You are viewing the chat in desktop mode. Click here to switch to mobile view.
X
John McGonigal's Pitt football chat: 01.23.20
powered byJotCast
John McGonigal
1:00
Good afternoon, folks. Glad to see y’all join this impromptu chat. Figured there was enough going on in the Pitt football world between the 2020 schedule releasing and the transfer portal activity to warrant a Q&A. Drop your questions and we’ll get after it.
Matthew N
1:01
Offens line appeared to be an area of needed improvement.  Jake Kradel appeared to do well with his opportunity.  Any thoughts on next year starting O line?
John McGonigal
1:04
I thought Kradel grew into the right guard spot, too. And I like where the OL stands in 2020. From left to right, Warren, Hargrove, Morrissey, Kradel, Van Lynn / Houy is pretty good. Especially after they got all that pass blocking experience in Year One under Whipple. That right tackle battle will be interesting. Both Van Lynn and Houy got in as sixth linemen in heavy packages and even spelled Nolan Ulizio at times. Could go either way.
Turkey jones
1:06
Did pitt have any conversations with Jurkovec once he entered the portal?
John McGonigal
1:10
To my knowledge, no. Now, I wouldn’t be stunned if they did reach out just to gauge his interest. But Jurkovec is better off going to Boston College, where he’s likely guaranteed the starting job. Pitt has two former four-star guys in Yellen and Beville ready to vie for the job in 2021. Not an ideal situation to transfer into.
Zack OWU
1:11
Any idea where some of the transfers will end up? V'Lique Carter, Bricen Garner, DBJ?
John McGonigal
1:14
Garner is a grad transfer, so he can go wherever and play immediately. Going back to his 2016 recruitment, most of his offers were from MAC schools. Admittedly, I don’t know the roster situation of those programs, but he could probably start in that conference.
1:15
Carter is trickier; he’ll have to sit out a year if he goes to an FBS team. Unless the NCAA gives him a waiver, his best option might be a high-level FCS program where he can dominate the carry count and put out some consistent tape. Unless he wants to return home to Florida, which would make sense, too.
1:16
As for DBJ, if you’re referring to Dontavius Butler-Jenkins, I can tell you as of this morning, he’s not in transfer portal. Would it surprise me if that changed before the 2020 season? Not really. His presence in the offense faded with Jared Wayne’s emergence. At best, he’d be the fourth option entering the season. But no portal movement from him yet.
Matthew N
1:17
Outside of Taysir, Shocky, and Jared—Who do you see stepping up and contributing next year at WR?
John McGonigal
1:19
Give me Jordan Addison. Judging by his tape and the talk around him, he might make an impact Week 1.
KPitt1
1:21
What taking so long for naming a replacement for Dave Andrews?
John McGonigal
1:21
I would expect that announcement very soon.
PittFan2020
1:22
What is the weakest position on the team this year? OLine still? Tight end?
John McGonigal
1:25
I think it’s tight end until proven otherwise. Lucas Krull has a lot of potential. But that position has failed Pitt year after year. So, without even seeing spring ball or fall camp yet, we’ll go with tight end.
Mitchell T
1:29
Every spring there is usually a position change for a few players (i.e. D line to O line, DE to TE, TE to OT).  Any forseeable position changes?
John McGonigal
1:31
I was half-expecting V’Lique Carter to shift out to receiver and serve as a weapon out of the slot. But that obviously isn’t going to happen. One name to keep an eye on is DL Bryce Nelms. The rising redshirt freshman took reps on the OL in bowl practice. Wouldn’t say that’s a definite position change, but certainly possible just to help with depth. DL already has plenty of it.
Dan
1:34
What do you believe the the offense will look like in 2020? Will it reflect the pass-happy 2019 team with short passes and dinks & dunks? Or with a more mature o-line will they try to establish the run game and replicate the success of 2018? The goal is obviously balance, but which way would you lean for whipple & co?
John McGonigal
1:38
I still think they’re going to throw the ball a ton. Having a more experienced OL should help have some semblance of a running game. But the OL really grew in pass protection as 2019 went on, and Pickett gained confidence in the pocket and (even more so) on the move. Even without Ffrench as a safety net, this offense is still going to throw the ball 35 times a game.
Geo
1:40
I see them as dogs to FSU / ND / VA / Miami / NC ...  somebody better improve
John McGonigal
1:43
Eh, I don’t about Florida State and Virginia. The Seminoles could be a total mess this year, and Virginia without Bryce Perkins and its two top receivers might be exposed by time Pitt visits in November. Definitely see the Panthers as underdogs at Miami and vs. Notre Dame and probably at UNC.
Mitchell T
1:45
Next year’s schedule looks favorable, predictions for overall record?  Surprising win?  Surprising loss?
John McGonigal
1:49
I won’t touch overall record predictions until we get to fall camp. A lot still to sort through. But if Pitt beats Miami at Hard Rock Stadium, I think that would classify as both “surprising” and entirely possible. The ‘Canes, if they beat Michigan State in Week 4, could be ranked with the D’Eriq King hype potentially running high. That’s one to keep an eye on. And surprising loss, maybe Syracuse? Not saying that will happen. But if the end of the season sours, perhaps Pitt lays an egg like it did against BC. Like I said, kinda early to speculate on all that yet. But those are just a couple off the top of my head.
mike
1:51
7 and 5, maybe 8 and 4 with the 3 first games scheduled
John McGonigal
1:53
Playing at Marshall could be tricky and Miami (Ohio) won eight games last year. But Pitt should win its first three games, a breath of fresh air after playing UCF, Oklahoma State and Penn State in the non-conference in recent years. The Panthers really should be 4-0 to start. I don’t see Duke being all that good. And if you start 4-0, you’d really have to try to get to 7-5. Crazier things have happened, I guess.
Doug
1:53
Did Pitt have any option to not play a Friday night game this year. Is that something the conference forces upon them, can they refuse. How does it all work?
John McGonigal
1:55
That’s all handled by the conferences and TV decision-makers. Pitt can ask politely not to play a Friday night home game, and Narduzzi has made his thoughts on the matter clear in the past. But there’s no escaping it. At least it’s in November and not, say, late September in the heart of high school football season.
JerseyW
1:56
John, first wanted to say your coverage on the Pitt beat has been outstanding! Not used to so much coverage in the off-season.  I'm still not sold on Whipple & the offense. It seemed like we were making big steps from the Watson era but by the end of the season it all disappeared.  Do you think the bowl game was a glimmer of hope or an anomaly?
Now that a few spots have opened, do you see any potential for transfers? Whatever happened to the WR (Shorter?) from Penn State? Is he on the market still? Or the OL from Stanford?
John McGonigal
1:58
Thanks, I appreciate that. College football season never sleeps … With the offense, I’d go with a glimmer of hope, just because the Panthers return so many pieces on offense. The jump from Year 1 to Year 2 with offensive coordinators is normally noteworthy, too.
1:59
As far as transfers, they don’t really have a few spots. Joey Yellen is indeed on scholarship this season despite sitting out, so that scholarship count for 2020 is at 84, one shy of the limit. Now if someone else transfers out, that could free Narduzzi up a bit. And I think looking at Stanford OL Devery Hamilton is worthwhile. It’s just going to be a tight squeeze.
H2P
2:01
DL and defensive backfield should be really good  next season but not sure about the LB's ..... what does the two deep at LB look like going into spring practice ?
John McGonigal
2:03
My guess: Chase Pine starts at middle linebacker, flanked by Phil Campbell and Cam Bright at Star and Money, respectively. Expect SirVocea Dennis, Wendell Davis, Leslie Smith and Brandon George to be in the mix, too.
BoogerGoober
2:04
Any unexpected players that might shine this year?
John McGonigal
2:06
Jordan Addison, Erick Hallett and Marquis Williams are my shouts. That No. 3 corner spot is for the taking with Therran Coleman leaving. Hallett can play both nickel corner and safety, and Williams filled in as that third guy with Pinnock missing the Quick Lane Bowl.
PittFan2020
2:06
Pitt should win 10 games this year with their loaded defense and a senior QB.....right?? Give us some hope sir!
John McGonigal
2:08
“Should” might be a bit irresponsible considering how long it’s been since that has happened. But certainly possible, including the bowl.
2:09
Alrighty folks, thanks for participating in the chat today. Plenty more Pitt coverage in the days to come. Tomorrow, there’s a media availability with some of Pitt’s newcomers, so stay tuned to my Twitter account @jmcgonigal9 and post-gazette.com/sports/pitt for more.
Connecting…