https://pittsburgh.forums.rivals.co...t-with-pat-narduzzi-and-pitt-football.118266/
It really doesn't matter what anyone thinks anyways, he's getting at least 4 years. I still say if his team's end up with 2-4 wins this year and next he should be canned. But with so much instability with the basketball program as well, I can't see Lyke doing much of anything. Recruiting though needs to seriously improve.
Here's the column:
Maybe James Franklin was right.
Maybe beating Pitt is no different than beating Akron.
It’s not as if Franklin is the only coach piling on Pitt. Paul Johnson took his turn Saturday after Georgia Tech’s 35-17 win in Atlanta. He talked of his squad needing to clean up its four turnovers “because, against a good team, we won’t be able to survive.”
Pitt deserves the ridicule.
It is 1-3, assured of a 36th consecutive season with at least three losses. It needed overtime to beat Youngstown State at home. It played its best game at Penn State and still lost by 19 points. It wasn’t competitive in a 38-point loss at home to Oklahoma State. It was blown out in the second half at Georgia Tech.
Here’s a tough question to answer:
Is Pitt’s offense worse than its defense or vice versa?
Both are rotten.
Pitt is having a hard time deciding between two quarterbacks, which means it doesn’t have even one. It struggles to run the ball, the proof its 37 rushing yards at Georgia Tech. Its line play has been well below the line, clearly missing Dorian Johnson and Adam Bisnowaty — now in the NFL — from last season.
Pitt’s defense can’t stop the run or the pass. It gave up 436 rushing yards to Georgia Tech, 572 passing yards to Oklahoma State. It has allowed at least 31 points in 13 of its past 14 games against power-five conference opponents. The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette’s Craig Meyer dug a little deeper into the frightening arithmetic: In those 14 games, Pitt has allowed an average of 39.4 points and 488.7 yards. Incredibly, those numbers went down a bit Saturday when it gave up 35 and 484.
I’m thinking the defense is worse than the offense.
That is a horrible reflection on Pat Narduzzi, an alleged defensive guru.
This is Narduzzi’s third season at Pitt. The howls of disgust are growing louder from those who care about the program. Predictably, more than a few fans have taken to social media to call for Narduzzi’s firing. The goodwill generated last season by wins against Penn State and eventual national champion Clemson has all but evaporated with many.
I’m not even close to jumping on that train. It was one thing to force out Dave Wannstedt after Pitt, in his sixth season, lost at home to Miami (31-3) on a Thursday night in front of 400 lettermen, including John Majors and Tony Dorsett, and at home to West Virginia (35-10). Wannstedt’s time was up. But you have to give a coach — any coach — at least four seasons if not five. I get that it’s hard to be patient. But patience is an absolute must. Often, it is rewarded. Look at Franklin at Penn State. A year ago, his team was beaten, 49-10, at Michigan after losing at Pitt earlier in the season. It was his third season. People inside and outside of the program called for his firing. Again, that was predictable.
Where would the Penn State program be if its administrators had fired Franklin? He kept things together so well last season that Penn State won the Big Ten Conference championship and played in the Rose Bowl. It is 4-0 this season after coming back in the final seconds Saturday night to win at Iowa. It’s ranked No. 4 in the latest Associated Press Top 25 poll and is a legitimate national championship contender.
Patience.
I am not even thinking about writing off Narduzzi. I like his energy and enthusiasm and what he is trying to do with the Pitt program, although I wonder if the constant, seemingly overwhelming fight to put fannies in the Heinz Field seats is wearing him down. I had a hard time answering a Penn State fan who sent me a tweet last week showing Beaver Stadium for the Penn State-Georgia State game (102,000 in attendance) and Heinz Field for Pitt-Oklahoma State (39,000) and asked, “Why should Penn State care about the rivalry? Why should it fill the seats at Pitt’s Stadium?”
The harsh truth is it could get worse for Narduzzi before it gets better, if it gets better. Pitt has eight games remaining. How many wins do you see? Rice at home Saturday, for sure. (I’m guessing there will be about 20,000 in the stands). Perhaps at Syracuse the next week. Maybe North Carolina at home Nov. 9. But other than those games? North Carolina State beat Florida State Saturday. Duke is 4-0. Virginia won at Boise State Friday night. No. 12 Virginia Tech is 4-0 with a win against West Virginia. No. 14 Miami is 2-0 and scored 51 against Pitt last season.
Things could turn quickly from ugly to awful. Pitt is looking hard at 4-8. Its nine-year streak of making a bowl game is in jeopardy.
I know.
The patience is going to be tested.
Pitt’s defense can’t stop the run or the pass. It gave up 436 rushing yards to Georgia Tech, 572 passing yards to Oklahoma State. It has allowed at least 31 points in 13 of its past 14 games against power-five conference opponents. The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette’s Craig Meyer dug a little deeper into the frightening arithmetic: In those 14 games, Pitt has allowed an average of 39.4 points and 488.7 yards. Incredibly, those numbers went down a bit Saturday when it gave up 35 and 484
It really doesn't matter what anyone thinks anyways, he's getting at least 4 years. I still say if his team's end up with 2-4 wins this year and next he should be canned. But with so much instability with the basketball program as well, I can't see Lyke doing much of anything. Recruiting though needs to seriously improve.
Here's the column:
Maybe James Franklin was right.
Maybe beating Pitt is no different than beating Akron.
It’s not as if Franklin is the only coach piling on Pitt. Paul Johnson took his turn Saturday after Georgia Tech’s 35-17 win in Atlanta. He talked of his squad needing to clean up its four turnovers “because, against a good team, we won’t be able to survive.”
Pitt deserves the ridicule.
It is 1-3, assured of a 36th consecutive season with at least three losses. It needed overtime to beat Youngstown State at home. It played its best game at Penn State and still lost by 19 points. It wasn’t competitive in a 38-point loss at home to Oklahoma State. It was blown out in the second half at Georgia Tech.
Here’s a tough question to answer:
Is Pitt’s offense worse than its defense or vice versa?
Both are rotten.
Pitt is having a hard time deciding between two quarterbacks, which means it doesn’t have even one. It struggles to run the ball, the proof its 37 rushing yards at Georgia Tech. Its line play has been well below the line, clearly missing Dorian Johnson and Adam Bisnowaty — now in the NFL — from last season.
Pitt’s defense can’t stop the run or the pass. It gave up 436 rushing yards to Georgia Tech, 572 passing yards to Oklahoma State. It has allowed at least 31 points in 13 of its past 14 games against power-five conference opponents. The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette’s Craig Meyer dug a little deeper into the frightening arithmetic: In those 14 games, Pitt has allowed an average of 39.4 points and 488.7 yards. Incredibly, those numbers went down a bit Saturday when it gave up 35 and 484.
I’m thinking the defense is worse than the offense.
That is a horrible reflection on Pat Narduzzi, an alleged defensive guru.
This is Narduzzi’s third season at Pitt. The howls of disgust are growing louder from those who care about the program. Predictably, more than a few fans have taken to social media to call for Narduzzi’s firing. The goodwill generated last season by wins against Penn State and eventual national champion Clemson has all but evaporated with many.
I’m not even close to jumping on that train. It was one thing to force out Dave Wannstedt after Pitt, in his sixth season, lost at home to Miami (31-3) on a Thursday night in front of 400 lettermen, including John Majors and Tony Dorsett, and at home to West Virginia (35-10). Wannstedt’s time was up. But you have to give a coach — any coach — at least four seasons if not five. I get that it’s hard to be patient. But patience is an absolute must. Often, it is rewarded. Look at Franklin at Penn State. A year ago, his team was beaten, 49-10, at Michigan after losing at Pitt earlier in the season. It was his third season. People inside and outside of the program called for his firing. Again, that was predictable.
Where would the Penn State program be if its administrators had fired Franklin? He kept things together so well last season that Penn State won the Big Ten Conference championship and played in the Rose Bowl. It is 4-0 this season after coming back in the final seconds Saturday night to win at Iowa. It’s ranked No. 4 in the latest Associated Press Top 25 poll and is a legitimate national championship contender.
Patience.
I am not even thinking about writing off Narduzzi. I like his energy and enthusiasm and what he is trying to do with the Pitt program, although I wonder if the constant, seemingly overwhelming fight to put fannies in the Heinz Field seats is wearing him down. I had a hard time answering a Penn State fan who sent me a tweet last week showing Beaver Stadium for the Penn State-Georgia State game (102,000 in attendance) and Heinz Field for Pitt-Oklahoma State (39,000) and asked, “Why should Penn State care about the rivalry? Why should it fill the seats at Pitt’s Stadium?”
The harsh truth is it could get worse for Narduzzi before it gets better, if it gets better. Pitt has eight games remaining. How many wins do you see? Rice at home Saturday, for sure. (I’m guessing there will be about 20,000 in the stands). Perhaps at Syracuse the next week. Maybe North Carolina at home Nov. 9. But other than those games? North Carolina State beat Florida State Saturday. Duke is 4-0. Virginia won at Boise State Friday night. No. 12 Virginia Tech is 4-0 with a win against West Virginia. No. 14 Miami is 2-0 and scored 51 against Pitt last season.
Things could turn quickly from ugly to awful. Pitt is looking hard at 4-8. Its nine-year streak of making a bowl game is in jeopardy.
I know.
The patience is going to be tested.
Pitt’s defense can’t stop the run or the pass. It gave up 436 rushing yards to Georgia Tech, 572 passing yards to Oklahoma State. It has allowed at least 31 points in 13 of its past 14 games against power-five conference opponents. The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette’s Craig Meyer dug a little deeper into the frightening arithmetic: In those 14 games, Pitt has allowed an average of 39.4 points and 488.7 yards. Incredibly, those numbers went down a bit Saturday when it gave up 35 and 484
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