We don't get penalized,give up first downs,can rush,blitz and undefeated.

[mdpitt]

We still have a lot of questions but maybe the best signs of good coaching is the lack of penalties and first downs on D. Our players are having some fun out there.

I really think the big X factor is Whitehead starting to be given full responsibility as a Freshman and the future recruits we get in a loaded Western Pa with D backs. I'm not saying he's Deion Sanders out there but he certainly has the makings of A Neon Deion in the way he plays and the situation coach is giving him. If there is one area Pitt should pump out talent it's defensive back and Narduzzi is the one to do it.

There are some things to be excited about here in two brutally tough weather days Pitt has endured with relative crispness. The lack of fumbles and drops last night for Pitt was extrodinarry in my mind.

The MAC looked pretty good yesterday. We are undefeated.

 

[ratking17]

couldn't agree more. Notice when Akron was chippy at the end and taking personal fouls. How many times do you see the offsetting penalties and in Pitt's past, that definetely was the case. Now again it is only 2 games, but the presnap penalties that have plagued us are also disappearing. Iowa will be a better test here though...

 

[steel1975]

couldn't agree more. Notice when Akron was chippy at the end and taking personal fouls. How many times do you see the offsetting penalties and in Pitt's past, that definetely was the case. Now again it is only 2 games, but the presnap penalties that have plagued us are also disappearing. Iowa will be a better test here though...

All excellent observations in this thread!!

-horrible weather conditions, yet no fumbling or badly dropped passes (unlike Akron receivers who couldn't hold on)

- penalties have dropped way off from years past

- no undisciplined penalties such as the ones Akron was taking at the end -- Pitt is like an entirely different team, for those observers who can actually see and watch in an unbiased way

Narduzzi's effect is being seen quickly and effectively -- this team is EONS better than the team from last year, and it's all due to coaching.

We played yesterday without our starting OTs, and we still handled Akron in horrible weather conditions.

I also like how Narduzzi ripped into Ollison, and didn't play him again, after he dogged it on the circle rout and missed another assignment. Narduzzi won't put up with that crap from any player. He put a true freshman in the game, and never looked back. I expect Ollison to have much better focus this week.

 

[TD_6082]

Whoa, pump the brakes just a little. Do you really think this team is "eons better" than last year?

I don't recall anybody complaining about the way Pitt played the first 3.5 games last year.

 

[ratking17]

Did any of you notice the special teams coach chewing boyd out when he danced backwards on the punt? I like that the special teams coach chewed him out despite being our best player. Additionally Narduzzi chewed someone (might have been ollison) out but immediately slapped him on the rear basically saying "do better but I still love ya." Chryst would have his own team getting cheapshotted and still smile his awe shucks grin at the opponent.

 

[steel1975]

Did any of you notice the special teams coach chewing boyd out when he danced backwards on the punt? I like that the special teams coach chewed him out despite being our best player. Additionally Narduzzi chewed someone (might have been ollison) out but immediately slapped him on the rear basically saying "do better but I still love ya." Chryst would have his own team getting cheapshotted and still smile his awe shucks grin at the opponent.

EXACTLY!
I said same thing earlier -- I loved seeing Duzz chewing out Ollison -- I missed the ST coach chewing out Boyd -- just a whole different attitude with this coaching staff, and it really shows in the players -- First time in many years that I did NOT see a Pitt player retaliate against the cheap penalties by Akron at end of game -- DISCIPLINE is key for Duzz, and he expects it from all players

 

[ratking17]

Also, I think Duzz is all about ACCOUNTABILITY. He suspended players for the opener (sets the tone, though I am sure some would say it was an easy call against YSU.) He hasn't publicly bashed a single player (the fraud and Tino anyone?) while going out of his way to compliment players (when asked about Chad and Nathan he said "we have two damn good quarterbacks.") He could easily have taken the easy road with an incumbent QB and let the season play out. Instead he and Coach Cheney saw a QB that struggled in camp and while Chad has been solid (especially in the 2nd half of last season), you never got the sense that Voytik was a QB that you could turn to to win a game. So coach has opened up competition at the most noticeable position. Also I love that he is playing Freshmen at key positions. Now Chryst did the same thing to his credit, but recruits should notice that you come to Pitt, you can play right away. And one last thing. The nitters like to complain about their O-Line and make excuses like they are young hence the reason they let Hack eat it 10 times next week. But we are starting a RS Freshman at tackle in O'Neil and the kid if I recall was recruited as a TE. Negate all of these small things if you want, but from where I am sitting, I give coach Narduzzi and staff very high grades so far...

 

[WNYPanther]

couldn't agree more. Notice when Akron was chippy at the end and taking personal fouls. How many times do you see the offsetting penalties and in Pitt's past, that definetely was the case. Now again it is only 2 games, but the presnap penalties that have plagued us are also disappearing. Iowa will be a better test here though...

Really good point. When they called the personal foul that set us up with the 1st and goal before the last TD I fully expected it to be offsetting penalties because that's just usually what we have done.

 

[steel1975]

And one last thing. The nitters like to complain about their O-Line and make excuses like they are young hence the reason they let Hack eat it 10 times next week. But we are starting a RS Freshman at tackle in O'Neil and the kid if I recall was recruited as a TE. Negate all of these small things if you want, but from where I am sitting, I give coach Narduzzi and staff very high grades so far...

BINGO - Chryst had Biz and JJS as the starting OT's, with Connor at RB, and STILL got us crushed at home by Akron last year! We had no Connor, a converted Frosh TE at LT and a RS frosh at RT, and we still moved the ball with ease on that team in the pouring rainstorm.
This team is NIGHT AND DAY BETTER than last year, even though many self-hating Pitt "fans" refuse to see it.

 

[CaptainSidneyReilly]

Harris, Wannstedt, and Graham had the Players undisciplined on cheap penalties like Offsides, Movements, and Dumb Non-Focused Penalties costing Pitt Game Wins? All lost games they could have won like Walt & Staff lost to South Florida, A&M, Toledo, Temple, UConn, and Rutgers. Wannstedt's losses to Ohio, Bowling Green, Rutgers, Oregon State, and Graham's losses to Iowa, ND, Rutgers and Utah!

I thought Chryst & Staff cut those types of Penalties down but his Play Calling, Special Teams, and selection of Players and Plays cost Pitt some Games too! YSU, ND, Navy, and Akron!

Coach Pat & Staff did inherit Chryst & Staff Players & Team and looked to have improved those types of Un-Focused Penalties, but we shall see if that stays all season long?

Pitt has been snake bitten with some Coaching Lack of Discipline on Game Day, Coaching Play Calling, Untimely Key Injuries, and Game Day Preparation Planning and Lack of Execution? As each New & Old Coach learned to become a College Head Coach from Harris To Wannstedt To Graham To Chryst! Now we will see how Pat Narduzzi & Staff learns too?

So far so good, for Coach Pat & Staff even if not having great wins against YSU & Akron, they are not at least shocking losses to South Florida, Toledo, Ohio, Bowling Green, YSU and Akron like those before him?

We shall see soon if Coach Pat & Staff also cost Pitt some Wins with dumb play calling or Special teams as sen by Harris, Wannstedt, Graham, and Chryst like seen in the A&M, ND, Oregon State, Temple, UConn, Rutgers, Nebraska, ULou, UCincy, Iowa, Duke, and UNC past games whereby Pitt lost by 7 or less points? I call them the Pederson-Nordenberg Era of losses that could have been Wins!

The last two wins have not been pretty but they have not been losses either due to new coaches, systems, and play calling, but the season is young? Let the Gallagher-Juhl-Bares Era play out and we will judge soon!