Terrible time to be terrible

[thebadby2]

3-2 heading into a bye week sure we be a lot better than 1-4.

And what about 2021? Easiest OOC in Narduzzi era resulted in best season in Narduzzi era.

Hardly. Best team and best offense in Narduzzi era resulted in best season in Narduzzi era. Yet still managed to lose a game at home to a straight up tomato can that they would beat by 30 99 times out of 100. Thereby taking Pitt from a bona fide CFP contender to just a good team that had a league championship season.

If this season’s team started 3-2 but ended up 4-7 or 5-6, would that really make it any better?

 

[Slick Manager of Champs]

Hardly. Best team and best offense in Narduzzi era resulted in best season in Narduzzi era. Yet still managed to lose a game at home to a straight up tomato can that they would beat by 30 99 times out of 100. Thereby taking Pitt from a bona fide CFP contender to just a good team that had a league championship season.

If this season’s team started 3-2 but ended up 4-7 or 5-6, would that really make it any better?

if 2021 OOC was WVU, Cinci, Tenn, and Wofford, it is most likely 9-3, no top 15 final ranking and maybe not an ACC championship. But hey, play the tough schedule, does wonders for attendance.

Maybe going into the off week at 3-2 instead of 1-4 the team and fans aren't totally demoralized. So you have a better chance in the remaining games. And I'll take 5-7 over 3-9 any day, no matter how it was achieved.

 

[cashisking884]

if 2021 OOC was WVU, Cinci, Tenn, and Wofford, it is most likely 9-3, no top 15 final ranking and maybe not an ACC championship. But hey, play the tough schedule, does wonders for attendance.

Maybe going into the off week at 3-2 instead of 1-4 the team and fans aren't totally demoralized. So you have a better chance in the remaining games. And I'll take 5-7 over 3-9 any day, no matter how it was achieved.

Eh. Sometimes it’s better for the bottom to fall out. That way changes have to be made.

 

[thebadby2]

if 2021 OOC was WVU, Cinci, Tenn, and Wofford, it is most likely 9-3, no top 15 final ranking and maybe not an ACC championship. But hey, play the tough schedule, does wonders for attendance.

Maybe going into the off week at 3-2 instead of 1-4 the team and fans aren't totally demoralized. So you have a better chance in the remaining games. And I'll take 5-7 over 3-9 any day, no matter how it was achieved.

I’ll say this one more time: Cinci and WVU aren’t

if 2021 OOC was WVU, Cinci, Tenn, and Wofford, it is most likely 9-3, no top 15 final ranking and maybe not an ACC championship. But hey, play the tough schedule, does wonders for attendance.

Maybe going into the off week at 3-2 instead of 1-4 the team and fans aren't totally demoralized. So you have a better chance in the remaining games. And I'll take 5-7 over 3-9 any day, no matter how it was achieved.

2021 Pitt would have beaten the brakes off of 2023 Cinci and WVU.

News flash-those teams suck.

 

[Phillypanther2]

If we opened the season with Wofford, UMASS and UCONN, we would be 3-0. No one in the national media has ever criticized or held against a P5 team for playing an OOC schedule full of jobbers. Heck Michigan did that last year and they were rewarded with a second consecutive playoff spot.

They are serious about winning in that they dropped UCLA, which while a small chance, still provided a chance for losing. Lloyd Carr whined for years about having to play ND and now they don't

What part aren't you getting on this?

I’m not so sure we would be 3-0.
So I’m assuming you don’t want to continue the WVU series, or play a series with Penn St if they ever agreed. Also, I’m assuming we probably need the make by playing a series with WVU.
It sounds like you’d be happy if we joined the MAC. We could play an easy OOC schedule and then the easy MAC schedule. We might not be any good, but we could probably make a low level bowl and win 8 or 9 game’s every year.

 

[vantheman1976]

Yep. What a great time to be a coach. You get paid massive sums of money without having to earn it.

Indeed....by my count about $35M since he became head coach.....laughing all the way to the bank.

 

[McKeesport Panther]

This was a great a great post by the OP. It's 100% true.

 

[HailToPitt1985]

Before the season started if anyone here made a prediction that we'd be 1-3 going into the bye week, you would have been derided, told you're not a Pitt fan and that you're nuts. Turns out those of us who thought we'd be 3-1 instead are the crazy ones.

 

[The Ole Six-Fiver]

Before the season started if anyone here made a prediction that we'd be 1-3 going into the bye week, you would have been derided, told you're not a Pitt fan and that you're nuts. Turns out those of us who thought we'd be 3-1 instead are the crazy ones.

Um… I don’t want to be the one to tell you but…

 

[DaveTrout]

Um… I don’t want to be the one to tell you but…

Forget it, he's on a roll.

 

[HailToPitt1985]

Um… I don’t want to be the one to tell you but…

Umm, did I ever say we'd be 3-1 at this point in the season? I honestly don't remember ever posting that. I could be wrong.

 

[The Ole Six-Fiver]

Umm, did I ever say we'd be 3-1 at this point in the season? I honestly don't remember ever posting that. I could be wrong.

(It’s 1-4)

 

[Slick Manager of Champs]

It sounds like you’d be happy if we joined the MAC. We could play an easy OOC schedule and then the easy MAC schedule. We might not be any good, but we could probably make a low level bowl and win 8 or 9 game’s every year.

You must need hearing aids as I never said that. Just would like the same OOC as Michigan or PSU

 

[HailToPitt1985]

(It’s 1-4)

Yeah, silly me. I guess I was trying to be optimistic.

 

[cruzer]

Unless Narduzzi for some reason gets selected by MSU, he will need to fire Cignetti and clean house on the offense side. The OC stinks. The OL stinks. The WRs stinks. Too many stupid mistakes, players being in the wrong spot, stupid penalties, SHOULD show any rational.pwrson that the offensive coaches need to be replaced.

Pitt needs to pay for solid coaches on the offense side and needs to increase the recruiting budget. The OC should be out the recruiting. Sounds like that was something Whipple was ok with riding. Does Cignetti see himself as above it all?

I agree with your assessment. That said, the other lurking problem is that even if Narduzzi recognizes the need to make wholesale changes with the offensive coaching staff, what up and coming young offensive mind is coming to Pitt to work for a dead man walking? They would have to totally retool the offensive players. Easy to say, hard to do. Recruiting extends to more then just players. You have to recruit staff too and Narduzzi isn't good on that front either.

 

[HailtoPitt]

I agree with your assessment. That said, the other lurking problem is that even if Narduzzi recognizes the need to make wholesale changes with the offensive coaching staff, what up and coming young offensive mind is coming to Pitt to work for a dead man walking? They would have to totally retool the offensive players. Easy to say, hard to do. Recruiting extends to more then just players. You have to recruit staff too and Narduzzi isn't good on that front either.

Going to have to bring in a staff an promise them the resources the get the job done.

 

[Sean Miller Fan]

I’ll say this one more time: Cinci and WVU aren’t

2021 Pitt would have beaten the brakes off of 2023 Cinci and WVU.

News flash-those teams suck.

WMU put up 45. We would have lost one of those games for sure.

 

[thebadby2]

You must need hearing aids as I never said that. Just would like the same OOC as Michigan or PSU

Michigan played Western Michigan in 2021, as we did. How did they do against that common marshmallow opponent?

They went 12-1 and made the CFP that year. I guess they owe it all to their OOC. I’m sure if they had to face juggernauts like 2023 WVU or Cinci, they’d have never come out of that OOC unscathed.

Of course they did play Washington in the OOC that year, and beat the brakes off them.

 

[jivecat]

Everyone knew Pitt was likely to take a step back this season with all the personnel losses, but the feeling was different heading into the season. Perhaps, just perhaps, the program was now at the point were it would reload, particularly on defense. Just plug in the next men up and Pitt would continue to be top 25ish competitive the way big boy programs do it. Perception was changing locally and nationally, evidenced by still being picked in the top 3rd of the conference, just outside the national top 25, with ticket sales and buzz climbing locally.

That hope, of course, was dead wrong. More disappointing than anything is in year 9 of this coaching regime, the defense, which is supposed to be the hero of this program, and the side of the ball which the HC admittedly spends the vast majority of his attention, looks lost and is getting shredded by, not good teams, but bad teams.

What is clear is that the program was no where near the point anyone was hoping, and for the first time in a while, it doesn't even seem like there is hope down the road. No one is saying "wait until next year" or the "future looks bright," and that type of defeatism can be a death knell for a program.

Mediocre, at best, recruiting, seems to caught up with Pitt. Most coaches will tell you, its more about the talent than the schemes. If we didn't recruit raw talent, we were supposed to develop it in house. Where is it? Is the alternative that the coaching is just that poor? Perhaps more troubling for year 9 of a regime, there just seems to be poor coaching and fundamentals all around. That is very disconcerting.

And make no mistake, all the coaches and players are professionals now. This is not your father's college football student-athletes. These are straight up professionals. And as other programs have shown, NIL and the transfer portal are tools that can afford fixes much more quickly than ever before.

It is always a lot easier to destroy a program than build one up. Major changes have to be made at the end of this season. Top 25 type of programs don't go from 11 and 9 wins down to 2-10 or 1-11, and that is were this is heading baring some unexpected miracle turnaround.

And with conference realignment swirling around every corner, this is a terrible, terrible, time to be terrible.

To save its recently new found credibility, the athletic department has to show that the type of season we are looking down the barrel of is unacceptable. Accountability is needed. It won't happen in-season...that is not realistic. But after, and again, these are professionals, so don't blow smoke up anyone ass pretending they are not. Staff changes are needed, and the new tools in college football to plug holes have to be used.

You are out of line.

 

[thebadby2]

You are out of line.

 

[FireballZ]

Michigan played Western Michigan in 2021, as we did. How did they do against that common marshmallow opponent?

They went 12-1 and made the CFP that year. I guess they owe it all to their OOC. I’m sure if they had to face juggernauts like 2023 WVU or Cinci, they’d have never come out of that OOC unscathed.

Of course they did play Washington in the OOC that year, and beat the brakes off them.

When do you think one of your teams from the Big Pretend will win another championship in football or basketball when it counts?

 

[thebadby2]

When do you think one of your teams from the Big Pretend will win another championship in football or basketball when it counts?

Gee I don’t know Ballz. Maybe shortly after there’s only 2 leagues left that get to play for a recognized natty, which will likely be pretty soon?

 

[KennyHeisman8]

You are out of line.

Lol.

 

[pittdan77]

If the QB play is even just a little better this team probably is 3-2 at worst. The poor QB play just causes the problems to cascade and make everything look bad. Pitt has converted less that a dozen times on third down over the last three games. Puts the defense on the field more and you're eventually going to give up plays in this defense. You've had some unfortunate injuries on the O-line but you're never going to run the ball or feel comfortable in pass pro when the defense is practically begging you to put the ball in the air by stacking the box.

The staff bet it all on Jurk and they're apparently ready to die on that hill. Of course, I don't think any QB is going to shine in this system but you would think someone else would at least come close to an open receiver more regularly.

 

[TD_6082]

Everyone knew Pitt was likely to take a step back this season with all the personnel losses, but the feeling was different heading into the season. Perhaps, just perhaps, the program was now at the point were it would reload, particularly on defense. Just plug in the next men up and Pitt would continue to be top 25ish competitive the way big boy programs do it. Perception was changing locally and nationally, evidenced by still being picked in the top 3rd of the conference, just outside the national top 25, with ticket sales and buzz climbing locally.

That hope, of course, was dead wrong. More disappointing than anything is in year 9 of this coaching regime, the defense, which is supposed to be the hero of this program, and the side of the ball which the HC admittedly spends the vast majority of his attention, looks lost and is getting shredded by, not good teams, but bad teams.

What is clear is that the program was no where near the point anyone was hoping, and for the first time in a while, it doesn't even seem like there is hope down the road. No one is saying "wait until next year" or the "future looks bright," and that type of defeatism can be a death knell for a program.

Mediocre, at best, recruiting, seems to caught up with Pitt. Most coaches will tell you, its more about the talent than the schemes. If we didn't recruit raw talent, we were supposed to develop it in house. Where is it? Is the alternative that the coaching is just that poor? Perhaps more troubling for year 9 of a regime, there just seems to be poor coaching and fundamentals all around. That is very disconcerting.

And make no mistake, all the coaches and players are professionals now. This is not your father's college football student-athletes. These are straight up professionals. And as other programs have shown, NIL and the transfer portal are tools that can afford fixes much more quickly than ever before.

It is always a lot easier to destroy a program than build one up. Major changes have to be made at the end of this season. Top 25 type of programs don't go from 11 and 9 wins down to 2-10 or 1-11, and that is were this is heading baring some unexpected miracle turnaround.

And with conference realignment swirling around every corner, this is a terrible, terrible, time to be terrible.

To save its recently new found credibility, the athletic department has to show that the type of season we are looking down the barrel of is unacceptable. Accountability is needed. It won't happen in-season...that is not realistic. But after, and again, these are professionals, so don't blow smoke up anyone ass pretending they are not. Staff changes are needed, and the new tools in college football to plug holes have to be used.

There is never a good time to be terrible.

When it comes to conference realignment, Pitt is an afterthought. That's true regardless of on the field performance.

 

[Gunga_Galunga]

Skimmed the thread, my take - for anyone that cares...

- Narduzzi can't be fired., it's just not going to happen. They can't eat 7 years of buyout, but he needs to make changes
- He can start these changes by benching the completely broken QB, no matter what was promised.
- Cignetti has to be fired, along with several other offensive assistants. Won't happen until end of season.
- They need to start recruiting 25 kids per class, no more small classes. Need to clear roster room, this isn't a charity.
- I can't stress enough, no more small recruiting classes. When you live off 3 stars, you need volume.
- Offensive recruiting needs to be prioritized. We just don't get enough athletes on that side of the ball
- Defense doesn't win games anymore. You need to be good enough to get some stops, but the days of dominant defenses winning games is long gone.

 

[thebadby2]

Skimmed the thread, my take - for anyone that cares...

- Narduzzi can't be fired., it's just not going to happen. They can't eat 7 years of buyout, but he needs to make changes
- He can start these changes by benching the completely broken QB, no matter what was promised.
- Cignetti has to be fired, along with several other offensive assistants. Won't happen until end of season.
- They need to start recruiting 25 kids per class, no more small classes. Need to clear roster room, this isn't a charity.
- I can't stress enough, no more small recruiting classes. When you live of 3 stars, you need volume.
- Offensive recruiting needs to be prioritized. We just don't get enough athletes on that side of the ball
- Defense doesn't win games anymore. You need to be good enough to get some stops, but the days of dominant defenses winning games is long gone.

While we're filling these future recruiting classes, it might be a good idea to start prioritizing multiple QBs in each class, especially when you're mostly bringing in reaches. Like smart coaches do. The portal is always there as a backstop, but the mentality of relying on it to find your starter every year has to go. Bring in young QBs with tools, let them compete and make each other better, develop them, and see who emerges.

Of course, to develop them, you need a OC/QB coach that knows what he's doing.

Which brings us back to your point.

I get that Narduzzi realistically can't be fired, but he damn sure should be. This is all his mess, and he needs to be held accountable.

 

[Purdue_Panther]

Do you believe Narduzzi should continue to lead this program?

Your answer will say everything about your credibility on this subject.

Simply blaming the staff that the head coach has personally assembled and the personnel that the head coach is responsible for assembling is weak sauce.

The buck starts and stops with the head coach in every program.

Narduzzi needs to answer one question for me if I am the AD. What kind of offense do you want to run next year. If the answer is anything other than an explosive attacking offense that is more pass than run, then you fire Narduzzi and hire Jeff Lebby. If Narduzzi is in for a high powered offense then it is Brennan Marion time.

 

[TD_6082]

Narduzzi needs to answer one question for me if I am the AD. What kind of offense do you want to run next year. If the answer is anything other than an explosive attacking offense that is more pass than run, then you fire Narduzzi and hire Jeff Lebby. If Narduzzi is in for a high powered offense then it is Brennan Marion time.

Brennan Marion? His offense is totally run oriented. It's more run oriented than the current system.

 

[Gunga_Galunga]

Narduzzi needs to answer one question for me if I am the AD. What kind of offense do you want to run next year. If the answer is anything other than an explosive attacking offense that is more pass than run, then you fire Narduzzi and hire Jeff Lebby. If Narduzzi is in for a high powered offense then it is Brennan Marion time.

They don't need to be more pass than run to be an explosive attacking offense. There are plenty of offenses that score plenty off run heavy attacks.

I think what Narduzzi needs the biggest come to Jesus on is tempo. You can still run power out of different offensive sets with tempo. Scoring is going to win you games, not keeping your defense fresh.

 

[TD_6082]

While we're filling these future recruiting classes, it might be a good idea to start prioritizing multiple QBs in each class, especially when you're mostly bringing in reaches. Like smart coaches do. The portal is always there as a backstop, but the mentality of relying on it to find your starter every year has to go. Bring in young QBs with tools, let them compete and make each other better, develop them, and see who emerges.

Of course, to develop them, you need a OC/QB coach that knows what he's doing.

Which brings us back to your point.

I get that Narduzzi realistically can't be fired, but he damn sure should be. This is all his mess, and he needs to be held accountable.

You don't fire a head coach every time a move doesn't work out. Otherwise, it would be a constant revolving door.

Damn near every QB out there in today's game is a transfer. It really doesn't matter how they get them, as long as they can put someone competent back there.

 

[Slick Manager of Champs]

They don't need to be more pass than run to be an explosive attacking offense. There are plenty of offenses that score plenty off run heavy attacks.

I think what Narduzzi needs the biggest come to Jesus on is tempo. You can still run power out of different offensive sets with tempo. Scoring is going to win you games, not keeping your defense fresh.

the fourth quarter was almost coaching malpractice. Down 17 points but snapping the ball with 2 or 3 seconds on the clock. Getting a delay of game penalty. And the final kicker was two play action passes on the final two plays, one of which was 4th and 20.

Cignetti apparently doesn't have tempo built into his DNA.

 

[Jim Z]

Yes, but there must be a come to Jesus with Heather where an enema is applied to the whole offensive coaching staff. Cignetti, Boberly, Powell, Underwood. All gone. Salem stays since he is the only one with a pulse (besides Partridge) on recruiting trail.

Usually this is just window dressing as staff overhauls are like rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic. But he deserves the chance to get it right given he is the only coach in the past 40 years to win anything of meaning.

Even a blind squirrel finds an acorn once in awhile. Narduzzi is a mediocre coach with a mouth and an attitude who can't recruit and is owed nothing but a wave goodbye.