2020-2021 Pittsburgh Super Panthers Sports Thread

[Stoosh]

These are the losses that just make me really not care if they come back next season with a new head coach. I'm just so tired of seeing this program get to a point where they can take another step forward, play a complete game against someone they should beat, put some teeth behind Narduzzi's (incessant) whining about their perceived lack of national respect. Instead, they come out and play another game that was mostly a three-hour fart.

Yes, the officials sucked. Yes, they were victimized by some bad calls and the Heinz Field gopher that tripped up DJ Turner on his way to the end zone. But what - five, six, or seven offsides calls on the defensive line, with a few by a defensive tackle who is practically lined up within arms' reach of the football? A first-and-goal from the 1 and you can't score a touchdown? A dropped two-point conversion that hits the receiver right in the hands? Correctable mistakes.

Mistakes are going to happen over the course of any game with any team. I get that. But it's the same stuff so often, and with this kind of volume, with a veteran team. The lack of focus. The lack of discipline...again, with a mostly-veteran team. Holy hell. When does it stop?

The defense played like they spent all week reading about how good they've been. As it happens every year, a coach figured out that because Pitt won't move off press coverage, you can chuck passes to your 6'4" wideout and hope for PI calls. NC State did a nice job neutralizing Pitt's pass rush, and that's where the press coverage starts to break down or allow those opportunities to come up.

The only time the offense looked effective is when they let PIckett throw, especially when they went up-tempo. I know this goes against every fabric of Narduzzi's being, but maybe Whipple should feel free to use the pass to set up the run. The other option clearly isn't working.

Hopefully Addison and Bright aren't seriously hurt.

[Freddy Rumsen]

To be honest I was afraid to read Stoosh today.

But I agree.

Any word on Addison because it looked shoulder/collar bone to me.

[robbiestoupe]

I’m on the fire Narduzzi train. When your team is consistently at or near double digit penalties each game, it’s on the coach.

[Beveridge]

H2P

[MrKennethTKangaroo]

It was bad.

There was along pass play pitt attempted at some point late in the game. Pitt’s wideout (dont remember who) and NC state’s CB (dont remember who, someone in the single digits) were playing grab ass the entire time the ball was in the air. But NC state’s DB turned his head, saw the ball, and made a play on the ball. Incomplete pass.

If it was pitt defending the pass, it would have been PI. But you know what? NC State’s defensive back had the wherewithal to make a play on the ball instead of just run along and make contact without looking for the ball like most pitt DBs. Contact happens, but if you at least try to play the ball, contact wont lead to pass interference calls.

this game sucked. Nard dog sucks. whipple sucks. Kenneth Shane Pickett played his ass off.

[Rocco]

I’m on the fire Narduzzi train. When your team is consistently at or near double digit penalties each game, it’s on the coach.

The downside of committing DPI on every play and daring the refs to call it is sometimes they actually will call it every play.

[Dickie Dunn]

KSP getting lit up and Beville being freed and being asked to run a timing play on his first snap in a competitive college football game is more PEAK WHIPPLE than throwing a long developing swing pass to the guy you originally faked a handoff to, ensuring that he’s covered by multiple defenders.

I’m still pissed after yesterday’s shitshow. It was a classic Pitt game. It was classic Narduzzi being a loudmouth shitbag who doesn’t have his players prepared. I’m sick of all the **** drops. I’m sick of the god awful offensive line that has been in place since Chryst’s recruits graduated. I’m sick of acting like a RB this size of a teenage girl should be used in goal line sets. But more than anything I’m sick of being in year four of just god awful offensive coordinators and play calling. It’s just **** awful to watch and the worst part of it is the sheer stupidity of all of it. I don’t care about player limitations or not trusting KSP to throw to the middle of the field or ridiculously making your QB run to the sidelines for every precious playcall. It’s that those two examples are a microcosm of what happens constantly all game long. That this dadhole OC, much like the previous dadhole OC, is incapable of putting his players in the best position to succeed with his play design and calls despite having 40 **** years of coaching experience. Any jagoff with half a brain who grew up playing Madden could call a better game than Whipple.

FREE CANADA

[Freddy Rumsen]

The ACC Network announcers asked the question as to why Sibley wasn't being used in goal line and short yardage situations.

[willeyeam]

Morning after disaster thoughts

We need to either figure out some semblance of a running game or completely abandon that thought and go Mike Leach 65 passes a game.

Sibley is our best RB

Catch the damn ball you're D-1 WRs

The secondary isn't that good when the DL isn't getting to the QB quickly. Imo a lot of Narduzzis defense is predicated on playing base D most downs and getting pressure from the front 4. When they aren't getting to the QB then eventually those 1 on 1 matchups are going to be lost. Sort of how the D looked pre-2018. Our CBs aren't as good as Mathis and Jackson this year

The defensive depth is a concern for me against better offenses. We can shut the Cuses of the world down without Twyman, Mathis, etc but I think the lack of depth showed a little yesterday

Did we even attempt to put a TE on the field yesterday?

Defense will need to figure out how to stop the quick crossing routes because that's the blueprint to beat them now until further notice

[Stoosh]

One thing I'd like to think the coaches realize from yesterday's game is that they may have found something to build on with the offense. The most productive this offense has been overall in any game this year against FBS competition was when Pickett was throwing against NC State. He wasn't perfect, but even in Addison's absence in the second half, he was still able to get the ball to Turner and Mack. While the offensive line can't run block worth crap, I thought they did a decent job giving him some time.

I'd like to think they'd build more of the gameplan around trusting Pickett with this, and even throwing in the occasional no-huddle to keep defenses off balance a bit. I'm not saying overhaul the playbook; this is all stuff that should already be installed. Use the passing game to set up the run. It even opened up some running lanes as the game went on.

I know they won't do this because Narduzzi has mostly been a stubborn ass about this kind of stuff. He's going to insist on trying to win his way come hell or high water, and everything we've seen before indicates that they're going to come against BC and continue to run V Davis into the line like a battering ram.

I'm glad I don't pay attention to local sports talk radio anymore because I'm sure they absolutely won't beat the Jurkovec narrative to absolute death by Wednesday.

This BC game will be interesting to me. With Miami and ND looming, I really want to see how this group responds. One thing I really took from the first three games was that offensive struggles aside, this team seemed to have more of a killer instinct than previous teams. That especially seemed to be the case with the defense. Now that they've been punched in the mouth, I want to see how they respond. If they come out too keyed up or too tight - as Narduzzi's teams have done in the past - that BC game is going to be more of the same that they saw from NC State.

[MrKennethTKangaroo]

Kenneth,

Hello. IMO the UVA opener is one of the most critical games of Narduzzi's tenure. Not because it is a guarantee that winning means they will finish with X record or that losing means they will miss a bowl game, but because every time that Narduzzi has been in a high leverage situation that would have changed perception in truly meaningful ways, they haven't come through (if you squint at last year you can maybe sell me on it).

2015 -- Pitt is 6-1 in his first season (!) after three years of Coach Mayo's love of 6-6 records due to the number six's shape reminding him of the shape of pork chops. They are ranked for the second straight week and come into a home Thursday night game on ESPN against UNC at #23. 26-19 loss. They finish 8-4. They play a #21 ranked Navy team, with a win getting them to 9-4 and a spot in the top 25 for the year that you can sell all summer as evidence that you immediately have made them relevant. They lose.

2016 -- Not as bad a missed opportunity as 15, but they are at 5-2 with a win over UPS, and two losses to ranked teams by a total of 8 points (losses at OKST and at UNC). VaTech is ranked and comes to Heinz Field, aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaand 3 point loss 39-36. They lose the next week to Miami, and while this team does demonstrate resiliency (even Dickie has to admit that these guys buy into Narduzzi and never give up on him, even when they went 5-7 in 2017), and beat Clemson and close out at 8-4, they lose their bowl game to Northwestern. They were ranked #23 going into that bowl game and likely finish in top 20 if they win. So basically, they were within two home losses of finishing the first two seasons of his tenure here in the top 20!

2017 -- wjkhiuwhfihfkneklnjeklrvnklenvl

2018 -- This didn't really have the same high leverage scenarios as 16/17, but laying an egg against Miami 24-3 the week after clinching the Coastal and -- yet again -- finding themselves ranked in the AP poll was a real letdown. That was worse than the OK ST blowout or the UPS loss to be honest. Just a real stinker.

2019 -- UVA is a bit of a preseason darling and is just outside the top 25. Home game. Night game. Likely a strong crowd for Labor Day weekend and a full day of tailgating. Win and maybe you are ranked. WARNING SIGNS ARE FLASHING KENNETH.

Brown,

This was from August 2019. Please update to include 2019 late season implosion and Saturday’s bed wetting against the Wolfpack.

Cheers,
Kangaroo.

[NAN]

Now that I've had 2 days to calm down, I just don't know why I get mad anymore. This game was classic Pitt. I was even saying to my buddies this was the game they will lose. NC State is not good. We had everything going for us. So it was ripe to lose.

This team isn't horrible. But it's the constant "about to take the next step and then lose" is just bad. last year, that was the Miami and BC games. Kenny's post above listed out the rest. I don't expect them to go undefeated. If they lost a hard fought game to ND, or Clemson, or Miami or something, then ok. But they continue to just let everyone down when they sniff the top 25 against an equal or lesser opponent.

And don't expect Narduzzi to get fired (I don't think he should yet). But with the AD revenues taking a huge hit, and people getting laid off and furloughed, don't expect many coaches to get fired the next year or two if they have anything more than a year or two on their contracts.

[slappybrown]

Kenneth,

Hello. IMO the UVA opener is one of the most critical games of Narduzzi's tenure. Not because it is a guarantee that winning means they will finish with X record or that losing means they will miss a bowl game, but because every time that Narduzzi has been in a high leverage situation that would have changed perception in truly meaningful ways, they haven't come through (if you squint at last year you can maybe sell me on it).

2015 -- Pitt is 6-1 in his first season (!) after three years of Coach Mayo's love of 6-6 records due to the number six's shape reminding him of the shape of pork chops. They are ranked for the second straight week and come into a home Thursday night game on ESPN against UNC at #23. 26-19 loss. They finish 8-4. They play a #21 ranked Navy team, with a win getting them to 9-4 and a spot in the top 25 for the year that you can sell all summer as evidence that you immediately have made them relevant. They lose.

2016 -- Not as bad a missed opportunity as 15, but they are at 5-2 with a win over UPS, and two losses to ranked teams by a total of 8 points (losses at OKST and at UNC). VaTech is ranked and comes to Heinz Field, aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaand 3 point loss 39-36. They lose the next week to Miami, and while this team does demonstrate resiliency (even Dickie has to admit that these guys buy into Narduzzi and never give up on him, even when they went 5-7 in 2017), and beat Clemson and close out at 8-4, they lose their bowl game to Northwestern. They were ranked #23 going into that bowl game and likely finish in top 20 if they win. So basically, they were within two home losses of finishing the first two seasons of his tenure here in the top 20!

2017 -- wjkhiuwhfihfkneklnjeklrvnklenvl

2018 -- This didn't really have the same high leverage scenarios as 16/17, but laying an egg against Miami 24-3 the week after clinching the Coastal and -- yet again -- finding themselves ranked in the AP poll was a real letdown. That was worse than the OK ST blowout or the UPS loss to be honest. Just a real stinker.

2019 -- UVA is a bit of a preseason darling and is just outside the top 25. Home game. Night game. Likely a strong crowd for Labor Day weekend and a full day of tailgating. Win and maybe you are ranked. WARNING SIGNS ARE FLASHING KENNETH.

Brown,

This was from August 2019. Please update to include 2019 late season implosion and Saturday’s bed wetting against the Wolfpack.

Cheers,
Kangaroo.

I don't post much anymore and this is what you're doing to me Kenneth? This is abusive, pal.

SO LETS DO IT

2019 - We know what happened with UVA. Less said the better. The UPS game was cowardice. You're playing your rival on the road. They have an unquestioned and material talent advantage. Can't believe you're making me re-live that. Would 100% rather get blown out than just quit like that. Will Muschamp ass coach.

Anyways, the team rallies, wins its next two ACC games, and is hosting a mediocre at best Miami team sitting at 5-2. Win and you're 6-2 and possibly ranked. Pitt dominates the game, outgains Miami 322 to 202, has 17 first downs to Miami's 12, and has the ball for 33 minutes. Guess what! They have three red zone opportunities and score zero TDs! Kessman kicks 4 FGs, Miami's backup QB leads them down the field for a TD with less than a minute left, and they lose. Awful.

They nonetheless beat GaTech and UNC in the next two weeks--because again, this guy somehow manages to keep the team together despite just crapping themselves in the most heartbreaking way possible--and go to Blacksburg at 7-3 and with an outside chance at winning the Coastal and everything to play for with a mediocre at best BC team at home the week after VaTech. They get blown the f out 28-0. F off. They follow that up with a game that I have no recollection of and lose to BC at home, once again scoring no TDs in the red zone and instead settling for short FGs. They win a bowl game. Who cares.

2020 - My feeling on Saturday was that the NC State game was the worst loss of his tenure here. I don't know if it is having just relived the above, but for a team that is loaded with seniors including at QB (I think they have something like 20 of 24 including specialists returning, and even the "new" starters have played plenty like Bright, Pine, Marquise Williams, etc), losing this game to a team that is less talented/experienced than you at home is a joke. Next year is 100% a transition year where their ceiling is probably 7 wins assuming normal life. This was the year they were building to. You want to play low-margin football like this, where every game is a one-score game despite you constantly winning the counting stats in the box score (unsurprisingly, this weekend was 503 yards to 398 for NCSU) and this is how you wind up going 8-5 every year. The game comes down to the last minute and you're praying you hang on every week. Its bad, I am mad that I keep watching it, and if it weren't for this thread and a core group of guys I watch these games with IRL there is no way I would follow this team. Its a suckers game.

[slappybrown]

I didnt even go to this stupid school. why am i doing this

ROLL TIDE from here on out

[willeyeam]

See you here on Saturday slappy <3

[dodint]

I didnt even go to this stupid school. why am i doing this

ROLL TIDE from here on out

I picked one with exaggerated hand motions to help you better understand my bewilderment.

[Dickie Dunn]

I didnt even go to this stupid school. why am i doing this

ROLL TIDE from here on out

I feel it. Three degrees and not a penny of tuition money went to Pitt. Why do I put myself through this ****?

[robbiestoupe]

I blame my uncle for going there when I was gullible enough to root for the teams he rooted for.

And also for the Larry Fitzgerald’s, the Aaron Donald’s, the Iron Head Heywards, etc. Gotta say they’ve had some exciting players through the years.

[slappybrown]

I didnt even go to this stupid school. why am i doing this

ROLL TIDE from here on out

I picked one with exaggerated hand motions to help you better understand my bewilderment.

It has the word “pittsburgh” right in it!

[Freddy Rumsen]

Proud Pitt '05 Alum #h2p

[MrKennethTKangaroo]

I’ve had my own season ticket for probably three quarters of my lifetime (starting at like age 7 in the Hackett era), but that hasn’t stopped me from wondering what exactly is the point of following Pitt. I sat around walking my pud and getting anxious watching that game instead of spending time enjoying some Grade A weather on Saturday. I dont know what value i get out of being a Pitt fan, but this is the way.

[NAN]

I’ve had my own season ticket for probably three quarters of my lifetime (starting at like age 7 in the Hackett era), but that hasn’t stopped me from wondering what exactly is the point of following Pitt. I sat around walking my pud and getting anxious watching that game instead of spending time enjoying some Grade A weather on Saturday. I dont know what value i get out of being a Pitt fan, but this is the way.

I do the same. But I go back every week. Just can't help my self. Hence why we are fanatics. H2P!

[MrKennethTKangaroo]

This thread is halfway down the second page of this forum. Not a good sign for interest in the super panthers.

6 point favorites against boston college on the road. Pitt should win. If they lose, we are looking at a 6 win season at best.

What can the offense do to get better?

[willeyeam]

ugh

[willeyeam]

they need Addison healthy at least. Give Sibley and Adrakadabra more carries

Pitt - 10
BC - 6