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Brian Batko's Pitt football chat: 10.18.17
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Brian Batko
2:01
Hello, all. Another week, another Pitt game to preview, and this time it's Duke on the road Saturday in Durham, N.C. I will be there. Chat begins now.
SOMDPanther
2:01
HCPN was noticeably disgruntled in his press conference when talking about his QB decisions. From my angle it seems like his reasoning in playing Pickett for the garbage time snap  against Cuse and some against NCSU (i.e. we was the #3 QB and we need 2 QBs ready to go at all times), is entirely a form over substance argument. My question is: Do you think that we will ever get down to 1 QB this season? Or is this just a going to be matter of getting Pickett ready for next year?
Brian Batko
2:02
Good afternoon, SOMD, thanks for stopping as always. Narduzzi wasn't necessarily in a bad mood Monday, but "disgruntled" is as good a word as any to use as far as his quarterback discussion. "Form over substance argument" is a bit too lawyerly for me, but to answer your question, no, I don't think a clear leader will emerge by the end of 2017 and into 2018. But I think if it's either guy, it'll be Kenny Pickett, if only because he's coming from behind in the competition, so to speak.
Ed M
2:03
What to you think it will take Pitt to become athletically competitive in the ACC?  Is Pitt in the wrong conference sportswise?  It's very frustrating week after week, year after year.
Brian Batko
2:05
Coaches. Look what Pitt men's soccer is doing in Year 2 under Jay Vidovich, as told so wonderfully by my beat partner Craig Meyer http://www.post-gazette.com/sports/Pitt/2017/10/16/Coach-Jay-Vidovich-...

That's a problem that was languishing to such extent that people wondered if it would ever get right. But I think it's a prime example that if you get the right coach, he/she will either win enough to help recruiting, or recruit/find the right players to help you win. I definitely don't believe the ACC is the wrong league for Pitt, because where else would you want to be? The American Athletic? Please.
Maximus
2:05
Seems like the loss of Wirginis has really hurt us but goes under the radar. Your thoughts ?
Brian Batko
2:07
Hundred percent, Maximus. Good observation by you. It's probably gone under the radar a bit because every time I tried to ask a coach or player about it preseason or early in the year, they brushed it off by saying something along the lines of "We're focused on who we have." Well, who you have isn't nearly as experienced or as productive as a three-year contributor in Quintin Wirginis. Would he be a cure-all for this run defense? Probably not, but you have to think he'd be able to help up the middle, and also maybe even occasionally get to the QB, as had been a strong suit of his in the past.
BigPitt
2:07
Narduzzi able to get some highly rated DBs in his first few classes because of his defensive reputation.  Now that he’s thrown that reputation out the window with heir defensive performance on the field, how does he get talented DL to commit to Pitt. I believe Pitt DL deficiencies are root cause for their issues on D.
Brian Batko
2:10
Greetings, BP. I won't go so far as to say he's thrown his reputation out the window. All that stuff at Michigan State, all those accomplishments, did they get vacated by the NCAA for some reason? Pretty sure that all still happened. As far as the DL recruiting though, I think you have to be encouraged there. DL coach Charlie Partridge, with deep Florida ties, might just be the best recruiter on Pitt's staff, and DL might just be the stronger area of the 2018 class so far. I happen to think Thomas Jefferson's Devin Danielson is Pitt's best get to this point, his teammate Noah Palmer and DeMatha's John Morgan seem like promising edge rushers, and then when you throw in the possibility that Butler standout Jake Kradel might be a DT in college, there's some intrigue there.
Pitt Meister
2:10
Do you think Ian Troost kneeling during the national anthem is a team distraction?  Personally, I do not.  He has his reasons and has clearly stated them.  I think all Pitt fans should kneel during the national anthem to protest the injustice of being subjected to the bad football coaching and play this season!
Brian Batko
2:13
Thanks for the Q, Meister. My A is: Yes and no. I think it is a little bit of a distraction, simply because it's one more thing a few players and coaches have had to address, but it's not a huge deal. As the second part of your statement there suggests, if anything, distracting fans from this season might not be a bad thing.

I also tend to agree with you in terms of Troost's explanation to Craig Meyer last night (if you didn't read it: http://www.post-gazette.com/sports/Pitt/2017/10/17/Pitt-kicker-Ian-Tro...). I'm about as apolitical as it gets, so without injecting my own opinion into it, it seems like Troost handled this hot-button topic about as well as possible.
Mikey T
2:13
Where was the fan attendance last weekend?  It has to be hurting recruiting!  Homecoming, free bobbleheads, discounted tickets, a beautiful day with no other pro sports games happening and the place was empty.
Brian Batko
2:15
Hey Mikey, it's tough when you're 2-4 (which Pitt as entering its homecoming game). Even with all those factors you mentioned, factors that I bet still brought some people to the stadium who otherwise wouldn't have gone, it's not a good product right now. And as we all well know, at least I hope, this program doesn't have that huge number of supporters who stick through thick and thin no matter what's happening in the W-L column. It is what it is, and that's kind of the constant goal for Pitt football, to build that base, right?
Blawnox Panther
2:17
What happened last week in the 2nd half of the game?  Pitt choked again and lost the game on all fronts.
Brian Batko
2:17
Blawnox, you just reminded me, maybe that particular game would've been RIPE for Sweet Caroline going into the fourth quarter!
H2P333
2:17
Do you think the "young" excuse is played?  Half of the teams in the country are young.  Penn State was young last year and improved over the course of the season to 10-3 and a Big Ten championship!  Pitt should be able to do the same.
Brian Batko
2:18
I do think it's played out a bit, yes. And I don't really think the players and coaches are clinging to that all that much at this point of the season. Linebacker Sean Idowu even said today that at seven games in, you can't keep saying you're young. Time for that youth to make strides.
JScass
2:19
Where were the Pitt students going?  It was a 7-point game and the start of the 4th and the students are leaving?!?!?!  Unacceptable.  Other programs do not have this problem, why does Pitt?
Brian Batko
2:19
Not enough free beverages?
Pope
2:19
Don't you think Pickett should start?  He is the future.  This season is over and highly doubtful we make a bowl game.  So, Pitt will lose that extra practice time.  Pickett might as well get as many touches now to prepare for next year, right?
Brian Batko
2:21
The topic du jour, Pope. I do not think Kenny Pickett should start. As I said last week, I haven't changed my stance that I'm not ready to throw in the towel on Ben DiNucci just yet. Didn't think he was all that good, didn't think he was all that bad last week against a really tough N.C. State defense. It's a fluid situation, and I'm not anti-Pickett either, but just not sure we've seen enough of DiNucci to this point. Last I checked, they'll both need "to prepare for next year."
Pitt Guru
2:21
Do you believe that local recruiting has gotten WORSE with Narduzzi?  Sure, he gets the 2-3 stars that most of the top programs have not offered.  One 4-star recruit in each class is NOT going to make the grade and get Pitt to the next level.
Brian Batko
2:24
In a sense, maybe. Dave Wannstedt was really good locally, but the WPIAL was also producing more talent at that time. How can you fault Narduzzi for getting Jordan Whitehead, Damar Hamlin and Paris Ford to enroll in his first three classes? This year's class is a bit tricky to judge. How much do you criticize the staff for missing on Phil Jurkovec? Lifelong Notre Dame fan, committed way early, but still, isn't that part of the challenge of recruiting is changing kids' minds one way or the other? Beyond him, though, Pitt has landed almost anyone and everyone it's coveted from the WPIAL. We'll see what happens with Aliquippa's Kwantel Raines.
Pope
2:25
What is your revised season prediction?  I originally had Pitt at 6-6, but now I am saying 4-8 w losses to Duke, Va Tech and Miami.
Brian Batko
2:26
I originally said 7-5, so I'm still alive! But yeah, obviously things look bleak. I'll say 4-8 as well, but it certainly wouldn't surprise me if a ninth loss finds this team somewhere the rest of the way.
gary@northernVirginia
2:26
Brian...I'm still a Narduzzi supporter, but I really question his handling of QB's, even going back to Voytik. That turned out well, but doesn't his constant juggling of the position hurt when trying to recruit top flight QB's?
Brian Batko
2:28
Gary, I agree that it's maybe his most glaring weakness thus far, his impulsiveness when it comes to that position. Maybe impulsiveness isn't the right word, but he sure seems fickle this season. He and his assistants get paid handsomely to persuade recruits and their parents that their son is the right fit and will thrive at Pitt. I wouldn't say they're putting themselves in that big of a hole because of the QB situation this year.
OHIO412FAN
2:28
Well, it certainly looks like it’s not Pitts year. With the odds of not making the bowl season, what can Pitt do to improve their program all around moving forward in the long term future?
Brian Batko
2:28
More bobbleheads!
Harley's WPIAL Wedge
2:29
Is it at all short sighted not to be recruiting any additional RB's this year, and to have put all their eggs in the basket of Cole Beck?
Brian Batko
2:30
Too early to say Pitt won't add an RB in this class. Could be a lot of moving parts behind the scenes, whether with high school kids or JuCos, plus you never know when a grad transfer might hit the market. Although despite the running struggles this season, all five scholarship tailbacks are currently expected back next year...
It's 2:30, my usual chat-quittin' time, but let's keep going.
Matt N.
2:31
What up Bri-dog?  Sorry, that was sassy for no reason.  What does your eye-test tell you about Dinucci vs Pickett vs MacVittie?  Who has the most raw talent, best arm, the most moxie, poise, 'it' factor, etc.?
Brian Batko
2:32
Hi, Matt. Not sassy at all. I liked it. As I stated above, my eye isn't looking down all that much on DiNucci or Pickett so far. Need to see more from both.
McD
2:32
What in the heck is going on?
Brian Batko
2:32
No idea.
Geoff Ferruzza
2:32
I'm a Notre Dame fan at heart so I hope Jurkovec leads them to 4 National Titles, but do u see any chance he could possibly flip to Pitt at last second??  Thanks
Brian Batko
2:33
Not unless something happens with Brian Kelly, and even then, I highly doubt it.
M96
2:33
I'd like to see Ben DiNucci or Kenny Pickett take a knee with less than a minute to go in the 4th quarter.
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