October 27 (Virginia Tech) – A national TV audience and a torrential downpour were on hand for a Thursday night game in Pittsburgh. The 5-2 Hokies came to Heinz Field fresh off a heartbreaking loss to Miami. The effects of that loss appeared to carry over as Pitt’s dominance of Virginia Tech continued with a 24-10 victory.
The defense again was stellar and the offense was as good as it had to be given the weather conditions. It wasn’t until a late 4th quarter bomb to Jester Weah that the game was finally out of reach. A seemingly unprepared Weah unveiled a rather awkward end zone celebration culminating in dropping the ball just prior to his attempt to spike it into the turf. It didn’t matter though as the entire team and coaching staff greeted him as he returned to the Pitt bench.
Even though the win gave Pitt a 7-1 start and a 1 game lead in the Coastal, the clear highlight of the night was the verbal commitment from both Lamont Wade and Donovan Jeter during the post-game celebration in the locker room. Both pledged to be with the team in January to “keep this $hit going.” (7-1)
November 5 (@ Miami) – A tough stretch of games began at Miami and once again Pitt was either flat or just overmatched as a 6-2 Mark Richt Miami team started strong and held on for a 31-28 win. Pitt practiced all week in stifling conditions in the indoor facility but seemed to have cramping problems throughout the game in the sweltering 95 degree heat. Not even administering IVs of pickle juice at halftime could improve the cramping. Still, they had a chance to tie the game when Blewitt’s 55-yard field goal attempt hit the upright and bounced wide.
Pitt’s resiliency and ability to adjust on the fly showed through again today, however, this time a slow start proved to be their undoing. Peterman and Conner provided enough offense to get the win, however, Kaaya proved too much for the young secondary as he was 13-15 on 3rd down conversions. This game has all the earmarkings of being the perennial battle for Coastal supremacy. (7-2)
November 12 (@ Clemson) - Billed as a barometer game to measure the gap between Pitt and the ACC elite, the Panthers proved that they belong in the championship conversation but still need to tidy up certain things. An early case of nerves led to sloppy play and another first half deficit. A frantic second half effort nearly erased a 17-point first half deficit as Pitt just ran out of time in losing their second consecutive 31-28 decision. A failed last minute on-side kick sealed their fate. Conner once again went over the 200 yard mark and Ffrench scored TDs rushing and receiving. The secondary responded nicely by essentially shutting down the Clemson passing attack but Deshaun Watson’s improvising left a gassed front 7 a step late and a dollar short.
After the game, the Clemson starters celebrated by jumping en masse into their brand new ice tub followed by Swedish massages and finally it was up to the theatre room for a private viewing of Rogue One: A Star Wars Story. Sadly, the scrubs were relegated to hot stone massages, pedicures and a tedious game of putt-putt golf out back. A RS Jr. was moved to tear over the thought of possibly never making it to the Swedish massage table. The facilities may be new but one has to wonder just how many recruits have been promised the Swedish massage table. (7-3)
November 19 (Duke) – Fears of another second half of the season decline were the talk on social media all week but Duke found out very quickly that there’s no place like home for the Panthers as the losing streak ended with a rather easy 27-10 victory.
The senior leadership “Eagles” decided that the throwback uniforms were again in order and it may have been the spark the team needed to get back in the win column. Once again a suffocating defense and a well-balanced offense proved too much for Duke. Rachid Ibrahim came off the bench to rush for 110 yard and also had 2 touchdown receptions. Weah added another touchdown with a 79 yard catch and run late in the 4th quarter.
In a stroke of genius, the WPIAL deviated from their original plan and decided to play all 6 championship games at Heinz Field on Friday. The games were played from 5:00 am until 11:00 pm and by day’s end the field was nearly unplayable. But a freshly painted script Pitt at midfield and 3 inch cleats were all that was needed to make quick work of Duke. (8-3)
November 26 (Syracuse) – It was Senior Day at Heinz Field and the only mystery surrounding pre-game presentations was if Ejuan Price would be announced or would the NCAA be petitioned for a 7th year. Anticipation was allowed to build until the very end as Price was the last to be announced and in addition to the traditional bouquet of roses he was presented with a gold watch.
Once the game finally began the outcome was never in doubt. Pitt needed a victory to win the Coastal and they earned it in style as they ended the season with a 35-3 win over a Syracuse team that just seemed overmatched in all aspects of the game. The offense racked up 575 yards and the defense allowed a total of 33 yards. Freshmen played a huge role in the victory as Hamlin and Miller each had pick 6s and Flowers and Ffrench each had touchdown receptions. Ffrench topped off the scoring with a last minute 102 yard kick-off return after Syracuse chose to kick a 22 yard field goal to get on the board.
The lopsided victory was not lost on a special recruit in attendance as Charles Reeves flipped his verbal commitment from Syracuse to Pitt. (9-3)
December 3 ACC Championship (Florida State) – Seven starters on offense and 5 on defense returned from a 6-day suspension after being charged with aggravated assault, arson, resisting arrest, kidnapping and reckless endangerment of a team mascot in the wake of the season-ending home victory over Florida a week earlier. A defiant Jimbo Fisher defended the actions of his players by angrily stating “if they weren’t football players these youthful indescretions would have gone unnoticed.” Bobby Bowden also chimed in by saying, “Daggum it, can’t boys just be boys anymore? I know how my good buddy Joe Paterno must have felt.”
With or without the starters, Pitt had a tall task going up against the undefeated and #1 ranked Seminoles but at the end of the day 2 things were evident: 1) Pitt belonged in the game and 2) they needed more elite talent to push them over the top. A 24-9 defeat at the hands of the eventual national champions was not decided until a late Pitt drive into the red zone ended in a 90-yard interception taken to the house.
The throw back uniforms were worn again but just weren’t enough to overcome a more talented opponent as the uniforms finished the season 2-1. However, even a casual fan could see that future Pitt teams will clearly be worthy of wearing the royal blue and gold.
In his post-game interview a clearly distraught Narduzzi didn’t want to hear about close games or moral victories. He ended by saying, “We’re here to win championships…end of story”
Nearly lost in the disappointing loss was the verbal commitment from Connor Heyward. Seeing the throw back jerseys live must have harkened back images of his dad as the deal was sealed right there and then. (9-4)
December 29 Russell Athletic Bowl (Oklahoma) – Pitt played some big time football in 2016 but none better than the come-from-behind 30-27 win over the 9-3 Sooners in Orlando, FL. The team and fans were finally rewarded with a bowl venue with sun and warm weather.
Oklahoma jumped out to an early lead and was never able to put Pitt away as Pitt hung around long enough to score a last minute 4th and goal TD as Conner plowed into the end zone from the 1 for Pitt’s only lead of the game and a hard fought victory.
The defensive front 7 of Oklahoma looked like deer in the headlights by the 4th quarter as Pitt ran the ball right at the gassed unit. Not even a 30-minute delay while a broken axle on the Sooner Schooner was repaired at midfield was enough to pump life into the demoralized defense. A giddy Narduzzi dedicated the win to Coach Andrews and his 4th Quarter Conditioning Program. (10-4)
February 1, 2017 (National Letter of Intent Day) - The fan base is not the only group buying what Narduzzi is selling as the impressive season was finally the evidence recruits needed to sign on in earnest. Once again the PSU recruiting ship took on some serious water as a few PSU commitments flipped to other schools following the disappointing 5-7 season and this year Pitt was the primary beneficiary. In addition to retaining all verbal commitments to-date, Pitt also signed C.J. Thorpe, Fred Hansard, Josh Fedd-Jackson, TyJuan Garbutt, Nathan Proctor, Kenny Bennett, Carmoni Green and Thayer Munford.
The defense again was stellar and the offense was as good as it had to be given the weather conditions. It wasn’t until a late 4th quarter bomb to Jester Weah that the game was finally out of reach. A seemingly unprepared Weah unveiled a rather awkward end zone celebration culminating in dropping the ball just prior to his attempt to spike it into the turf. It didn’t matter though as the entire team and coaching staff greeted him as he returned to the Pitt bench.
Even though the win gave Pitt a 7-1 start and a 1 game lead in the Coastal, the clear highlight of the night was the verbal commitment from both Lamont Wade and Donovan Jeter during the post-game celebration in the locker room. Both pledged to be with the team in January to “keep this $hit going.” (7-1)
November 5 (@ Miami) – A tough stretch of games began at Miami and once again Pitt was either flat or just overmatched as a 6-2 Mark Richt Miami team started strong and held on for a 31-28 win. Pitt practiced all week in stifling conditions in the indoor facility but seemed to have cramping problems throughout the game in the sweltering 95 degree heat. Not even administering IVs of pickle juice at halftime could improve the cramping. Still, they had a chance to tie the game when Blewitt’s 55-yard field goal attempt hit the upright and bounced wide.
Pitt’s resiliency and ability to adjust on the fly showed through again today, however, this time a slow start proved to be their undoing. Peterman and Conner provided enough offense to get the win, however, Kaaya proved too much for the young secondary as he was 13-15 on 3rd down conversions. This game has all the earmarkings of being the perennial battle for Coastal supremacy. (7-2)
November 12 (@ Clemson) - Billed as a barometer game to measure the gap between Pitt and the ACC elite, the Panthers proved that they belong in the championship conversation but still need to tidy up certain things. An early case of nerves led to sloppy play and another first half deficit. A frantic second half effort nearly erased a 17-point first half deficit as Pitt just ran out of time in losing their second consecutive 31-28 decision. A failed last minute on-side kick sealed their fate. Conner once again went over the 200 yard mark and Ffrench scored TDs rushing and receiving. The secondary responded nicely by essentially shutting down the Clemson passing attack but Deshaun Watson’s improvising left a gassed front 7 a step late and a dollar short.
After the game, the Clemson starters celebrated by jumping en masse into their brand new ice tub followed by Swedish massages and finally it was up to the theatre room for a private viewing of Rogue One: A Star Wars Story. Sadly, the scrubs were relegated to hot stone massages, pedicures and a tedious game of putt-putt golf out back. A RS Jr. was moved to tear over the thought of possibly never making it to the Swedish massage table. The facilities may be new but one has to wonder just how many recruits have been promised the Swedish massage table. (7-3)
November 19 (Duke) – Fears of another second half of the season decline were the talk on social media all week but Duke found out very quickly that there’s no place like home for the Panthers as the losing streak ended with a rather easy 27-10 victory.
The senior leadership “Eagles” decided that the throwback uniforms were again in order and it may have been the spark the team needed to get back in the win column. Once again a suffocating defense and a well-balanced offense proved too much for Duke. Rachid Ibrahim came off the bench to rush for 110 yard and also had 2 touchdown receptions. Weah added another touchdown with a 79 yard catch and run late in the 4th quarter.
In a stroke of genius, the WPIAL deviated from their original plan and decided to play all 6 championship games at Heinz Field on Friday. The games were played from 5:00 am until 11:00 pm and by day’s end the field was nearly unplayable. But a freshly painted script Pitt at midfield and 3 inch cleats were all that was needed to make quick work of Duke. (8-3)
November 26 (Syracuse) – It was Senior Day at Heinz Field and the only mystery surrounding pre-game presentations was if Ejuan Price would be announced or would the NCAA be petitioned for a 7th year. Anticipation was allowed to build until the very end as Price was the last to be announced and in addition to the traditional bouquet of roses he was presented with a gold watch.
Once the game finally began the outcome was never in doubt. Pitt needed a victory to win the Coastal and they earned it in style as they ended the season with a 35-3 win over a Syracuse team that just seemed overmatched in all aspects of the game. The offense racked up 575 yards and the defense allowed a total of 33 yards. Freshmen played a huge role in the victory as Hamlin and Miller each had pick 6s and Flowers and Ffrench each had touchdown receptions. Ffrench topped off the scoring with a last minute 102 yard kick-off return after Syracuse chose to kick a 22 yard field goal to get on the board.
The lopsided victory was not lost on a special recruit in attendance as Charles Reeves flipped his verbal commitment from Syracuse to Pitt. (9-3)
December 3 ACC Championship (Florida State) – Seven starters on offense and 5 on defense returned from a 6-day suspension after being charged with aggravated assault, arson, resisting arrest, kidnapping and reckless endangerment of a team mascot in the wake of the season-ending home victory over Florida a week earlier. A defiant Jimbo Fisher defended the actions of his players by angrily stating “if they weren’t football players these youthful indescretions would have gone unnoticed.” Bobby Bowden also chimed in by saying, “Daggum it, can’t boys just be boys anymore? I know how my good buddy Joe Paterno must have felt.”
With or without the starters, Pitt had a tall task going up against the undefeated and #1 ranked Seminoles but at the end of the day 2 things were evident: 1) Pitt belonged in the game and 2) they needed more elite talent to push them over the top. A 24-9 defeat at the hands of the eventual national champions was not decided until a late Pitt drive into the red zone ended in a 90-yard interception taken to the house.
The throw back uniforms were worn again but just weren’t enough to overcome a more talented opponent as the uniforms finished the season 2-1. However, even a casual fan could see that future Pitt teams will clearly be worthy of wearing the royal blue and gold.
In his post-game interview a clearly distraught Narduzzi didn’t want to hear about close games or moral victories. He ended by saying, “We’re here to win championships…end of story”
Nearly lost in the disappointing loss was the verbal commitment from Connor Heyward. Seeing the throw back jerseys live must have harkened back images of his dad as the deal was sealed right there and then. (9-4)
December 29 Russell Athletic Bowl (Oklahoma) – Pitt played some big time football in 2016 but none better than the come-from-behind 30-27 win over the 9-3 Sooners in Orlando, FL. The team and fans were finally rewarded with a bowl venue with sun and warm weather.
Oklahoma jumped out to an early lead and was never able to put Pitt away as Pitt hung around long enough to score a last minute 4th and goal TD as Conner plowed into the end zone from the 1 for Pitt’s only lead of the game and a hard fought victory.
The defensive front 7 of Oklahoma looked like deer in the headlights by the 4th quarter as Pitt ran the ball right at the gassed unit. Not even a 30-minute delay while a broken axle on the Sooner Schooner was repaired at midfield was enough to pump life into the demoralized defense. A giddy Narduzzi dedicated the win to Coach Andrews and his 4th Quarter Conditioning Program. (10-4)
February 1, 2017 (National Letter of Intent Day) - The fan base is not the only group buying what Narduzzi is selling as the impressive season was finally the evidence recruits needed to sign on in earnest. Once again the PSU recruiting ship took on some serious water as a few PSU commitments flipped to other schools following the disappointing 5-7 season and this year Pitt was the primary beneficiary. In addition to retaining all verbal commitments to-date, Pitt also signed C.J. Thorpe, Fred Hansard, Josh Fedd-Jackson, TyJuan Garbutt, Nathan Proctor, Kenny Bennett, Carmoni Green and Thayer Munford.
