At some point it's embarrassing if we never win our division. And the longer we are in the hunt/lead for it, the more fans we'll probably see come out.

 

[MarshallGoldberg]

http://www.post-gazette.com/sports/...tt-football-chat-11-7-18/stories/201811070131

Chris : Hi Brian- I submitted on the twitter machine a few days ago that this Saturday is the most consequential (not most hyped, but consequential) game for the Pitt program since Cincy 09. Would you agree?

Brian Batko: Yeah, I'll probably go ahead and agree with you there, Chris. UNC at home on a Thursday night three years ago, Pat Narduzzi's first season, proved to be the loss that kept Pitt from winning the Coastal, but we didn't know that at the time. There was still much more to happen in that season. This one certainly carries more urgency, and while there's admittedly probably not as much buzz as the past few Penn State matchups, your use of "consequential" is key. Good job by you.

 

[melwood]

I think it can be argued that this in fact is not only the biggest game in his tenure but will go a long way in determining his fate here at Pitt.

1. Winning this game sets Pitt up to do something the program hasnt done in 30 years and that is play for a championship in December.

2. Winning the game will go a long way in generating fan excitement going into next year and breaking the depressing trend of falling flat for every big home game.

3. Winning this game puts Pitt in the driver seat to go to the ACC championship and will have a significant impact on closing out recruiting this year and generating more interest from recruits next year.

4. Winning builds on itself and will give the team confidence it needs to win these types of games in the future.

Of course all the opposites hold true if they lose. IMO this game is HUGE. GO PITT

Which is why all the reasons listed above make it so hard for me to believe we will get it done tomorrow. We never win games like this. God, I hope I'm wrong...

 

[pittbb80]

http://www.post-gazette.com/sports/...tt-football-chat-11-7-18/stories/201811070131

Chris : Hi Brian- I submitted on the twitter machine a few days ago that this Saturday is the most consequential (not most hyped, but consequential) game for the Pitt program since Cincy 09. Would you agree?

Brian Batko: Yeah, I'll probably go ahead and agree with you there, Chris. UNC at home on a Thursday night three years ago, Pat Narduzzi's first season, proved to be the loss that kept Pitt from winning the Coastal, but we didn't know that at the time. There was still much more to happen in that season. This one certainly carries more urgency, and while there's admittedly probably not as much buzz as the past few Penn State matchups, your use of "consequential" is key. Good job by you.

Yup consequential is a great way to describe it. You don’t get a lot of opportunities to play in a game that can really serve as a springboard type game. On occasions in the past the program has failed further erroding a fragile fan base. There’s a lot at stake here. That’s not to say this is make or break for the Duzz but it will be a huge opportunity lost if they don’t win

 

[President Stache]

http://www.post-gazette.com/sports/...tt-football-chat-11-7-18/stories/201811070131

Chris : Hi Brian- I submitted on the twitter machine a few days ago that this Saturday is the most consequential (not most hyped, but consequential) game for the Pitt program since Cincy 09. Would you agree?

Brian Batko: Yeah, I'll probably go ahead and agree with you there, Chris. UNC at home on a Thursday night three years ago, Pat Narduzzi's first season, proved to be the loss that kept Pitt from winning the Coastal, but we didn't know that at the time. There was still much more to happen in that season. This one certainly carries more urgency, and while there's admittedly probably not as much buzz as the past few Penn State matchups, your use of "consequential" is key. Good job by you.

wow... what a mind-numbingly dumb answer

 

[pittdan77]

For all that is being made about the importance of each successive game, I still feel like the UNC game is a stain on the season. Especially if Pitt just misses winning the Coastal. Was literally one of the true gimmes and Pitt blew it.

 

[RaleighPittFan]

For all that is being made about the importance of each successive game, I still feel like the UNC game is a stain on the season. Especially if Pitt just misses winning the Coastal. Was literally one of the true gimmes and Pitt blew it.

I'll agree only if Pitt falls short of their goal of the Coastal Championship.

 

[Sean Miller Fan]

I think it can be argued that this in fact is not only the biggest game in his tenure but will go a long way in determining his fate here at Pitt.

1. Winning this game sets Pitt up to do something the program hasnt done in 30 years and that is play for a championship in December.

2. Winning the game will go a long way in generating fan excitement going into next year and breaking the depressing trend of falling flat for every big home game.

3. Winning this game puts Pitt in the driver seat to go to the ACC championship and will have a significant impact on closing out recruiting this year and generating more interest from recruits next year.

4. Winning builds on itself and will give the team confidence it needs to win these types of games in the future.

Of course all the opposites hold true if they lose. IMO this game is HUGE. GO PITT

Pitt played in 2 Big East Championship games, one of which was played in December.

2003 vs Miami
2009 vs Cincinnati

 

[Pittx9]

Yes. And until the division is clinched every game from here on out becomes the biggest.

 

[JokePa]

For all that is being made about the importance of each successive game, I still feel like the UNC game is a stain on the season. Especially if Pitt just misses winning the Coastal. Was literally one of the true gimmes and Pitt blew it.

Yeah, but if we win that game, it is hardly the biggest game right? Of course not.

 

[pittbb80]

Pitt played in 2 Big East Championship games, one of which was played in December.

2003 vs Miami
2009 vs Cincinnati

Those were regular season games.

And the lost both. This would be as close to program changing if the went to the ACC championship game as you can get

 

[McKee Place]

To fans, yes it is.

To PN and the Pitt administration, not really. It's a bonus that we turned things around a bit, and will be a tremendous surprise the longer we keep winning, as it should bump next year's season tix sales.

But they weren't thinking about doing anything with Narduzzi or the football program, whether 0-12 or 12-0. When they gave him that extension in the winter, in their minds they were buying 3 years of indifference.

 

[Parkview57]

To PN and the Pitt administration, not really. It's a bonus that we turned things around a bit, and will be a tremendous surprise the longer we keep winning

On what are you basing this theory? I have heard nothing off-season or pre-season from PN (or HL) to suggest they would be tremendously surprised with 7 wins. I will agree with you that I (and perhaps you?) am tremendously surprised that there has been a turn around.

When they gave him that extension in the winter, in their minds they were buying 3 years of indifference.

I just don't see "indifference " in the Athletic Director's actions with regards to her approach to running the department in general, and see no reason to believe she is indifferent when it comes to the marque attraction. It appears to me that the AD sees PN as a very solid college football coach and thinks with his overall knowledge of the college game he can get it done, with enough time.

The fans ( understandably) are starting to have their doubts, but again commitment on HL's part should not be confused with indifference, IMO.

 

[McKee Place]

On what are you basing this theory? I have heard nothing off-season or pre-season from PN (or HL) to suggest they would be tremendously surprised with 7 wins. I will agree with you that I (and perhaps you?) am tremendously surprised that there has been a turn around.



I just don't see "indifference " in the Athletic Director's actions with regards to her approach to running the department in general, and see no reason to believe she is indifferent when it comes to the marque attraction. It appears to me that the AD sees PN as a very solid college football coach and thinks with his overall knowledge of the college game he can get it done, with enough time.

The fans ( understandably) are starting to have their doubts, but again commitment on HL's part should not be confused with indifference, IMO.

I'm sure Pitt is happy to see some victories ... why not. And a really big season, they'd jump on hyping.

But football is the pass card to be in the ACC to afford the secondary sports. I was exaggerating that 0-12 wouldn't faze them. But something like 3-9 , that most here would say is grounds for Narduzzi's departure (as many were indeed predicting only a few weeks ago), truly wouldn't faze them. Next year, neither. Maybe two years. And that's due to the extension and the probable diminishing buyout from year to year (I fully supported the extension, btw). But until then, the bigger likelihood would be him choosing to leave on his own, rather than Pitt moving him out.

 

[PITTDAD60]

Which is why all the reasons listed above make it so hard for me to believe we will get it done tomorrow. We never win games like this. God, I hope I'm wrong...

I have 5 season tickets and I am tired of being disappointed. We need this game.

 

[pbrad]

Every game is important, however win this game and you get momentum towards division champion. Lose and you hear "same old PITT" or "Pitted"

 

[88Pitt88]

I think we are going to learn alot about our head coach today. This is absolutely the most meaningful game that he will coach in to this point. I want to see if he can keep the team relaxed and yet focused enough to get the job done today.

A team will take on the personality of its coach. None more so than our Panthers. He wants tough, aggessive, smashmouth football. That has become our identity. As the leader, will PN be relaxed and confident and most importantly, coach to win and not to lose? A game like this one is a great test of Pat and his staff, and will tell us alot about his ability or inability to elevate the program.

I am hoping that this team really gels today and gives us a complete effort. At first, I believed HCPN was the right guy for Pitt, I have since wavered a bit, but he has shown me something lately. Today is huge for our program, I hope he keeps it going. As a sidenote, should we pull it off today, I would be greatly concerned about a letdown down in Winston-Salem nextweek. That said, it won't matter if we don't shine bigly today.

 

[4Mark_Marty]

I think it can be argued that this in fact is not only the biggest game in his tenure but will go a long way in determining his fate here at Pitt.

1. Winning this game sets Pitt up to do something the program hasnt done in 30 years and that is play for a championship in December.

2. Winning the game will go a long way in generating fan excitement going into next year and breaking the depressing trend of falling flat for every big home game.

3. Winning this game puts Pitt in the driver seat to go to the ACC championship and will have a significant impact on closing out recruiting this year and generating more interest from recruits next year.

4. Winning builds on itself and will give the team confidence it needs to win these types of games in the future.

Of course all the opposites hold true if they lose. IMO this game is HUGE. GO PITT

YES YES AND YES

 

[joeydavid]

Until next week, yeah.

I think it can be argued that this in fact is not only the biggest game in his tenure but will go a long way in determining his fate here at Pitt.

1. Winning this game sets Pitt up to do something the program hasnt done in 30 years and that is play for a championship in December.

2. Winning the game will go a long way in generating fan excitement going into next year and breaking the depressing trend of falling flat for every big home game.

3. Winning this game puts Pitt in the driver seat to go to the ACC championship and will have a significant impact on closing out recruiting this year and generating more interest from recruits next year.

4. Winning builds on itself and will give the team confidence it needs to win these types of games in the future.

Of course all the opposites hold true if they lose. IMO this game is HUGE. GO PITT

 

[pittbb80]

I think we are going to learn alot about our head coach today. This is absolutely the most meaningful game that he will coach in to this point. I want to see if he can keep the team relaxed and yet focused enough to get the job done today.

A team will take on the personality of its coach. None more so than our Panthers. He wants tough, aggessive, smashmouth football. That has become our identity. As the leader, will PN be relaxed and confident and most importantly, coach to win and not to lose? A game like this one is a great test of Pat and his staff, and will tell us alot about his ability or inability to elevate the program.

I am hoping that this team really gels today and gives us a complete effort. At first, I believed HCPN was the right guy for Pitt, I have since wavered a bit, but he has shown me something lately. Today is huge for our program, I hope he keeps it going. As a sidenote, should we pull it off today, I would be greatly concerned about a letdown down in Winston-Salem nextweek. That said, it won't matter if we don't shine bigly today.

Solid post. Agree. If the lose it’s not the end but it will be a lost opportunity. aGain