w/ Boyd & Conner likely gone next yr–this is the season to win 10+.

[#99HUGHgreen]

Pitt should easily win more games this year than last. Not just because Conner, Boyd and a starting QB are all returning. Not just because the new coach is a proven, gifted DC (something our defense desperately needed last year), but also because we are playing in the coastal division where the better teams last year (Georgia Tech and Duke) have lost a lot of key players. Plus, we have a few promising late additions this year to fill in some of our cracks and an elite, freshman DB that may even prove to be an useful offensive weapon. The return of Ejuan Price could end up being huge. He has All-ACC potential (IMO). Put it all together and Pitt should be able to win at least 3 more games on their scheduled this year.

Last year's team was much closer to having a very good record than you might remember.
If you look at the games Pitt played last year, you will realize that 6 of their losses (to Akron, Iowa, Virgina, Duke, North Carolina, Houston) were games they easily could have and probably should have won. That's how close Pitt was to a one loss season. Imagine the confidence and the number of quality players wanting to commit to Pitt, if we just would have won those games... heck, even 4 of those games.

The Good News this year:
This year's schedule sets up favorably once again for Pitt. If this coaching staff proves to be better than the previous crew and if the players stay focused on bringing their best–one game at a time, it's quite possible Pitt could win 10+ games. Every game on their schedule is winnable. True, Voytik (or Peterman)) would have to show improvement over last year's play at QB. And true, the current defensive players would need to prove they are talented enough to properly execute Narduzzi's more aggressive schemes. But with Pitt having what appears to be a softish schedule along with potentially better coaching and with key skill players coming back, and some improvements at key defensive positions, winning 10 or more games feels obtainable.

Hail to Pitt!


Pitt's 2015 Schedule and Pitt's chances of winning

• Youngstown State - should win easily.

• Akron - they stopped Conner last year but it shouldn't happen again

• Iowa - Pitt should have won last year and should win this year with a better coach.

• Virginia Tech - offense wasn't good last year. Same QB. Pitt should have the edge.

• Virginia - they lost three starting linebackers. We may have gained a better coach.

• Georgia Tech - good team that lost key players. Note to Pitt: Bring the stickem

• Syracuse - should be automatic W for Pitt until they can recruit and coach better

• North Carolina - terrible defense last year. A good Pitt defense should result in a win.

• Notre Dame - this could be a good ND team but we almost always play them tough

• Duke - lost star receiver Crowder plus QB and other good players. A little D = a big W

• Louisville - questions at QB and lost starting DBs, but never underestimate Petrino

• Miami - lost star RB Johnson and return only 11 starters. But they recruit well.

ACC championship game - Let's go Pitt!

 

[Pitt-Chains]

Pitt should easily win more games this year than last. Not just because Conner, Boyd and a starting QB are all returning. Not just because the new coach is a proven, gifted DC (something our defense desperately needed last year), but also because we are playing in the coastal division where the better teams last year (Georgia Tech and Duke) have lost a lot of key players. Plus, we have a few promising late additions this year to fill in some of our cracks and an elite, freshman DB that may even prove to be an useful offensive weapon. The return of Ejuan Price could end up being huge. He has All-ACC potential (IMO). Put it all together and Pitt should be able to win at least 3 more games on their scheduled this year.

Last year's team was much closer to having a very good record than you might remember.
If you look at the games Pitt played last year, you will realize that 6 of their losses (to Akron, Iowa, Virgina, Duke, North Carolina, Houston) were games they easily could have and probably should have won. That's how close Pitt was to a one loss season. Imagine the confidence and the number of quality players wanting to commit to Pitt, if we just would have won those games... heck, even 4 of those games.

The Good News this year:
This year's schedule sets up favorably once again for Pitt. If this coaching staff proves to be better than the previous crew and if the players stay focused on bringing their best–one game at a time, it's quite possible Pitt could win 10+ games. Every game on their schedule is winnable. True, Voytik (or Peterman)) would have to show improvement over last year's play at QB. And true, the current defensive players would need to prove they are talented enough to properly execute Narduzzi's more aggressive schemes. But with Pitt having what appears to be a softish schedule along with potentially better coaching and with key skill players coming back, and some improvements at key defensive positions, winning 10 or more games feels obtainable.

Hail to Pitt!


Pitt's 2015 Schedule and Pitt's chances of winning

• Youngstown State - should win easily.

• Akron - they stopped Conner last year but it shouldn't happen again

• Iowa - Pitt should have won last year and should win this year with a better coach.

• Virginia Tech - offense wasn't good last year. Same QB. Pitt should has the edge.

• Virginia - they lost three starting linebackers. We may have gained a better coach.

• Georgia Tech - good team that lost key players. Note to Pitt: Bring the stickem

• Syracuse - should be automatic W for Pitt until they can recruit and coach better

• North Carolina - terrible defense last year. A good Pitt defense should result in a win.

• Notre Dame - this could be a good ND team but we almost always play them tough

• Duke - lost star receiver Crowder plus QB and other good players. A little D = a big W

• Louisville - questions at QB and lost starting DBs, but never underestimate Petrino

• Miami - lost star RB Johnson and return only 11 starters. But they recruit well.

ACC championship game - Let's go Pitt!

#99, love the positive vibe and could you imagine if we get TEN wins !

Coach said Championships !

As PITT fans we need to do our part ! My 2.5 old son says LETS GO PITT more than anything else.

 

[#99HUGHgreen]

My 2.5 old son says LETS GO PITT more than anything else.

Pitt-Chains, I think that's a good omen.

 

[Pitt-Chains]

Pitt-Chains, I think that's a good omen.

I'm tempted to contact our Universities media department, he has the entire "Sweet Caroline" or in his case "Sweet Carol" down pat(touching me and touching you and his right arm GO PITT)and would be awesome to parallel the lyrics on the scoreboard. Priceless !

 

[OriginalEther]

Look, I'm optimistic about Narduzzi, but he has the exact pedigree that Paul Chryst had: a well respected coordinator who has yet to coach a game.
Hopefully he will be a better head coach, but that obviously hasn't been proven yet. I suppose at the worst, being that Narduzzi is clearly more energetic, we won't see listless disasters like the Akron game.

As for next years opponents, I'd like to see your list of returning players for the other teams. Georgia Tech, I recall in a list I did a few months, is returning most of their key players. Same with Virginia Tech.
Duke and Miami, yeah, they both lose a ton.

 

[WCSordill]

Look, I'm optimistic about Narduzzi, but he has the exact pedigree that Paul Chryst had: a well respected coordinator who has yet to coach a game.
Hopefully he will be a better head coach, but that obviously hasn't been proven yet. I suppose at the worst, being that Narduzzi is clearly more energetic, we won't see listless disasters like the Akron game.

As for next years opponents, I'd like to see your list of returning players for the other teams. Georgia Tech, I recall in a list I did a few months, is returning most of their key players. Same with Virginia Tech.
Duke and Miami, yeah, they both lose a ton.

Maybe Narduzzi has the same pedigree as Chryst had coming in, but I think that Narduzzi has been prepping for this for years and maybe Chryst had not. It seems that Narduzzi had a plan in mind even before being hired. He certainly has been more vigorous in applying the plan than Chryst was with regard to whatever plan he had in mind. The upgrades in staff and recruiting budgets has helped. Whatever the differences I think we have a much better chance of seeing improved results on the field than we have had in quite a while.

 

[Joe the Panther Fan]

I think that Narduzzi has been prepping for this for years and maybe Chryst had not.

I think when you have to stretch this far to try to justify an opinion you might as well not bother.

 

[OriginalEther]

Yeah, I was going to say, Chryst had interviewed for Head Coaching jobs before, including Pitt's as I recall.
Now, I agree that Narduzzi's staff on paper certainly looks better.

 

[#99HUGHgreen]

As for next years opponents, I'd like to see your list of returning players for the other teams. Georgia Tech, I recall in a list I did a few months, is returning most of their key players. Same with Virginia Tech.
Duke and Miami, yeah, they both lose a ton.

GT will be losing all of their skill position starters. Though their starting QB is returning which is key for them. Got to think they should be pretty solid again though.

----------
GT- Who's Gone
Georgia Tech saw major graduation on the offensive side of the ball in the wake of the 2014 campaign. Though the Yellow Jackets return their top two quarterbacks and four offensive linemen, they will have to replace all of their skill-position starters and a player we recently named the offensive MVP. At B-Back, the Jackets lost 100% of their career snaps at that position -- Synjyn Days, Zach Laskey, and walk-on Matt Connors all graduated and took their wealth of experience with them. Likewise, Georgia Tech lost four highly-experienced A-Backs in Charles Perkins, Deon Hill, B.J. Bostic, and Tony Zenon. They also lost both starting wide receivers, DeAndre Smelter and Darren Waller, both of whom could see themselves drafted in the next couple of months. The cherry on top of Georgia Tech's departures was the leader and anchor of the offensive line, RG Shaquille Mason.
---------


Here's a look at the ACC and who's coming back. Each team's national rank (relating to returning starters) is listed on the left:

• 10. North Carolina -- 17
• 17. Virginia Tech -- 16
• 17. Wake Forest -- 16
• 29. Pittsburgh -- 15
• 42. N.C. State -- 14
• 58. Georgia Tech -- 13
• 79. Duke -- 12
• 100. Clemson -- 11
• 100. Florida State -- 11
• 100. Miami -- 11
• 100. Syracuse -- 11
• 114. Virginia -- 10
• 121. Boston College -- 9
• 121. Louisville -- 9

You will notice only NC, Virginia Tech, and Wake Forest have more returning starters than Pitt.

One interesting bit of information I uncovered is that every player who scored a point for Virginia Tech last year is returning. Though they were not a high scoring team and personally I think their QB has been far from remarkable.

 

[MajorMajors]

Pitt should easily win more games this year than last. Not just because Conner, Boyd and a starting QB are all returning. Not just because the new coach is a proven, gifted DC (something our defense desperately needed last year), but also because we are playing in the coastal division where the better teams last year (Georgia Tech and Duke) have lost a lot of key players. Plus, we have a few promising late additions this year to fill in some of our cracks and an elite, freshman DB that may even prove to be an useful offensive weapon. The return of Ejuan Price could end up being huge. He has All-ACC potential (IMO). Put it all together and Pitt should be able to win at least 3 more games on their scheduled this year.

Last year's team was much closer to having a very good record than you might remember.
If you look at the games Pitt played last year, you will realize that 6 of their losses (to Akron, Iowa, Virgina, Duke, North Carolina, Houston) were games they easily could have and probably should have won. That's how close Pitt was to a one loss season. Imagine the confidence and the number of quality players wanting to commit to Pitt, if we just would have won those games... heck, even 4 of those games.

The Good News this year:
This year's schedule sets up favorably once again for Pitt. If this coaching staff proves to be better than the previous crew and if the players stay focused on bringing their best–one game at a time, it's quite possible Pitt could win 10+ games. Every game on their schedule is winnable. True, Voytik (or Peterman)) would have to show improvement over last year's play at QB. And true, the current defensive players would need to prove they are talented enough to properly execute Narduzzi's more aggressive schemes. But with Pitt having what appears to be a softish schedule along with potentially better coaching and with key skill players coming back, and some improvements at key defensive positions, winning 10 or more games feels obtainable.

Hail to Pitt!


Pitt's 2015 Schedule and Pitt's chances of winning

• Youngstown State - should win easily.

• Akron - they stopped Conner last year but it shouldn't happen again

• Iowa - Pitt should have won last year and should win this year with a better coach.

• Virginia Tech - offense wasn't good last year. Same QB. Pitt should have the edge.

• Virginia - they lost three starting linebackers. We may have gained a better coach.

• Georgia Tech - good team that lost key players. Note to Pitt: Bring the stickem

• Syracuse - should be automatic W for Pitt until they can recruit and coach better

• North Carolina - terrible defense last year. A good Pitt defense should result in a win.

• Notre Dame - this could be a good ND team but we almost always play them tough

• Duke - lost star receiver Crowder plus QB and other good players. A little D = a big W

• Louisville - questions at QB and lost starting DBs, but never underestimate Petrino

• Miami - lost star RB Johnson and return only 11 starters. But they recruit well.

ACC championship game - Let's go Pitt!

Would certainly be AWESOME to win 10 games this season, but I don't see it happening without a much better pass rush and I don't see where that pass rush is going to come from. E. Price may help, but he's not very big and hasn't played in a long, long while. Rori Blair is only a Soph. Nobody else appears to be ready to break through...

This is the biggest weakness of the team and will be the biggest challenge for Coach Duzz. With the aggressive way he likes to play the corners (which I like), we could be giving up a lot of big pass plays...

Go Pitt.

 

[OriginalEther]

Ok
I was using a different method, figuring out how seniors and juniors left, how many of them started, and also looking at All-ACC selections who were returning and leaving. Trying to differentiate between the TJ Clemmings', the Dave Durham's, and the [insert senior who never saw the field].

I want to say Georgia returned a lot of their All-ACC team members (Miami seemingly lost all of theirs, on the other hand).

Either way, we both agree it will be a tough game.

 

[Consultant Panther]

Would certainly be AWESOME to win 10 games this season, but I don't see it happening without a much better pass rush and I don't see where that pass rush is going to come from. E. Price may help, but he's not very big and hasn't played in a long, long while. Rori Blair is only a Soph. Nobody else appears to be ready to break through...

This is the biggest weakness of the team and will be the biggest challenge for Coach Duzz. With the aggressive way he likes to play the corners (which I like), we could be giving up a lot of big pass plays

I agree that it's highly unlikely this team can win 10 games. It's going to take a few years for Narduzzi to get the defense turned around. Even though I think Narduzzi's going to do a great job at Pitt, there are bound to be some growing pains. There generally are when a coaching change occurs. I don't think there's going to be a disastrous couple seasons, like when Wannstedt took over, but there's bound to be a rough game or two.

 

[vegasgreed]

first year head coach, first year staff and your hoping for 10 wins, with a program not accustomed to winning 10 games, good luck with that.

 

[H2Pittisit]

There are so many directions this season can go. I think a lot will be determined on how well the first 4 games go. Every game is winnable. If this team starts 4-0, mostly on the road, then look out I think it could snowball into a very good season. Stumble to 2-2 or worse 1-3 and it could be a really long season. I'd sign up for 3-1 with a split at VA Tech/Iowa right now.

 

[#99HUGHgreen]

Would certainly be AWESOME to win 10 games this season, but I don't see it happening without a much better pass rush and I don't see where that pass rush is going to come from. E. Price may help, but he's not very big and hasn't played in a long, long while. Rori Blair is only a Soph. Nobody else appears to be ready to break through...

This is the biggest weakness of the team and will be the biggest challenge for Coach Duzz. With the aggressive way he likes to play the corners (which I like), we could be giving up a lot of big pass plays...

Go Pitt.

I agree that a much improved defensive line is critical. In addition to Price and Blair (who I think will prove to be special players this year) we need to see more from Render and Soto and Molsey -Smith and Moody and LaQuentin Smith and Jarrett (who apparently has shown dramatic improvement during spring practice). I want to believe the two defensive players transferring in (Scarpinato and Edwards) can prove to be valuable assets.

You never know for sure how it's going to play out, but with the DE tandum of Blair and Price coming off the edges and possibly big boy Jarrett stuffing the middle along with Render or Scarpinato, we might actually turn one of last years weakness into a strength.

 

[#99HUGHgreen]

first year head coach, first year staff and your hoping for 10 wins, with a program not accustomed to winning 10 games, good luck with that.

So what if it's been awhile since Pitt has won 10 games. They may not win 10 games this upcoming season, but there is plenty of reason to believe they could (and maybe should).

I believe you may have lost sight of a few things:

This is not a rebuilding year for Pitt. We are returning one of the best RBs in the country. One of the best WRs in the country, almost our entire OL, our very solid TEs, our starting QB, and the new coach is a proven defensive guru.

Additionally, look back at the information I've gathered and included in my post about the teams on Pitt's schedule this year. Most of the teams were mediocre last year and many of the teams lost a significant amount of key players. And most of the games we lost last year were by a very small margin. With a little better coaching, Pitt could easily have won 4 or more games. That would have meant 10+ wins.

Look, I realize there may be some adjusting to the new coaching staff and schemes, but I don't think really good coaches need several seasons to make things click- more like a few games. Which is why it works out nicely that we start out this season with YSU and Akron. I'm not suggesting we will be one of the best 10 teams in the country, but then it's not like we're playing Alabama or Ohio State or LSU or FSU or Auburn or Oregon or TCU or Baylor or Ole Miss, or Michigan State or even Texas A&M or Clemson. The only two schools we play which are likely to have a shot at cracking the top 10 are ND and Georgia Tech. And Georgia tech lost it's starting WRs and RBs.

Sometimes I think the coaching job at Pitt has become one of the easiest in the nation because the expectations from some fans have become so low.

Unless we see dramatic improvement from several of Pitt's opponents this year, our expectations as fans should be (at least mine are) for them to win 9 games (with 10+ wins being obtainable).

 

[The Loaded Italian]

Yeah... but as always... it depends on QB play. Every year someone comes on and writes a post like this...
How many teams win 10+ games without strong QB play? VERY VERY FEW.
Voytik needs to improve greatly over last year to even have a chance. You need a guy that can drive inside 2 minutes and get the win, because... as we saw last year... to be a great team you will be in dog fights and you have to pull out the close games. We would have won 10 games last year with better QB play, 4-5 losses should have been wins. And that is with a horrible defense.
I really dont think most sane football fans would expect 10 wins from a new coach and a new system with a QB that was mediocre AT BEST coming back. Now, he is better than Tino and Stull, and I personally think Voytik will do very well and we just may win 10 games. But, I am not expecting 10 wins. I would be relatively happy with 8, and feel good about 9 wins. 10 wins and we have a defensive genius as a coach

 

[MajorMajors]

With Coach Duzz being so well known as a DC, it will be very interesting to see how the Pitt defense looks against Georgia Tech. Pitt had no clue how to stop that option last season - it was kind of embarrassing... I'm wondering how often Coach Duzz has had to go against option teams and how well he did.

Personally, I'm kind of dreading playing GT and I wish their coach would take his option game and move to another conference... Hard to prepare for it.

Go Pitt.

 

[#99HUGHgreen]

Yeah... but as always... it depends on QB play. Every year someone comes on and writes a post like this...
How many teams win 10+ games without strong QB play? VERY VERY FEW.
Voytik needs to improve greatly over last year to even have a chance. You need a guy that can drive inside 2 minutes and get the win, because... as we saw last year... to be a great team you will be in dog fights and you have to pull out the close games. We would have won 10 games last year with better QB play, 4-5 losses should have been wins. And that is with a horrible defense.
I really dont think most sane football fans would expect 10 wins from a new coach and a new system with a QB that was mediocre AT BEST coming back. Now, he is better than Tino and Stull, and I personally think Voytik will do very well and we just may win 10 games. But, I am not expecting 10 wins. I would be relatively happy with 8, and feel good about 9 wins. 10 wins and we have a defensive genius as a coach

Completely agree with you about the importance of a strong QB. I did mention above that "Voytik (or Peterman) would have to show improvement over last year's play."

Understand, I would never have felt comfortable suggestinh we would win 10 games with Tino as the QB, even with Saban or Meyer at head coach. But I would point out that poor coaching last year was equally if not more responsible for 4-5 of the losses last year.

Also, while Pitt should have won 10 games last year, expecting them to do so before the season seemed like a stretch, as there were so many question marks. Was Conner really going to be a great back or was that Bowling Green game a fluke? How good would Voytik be or the OL? Were the coaches going to get better, especially with game day decisions?

This year is different. We have enough proven players at both the skill positions and non skill positions returning and there seems to be a reasonably good chance that many of the ACC teams we lost close games to may not be quite as good this year (due to key losses).

Voytik didn't always look great last year but he has shown great promise at times. He is smart and should show improvement this year. I just wish he were a few inches taller so he could see over his lineman and down field better.

 

[Consultant Panther]

Voytik didn't always look great last year but he has shown great promise at times. He is smart and should show improvement this year. I just wish he were a few inches taller so he could see over his lineman and down field better.

It's likely that Voytik will improve, but he'll be learning a new system. He's a smart, hard working kid, so I don't think that will be a big problem, but it is something to consider.

 

[CaPAPITT76]

Completely agree with you about the importance of a strong QB. I did mention above that "Voytik (or Peterman) would have to show improvement over last year's play."

Understand, I would never have felt comfortable suggestinh we would win 10 games with Tino as the QB, even with Saban or Meyer at head coach. But I would point out that poor coaching last year was equally if not more responsible for 4-5 of the losses last year.

Also, while Pitt should have won 10 games last year, expecting them to do so before the season seemed like a stretch, as there were so many question marks. Was Conner really going to be a great back or was that Bowling Green game a fluke? How good would Voytik be or the OL? Were the coaches going to get better, especially with game day decisions?

This year is different. We have enough proven players at both the skill positions and non skill positions returning and there seems to be a reasonably good chance that many of the ACC teams we lost close games to may not be quite as good this year (due to key losses).

Voytik didn't always look great last year but he has shown great promise at times. He is smart and should show improvement this year. I just wish he were a few inches taller so he could see over his lineman and down field better.

 

[CaPAPITT76]

DREW BREES wishes he was a few inches taller also....VOYTIK will be fine he's a very good qb, multi-talented qb.. pass or run. best overall qb we've had in a long time with experience! only pluses for us this year

 

[TIGER-PAUL]

Pitt has only won 10 games once since 1982.

 

[CaptainSidneyReilly]

Thanks for this info!

GT will be losing all of their skill position starters. Though their starting QB is returning which is key for them. Got to think they should be pretty solid again though.

----------
GT- Who's Gone
Georgia Tech saw major graduation on the offensive side of the ball in the wake of the 2014 campaign. Though the Yellow Jackets return their top two quarterbacks and four offensive linemen, they will have to replace all of their skill-position starters and a player we recently named the offensive MVP. At B-Back, the Jackets lost 100% of their career snaps at that position -- Synjyn Days, Zach Laskey, and walk-on Matt Connors all graduated and took their wealth of experience with them. Likewise, Georgia Tech lost four highly-experienced A-Backs in Charles Perkins, Deon Hill, B.J. Bostic, and Tony Zenon. They also lost both starting wide receivers, DeAndre Smelter and Darren Waller, both of whom could see themselves drafted in the next couple of months. The cherry on top of Georgia Tech's departures was the leader and anchor of the offensive line, RG Shaquille Mason.
---------


Here's a look at the ACC and who's coming back. Each team's national rank (relating to returning starters) is listed on the left:

• 10. North Carolina -- 17
• 17. Virginia Tech -- 16
• 17. Wake Forest -- 16
• 29. Pittsburgh -- 15
• 42. N.C. State -- 14
• 58. Georgia Tech -- 13
• 79. Duke -- 12
• 100. Clemson -- 11
• 100. Florida State -- 11
• 100. Miami -- 11
• 100. Syracuse -- 11
• 114. Virginia -- 10
• 121. Boston College -- 9
• 121. Louisville -- 9

You will notice only NC, Virginia Tech, and Wake Forest have more returning starters than Pitt.

One interesting bit of information I uncovered is that every player who scored a point for Virginia Tech last year is returning. Though they were not a high scoring team and personally I think their QB has been far from remarkable.

 

[CaptainSidneyReilly]

Pitt should easily win more games this year than last.
Pitt's 2015 Schedule and Pitt's chances of winning

• Youngstown State - should win easily.
Pelini will give Pitt a good game as Coach Pat & Staff debuts their coaching their First Game. If Pitt does win easily, it is what Pitt should be doing anyway and that is good portending of things to come. Unlike how Coach Chryst proved he was not ready to be a Head Coach and had to learn on Pitt's dime?

• Akron - they stopped Conner last year but it shouldn't happen again
Ditto, above on YSU for Akron too, and Pitt's Defense will have to stop Akron's QB and Bowden's coaching, and the Pitt Offense has to show up unlike last year. If Pitt wins big here another good sign for things to come.

• Iowa - Pitt should have won last year and should win this year with a better coach.
Coach Pat & Staff unlike Chryst needs to be more aggressive on Ferrentz Teams and do the knock out calls needed to keep Iowa out of the game, but without risking it coming back on them if they are wrong calls just like Chryst made last year!

• Virginia Tech - offense wasn't good last year. Same QB. Pitt should have the edge.
Agree, but Beamer is a good coach but If Coach Pat & Staff win this one, another statement showing better things to come is upon Pitt!

• Virginia - they lost three starting linebackers. We may have gained a better coach.
Pitt has to win this straight out and a must win, nothing short will be satisfying. Tough Defense UVA will have this year with 3 Top Ten 5 Star Recruits from last few years?

• Georgia Tech - good team that lost key players. Note to Pitt: Bring the stickem
Great Coach in Johnson and setting an NCAA Record with Pitt Turnovers under Chryst has to be avoided by Coach Pat & Staff?

• Syracuse - should be automatic W for Pitt until they can recruit and coach better
Everybody says this every year, but it is seldom an automatic win against Cuse even in the best of years, in 1976, Cuse almost cost Pitt the National Championship, but in other years the series is pretty close to even!

• North Carolina - terrible defense last year. A good Pitt defense should result in a win.
Pitt has a Special Team Coach known for being excellent and this game was lost on Special Teams two years in a row because Dumbo Chryst claimed otherwise, just another example of Chryst learning on Pitt's dime and at the expense of his players for himself and return to Wisky! Hope he gets drunk up there as he made Pitt Fans drink down here, on his poor Special Teams Coaching?

• Notre Dame - this could be a good ND team but we almost always play them tough
Almost won't cut it, but Coach pat has played against them too the last few years! ND is ranked 3rd in NFL Quality Players Production and Pitt 4th just behind them? Having an healthy team of players will help, We shall see?

• Duke - lost star receiver Crowder plus QB and other good players. A little D = a big W
Duke Coach will have his players ready as a Team, Coach Pat & Staff has to prove they have the better Team, and 3 points difference between losing and winning in 50 points games between them. Special Teams can't be giving up a TD Kickoff or missing a Field Goal either! Thank You Dumbo Paul!

• Louisville - questions at QB and lost starting DBs, but never underestimate Petrino
Petrino is just glad to be back coaching in a Power Conference and will be just as good as ever, boy a win here will really reveal how good Coach Pat & Staff is and having more losses than wins by this 11th game just shows much more to do?

• Miami - lost star RB Johnson and return only 11 starters. But they recruit well.
Pitt beat them last year and should beat them this year with a Defense that should be better by the 12th game? But the talent of Miami is hard to overcome for any Team not just Pitt! Pitt ranks 4th in NFL Quality Production and Miami has been 1st?

ACC championship game - Let's go Pitt!

 

[Coultr77]

I think you may be underestimating how dramatic it can be for young kids albeit talented ones to learn and adapt to new schemes, play books, coaching techniques, etc. I hope you can get 9 wins but thinking that is expected or even 10 is a bit hard to understand

 

[pantherpitt2297]

Being optimistic, 8 wins is achievable because of the many points above, plus we also have a much better and experienced assitant coaches staff. The DC and OC both have solid experience. Someone please confirm, but didnt I read somewhere that Conklin ran a similiar D to msu's?? Not sure of how much success he had, but at least there's a degree of familiiarization with what's expected.

 

[MajorMajors]

I understand that Coach Conklin -- because he admired how the MSU defense played -- actually contacted and got advice from Coach Duzz about the MSU defense -- and then implemented the same principles at FIU.

My concern is for Pitt's defense because the change is going to be most profound for them (and because we lack top talent at DE). Going to the more aggressive style is certainly going to lead to big plays against Pitt. Will that be offset by Pitt's defense getting stops and big plays the other way - that is the question. With a handful of more stops last season, Pitt wins three more games.

I expect the offense to be good simply because of the experience/talent they have - and I full expect Coach Chaney to keep some of the stuff they did well from last season so that the transition is more manageable.

Go Pitt.

 

[OriginalEther]

For those who watched and/or have inside knowledge, how exactly did the defense look this past spring?

Unless the offense was really holding back and/or struggling with the new playbook, the results of the scrimmages and Spring Game suggest that the D should be at least average.

 

[#99HUGHgreen]

I realize there are factor that may keep it from happening, but I can't imagine why someone would believe 10 wins is not obtainable this year: I don't see 3 teams on the schedule this year that Pitt has no chance of beating.

I get that it's not easy for kids to learn a new scheme from a new coach and win a bunch of games in the first year, but with the right coach a new scheme can be learned quickly.

Ohio State was 6-7 in 2011 under Luke Fickell

Urban Meyer took over the following year, and in his first year-teaching mostly the same kids a new scheme-his team finished 12-0.

My point is that it can be done and it doesn't have to take two or three years for players to "get" a new scheme, if the coach knows how to coach well. We'll see if Narduzzi and staff can pull it off. Maybe they will, maybe they won't.

Also, I don't think any one is saying they "expect" Pitt to win 10 games. I didn't go that far. But on paper (i.e. based on how Pitt's opponents played last year and the fact that many of them have lost key players and the fact that we almost beat 4 of those teams and because we have a new coach who is a proven successful defensive mind-the area of our greatest weakness) winning 10 games looks doable.

I don't know if the fans at OSU thought Urban Meyer could go undefeated in his first year when taking over a 6-7 team. But I bet many thought and expected the team to be better than the previous year because of the new coach and maybe partly because of schedule filled with B1G teams that looked to be a little weaker, while his team returned may key players.

 

[vegasgreed]

#99, are you seriously comparing a first year head coach in PN to Urban Meyer? Seriously. Get a grip. Urban has beyond proven it at multiple stops. National champs at more than one school.

Any new head coach for the first time, there is an adjustment period with 99.9 % of them. Anything is possible but 10 wins doesn't mean its likely.

 

[heybandguy]

I think 9 is reasonable for this squad. I like Narduzzi so far, but he hasn't coached yet and these players haven't played in his system in a situation that really matters. There a number of great stories coming out of the spring game which I hope continue to mature and pay dividends in the games. The coaching staff from PN seems to "act like they have been here before" without having been there before. I think this translates onto the field to an improved process and product. I were Vegas I would set the the over/under for Pitt wins at 8.5. As a betting man, I'd take the over, but not by much.

 

[deepelemblues]

considering how middling teams in the ACC not named clemson or florida state or georgia tech are - seriously, who is the best team in the ACC after those 3? certainly not miami or VT, not right now... louisville? duke? north carolina? virginia? all teams pitt is very capable of beating, louisville being the toughest imo... and how bad the bottom is, i'm looking at you syracuse and wake... and how close pitt was to being the king of the ACC teams not named clemson or florida state or georgia tech last year (like 3 more touchdowns - albeit spread over 3 or 4 games - close)... 9 or 10 wins should be an every year expectation.

 

[rc79]

The o/u this year is 6. Last season it was 7.5. The schedule being the difference in the Vegas calculus. Chryst was just not good last year.

As an aside, a lot of people over rate Lewisville. That game is probably in the more likely toss up games bucket.

 

[jaygeekray]

Hoping for 9-4...preparing for 7-6.
Too many of the same faces on defense.
Will struggle to outscore our opponents & no lead will ever be safe.
Duzz wil wonder where his defensive playmakers are all season long...H2P!!!

 

[#99HUGHgreen]

#99, are you seriously comparing a first year head coach in PN to Urban Meyer? Seriously. Get a grip. Urban has beyond proven it at multiple stops. National champs at more than one school.

Any new head coach for the first time, there is an adjustment period with 99.9 % of them. Anything is possible but 10 wins doesn't mean its likely.

"Get a grip." Really vegasgreed?

First, I did not say Pitt would "likely win 10 games" I said it was "obtainable" and "doable."

Further, I was not suggesting Pat Narduzzi is the next Urban Meyer. None of us know with certainty how good PN will be as a head coach. If I believed he had already proven enough to be the next UM, I would have stated that winning 12 games or (maybe even going undefeated) was obtainable.

I was merely making the point that it is indeed possible for a new coach to get his kids to understand his scheme quickly enough to improve upon the number of wins the team had the previous year – especially (and I believe I've made this point quite clear) when the new coach is a proven talented DC (something that we could have used last year), and when the team he is inheriting–a team that came close to winning 4 additional games last year–will return many starters (two of which are all-american caliber skill position players), and when many of those schools his team played last year lost key skill position players.

Others have posted to this thread that 9 wins is reasonable (one even said it was a must). If you think it is not reasonable to think Pitt could win 9 games and has no shot at winning 10 games this season, well then that's your prerogative. Feel free to think Narduzzi won't do better than the last coach with the cards he's been dealt this year. I happen to believe he appears (at least as of now) to have been dealt a better hand than a number of other ACC Coastal coaches have this year and I happen to feel he could actually win a bit more with his hand this year than Chryst was able to win with the hand he was dealt last year. You don't have to agree. Time will tell.

I'll give you this: Any head football coach would love you to be the AD at their university– apparently they'd only ever have to win 6 to 8 of their games.

Let me leave you with one question: If Pitt does not win 9 or 10 games this year, when do you see that it is reasonable for Pitt fans to believe Narduzzi will be able to win that many? Remember that next year we very well may not have Conner or Boyd on the team – and other ACC Coastal teams will have reloaded and possibly have new star players returning.

 

[geeman2001]

Hoping for 9-4...preparing for 7-6.
Too many of the same faces on defense.
Will struggle to outscore our opponents & no lead will ever be safe.
Duzz wil wonder where his defensive playmakers are all season long...H2P!!!

This, unfortunately.

If he turns that D roster into an 8-4 or higher, he's gotta be Coach Of The Year. Because, precisely as you said, there is nobody who has shown signs of a playmaker among them. And yeah, House was an awful DC and a big reason why, but none of these guys seemed to have even the natural knack for a random big play , save maybe Grigsby and Maddox (and both simply too small to regularly have big impact). Price may be another but odds of even making it to the first game healthy are daunting for him.

I think Duz needed to sell out and bring in even more jukes on D than he did. The DE was a good start. The grad DT from MSU, ok too. But he needed to find a kamikaze Ramon-Walkeresque safety and a true MLB in the juco ranks too. Yeah those are tall orders but the bar would be shockingly low. Maybe Galambos or Mitchell will make astounding strides with real coaches, but with so little pushing them on the depth chart, will they even have the heart? MG in particular was like a speed bump last season. When he was even in position (rarely) to be one. I don't know that a coach can make a THAT much diff. And I know this post opens me up for abuse because it's 'negative' but it was frustrating that the new coaches must have seen the obvious as we all did, but only went a quarter of the way to address the biggest, most serious chasms that could possibly sabotage what could be a tremendous first season. Because this offense IS the real deal, two NFL first day guys, yet could get boat raced in most games.

 

[WNYPanther]

While I'd love to see 10 wins I'd be happy with 8 & not getting blown out in any games or giving games away. Stop the Pitting, increase the win total, teach them how to finish and build for the future.

 

[bwh05]

This isn't a 10 win defense.

 

[MajorMajors]

This, unfortunately.

If he turns that D roster into an 8-4 or higher, he's gotta be Coach Of The Year. Because, precisely as you said, there is nobody who has shown signs of a playmaker among them. And yeah, House was an awful DC and a big reason why, but none of these guys seemed to have even the natural knack for a random big play , save maybe Grigsby and Maddox (and both simply too small to regularly have big impact). Price may be another but odds of even making it to the first game healthy are daunting for him.

I think Duz needed to sell out and bring in even more jukes on D than he did. The DE was a good start. The grad DT from MSU, ok too. But he needed to find a kamikaze Ramon-Walkeresque safety and a true MLB in the juco ranks too. Yeah those are tall orders but the bar would be shockingly low. Maybe Galambos or Mitchell will make astounding strides with real coaches, but with so little pushing them on the depth chart, will they even have the heart? MG in particular was like a speed bump last season. When he was even in position (rarely) to be one. I don't know that a coach can make a THAT much diff. And I know this post opens me up for abuse because it's 'negative' but it was frustrating that the new coaches must have seen the obvious as we all did, but only went a quarter of the way to address the biggest, most serious chasms that could possibly sabotage what could be a tremendous first season. Because this offense IS the real deal, two NFL first day guys, yet could get boat raced in most games.

You make it sound so easy to go out and get a good MLB or safety, when the new coach had like a month to recruit and the vast majority of the "good" players were already committed. You seem to be satisfied with the Juco DE, but do you really expect him to come in and have a significant impact? I don't.

MG will get better. Do you recall by any chance the improvement in Scott McKillop from his soph to junior year - it was huge. I doubt MG is another SM, but the kid is bound to improve. I actually suspect that Quinton Wirginis will win spot eventually, but he will have some growing pains too.

I still say the biggest weakness of the defense is at DE. I think Coach Duzz can "fix" the rest of the defense, or at least mask the weaknesses, but the lack of an outside pass rush is going to hurt big-time in close games.

Go Pitt.