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Brian Batko's Pitt football chat: 10.24.18
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Brian Batko
2:34
Well, Wedz, the Syracuse end-game strategy was definitely rather bizarre. His postgame explanation didn't make a whole lot of sense to me, but that's subjective. As for the ND timeout, I feel like Narduzzi has had a tendency to burn TOs in those situations rather than to save clock, which frustrates fans, no doubt.
SDWC
2:34
With rainy weather predicted for Saturday, is that a benefit or hindrance to Pitt?  They certainly didn't perform very well against PSU in bad conditions.
Brian Batko
2:36
On paper, a benefit. All the Panthers really want to do offensively is run the ball anyway, so might as well muck it up in the mud against a Duke team with a pretty solid quarterback. And I think if they don't drop two holds and a punt again, the rain should be much less of a factor than it was that night in early September.
Steph
2:36
Brian, u from the Bay but u white tho. Will Houy play?
Brian Batko
2:37
Not unless there's an injury on the O-line, and it would probably have to be one of the tackles, at that.
Q
2:37
On a more positive note? Do you think the Notre Dame game is an indication the defense has turned a corner and will to continue to play well? Bc if they do, Pitt will have a good chance in these final 5 games!
Brian Batko
2:38
Maybe? It was a tale of two halves, somewhat. As encouraging as it was early on, Ian Book shredded them in the second. Even his two picks were really just bad throws more than they were great plays. But the pressure from the D-line was good, the tackling was solid, and overall the run defense was certainly stout. Not willing to go so far as to say they've arrived just yet, though.
Imma Man! Im 40+!
2:39
Please admit, here and now, that you've made it your personal mission to shadow Pitt's holder, make sure he stays out of trouble, ala the Dallas Cowgirls giving Dez Bryant a full-time wingman.  We MUST beat Duke in order to make a bowl, and we can't afford our punter trying to handle snaps for placekicks in the rain.
Brian Batko
2:40
I must admit, here and now, I have made it my personal mission to shadow Pitt's holder, make sure he stays out of trouble, ala the Dallas Cowgirls giving Dez Bryant a full-time wingman.

Period.
Zach
2:40
All has been quiet on the recruiting-front. Aside from a few new offers over the bye week, has the lack of on-field success been limiting the staffs ability to get anyone to commit? When will we see our next Pat Signal?
Brian Batko
2:42
Narduzzi has said before that he doesn't like to do much recruiting in-season. It'll probably pick up again in December, as it usually does under this staff. In past years I think they've only gotten one or two commits during the season, if that.
9nationalchampionships
2:43
How does the D stack up against Duke and specifically their QB? Will the bad weather help/hurt us?
Brian Batko
2:44
Duke's offense isn't any better than Notre Dame's, that's for sure. Daniel Jones might be a better pro prospect than Ian Book, but Book has been deadly accurate as a college QB. Still though, Duke has some playmakers at wideout like TJ Rahming who can get loose and gash this defense for the type of big plays that have been too frequent in past seasons.
Dean from Blawnox
2:45
There are a lot of seniors on this team, but they are not good seniors. Next year will be much much better
Brian Batko
2:45
Noted.
D9 Dave
2:45
Although I love an enthusiatic coach on the sidelines, it seems to me Narduzzi goes a bit overboard to the extent that it may cloud his judgement in critical situations in games.  Seems to me he lets his emotions dictate critical decisions in games that lead to some questionable decisions (EX. fake punt at ND with 3rd string QB).  Your thoughts.
Brian Batko
2:47
Fair criticism. Lots of players and parents probably love that about Narduzzi, but there are also some highly successful coaches who barely bat an eye on the sideline. It's a personality thing, and when you're winning, it's 'Hey, I love this guy's energy!' When you're losing, it's 'Wow, this guy is a loon.' Same thing with that fake punt (ed. note: with the second-string QB, apparently) -- if it works, it's an example of how Narduzzi gets the job done by coaching with emotion.
George Costanza
2:48
Next year, Pitt's road games don't look nearly as tough (PSU, Duke, GT, VT, Cuse) with all but VT replacing a QB next year, am I wrong in thinking next year could be Duzz's first 10 win season?
Brian Batko
2:50
You probably are wrong, George, but I won't hold that against you. Penn State and UCF should still be very challenging. VT and Miami are proven programs. Syracuse has a four-star guy waiting in the wings at QB. GT does what GT does. And like I said way up there somewhere, for as much as Pitt will bring back, they'll also lose a lot. Four starting linemen. Two solid tailbacks. George Aston. And that's just on offense.
Steph
2:50
Who is our 5th best RB?
Brian Batko
2:51
Mychale Salahuddin, I guess
DomerGeoff
2:52
Any truth to Noah Singleton who left the team at Michigan, having interest from Pitt?
Brian Batko
2:53
I think you mean Drew Singleton. He's from Jersey, he's a linebacker and he's a former four-star recruit, all things that Pat Narduzzi likes to pursue. So yeah, wouldn't shock me if Pitt is interested.
I've also got an email question here from Nathan Ratterman, who asks:

Do you feel when Heather Lyke came out and supported Coach Narduzzi before the Syracuse game, that might of gave us the extra edge to when the game in OT?  It seems that might of trickled down to  Kenny Pickett having had strong words in support of Coach Narduzzi after the Notre Dame, even though we lost.  It seems that everybody is supporting everybody.  Coach Narduzzi supported the offense this week.
2:55
To be honest, no, I don't think that had much to do with it. Players and coaches are always going to support each other, for the most part, especially players. They know they can't lob even the mildest complaint at a coach publicly and enjoy the outcome of that.
Shemp
2:55
Will Narduzzi dress up as Wirginis for Halloween Saturday?  It would beat the George at Punter move, period.
Brian Batko
2:56
Offensive lineman Carson Van Lynn has been dressing up as a tight end lately. Look for a story on that later today.
SDWC
2:56
Sorry I missed the last couple of chats.  Was the reasoning of all the kickoff fair catches against Syracuse ever discussed?
Brian Batko
2:57
That's quite all right. But not really. Maurice Ffrench has said that if he has to move much to catch a deep kickoff, he's probably going to fair catch it.
Imma Man! Im 40+!
2:57
Let's go get Matt Canada back, after Maryland decides to go in another direction.  So what if he reached for the stars?  Who wouldn't take the dumb money that LSU offered him?  Pitt's O was fun to watch the year he was here.
Brian Batko
2:58
Don't forget, he also had some darn good personnel to work with. James Conner, Scott Orndoff, three future NFL linemen. But when you look at what Nathan Peterman has done at the next level, it does make you wonder just how much of a magician Matt Canada was that season.
D9 Dave
2:58
Imagine what a recruit like Phil Jurkovec could have done for Pitt? Would have given the program instant credability. Pitt has to be able to recruit on a national level and not just be able to get prospects that other Power 5 schools don't want.  The WPIAL does not produce many top D1 talent but when it does like Jurkovec, Pitt really needs to be able to get them.  What can Pitt do besides win to improve their recruiting on a national level?
Brian Batko
2:58
Build an on-campus stadium!
Wedz4heizman
2:59
Against Syracuse after running it on every play on the last drive in regulation we lined up in shotgun for our one pass to let them know it was coming. If we were going to pass on that play wouldn't play action be the right call there?Against ND we did the same thing. With a line that struggles to pass protect and a QB that didn't throw down the field all day wasn't lining up under center and showing the threat of run the right thing to do? Didn't seem fair to the line or QB to me. Again your thoughts?
Brian Batko
2:59
Galaxy brain: Pitt has just been using the past two games to set up the play-action just in time for the meat of ACC play, which will have to sustain all the way through the final five games.
Doug in Erie
3:00
Can Pitt cover the spread or win outright?
Brian Batko
3:00
Pitt can do both, but my prediction is that it only does one. Duke 20, Pitt 18. Lively chat today, folks, thanks for stopping by.
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