Sigh. I'm not a believer in moral victories especially in big time college football but I will commend the team for the effort:
1. When you stop a high powered offense, albeit shorthanded, for their first 6 positions you would hope that you could capitalize. With Bates run blitzing the LB's to stop FSU's run game and with Travis missing his elite duo of WR's things looked promising early especially when FSU fumbled at mid field. Alas, whether you have CV or PJ running the team, you still have an OC who doesn't seem to be able to attack the other team very well and Pitt's inability to take advantage of the defense good play was not to be. More on Cignetti's play calling later.
2. Quick word on the officiating and we'll move on. Yes they missed the facemask penalty on Mumfield on the deep pass. Could have been a bad angle for the ref and the facemask is not reviewable. The fumble is the right call, though I hate that rule. if you fumble out of bounds you retain possession except by the end zone which frankly doesn't make sense. But the sideline call by the ref who seemed to be looking for a flag to throw was bogus, more bogus was no personal foul on FSU for an egregious late hit on C'Bo by not one but two Seminoles early in the second half and another late hit against CV on the same play that they called the sideline penalty to take us out of FG position. It is what it is. Reffing is bad all over the country it's not just a Pitt thing.
3. Sometimes I wonder what Cignetti is looking at. There were moments in that game where the young Pitt offensive line was gashing the Seminole line. With Carter, Hammond and Fleminster gaining good yardage on first down on several drives and leaving us 2 and less than 5 and the OC decides to throw inexpicably. Chuck Daly, the late great Detroit Pistons coach, once said if they can't stop a guy keep feeding him. Why on God's green earth does Cignetti stop running the ball when his QB is barely hitting 50% of his throws when your 0 fer on third downs (all passes) is beyond me. Shorten the damn game, push the Seminoles around. Don't get it. Just don't get it. Just not good at reading the tenure of the game and calling plays accordingly. One thing that I did like is that the young OL were really leaning on the Seminole front in the run game at times. There's some talent there. In fact, I hate to say this but Kradel might have been the worst of the linemen yesterday.
4. Speaking of Christian, he tantalizes but his stats suck let's be fair. He makes some throws and your like boy that's some serious arm talent. He made one throw, where he side stepped a rusher by moving parallel to the line of scrimmage and threw a great crossing route to Means away from where he was moving. However, he also has a habit of not waiting for the play to develop and throwing to the wrong receiver. Case in point, 3rd and 10 he rushes a crossing route to Mumfield however Konata is at the line of scrimmage, he had a WR breaking on a post route had he waited but he didn't. I'm not sure what you do. Personally I'd like to see the coach give Nate a start.
5. Speaking of not understanding the moment and the pace of the game. Rutgers is gashing Ohio State with the run. Early second half and their RB who went well over 100 yards is just ripping off runs. Ohio State is on it's heels so what's the OC call when you get in the red zone? Play action off RPO action to the RB and with the QB near the line of scrimmage tries a soft pooch pass to that RB going over the middle. Of course the safety doesn't bite, ball gets tipped and returned for a pick six. Game. Why do coaches go away from what's working?
6. I would be shocked if Frank Cignetti is the OC next year but I also cringe that the head coach is going to make the hire. He made a telling comment on his post game PC. He said "It makes him sick to see his run defense gashed for a TD run" . I mean coach your offense gave up over 300 yards of pass offense, gave up several long passes on third long and that's what your sick over? That's his DNA though and that's why I wonder if he'll make a good hire.
7. One of the issues this year with the D is the inability to get to the qb especially with our 4 down lineman. And the vaunted Delta package has not been as effective. Granted no Kancey and Dennis makes a huge difference but it's one of the reasons that several times yesterday on third and long you had an opportunity to get off the field and you couldn't get to the QB.
8. I'm glad basketball season is starting on Monday but I'll be at Yankee Stadium next saturday. Going with a bunch of buds who went to Cuse though Yankee Stadium is a terrible venue to watch a football game. Not much to play for anymore, but really this is an audition for next year though truth be told, do we know what the roster looks like next year? Two years after you win the ACC we are in a full rebuild, which is kinda unbelievable.
Pitt82
1. When you stop a high powered offense, albeit shorthanded, for their first 6 positions you would hope that you could capitalize. With Bates run blitzing the LB's to stop FSU's run game and with Travis missing his elite duo of WR's things looked promising early especially when FSU fumbled at mid field. Alas, whether you have CV or PJ running the team, you still have an OC who doesn't seem to be able to attack the other team very well and Pitt's inability to take advantage of the defense good play was not to be. More on Cignetti's play calling later.
2. Quick word on the officiating and we'll move on. Yes they missed the facemask penalty on Mumfield on the deep pass. Could have been a bad angle for the ref and the facemask is not reviewable. The fumble is the right call, though I hate that rule. if you fumble out of bounds you retain possession except by the end zone which frankly doesn't make sense. But the sideline call by the ref who seemed to be looking for a flag to throw was bogus, more bogus was no personal foul on FSU for an egregious late hit on C'Bo by not one but two Seminoles early in the second half and another late hit against CV on the same play that they called the sideline penalty to take us out of FG position. It is what it is. Reffing is bad all over the country it's not just a Pitt thing.
3. Sometimes I wonder what Cignetti is looking at. There were moments in that game where the young Pitt offensive line was gashing the Seminole line. With Carter, Hammond and Fleminster gaining good yardage on first down on several drives and leaving us 2 and less than 5 and the OC decides to throw inexpicably. Chuck Daly, the late great Detroit Pistons coach, once said if they can't stop a guy keep feeding him. Why on God's green earth does Cignetti stop running the ball when his QB is barely hitting 50% of his throws when your 0 fer on third downs (all passes) is beyond me. Shorten the damn game, push the Seminoles around. Don't get it. Just don't get it. Just not good at reading the tenure of the game and calling plays accordingly. One thing that I did like is that the young OL were really leaning on the Seminole front in the run game at times. There's some talent there. In fact, I hate to say this but Kradel might have been the worst of the linemen yesterday.
4. Speaking of Christian, he tantalizes but his stats suck let's be fair. He makes some throws and your like boy that's some serious arm talent. He made one throw, where he side stepped a rusher by moving parallel to the line of scrimmage and threw a great crossing route to Means away from where he was moving. However, he also has a habit of not waiting for the play to develop and throwing to the wrong receiver. Case in point, 3rd and 10 he rushes a crossing route to Mumfield however Konata is at the line of scrimmage, he had a WR breaking on a post route had he waited but he didn't. I'm not sure what you do. Personally I'd like to see the coach give Nate a start.
5. Speaking of not understanding the moment and the pace of the game. Rutgers is gashing Ohio State with the run. Early second half and their RB who went well over 100 yards is just ripping off runs. Ohio State is on it's heels so what's the OC call when you get in the red zone? Play action off RPO action to the RB and with the QB near the line of scrimmage tries a soft pooch pass to that RB going over the middle. Of course the safety doesn't bite, ball gets tipped and returned for a pick six. Game. Why do coaches go away from what's working?
6. I would be shocked if Frank Cignetti is the OC next year but I also cringe that the head coach is going to make the hire. He made a telling comment on his post game PC. He said "It makes him sick to see his run defense gashed for a TD run" . I mean coach your offense gave up over 300 yards of pass offense, gave up several long passes on third long and that's what your sick over? That's his DNA though and that's why I wonder if he'll make a good hire.
7. One of the issues this year with the D is the inability to get to the qb especially with our 4 down lineman. And the vaunted Delta package has not been as effective. Granted no Kancey and Dennis makes a huge difference but it's one of the reasons that several times yesterday on third and long you had an opportunity to get off the field and you couldn't get to the QB.
8. I'm glad basketball season is starting on Monday but I'll be at Yankee Stadium next saturday. Going with a bunch of buds who went to Cuse though Yankee Stadium is a terrible venue to watch a football game. Not much to play for anymore, but really this is an audition for next year though truth be told, do we know what the roster looks like next year? Two years after you win the ACC we are in a full rebuild, which is kinda unbelievable.
Pitt82
