2023-2024 Pitt Super Panthers Sports Thread

[Dickie Dunn]

So either the athletic department is operating on a shoestring budget, Narduzzi has decided to do a complete 180 on his philosophy for assistant coaches, or Heather gave him a nudge toward making said philosophical change.

Offensive Coordinator: Kade Bell, 30, previously in FCS at Western Carolina

Offensive Line Coach: Jeremy Darveau, 43, previously OL coach at Western Carolina

Running Backs Coach: Lindsey Lamar, 33, previously OC and WR coach at Howard

Tight Ends and Special Teams Coach: Jacob Bronowski, 30, previously the same role at Miami (OH)

Four young coaches, three of whom are very young, and barely a shred of FBS experience between the four of them. Youth and energy on the side of the ball Narduzzi wants nothing to do with and probably more willing to deal with NIL nonsense.


https://pittsburghpanthers.com/news/202 ... ments.aspx

[willeyeam]

Duke literally gets every single call at home lol

[Ad@m]

WOW!

[Dickie Dunn]

What a win over Duke and the ACC officials.

[willeyeam]

H2P

[willeyeam]

The Panthers are heating up

[MrKennethTKangaroo]

Win one more, that’s called a winning streak

[Sam's Drunk Dog]

[Stoosh]

Well, $hit...

https://footballscoop.com/news/sources- ... line-coach

They weren't going to be able to keep him around forever, but this obviously isn't great timing. Former Pitt recruiting staffer Karlo Zovko has been posting about this, saying Partridge was tired of the NIL circus. I have to wonder if the situation with Okunlola in particular was the final straw for him. From what was said on PL, Okunlola basically went to Narduzzi/Partridge and told them he wanted to be the highest-paid player on the team or he was leaving.

I'm all for players getting what they can in terms of money, but for coaches at all but like 15 or maybe even 10 programs this isn't sustainable. Hafley leaving a head coaching position at a P5 program for a DC job in the NFL basically says as much.

Good for the players but as fans, this honestly sucks. Yes, you can rebuild through the portal but this revolving door is going to be the same thing every year, especially with any good young players. It's going to be ridiculous.

[NAN]

Yeah, not much you can do. I wouldn't want to have to deal with what is going on in college athletics, especially football right now. I know coaches leave all the time, but players only have 4 years in college to "get theirs", so they will be jumping ship all the time. At least in the NFL and other professional leagues, you have multiyear contracts, so you know what you are dealing with year to year.

And now also that the BIG 10 and SEC have their joint "advisory board" and pretty much want all 12 spots in the CFP, if you aren't in one of those conferences, you are pretty much screwed.

I know college athletics has been about money for a while now, but it's getting to the tipping point where honestly it went from my favorite thing to something I don't really care about anymore. Pitt isn't playing rivals on a regular basis, has no shot to win a championship, and honestly isn't one of the blue bloods with some huge alumni fanbase, and with conference relalignment out there, you don't even know who you will be playing.

It just sucks.

[MrKennethTKangaroo]

If that okunlola story is true, woof. Guy with 5 sacks making those demands? This sport blows

[Stoosh]

If that okunlola story is true, woof. Guy with 5 sacks making those demands? This sport blows

I don't know all of the ins and outs, but Peak mentioned what I noted above about Okunlola on one of his more recent podcasts that I heard. Probably more than anyone that covers Pitt sports, he doesn't divulge or really even engage much in terms of rumors unless he knows he can confirm it, so I think there's a lot of validity to that story.

[willeyeam]

Gonna get weird this season. Let's go

[willeyeam]

Pitt hoops. Literally no offensive scheme, just eff it and see what happens after someone dribbles until the shot clock hits 10

[robbiestoupe]

Sounds like my son’s basketball team

[willeyeam]

H2P

[MrKennethTKangaroo]

I hope these guards stick around next year could get interesting

[willeyeam]

I hope these guards stick around next year could get interesting

Last night I was thinking, man if it was 2012 I'd be super pumped for next year knowing these guys are freshmen. Now my first thought is hopefully UNC or Kansas don't buy them

[MrKennethTKangaroo]

I hope these guards stick around next year could get interesting

Last night I was thinking, man if it was 2012 I'd be super pumped for next year knowing these guys are freshmen. Now my first thought is hopefully UNC or Kansas don't buy them

It’s unfortunate because you are certainly someone that is consistently an optimist and I at least try to be an optimist. But the state of college sports really makes it tough to get excited for the future. It sucks because I don’t like letting a good win and momentum get spoiled by the thought of Lowe and bub playing at two random schools next year

[NAN]

I hope these guards stick around next year could get interesting

Last night I was thinking, man if it was 2012 I'd be super pumped for next year knowing these guys are freshmen. Now my first thought is hopefully UNC or Kansas don't buy them

This. These guys are coming together and typically you can watch them grow into a great team like in the 2000s with the Howland Dixon era. Now, I bet all of them are gone, or at least most due to NIL, etc.

College sports, at least the major sports of Football and basketball suck unless you are a Bama fan or something.

And it's only going to get worse.

[willeyeam]

I hope these guards stick around next year could get interesting

Last night I was thinking, man if it was 2012 I'd be super pumped for next year knowing these guys are freshmen. Now my first thought is hopefully UNC or Kansas don't buy them

This. These guys are coming together and typically you can watch them grow into a great team like in the 2000s with the Howland Dixon era. Now, I bet all of them are gone, or at least most due to NIL, etc.

College sports, at least the major sports of Football and basketball suck unless you are a Bama fan or something.

And it's only going to get worse.

this conversation is interesting to me, because my Akron homies are like "college sports suck now unless you're a P5 team"

then Pitt fans are like college sports suck unless you're a blue blood

so unless college sports are only enjoyable for 10 teams in each sport, odds are that college sports just suck for everyone at the moment

[dodint]

Yes, college sports suck, thank you.

[willeyeam]

Still better than the NBA and NFL

[NAN]

I hope these guards stick around next year could get interesting

Last night I was thinking, man if it was 2012 I'd be super pumped for next year knowing these guys are freshmen. Now my first thought is hopefully UNC or Kansas don't buy them

This. These guys are coming together and typically you can watch them grow into a great team like in the 2000s with the Howland Dixon era. Now, I bet all of them are gone, or at least most due to NIL, etc.

College sports, at least the major sports of Football and basketball suck unless you are a Bama fan or something.

And it's only going to get worse.

this conversation is interesting to me, because my Akron homies are like "college sports suck now unless you're a P5 team"

then Pitt fans are like college sports suck unless you're a blue blood

so unless college sports are only enjoyable for 10 teams in each sport, odds are that college sports just suck for everyone at the moment

I can definitely see if you are not in a P5 conference how it can suck, especially for football. But there have been pretty much the same 65 teams or so in that P5 bracket going back years. Now it is getting narrowed and any semblance of rivalry and regionality is pretty much gone as well. To me, that is what made college athletics fun. It is going to be ALL bluebloods/name brand in the near future. The scope is narrowing even further.

[NAN]

Still better than the NBA and NFL

I used to think that as well. GIve me college football and basketball anyday of the week over the NBA or NFL.

Now, not so much. Especially football.