Some banter about Duzzi/Pitt on MSU beat writer's live chat.....

[thebadby2]

a couple of participants asked whether the writer (Joe Rexrode of the Detroit Free press) thought Narduzzi might replace Dantonio when Dantonio retires. After first saying he thinks Dantonio has about 7 years left in him, there was this exchange, which is neither here nor there, but is an example of national perception of Pitt football at this point:

• 
  
  Does Narduzi jump back to Coach MSU if he got the chance in the next 4-5 years? assuming things are going positive and MSU offered
  by rope_one 10:55 AM
• 
  
  Good question. Can he get Pitt to the level of competing for a national title? At this point most would say no.
  by Joe Rexrode 10:56 AM

 

[JohnnyGossamer]

Ouch. I don't like either the question or the reply.

 

[WNYPanther]

It will certainly be a long climb to get us to the point where we are in the national title conversation on a regular basis but its far from impossible. If Baylor can do it anyone can. Is Narduzzi capable of leading us there? Only time will tell but he helped take Michigan State there so he knows what it takes & they did it at MSU by finding gems in a bunch of 2 & 3 stars that the Ohio State's and Michigan's didn't want which is exactly how he'll have to start it at Pitt.

 

[thebadby2]

It will certainly be a long climb to get us to the point where we are in the national title conversation on a regular basis but its far from impossible. If Baylor can do it anyone can. Is Narduzzi capable of leading us there? Only time will tell but he helped take Michigan State there so he knows what it takes & they did it at MSU by finding gems in a bunch of 2 & 3 stars that the Ohio State's and Michigan's didn't want which is exactly how he'll have to start it at Pitt.

Honestly with he new playoff system I think the national title is pretty much out of reach for all but 4-5 programs in the country--the same 4-5 blue-blood programs every year. Baylor isn't one of them, neither is Michigan State. I would be very happy for Pitt to become the equivalent of one of those two programs though--10-11 win seasons, good bowl games against real opponents, being part of the conversation most years. After what we've all endured over the past 30 years, that would be plenty as far as I'm concerned.

 

[JSSTartan]

Unless someone is a clairvoyant, how can anyone on earth project anything after the first game for any coach or any program? Dantonio is a heck of a ball coach and I think Duzz will be too but I would not put any stock into what the MSU beat writer is saying just yet. Would anyone have thought the MSU would have this long of a really nice stretch when Dantonio first got there? Yes, he was a good, proven coach at that time, but did people foresee MSU being somewhat dominant over this stretch?

Actually, I'm quite high on the future of our football program. We are in a good overall conference and division and certainly have the ability to get to conference title games. There we will then have a punchers chance.

National titles these days are tricky and you must have some fortunate bounces along the way--regardless of who you are. If Ohio State is going to repeat, they will certainly need some fortune to do it even though they appear to be pretty darn remarkable all-around.

 

[geeman2001]

Normally I'd say that it's a good thing when a top tier program wants your coach. It usually means he did a bang up job for you. But Jebus, we lose guys who barely give us .500 seasons and look pretty much like buffoons doing it. That must say how poor the impression of Pitt's commitment to football (admin and fanbase) is when an Alvarez can witness Chryst's performances in games like Akron and Duke and think "yeah, I still want this guy to lead my blue blood program."

After that obscene call on having nobody back on the kickoff on Saturday ... which, sorry, has to rank as perhaps the top 2 or 3 most asinine planned occurrences I've witnessed in a sporting event (swinging gate vs. TAM and Paul Rhoads having his two NFL corners 25 yards off the LOS vs. Toledo being the other two) ... nobody at a blue blood program should have a ton of confidence in Duz at the moment. Not to say he can't recover from it and go on to be great, but just that snapshot has to leave powers to be at other places with their mouths mildly hanging open.

 

[Slick Manager of Champs]

one game Geeman, and one bad call in the first game ever as a head coach and you are ready to write him off? Geez, get off the ledge for heaven's sake.

Yeah, that KO was a head scratcher. But remember Foge actually punted on third down with Marino as the QB against Penn State. And the Wann famously kicked off to that return guy for Cinci. and recently the Duke call by Chryst to run Voytik wide while common sense says to center for a field goal. All of these blunders are infinitely worse.

And Wisky is hardly blue blood; losing 59-0 to O$U should erase any thoughts about that.

 

[geeman2001]

one game Geeman, and one bad call in the first game ever as a head coach and you are ready to write him off? Geez, get off the ledge for heaven's sake.

Yeah, that KO was a head scratcher. But remember Foge actually punted on third down with Marino as the QB against Penn State. And the Wann famously kicked off to that return guy for Cinci. and recently the Duke call by Chryst to run Voytik wide while common sense says to center for a field goal. All of these blunders are infinitely worse.

And Wisky is hardly blue blood; losing 59-0 to O$U should erase any thoughts about that.

Fully acknowledged. Was just sayin'. Where does such stuff come from?

 

[PittGuy00]

one game Geeman, and one bad call in the first game ever as a head coach and you are ready to write him off? Geez, get off the ledge for heaven's sake.

Yeah, that KO was a head scratcher. But remember Foge actually punted on third down with Marino as the QB against Penn State. And the Wann famously kicked off to that return guy for Cinci. and recently the Duke call by Chryst to run Voytik wide while common sense says to center for a field goal. All of these blunders are infinitely worse.

And Wisky is hardly blue blood; losing 59-0 to O$U should erase any thoughts about that.

Wanny "Sky Punted" to Gilyard. Probably the worst decision in Pitt coaching history considering what was on the line.

 

[HailtoPitt]

If Narduzzi is successful at Pitt, and decides to leave it will not be to MSU. Coaches don't leave a power 5 program to go there.

 

[passedout]

Well, if we're going to be drama queen about things... it is a well-known fact that Vince Lombardi, Bear Bryant, Bill Walsh, Knute Rockne never had one thing happen to them that never went their way. Got news for you Gee, it won't be the last mistake Pitt makes as a team. I got faith that NardDog will fix the kickoff issue and I definitely don't think many "powers to be" around the country "mouths are open" over this -- I think most just know that Coach Duzzi beat YSU in his first game at Pitt, unlike our last coach's inaugural game against FCS YSU, who lost by 2 touches... I can think of a few programs who would fire their HC yesterday if Duzzi expressed interest.

 

[wbrpanther]

Honestly with he new playoff system I think the national title is pretty much out of reach for all but 4-5 programs in the country--the same 4-5 blue-blood programs every year. Baylor isn't one of them, neither is Michigan State. I would be very happy for Pitt to become the equivalent of one of those two programs though--10-11 win seasons, good bowl games against real opponents, being part of the conversation most years. After what we've all endured over the past 30 years, that would be plenty as far as I'm concerned.

Actually if Pitt ever decides to go undefeated out of the ACC they will be in that playoff. They could earn their way in by becoming good enough. 10 or 11 wins per year in the meantime wouldn't suck either.

 

[wbrpanther]

Wanny "Sky Punted" to Gilyard. Probably the worst decision in Pitt coaching history considering what was on the line.

His decision to kick to him with a fresh 21 point lead in the last minute of the first half was by far the most damaging thing that happened under Wanny. Not only did the lead go from 21 to 14, our team was deflated while their team went sky high.

 

[HailtoPitt]

His decision to kick to him with a fresh 21 point lead in the last minute of the first half was by far the most damaging thing that happened under Wanny. Not only did the lead go from 21 to 14, our team was deflated while their team went sky high.

I called that kick before it happened. Unfortunately, I knew Cincy was going to win when Gilyard scored that TD.

 

[wbrpanther]

Normally I'd say that it's a good thing when a top tier program wants your coach. It usually means he did a bang up job for you. But Jebus, we lose guys who barely give us .500 seasons and look pretty much like buffoons doing it. That must say how poor the impression of Pitt's commitment to football (admin and fanbase) is when an Alvarez can witness Chryst's performances in games like Akron and Duke and think "yeah, I still want this guy to lead my blue blood program."

After that obscene call on having nobody back on the kickoff on Saturday ... which, sorry, has to rank as perhaps the top 2 or 3 most asinine planned occurrences I've witnessed in a sporting event (swinging gate vs. TAM and Paul Rhoads having his two NFL corners 25 yards off the LOS vs. Toledo being the other two) ... nobody at a blue blood program should have a ton of confidence in Duz at the moment. Not to say he can't recover from it and go on to be great, but just that snapshot has to leave powers to be at other places with their mouths mildly hanging open.

I don't think that is something that he has to "recover" from. First day as a head coach and he has to "recover" from a bad play already. Tough crowd!

 

[wbrpanther]

a couple of participants asked whether the writer (Joe Rexrode of the Detroit Free press) thought Narduzzi might replace Dantonio when Dantonio retires. After first saying he thinks Dantonio has about 7 years left in him, there was this exchange, which is neither here nor there, but is an example of national perception of Pitt football at this point:

• 
  
  Does Narduzi jump back to Coach MSU if he got the chance in the next 4-5 years? assuming things are going positive and MSU offered
  by rope_one 10:55 AM
• 
  
  Good question. Can he get Pitt to the level of competing for a national title? At this point most would say no.
  by Joe Rexrode 10:56 AM

These two guys may as well be two drunks conversing in a bar as far as I am concerned.

 

[deepelemblues]

wbr is right, who cares what this guy says in narduzzi's first year as a head coach

 

[passedout]

wbr is right, who cares what this guy says in narduzzi's first year as a head coach

Exactly .. I don't see a lot of people knocking down Joe Rexrode's door to get his opinion. It's 1 freaking game, a win to boot. Our coach did what he's getting paid to do - win.

 

[9nationalchampionships]

If HCPN is successful he might just decide to make this stop his last. PITTsburgh is great place to raise a family and if he is winning at a big level he will make a good living as well!

 

[TIGER-PAUL]

'Sky-Punted'?
only at Pitt...

 

[deepelemblues]

The other side to the equation is if Narduzzi or any coach at Pitt wins big, Pitt will now shell out the money to keep them here. They might go anyway, but it won't be because Pitt didn't offer enough. Only one Pitt coach in the last 30 years got that kind of treatment: Jaime. That won't be the case in the future.

 

[geeman2001]

I don't think that is something that he has to "recover" from. First day as a head coach and he has to "recover" from a bad play already. Tough crowd!

Bah. I'm not getting any younger, and weary of these guys who have been involved with football for 40 some years, making pee-wee mistakes. Time for someone to actually live up to hype out of the box for once. But my main point was that we don't even enjoy the benefit of a guy doing a bang-up job; he is going .500 and doing stupid sh*t like running to the right hash and psyching his kicker out of a winning FG, yet still gets poached away.

 

[The Loaded Italian]

a couple of participants asked whether the writer (Joe Rexrode of the Detroit Free press) thought Narduzzi might replace Dantonio when Dantonio retires. After first saying he thinks Dantonio has about 7 years left in him, there was this exchange, which is neither here nor there, but is an example of national perception of Pitt football at this point:

• 
  
  Does Narduzi jump back to Coach MSU if he got the chance in the next 4-5 years? assuming things are going positive and MSU offered
  by rope_one 10:55 AM
• 
  
  Good question. Can he get Pitt to the level of competing for a national title? At this point most would say no.
  by Joe Rexrode 10:56 AM

Crap like this is laughable from someone from Michigan state

 

[Ten Thousan Marbles]

If Narduzzi is successful at Pitt, and decides to leave it will not be to MSU. Coaches don't leave a power 5 program to go there.

Well, you have me scratching my head with that comment.

 

[rc79]

The other side to the equation is if Narduzzi or any coach at Pitt wins big, Pitt will now shell out the money to keep them here. They might go anyway, but it won't be because Pitt didn't offer enough. Only one Pitt coach in the last 30 years got that kind of treatment: Jaime. That won't be the case in the future.

Yeah, the model is changing. I don't blame folks. There's been a lot of negative messaging from inside and outside the program for a long time.

 

[recruitsreadtheseboards]

To be honest, I am not sure if Amos Alonzo Stagg can get Pitt to a level where they compete for a national title. The infrastructure is not here for that kind of success.

 

[MajorMajors]

I understand how Mich State fans would believe that Coach Duzz can't wait to come back as their HC - but just I don't see it. Once he's at Pitt a couple years, what is the draw/connection with MSU.

Coach Duzz has already said that he likes the recruiting territory at Pitt better; he's nearer his roots in Youngstown; he's closer to his Mom; he's in a good league; etc., etc., etc...

Oh well.

Go Pitt.

 

[Pitt is #1]

I think in seven years Tressell will be the choice. That is a long time from now.

 

[Joe the Panther Fan]

psyching his kicker out of a winning FG

If any 23 yard field goal ever psychs a kicker out to the extent that they can't make the kick then the problem isn't anything at all that came before the field goal.

 

[thebadby2]

I understand how Mich State fans would believe that Coach Duzz can't wait to come back as their HC - but just I don't see it. Once he's at Pitt a couple years, what is the draw/connection with MSU.

Coach Duzz has already said that he likes the recruiting territory at Pitt better; he's nearer his roots in Youngstown; he's closer to his Mom; he's in a good league; etc., etc., etc...

Oh well.

Go Pitt.

Well, Dantonio was the second highest paid coach in college football last year behind Saban.

Think that might be a factor if it ever came down to it.

I only posted that live chat exchange to illustrate that the national perception of Pitt fiotball is that nobody can win big here anymore. I think Chryst getting a big time B10 job despite not winning in 3 seasons here feeds that perception especially here in B10 country.

As WBR said, the Narduzzi to MSU someday stuff is just speculative banter. After all, nobody can predict the future, none of us have any idea whether he will even be successful here, or if he is, whether he goes somewhere or stays. He's a rookie HC at a hard place to win, that's the reality of the situation.

I will say that those posters who really believe that Pitt is his dream job are kidding themselves. He views it as a great place to start his HC career, for sure--but we are nobody's dream HC job. Never have been, probably never will be-unless we can someday find the Pittsburgh version of Pat Fitzgerald.