This feels really good. I generally sit down to write these in elation or anger and I have to say that this has been the best Pitt football season I've enjoyed since becoming a fan exactly 20 years ago in 2001. Here are some quick thoughts:
- Kenny Pickett is probably my favorite player since Fitz and probably will always be top 5 in the same realm as Antonio Bryant, Fitz, Donald, and Conner. Yesterday was not his best day but we still came out on top. You saw how big the drop off is to Patti (I personally think Beville will be the QB next year) and he was hurting. The first pick wasn't great given there was still some time left but whatever. The second one I have no idea who that ball was supposed to go to. I think we are seeing the effects of no Barden or Mack. He still only has 6 picks on the season but 5 are in the last 4 games. We've been totally spoiled. 9 yards per attempt, 36 TDs this year (38 total his last three years combined coming into this year). We got our answer as to what we could do with a legit NFL QB running our team in this conference. I hope this helps with recruiting. If he's hurt at all, we may not see him in the Cuse game but there is still something to lose. We have not been 10-2 since the 80s and we probably could get into the top 12 with a win (which of course in the future is a playoff team).
- Our RBs were pretty good yesterday although I'd have loved to have seen what we could have done if Izzy didn't get hurt. Man was his KO TD a thing of beauty. I'm really happy Davis got a 100 yard game yesterday because he does a lot of the dirty work that gets missed unless it's not done correctly like pass blocking. And speaking of...it'll get lost but when you talk about kids wanting to play and stay for Narduzzi, Daniel Carter had a chance to leave be a starting RB somewhere but instead effectively became a full back and completely erased the blitzer on the game clinching TD.
- Jordan Addison - I mean holy crap. In the coastal clinching game he 14 catches, 202 yards, 4 TDs and honestly stole the ball away on the clincher. There are 3 games left and Addison already has the 4th highest total for receiving yards in a Pitt season. He's 25 behind Greg Lee in 2004, 180 behind Bryant's 2000, and within striking distance at 280 behind Fitz's all timer in 2003. He's also about 300 yards behind 9th/10th all time in receiving yards and will have a chance of taking over Boyd's 3,361.
- I know it's a bit off to point out good defensive games from a team that gave up 514 yards and 487 through the air, but I really thought Hill, Alexandre, Kancy, Woods, Mathis, Campbell, and George all really good games.
- I think the Dennis targeting was legit and Hill one wasn't. However, the Krull non call from Miami was worse than both.
- I know we all wanted to bury Sam Scarton after UNC but give that kid credit on the bounce back (keeping in mind he really was 3/3 until UVA jumped offsides). He's mad 15/18 this year. Can't ask for better than that from a first year soph walk on kicker.
- I've said this a few times on different threads but you mostly end up with record you should have had. If Tennessee starts Hooker we are down 21-0 to start. If Shipley catches a wide open TD Clemson is up 14-0. Maybe we come back but those could have easily been losses. The one game for me that will always sting is going to be WMU. It's almost impossible to me that we lost a game where Pickett threw 6 TDs. Miami always has talent and underachieves which is why they are perpetually dangerous. This season already feels magical but 10-1 would be unreal. It's just really hard to win most or all of your games. Look at a team like Iowa - that's not an amazing team but they should have been better with their talent and we just have to appreciate that we had the breakthrough season we were hoping for. I was one of the idiots that posted a fire Narduzzi post after the WMU game. I sincerely hope we can cash in on recruiting with this and if Beville or Patti can come through next year, we have a really nice set of skill position players coming back.
