Lessons I wish Narduzzi would learn

[TheWerewolfFromTwilight]

1) From a macro perspective, a defense-first approach might not get you very far.

In 2019 and 2020, we were absolutely loaded on defense. Rashad Weaver, Patrick Jones, Jaylen Twyman, an AA version of Paris Ford, Damar Hamlin, a young Kancey, Baldonado and Alexander, Mathis, Pinnock, Dane Jackson, a young SirVocea, Hallett, a young Hill, and plenty others played in at least one of those seasons. At least four All-American seasons, which is a huge deal for Pitt.

Our record against the P5 during that time: 9-10.

2) From a micro perspective, a defense-first approach might not get you very far.

The end of the game is simply not like the rest. A team that hasn't done much in 58 minutes is often a completely different animal at the end of the game when they NEED to score. How many times have we seen Pickett do just that?

Well, yesterday's game had 38 points total. 21 of those points came in the last 3 minutes. This isn't unique; this happens ALL the time. Aside from the obvious sense of urgency, teams often use all 4 downs, instead of 3, at the end.

If you rely on your defense to protect a small lead, they will often let you down. Why were we successful in 2021? We got up, and we added on. We won most games my double digits, because we kept gunning for points.

 

[TheWerewolfFromTwilight]

And pertaining to part one, obviously you still want to have a good defense. But you damn well better be relentless until you find a QB... and why are our best three assistant coaches all on defense? This is what I question. I'm just not sure that Narduzzi gets it.

 

[pittmeister]

Wolf - Your posts are starting to grow on me.😊

Good job….

 

[pittbb80]

Defense first doesn’t have to be mutually exclusive of offense. You can have a defense first approach AND value an aggressive offensive approach. Just like you can value running the ball and not (see KC in the pros and Tennessee) have a passing game that isn’t Friday night level (see Cignetti and Canada )

 

[pittbb80]

And pertaining to part one, obviously you still want to have a good defense. But you damn well better be relentless until you find a QB... and why are our best three assistant coaches all on defense? This is what I question. I'm just not sure that Narduzzi gets it.

Other than Partridge is the rest of the defensive staff all that great ?

 

[TheWerewolfFromTwilight]

Other than Partridge is the rest of the defensive staff all that great ?

Bates is decent, and then isn't Sanders pretty highly-regarded? Collins might be up there as well. Can't be worse than Borbely, Underwood, etc.

 

[Burgh15]

Good post. Penalties are also a constant issue with this team and while playing with energy is important, Pitt cannot continue to rank near the bottom in penalties every year.

 

[TheWerewolfFromTwilight]

Defense first doesn’t have to be mutually exclusive of offense. You can have a defense first approach AND value an aggressive offensive approach. Just like you can value running the ball and not (see KC in the pros and Tennessee) have a passing game that isn’t Friday night level (see Cignetti and Canada )

11 defensive recruits drafted; 4 offensive. A coach who literally just said he spends 85% of his time with the defense. Recruiting numbers that favor that side of the ball, quantity-wise. I think it's fair to say we value defense more.

I agree they don't have to be mutually exclusive. But I don't think we're doing enough on offense.

 

[Pitt79]

1) From a macro perspective, a defense-first approach might not get you very far.

In 2019 and 2020, we were absolutely loaded on defense. Rashad Weaver, Patrick Jones, Jaylen Twyman, an AA version of Paris Ford, Damar Hamlin, a young Kancey, Baldonado and Alexander, Mathis, Pinnock, Dane Jackson, a young SirVocea, Hallett, a young Hill, and plenty others played in at least one of those seasons. At least four All-American seasons, which is a huge deal for Pitt.

Our record against the P5 during that time: 9-10.

2) From a micro perspective, a defense-first approach might not get you very far.

The end of the game is simply not like the rest. A team that hasn't done much in 58 minutes is often a completely different animal at the end of the game when they NEED to score. How many times have we seen Pickett do just that?

Well, yesterday's game had 38 points total. 21 of those points came in the last 3 minutes. This isn't unique; this happens ALL the time. Aside from the obvious sense of urgency, teams often use all 4 downs, instead of 3, at the end.

If you rely on your defense to protect a small lead, they will often let you down. Why were we successful in 2021? We got up, and we added on. We won most games my double digits, because we kept gunning for points.

And you should win a college football game easily, if your defense gives up ONLY A SUPER TINY MICROSCOPIC NUMBER OF POINTS LIKE 21! In 2023 that's a very small number of points, only impotent offenses score that little.

 

[pittbb80]

Bates is decent, and then isn't Sanders pretty highly-regarded? Collins might be up there as well. Can't be worse than Borbely, Underwood, etc.

It’s all relative isn’t it. If they were that great why aren’t other programs poaching them.

 

[TheWerewolfFromTwilight]

It’s all relative isn’t it

Okay. What's your point - that the offense is exactly where you want it to be? That it was wise to sit on a 10-7 lead until it hatched? Not entirely sure what you're disagreeing with. Not even saying you're wrong, but I don't know what we're debating. If it's that both sides of the ball should be valued, I would agree.

 

[pittbb80]

11 defensive recruits drafted; 4 offensive. A coach who literally just said he spends 85% of his time with the defense. Recruiting numbers that favor that side of the ball, quantity-wise. I think it's fair to say we value defense more.

I agree they don't have to be mutually exclusive. But I don't think we're doing enough on offense.

Would you commit to an offense run by blowhard Frank ?

 

[pittbb80]

Okay. What's your point - that the offense is exactly where you want it to be? That it was wise to sit on a 10-7 lead until it hatched? Not entirely sure what you're disagreeing with.

Just saying that compared to the awful offensive staff the defensive staff is ok. But again if the secondary coaches are so good why have they not been poached by better programs ?

 

[TheWerewolfFromTwilight]

Just saying that compared to the awful offensive staff the defensive staff is ok. But again if the secondary coaches are so good why have they not been poached by better programs ?

I don't think Sanders and Collins will be here much longer. In fact I wouldn't be shocked if at least one left as soon as this offseason. I don't think they're career position coaches; I see at least one of them as going the G5 or FCS defensive coordinator route and working their way up that way. They're pretty impressive dudes in interviews.

 

[TD_6082]

I think Narduzzi gets it.

A defensive first approach can only get you so far. The same can be said about an offensive first approach.

I think you're overthinking it just a tad. These are the same two teams using the same approach they used in 2021. This is just what it looks like with inexperienced QB play and a lack of playmakers.

If Duzz wants to put less stress on his defense, he damn sure better find a punter.

 

[cbpitt2]

1) From a macro perspective, a defense-first approach might not get you very far.

In 2019 and 2020, we were absolutely loaded on defense. Rashad Weaver, Patrick Jones, Jaylen Twyman, an AA version of Paris Ford, Damar Hamlin, a young Kancey, Baldonado and Alexander, Mathis, Pinnock, Dane Jackson, a young SirVocea, Hallett, a young Hill, and plenty others played in at least one of those seasons. At least four All-American seasons, which is a huge deal for Pitt.

Our record against the P5 during that time: 9-10.

2) From a micro perspective, a defense-first approach might not get you very far.

The end of the game is simply not like the rest. A team that hasn't done much in 58 minutes is often a completely different animal at the end of the game when they NEED to score. How many times have we seen Pickett do just that?

Well, yesterday's game had 38 points total. 21 of those points came in the last 3 minutes. This isn't unique; this happens ALL the time. Aside from the obvious sense of urgency, teams often use all 4 downs, instead of 3, at the end.

If you rely on your defense to protect a small lead, they will often let you down. Why were we successful in 2021? We got up, and we added on. We won most games my double digits, because we kept gunning for points.

Pitt also didn't face a top-25 team till Wake Forest in the ACCCG.

 

[TheWerewolfFromTwilight]

I think Narduzzi gets it.

A defensive first approach can only get you so far. The same can be said about an offensive first approach.

I think you're overthinking it just a tad. These are the same two teams using the same approach they used in 2021. This is just what it looks like with inexperienced QB play and a lack of playmakers.

If Duzz wants to put less stress on his defense, he damn sure better find a punter.

No, I think you're very wrong on that. He doesn't get it at all. That's why Frank Cignetti was hired. That's why he clashed with Whipple and threw him under the bus for not running enough with the lead after he left. That's why he likely told Cignetti to put the training wheels on once we got up 10-7. He doesn't get it at all.

 

[pittbb80]

I think Narduzzi gets it.

A defensive first approach can only get you so far. The same can be said about an offensive first approach.

I think you're overthinking it just a tad. These are the same two teams using the same approach they used in 2021. This is just what it looks like with inexperienced QB play and a lack of playmakers.

If Duzz wants to put less stress on his defense, he damn sure better find a punter.

And an offensive coordinator. Even with the issues at qb. The offense shouldn’t be this bad. Borbs also needs to go

 

[Slick Manager of Champs]

Other than Partridge is the rest of the defensive staff all that great ?

the LB coach is good, and actually has shown a pulse when it comes to recruiting

 

[PANTHERAN]

11 defensive recruits drafted; 4 offensive. A coach who literally just said he spends 85% of his time with the defense. Recruiting numbers that favor that side of the ball, quantity-wise. I think it's fair to say we value defense more.

I agree they don't have to be mutually exclusive. But I don't think we're doing enough on offense.

This is a fundamental flaw in Narduzzi’s coaching philosophy. How do you value defense more to the point of negIecting the offense in this day and age of football when the rules of the game has been changed to overwhelmingly favor the offenses over defenses.

 

[NCPitt]

11 defensive recruits drafted; 4 offensive. A coach who literally just said he spends 85% of his time with the defense. Recruiting numbers that favor that side of the ball, quantity-wise. I think it's fair to say we value defense more.

I agree they don't have to be mutually exclusive. But I don't think we're doing enough on offense.

Neither does Narduzzi.

 

[The Ole Six-Fiver]

No, I think you're very wrong on that. He doesn't get it at all. That's why Frank Cignetti was hired. That's why he clashed with Whipple and threw him under the bus for not running enough with the lead after he left. That's why he likely told Cignetti to put the training wheels on once we got up 10-7. He doesn't get it at all.

He actually might get it, but he refuses to accept it, and after a decade on the job and a prohibitive contract, he doesn’t give a F what the fans or Pitt think because he doesn’t think he can be fired

 

[TD_6082]

No, I think you're very wrong on that. He doesn't get it at all. That's why Frank Cignetti was hired. That's why he clashed with Whipple and threw him under the bus for not running enough with the lead after he left. That's why he likely told Cignetti to put the training wheels on once we got up 10-7. He doesn't get it at all.

I think this whole narrative that is made about Duzz/Whipple based on a podcast comment has gone a little overboard. It's borderline comical.

Tbh, CV has been on training wheels every single possession. And probably will be for the foreseeable future, They obviously don't trust him with pre snap reads. CV doesn't see the field well at all and a check down still isn't really his thing. Despite that, Pitt put the ball in the air 45 times yesterday.

When the QB misses wide open receivers , the short yardage conversation game is shit, and receivers short arm balls, drives tend to stall.

 

[NCPitt]

This is a fundamental flaw in Narduzzi’s coaching philosophy. How do you value defense more to the point of negIecting the offense in this day and age of football when the rules of the game has been changed to overwhelmingly favor the offenses over defenses.

Why do you believe Pitt is neglecting offense?

The reality is that Pitt has underrecruited at 1 position - QB. They seem to have identified and nearly brought in a top QB each of the past 3 years - Allar, Minchey, and I can't remember the guy this year. The problem is that the big boys came and got all 3. Pitt will never get the 4-5 star QBs because they all want to go to bigger-name schools.

 

[cashisking884]

if you didn’t know what you were getting, you’d default to an OC as HC.

It’s an offensive game.

Defensive coordinators frequently are adverse to the kind of offenses it takes today, and not all of them have their “Kiffin” moment.

And a really good OC is going to eventually leave, which means the defensive HC is going to always have to get the hire right every few years.

And offensive coordinators aren’t ask adverse to any particular type of defensive system.

Concern with an OC as HC is if they aren’t good, and now you’re stuck with the offense because he isn’t going to hire an OC. Like Napier at UF right now. Or Richt at the end, when he choose to quit rather than give up play calling duties.

 

[USN_Panther]

And an offensive coordinator. Even with the issues at qb. The offense shouldn’t be this bad. Borbs also needs to go

An offense that plays to possess the ball for long periods has to play clean. A false start or holding penalty puts you behind the sticks and kills drives. At least with reliable punting this approach can flip field position.
Wake consistently flipped field position on us yesterday. They downed punts inside the ten. Pitt had 10, 20 and 20 yard punts and touchbacks.
The false starts, snap into the motion man, illegal procedure penalties are execution issues. This is related to coaching. The team is not prepared to run their offense. 100% coaching. The head coach says he basically doesn't care about the offense. He needs to. He needs to get a picture book about offensive football. Maybe he could see if Brennan Marion's book is available as an audiobook.

 

[Joe the Panther Fan]

Neither does Narduzzi.

The difference being, of course, that none of us can do anything about it. Narduzzi can. And already should have.

If he really thinks that way, which is not a given.

 

[H2Ppanthers]

1) From a macro perspective, a defense-first approach might not get you very far.

In 2019 and 2020, we were absolutely loaded on defense. Rashad Weaver, Patrick Jones, Jaylen Twyman, an AA version of Paris Ford, Damar Hamlin, a young Kancey, Baldonado and Alexander, Mathis, Pinnock, Dane Jackson, a young SirVocea, Hallett, a young Hill, and plenty others played in at least one of those seasons. At least four All-American seasons, which is a huge deal for Pitt.

Our record against the P5 during that time: 9-10.

2) From a micro perspective, a defense-first approach might not get you very far.

The end of the game is simply not like the rest. A team that hasn't done much in 58 minutes is often a completely different animal at the end of the game when they NEED to score. How many times have we seen Pickett do just that?

Well, yesterday's game had 38 points total. 21 of those points came in the last 3 minutes. This isn't unique; this happens ALL the time. Aside from the obvious sense of urgency, teams often use all 4 downs, instead of 3, at the end.

If you rely on your defense to protect a small lead, they will often let you down. Why were we successful in 2021? We got up, and we added on. We won most games my double digits, because we kept gunning for points.

Narduzzi doesn’t learn. He consists his approach through his own from of egotistical-dominance.

 

[NCPitt]

The difference being, of course, that none of us can do anything about it. Narduzzi can. And already should have.

If he really thinks that way, which is not a given.

I take him at his word.

“It’s hard to win a game when you score only 17 points in college football nowadays. We have to find a way to score more points than 17. It puts a lot of stress on your defense when you can only score 17 points.”

 

[Joe the Panther Fan]

I take him at his word.

“It’s hard to win a game when you score only 17 points in college football nowadays. We have to find a way to score more points than 17. It puts a lot of stress on your defense when you can only score 17 points.”

Unfortunately for him, actions speak louder than words. While he may have SAID that, his ACTIONS leave room for a large amount of doubt that he actually BELIEVES it.

 

[PANTHERAN]

No, I think you're very wrong on that. He doesn't get it at all. That's why Frank Cignetti was hired. That's why he clashed with Whipple and threw him under the bus for not running enough with the lead after he left. That's why he likely told Cignetti to put the training wheels on once we got up 10-7. He doesn't get it at all.

Exactly!

 

[The Ole Six-Fiver]

Unfortunately for him, actions speak louder than words. While he may have SAID that, his ACTIONS leave room for a large amount of doubt that he actually BELIEVES it.

That’s unjust. What he means is that they have to find a way to score 18 points

 

[NCPitt]

Unfortunately for him, actions speak louder than words. While he may have SAID that, his ACTIONS leave room for a large amount of doubt that he actually BELIEVES it.

What actions conflict with those words?

I think you're confusing offensive execution with his actual desires.

 

[USN_Panther]

I

That’s unjust. What he means is that they have to find a way to score 18 points

It's hard to win when you only score 21, unless you are playing against Pitt.

 

[NCPitt]

I
It's hard to win when you only score 21, unless you are playing against Pitt.

Or Ohio State. Or Washington.

Both top 10 teams.

 

[KennyTheKangaroo]

The Pitt Oklahoma state game in 2017 might have been the biggest ass kicking pitt has received in the post-majors II era. Ok state could have scored 100 points if they felt like it

That Pitt defense had Hamlin Maddox Mathis Dane Jackson rashad weaver Patrick jones and Jason pinnock. How can you trot out a defense with 5 or 6 solid nfl guys and get beat down that badly?

That game sums up the narduzzi philosophy for me more than any other game

 

[USN_Panther]

What actions conflict with those words?

I think you're confusing offensive execution with his actual desires.

There hasn't been accountability on the offensive side of the ball. We watched his team roll out a QB who was completely incapable of playing QB really at any level of college football. He pissed away 4 games that way.
We watched him piss away another game yesterday trying to protect a 10-7 lead by refusing to even try to score.
That buck now stops with him. He gets paid a lot of money, and that isn't good enough. He's stealing money for that level of bullshit.

Or Ohio State. Or Washington.

Both top 10 teams.

Pitt is far from a top ten team. Either of those teams would score in the 30s against Pitt. It's a joke using them in the same thread.
And the low scoring will catch up with OSU.

 

[Upg bobcat]

I wish he would learn to stop calling so many defensive time outs. We use a ton of timeouts on defense -- I'd love to see the stats, but I have a feeling that over the past 9 years, we use defensive timeouts more than any other program in D1.

I'll give him credit for Saturday, I believe the Devonshire pick occurred right after one, and we looked gassed a couple plays before that so you can argue that one was smart. But the defensive TOs definitely backfires at times. Among reasons offensive coordinators might not like working with Narduzzi, I'm willing bet how he uses so many defensive TOs is one of them.

 

[Joe the Panther Fan]

What actions conflict with those words?

I think you're confusing offensive execution with his actual desires.

You keep saying you watch the games, and then you keep posting things that make people wonder if you actually watch the games.

 

[TD_6082]

There hasn't been accountability on the offensive side of the ball. We watched his team roll out a QB who was completely incapable of playing QB really at any level of college football. He pissed away 4 games that way.
We watched him piss away another game yesterday trying to protect a 10-7 lead by refusing to even try to score.
That buck now stops with him. He gets paid a lot of money, and that isn't good enough. He's stealing money for that level of bullshit.
Pitt is far from a top ten team. Either of those teams would score in the 30s against Pitt. It's a joke using them in the same thread.
And the low scoring will catch up with OSU.

Pitt sure as hell didn't "refuse to try to score". They went for it twice on 4th down in Wake territory. Once on 4th & 7 and once on 4th and short.