The effect of OOC games

[joeydavid]

If anyone still doubts how detrimental Pitt's ridiculous OOC schedule is hurting perception. Look at this list. In many cases Narduzzi has a better in conference record and beaten coaches head to head yet he's perceived to not be as good of a coach.

The difference, Pitt doesn't get it.

https://www.cbssports.com/college-f...rankings-power-five-coaches-ranked-65-26/amp/

 

[Zeldas Open Roof]

If anyone still doubts how detrimental Pitt's ridiculous OOC schedule is hurting perception. Look at this list. In many cases Narduzzi has a better in conference record and beaten coaches head to head yet he's perceived to not be as good of a coach.

The difference, Pitt doesn't get it.

https://www.cbssports.com/college-f...rankings-power-five-coaches-ranked-65-26/amp/

It’s avg this fall and downright pathetic in ‘20. You and @daminals76 should be happy.

 

[joeydavid]

This year is still 1 too many difficult games. '20 is exactly what their OOC should look like every year.

It’s avg this fall and downright pathetic in ‘20. You and @daminals76 should be happy.

 

[Zeldas Open Roof]

This year is still 1 too many difficult games. '20 is exactly what their OOC should look like every year.

You and daminals are gonna be the death of me with this topic. I am respectfully bowing out now to avoid this back and forth.

 

[TIGER-PAUL]

Still tbd I think what Heather's thinking is going forward. Hasn't done anything major besides Wisc. ACC/ND futures are known way in advance now. Only ACC requirement is 1 P5 in non ND years.

 

[NCanton Panther]

If anyone still doubts how detrimental Pitt's ridiculous OOC schedule is hurting perception. Look at this list. In many cases Narduzzi has a better in conference record and beaten coaches head to head yet he's perceived to not be as good of a coach.

The difference, Pitt doesn't get it.

https://www.cbssports.com/college-f...rankings-power-five-coaches-ranked-65-26/amp/

Now there’s a stretch, take an article ranking college FB coaches and turn it into an indictment of our OOC record.

 

[McKee Place]

Nobody with any knowledge of college football thinks Narduzzi isn't a good coach, or that our OOC is too hard. Our problems lie in the current model of the sport, Pitt leadership's adaptation of that (or refusal to, more accurately).

As was proven decisively (by me) in a parallel thread, place Narduzzi in Clemson or Bama and he'd get great results, close if not exact. And give them our OOC schedules, they'd sweep through with little struggle.

We didnt lose badly to PSU and UCF because Narduzzi is an awful coach. It's because we don't participate in the elements of the sport that is necessary to be competitive with teams that do.

Edit... Narduzzi has no excuse for the UNC losses, though.

 

[joeydavid]

Now there’s a stretch, take an article ranking college FB coaches and turn it into an indictment of our OOC record.

Pitt has the 4th best ACC record over the last 5 years yet Narduzzi is perceived to be the 4th worst ACC coach in that ranking.

The outlying variable is not playing the same easy OOC schedule as everyone else.

 

[anon_vmuicqnzlyp3u]

If anyone still doubts how detrimental Pitt's ridiculous OOC schedule is hurting perception. Look at this list. In many cases Narduzzi has a better in conference record and beaten coaches head to head yet he's perceived to not be as good of a coach.

The difference, Pitt doesn't get it.

https://www.cbssports.com/college-f...rankings-power-five-coaches-ranked-65-26/amp/

You still have to win OOC and or at least be competitive in those games. We are neither.

 

[Farnox]

Sadly, this is the new norm for college football. No one cares if you played a weak OOC or not by the end of the season. It's all record perception. I would use the analogy of of two similar runners in a 10K. One is wearing running shoes and the other workboots. The one with running shoes comes in well ahead of his counterpart and receives accolades as to how well he did over the other runner but no one is looking their shoes.
Bottom line is why handicap yourself when is just doesn't matter.

 

[Panthertag]

He lost 51-6 to the human douchebags.

 

[daminals76]

It’s avg this fall and downright pathetic in ‘20. You and @daminals76 should be happy.

I'd be happiest with 4 guaranteed W's... it would help the program and recruiting the most also.

 

[McKee Place]

I'd be happiest with 4 guaranteed W's... it would help the program and recruiting the most also.

I'd be happier if we allowed our boosters to pay better recruits, and we'd actually have a better chance in more games. Because there are only so many legit FBS teams that are easy wins to get on the home schedule at a reasonable price. And only so many FCS games allowed to be played. Eventually most teams, gasp, do have to play the occasional tough game, especially come post- season time, so how about fielding a team that won't get slaughtered when it does happen?

Short that route, I'd be happier if Pitt and the other 90% of schools that also have no chance at championships would band together and enforce governance and reform through the body that is supposed to do just that but has zero teeth.

None of us appear likely to get what we want however.

 

[daminals76]

I was very disappointed to see Tennessee and Wisconsin were scheduled by Heather.

We had a chance to really stack some OOC Ws and maybe put together some 9/10 win seasons but we are obsessed with scheduling losses... neither of these teams are even a draw to help attendance.

Wisc, and Tennessee will Draw about the same as any MAC team would to Heinz (+ or - 5k). No idea what the appeal is to scheduling these games?

 

[TIGER-PAUL]

I was very disappointed to see Tennessee and Wisconsin were scheduled by Heather.

We had a chance to really stack some OOC Ws and maybe put together some 9/10 win seasons but we are obsessed with scheduling losses... neither of these teams are even a draw to help attendance.

Wisc, and Tennessee will Draw about the same as any MAC team would to Heinz (+ or - 5k). No idea what the appeal is to scheduling these games?

1. Heather didn't schedule Tenn. Juhl did and at time was only P5 in those years.
2. Pitt has to schedule at least 1 P5 which so far Wisc is in those years.
Barnes added WVU.
2021

• 09/11 - at Tennessee
• 09/18 - Western Michigan
• 09/25 - New Hampshire

2022

• 09/03 - West Virginia
• 09/10 - Tennessee
• 09/17 - at Western Michigan
• 09/24 - Rhode Island

2023

• 09/09 - Cincinnati
• 09/16 - at West Virginia
• TBA - at Notre Dame

2024

• 09/07 - at Cincinnati
• 09/14 - West Virginia

2025

• 09/13 - at West Virginia
• TBA - Notre Dame

2026

• 09/19 - at Wisconsin

2027

• 09/11 - Wisconsin

2028

• TBA - Notre Dame

 

[ThePanthers]

You still have to win OOC and or at least be competitive in those games. We are neither.

Hence why you weaken it. At the end of the year no one cares how tough the OOC schedule is unless you are a playoff team.

 

[McKee Place]

These threads, yiii. Nobody ever explains...How/ who/ how much do you pay to "weaken" the schedule so you can still maximize home games? When everyone else, including and especially richer programs, want to maximize weak home opponents too?

 

[pittdan77]

These threads, yiii. Nobody ever explains...How/ who/ how much do you pay to "weaken" the schedule so you can still maximize home games? When everyone else, including and especially richer programs, want to maximize weak home opponents too?

What's the cost of maintaining the status quo? I understand there is a measurable and definitive number that comes with scheduling cupcakes. It's harder to monetize what being a perpetual 5-8 win team costs the program/university in unrealized revenue. That doesn't make it any less significant.

 

[RaleighPittFan]

I think there are two ways to schedule OOC games for P5 schools.

I see Georgia is ramping up it's OOC schedule on top of a fairly difficult in conference schedule, and I agree that's the correct path they should follow.

They have upcoming games with Texas, Notre Dame, Oklahoma, Clemson, and their yearly Ga. Tech. game.

Any team who expects to be in the playoff conversation can not afford to lose out to another team because of strength of schedule.

For everyone else, Pitt included, the goal should be to win the conference division, and play for a conference championship. OOC scheduling has no bearing on that.

OOC wins will result in better bowl games for Pitt. Loses only hurt the quality of bowl invitation, and could result in being left out of bowl season all together.

Maybe Pitt can use the momentum of winning a lot of games each season to move into the group of teams who's end of season expectation is to be in the playoff.

 

[pittdan77]

I see Georgia is ramping up it's OOC schedule on top of a fairly difficult in conference schedule, and I agree that's the correct path they should follow.

They have upcoming games with Texas, Notre Dame, Oklahoma, Clemson, and their yearly Ga. Tech. game.

Any team who expects to be in the playoff conversation can not afford to lose out to another team because of strength of schedule.

Risking the extra loss to claim a tougher schedule is a bold strategy. Will be interesting to see how it goes. I don't think strength of schedule has been terribly significant.

 

[anon_vmuicqnzlyp3u]

Hence why you weaken it. At the end of the year no one cares how tough the OOC schedule is unless you are a playoff team.

You may find this difficult but actually recruits care about bowl games. Plus it help the recruiting coaches sell the program. So don't give me no one care about the bowls. Trust me they do and they watch

 

[ThePanthers]

You may find this difficult but actually recruits care about bowl games. Plus it help the recruiting coaches sell the program. So don't give me no one care about the bowls. Trust me they do and they watch

Where did I say anywhere about a bowl?

 

[McKee Place]

Guys, get real. Pitt gives no priority to strategic football scheduling. We have gaps, our AD looks around (or at least as likely, take phone calls from ADs who have gaps of their own), if any given team has compatible openings for agreeable lengths of years, we make a deal. For P5 it usually means a home and home. Increasingly true as well for G5. For a rent a win at home, we look for the cheapest low level FBS or closest (aka bus transporting) and most important, cheapest FCS.

Look how many times we schedule teams that are basically no win situations for us? Oklahoma State was preposterous if thinking of "strategic" scheduling. YSU as our FCS, it's a bad choice because it is typically not a bad team and might give us a game (or beat us... which it did once and almost twice!). We also schedule road MAC games and have lost at least 3 of those i can recall. Lately, we scheduled games with Tennessee and Wisconsin, formidable foes likely to beat us, but not likely to draw much of crowds here, nor much national respect vs a more impressive SEC or B10 team.

See? There's no "strategy". We have ADs who come and go like the season's and treat scheduling like any other mundane chore. Today, jock strap contract. Tomorrow, call Akron and set up home and home for 2027-28.

I'll concede that Jamie Dixon put a ton of thought into strategic scheduling for hoops and Pitt allowed his influence there to manipulate RPI. For good or bad! But frankly it doesn't look like that even happens much any more since he left.

 

[ThePanthers]

You did not, however it could be implied as such. I am not getting in a pissing contest with you. If your going to be a championship caliber team you have to beat whoever you play. Regardless of what your OCC is.

Considering you don't schedule a bowl game, I don't think it was implied.

That said, we aren't a championship caliber team right now. What we need to do is stack wins to develop a better perception. A better perception will help recruiting and fan support. From there you can build up.

Look at last year for example. We did well in the ACC, won the Coastal, but everyone just focuses on the 7-7 record. You schedule an easier OOC, get 2 or 3 more wins, then you are 10-2; 9-3 going into the championship game in the top 25, with a bunch more hype. Sure, we still get stomped by Clemson, but after seeing them stomp ND and Bama, there isn't much wrong with that.

Perception does a ton.

 

[TIGER-PAUL]

Pitt gives no priority to strategic football scheduling

I think still TBD with the current AD.

 

[Zeldas Open Roof]

Considering you don't schedule a bowl game, I don't think it was implied.

That said, we aren't a championship caliber team right now. What we need to do is stack wins to develop a better perception. A better perception will help recruiting and fan support. From there you can build up.

Look at last year for example. We did well in the ACC, won the Coastal, but everyone just focuses on the 7-7 record. You schedule an easier OOC, get 2 or 3 more wins, then you are 10-2; 9-3 going into the championship game in the top 25, with a bunch more hype. Sure, we still get stomped by Clemson, but after seeing them stomp ND and Bama, there isn't much wrong with that.

Perception does a ton.

last year was dampened by a slashing by The U and us being an actual and literal punchline on national TV against Clemson. subbing out a win against wagner instaed of losing to UCF doesn't change that at all..

 

[BuffetParrothead]

Don't schedule MAC or other lower level conference team that you'll lose to.
Who saw UCF coming?

If PITT is going to lose to a Top Ranked OOC Team make sure it's a great fan draw team home game to secure the financial benefit of a full house.
ND away = no good!
ND home = good
Oklahoma St home = no fan draw, no money, PITT loses & PITT gains nothing

 

[ThePanthers]

last year was dampened by a slashing by The U and us being an actual and literal punchline on national TV against Clemson. subbing out a win against wagner instaed of losing to UCF doesn't change that at all..

Losing to the U only hurt because we were 7-5 overall. And the punchline was due to the same. No one discussed the strength of the OOC schedule nationally because unless you are a playoff team, no one cares.

If we are in that game at 9-3 or 10-2 and in the top 25 we are not getting criticized.

 

[wbrpanther]

Now there’s a stretch, take an article ranking college FB coaches and turn it into an indictment of our OOC record.

"Stretch" is the Lair's middle name.

 

[jtownknowitall]

He lost 51-6 to the human douchebags.

Yes. But only because he had to play them.