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Abby Schnable's Pitt football chat: 09.30.25
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Abby Schnable
1:00
Hello! Super excited to be back this week for another live chat. I'm ready to field any and all questions you have this week, so let's get started.
The Ham
1:02
Any idea what it would cost to buyout the rest of Narduzzi's contract?
Abby Schnable
1:03
The number isn't available to the public, but I've heard anywhere from $20-$40 million. Which in this new age of revenue sharing, would be fairly difficult to pull together and still have money to attract talent.
Tom in NSB
1:04
I've seen enough of Narduzzi, it's time to buy him out whatever the cost. The only reason Pittsburgh won the ACC title was because of the offensive coordinator and QB. He coaches like it's 1960.
Abby Schnable
1:05
Yeah, I can totally see the frustration. He's 74-58 overall, since coming to Pitt with a 56.5% winning percentage. That's not what you want for a program you're hoping to be elite. I'm honestly not sure what the answer is because of how substantial the buy out is, but if the program wants to start getting more championships there has to be some sort of change.
Bruce
1:06
I have to say that I am underwhelmed by Kade Bell's offense. It is not the soeed speed speed that I expected and the play calling seems unimaginable
Abby Schnable
1:07
I don't disagree with you, Bruce. I remember when he was hired, there was a lot of excitement that has definitely dwindled. I think it could work with the right personnel, but I'm not sure Pitt has that. They definitely have talent at key offensive positions (WR, RB). Sometimes it feels like the speed is the problem. There have been multiple opportunities Eli Holstein has gotten into tough positions because of play calling.
Bobby Nutty
1:09
Based on those buyout numbers, (and let's face it, Pitt Administrators won't pay anything), we have 5 more seasons of 7&5 football? How committed to winning do you think the administration is? In my opinion, it is going to take a crazy hire or crazy luck to right this 7&5 at best ship.
Abby Schnable
1:10
7-5 might be generous in some situations, too. There's hope that as Narduzzi's buy out goes down, maybe they can make changes, but it's hard to muster up the money no matter what. I think Allen Greene wants this program to be a winning one. He probably feels stuck though because of the money situation. And I agree. You would need a lot of change to get this to a program that's elite.
Adam
1:11
I noticed late in the game, Pitt played Fowler-El and Spann and a couple of our top receivers were out.  Do you know why that would be?  Also any consideration to play Kendall Stanley at guard or is he primarily tackle?
Abby Schnable
1:12
As far as the receivers, I think it was honestly just to try and create a different spark. That's one of the most talented groups on this team in my opinion. I don't think any of the top receivers were hurt, but no one was having success in that second half so it was definitely worth trying. And, FWIW Narduzzi considers Spann pretty equivalent to Hicks.
1:14
As far as Kendall Stanley, I think it's more of a risk to put him at guard than Caretta. They had Stanley practicing at guard during training camp, but he's never played the position in game before. Caretta is more of a center, however, he's crossed over to guard a few times.
Bruce
1:14
The offense never seems to get into any sort of rhythm, and that off-tackle play needs to go. Every time Holstein has a long complete
Abby Schnable
1:15
It's very inconsistent. They have some amazing moments — think any of Holstein's passes to Blue Hicks or Poppi Williams this year. But the lows are way more common than the highs. It's definitively a combination of play calling and quarterback play.
Bruce
1:15
Talking about buying Narduzzi out is kind of a waste of time, at this point. Unless Pitt is able to negotiate a lower buyout, which could be possible, nobody is going to eat #
Abby Schnable
1:16
Yep. The best hope is that Narduzzi considers retiring, which I'm not sure will happen.
JuniataKid
1:16
It’s looking more and more like Narduzzi’s latest transfer portal QB is just another in a growing line of busts. Why not start an actual Pitt recruit in Heintschel? Yes, he’s a freshman, but at this point, why not get him experience for next year?
Abby Schnable
1:17
Stephen and I were having this discussion on our podcast yesterday (check that out on YouTube!). To give Gonzales the benefit of the doubt, he's been put in some tough situations that would be hard to perform well in coming off the bench. I see him and Heintschel as good options. I like the idea of moving to the future, but Gonzales has more experience in this offense. It's a toss up for me.
Prediction
1:19
Offseason prediction is that Kade Bell will become head coach of an FCS school. Giving Narduzzi the opportunity to save face and hire someone else. Next year will be his last, imo.
Abby Schnable
1:20
That's not a bad thought. Two years of Kade Bell has not amounted to a lot. He would have to leave on his own volition though because he also has a decent buy out from what I know. That'd be three different offensive coordinators in four seasons? Not the best look for Narduzzi, but maybe it's the change he needs.
Bruce
1:20
I'm not sure Narduzzi can't win. He's won here. I'm not sure that we can't win with the players we have. I wonder what Mark Whipple could do with this talent
Abby Schnable
1:21
It's really interesting to me, too. This team is very talented on paper, so it doesn't make much sense. You see it in pockets. Again I look back to Hicks and Williams' touchdowns or the linebacker unit as a whole. There's definitely something missing and because the talent seems to be strong, it's almost hard not to blame coaching.
JuniataKid
1:22
Gonzales is out of eligibility after this year, correct? That’s why I’d prefer they go with Heintschel. That I think the kid has a lot of upside and don’t want to lose him to the transfer portal if he thinks Narduzzi’s shiny transfer portal object is entrenched for two more years after this one.
Abby Schnable
1:25
Narduzzi said during training camp that Gonzales and his family think he has another year, even if he played this one. I'm not sure how as this would be his fourth and there's no COVID year. I also think Heintschel has a high upside. The coaching staff has praised him constantly since he got on campus AND he outplayed Holstein in the spring game. The only concern is if he's truly not ready and they think they could save the season with Gonzales at the helm.
The Ham
1:25
Assuming that Bell leaves Pitt at the end of the season, would you expect Narduzzi to hire an OC with a similar philosophy to Bell, or would he go back to an OC who emphasizes a ground and pound type offense?
Abby Schnable
1:27
It depends on how Pitt’s offense finishes this season. If Bell’s system shows clear progress, Narduzzi will likely look for another coordinator with a similar spread, tempo-driven philosophy to maintain continuity. But if the offense sputters or feels too loose, he could easily revert to his comfort zone and hire a more traditional, ground-and-pound style OC.
Johnny Johnson
1:27
I’ve heard Pitt is spending 10-15million on the current football roster.   Any idea if that’s accurate?  If so, it doesn’t seem like they are getting a good return on their investment.
Abby Schnable
1:29
I'm honestly not confident on that number, but I wouldn't be surprised. And if they are spending that much, it's definitely not showing up on the field. I'd have to imagine Holstein, Reid, Louis and Kenny Johnson are making a decent chunk. But even those four haven't lived up to the bill.
Bruce
1:29
Bell is a little too cute for his own good, IMO. I watch you and Stephen's Pitt show. I highly recommend it, as  well as your volleyball show with Cat. Some outstanding content!
Abby Schnable
1:29
Really appreciate your support, Bruce. It's been fun for all involved and we hope it's giving you a different look when it comes to our coverage.
JuniataKid
1:29
I was sorry to hear about Gouveia‘s injury, for him of course but also because it’s a big loss for the line. How confident are you in how they will replace him?
Abby Schnable
1:31
I'm not going to lie, I'm a bit nervous. It's not like you're replacing the best guy on the line, so that makes me feel a little bit better. I'm not sure Caretta is the best lineman off the bench, but Stanley isn't as experience at the guard spot. They feel confident in Caretta. He also is more of a center. So, either way not great. And it doesn't help that the OL hasn't been exactly stand out either.
Bobby Nutty
1:32
Duzz isn't pulling down highly ranked classes and he's always said that he doesn't buy into 3/4/5 stars ratings. I always thought that was a bit of a defeatist attitude. Pitt is generally well-represented in the pro's, so which it? Coaching or talent? Tough to answer. If the Administration is unable or unwilling to take a HUGE swing, then we may as well stick with Duzz. We know what we have in him- 1) a chance for a crappy bowl-game that our NFL Draft bound players won't play in; 2) A very difficult team to watch every Saturday; 3) That familiar "deer-in-the-headlight" look from Duzz come the 4th quarter.
Abby Schnable
1:32
It’s really a mix — Narduzzi has developed plenty of pros, which speaks to coaching, but his reluctance to chase elite recruiting classes has capped Pitt’s ceiling. His approach keeps the program steady, yet it often feels like they’re settling for mediocrity rather than pushing for something bigger. Unless the administration commits to a bold change, Pitt fans may just be stuck with the same frustrating cycle.
JuniataKid
1:33
Prediction for Saturday?
Abby Schnable
1:34
I'd like to see Pitt bounce back, but I also said that last week and was wrong. The Panthers are probably more talented. It’s a toss-up for me and I wouldn’t be shocked if BC gave Pitt another loss.
Bruce
1:35
I really enjoyed Walt Harris' West Coast offense. It was really entertaining.
Abby Schnable
1:36
Harris’ West Coast offense definitely brought some excitement to Pitt — it was creative, fast-paced, and kept defenses on their heels. It also helped showcase the quarterbacks and receivers in a way that made games fun to watch. A lot of fans still look back on that era as some of the most entertaining football Pitt’s played.
1:39
We've got about 20 more minutes, so now is your chance to hit me with any final questions. I'll open it up to MBB and VB, too if we're out of FB ones.
Bobby Nutty
1:41
Clearly Pitt is bound to be outcoached this week. I'm not sure why anyone would be eager to offer Kade Bell a HC job at any level. Duzz fulfilled the school's hopes: He stayed. He brought stability to a program that desperately needed it. But he's generally been compensated beyond his ability to produce. Now we are in the age of paying players and always in risk of another round of conference re-alignment. My fear at this point, beyond 5 more years of mediocre football, is that Pitt is left on the outside once the ACC falls apart. And by outside, I mean in the MAC. Have you heard anything regarding preparation/positioning for the next wave?
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