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John McGonigal's Pitt football chat: 10.22.20
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John McGonigal
11:00
Good morning, folks. Thanks for joining me on this week's Pitt football chat. Let's get right to it.
Shane
11:02
Why won't the coaching staff #FreeToddSibley?!
John McGonigal
11:04
I gotta say, I was surprised Todd Sibley didn’t get more run. He had 21 yards on three carries in the first quarter, and then one touch after that. Of course, the 12-yard run he did have was probably the only wide-open running lane Pitt’s line provided all day. But I was more impressed than anything by Sibley’s catch out of the backfield when he dragged Miami CB Al Blades for a first down. He needs to get the ball more, at the very least so he can fall forward for a few more yards than what Pitt is getting.
Steve
11:06
Did the WR coach really say that he doesn't stress drops? Isn't that like, one of the more important things at the position?
John McGonigal
11:09
Chris Beatty said that, meaning that he’s not going to harp on the drops too much because, in his mind, what good does that do? Also, I didn’t really expect him to openly bash his players. But he did say the drops are an issue that need to be fixed.
Curious George
11:10
What dirt does Vincent Davis have on the coaching staff that he somehow remains the bell cow despite being the worst tailback on the roster
John McGonigal
11:13
I understand the frustration using Vincent Davis in goal-line situations. He’s 5-foot-8, 175 pounds. Not necessarily a bruiser. But to say he’s the worst tailback on the roster isn’t true. I think he’s actually Pitt’s ideal back if the offense ever ran at max efficiency. Pass, pass, pass, then dominate the line of scrimmage and hit defenses with a burst of speed on an inside zone. We saw Davis do that on the first play after Kenny Pickett left the Boston College game. He’s capable. The bigger issue in my eyes is the blocking.
Bill
11:14
Are all Notre Dame fans insufferable?
John McGonigal
11:14
All of them? No. Most of them? Uhmmm yeah.
Kevin
11:15
Any injury updates this week? Or is this team "fully healthy" just like last week?
John McGonigal
11:19
I guess we’ll find out later today when reporters chat with Narduzzi! How funny is that. “Fully healthy” and half the defense and the starting quarterback is out. I get not wanting to give anything away to the opponent, but c’mon.
Justin
11:19
They need to let "Screamin'" Joe Yellin let that pigskin FLY this weekend! Air that sucker out, take some vertical shots, have nothing to lose at this point. No point in handing the ball off
John McGonigal
11:22
I tend to agree. Notre Dame doesn’t give up big plays, allowing only 25 passing plays of 20+ yards last year, fewest in college football. But that’s Pitt’s path to an upset. Running into the teeth of a stout run defense with its non-existent running game? I’d rather watch paint dry.
Mike
11:23
Better football movie....Little Giants or Air Bud?
John McGonigal
11:24
Air Bud, no question. That doge can do it all.
Marco
11:24
Will they have the special teams penalties cleaned up this week? How do you line up over the center not once but twice!?
John McGonigal
11:27
I genuinely have no idea. People say that Pitt always finds a new way to lose. Well, every week it feels like they find a new way to draw a penalty flag. I still remember Week 1 when the punt return team had two players with the same number on the field not once, not twice but three times. Baffling stuff.
lturk
11:29
Can you rank Pitt's receivers?  Going into the season I would have thought Mack was #1, but he may be #3 or #4 right now.
John McGonigal
11:32
Oh this is a good one. I’d go Jordan Addison first. He’s been head and shoulders above everyone else. I would still go Taysir Mack at No. 2. The drop concerns are there. But some of the jump ball catches he makes I’m not sure anyone else on the team can with regularity. Give me Shocky Jacques-Louis at No. 3, Jared Wayne at No. 4 and DJ Turner at No. 5. It’s difficult to compare those last three because they’re all so different. So when Turner inevitably goes off for 100 yards this weekend, don’t hold it against me. But I think when he’s healthy, Shocky is an effective route-runner with speed, and Wayne’s 6-foot-3 frame should be used more frequently over the middle, especially with the tight end concerns. It’s a talented, if not consistent, good group.
John QM
11:33
Hi John. How much longer can Pitt put up with paying Narduzzi $4.1M/ year and continue to receive mediocre, no program improvement results? 3rd highest paid Coach in League. WOW. Really?
John McGonigal
11:35
I’m always wary of USA Today’s salary list because there’s no way Brian Kelly is getting paid only $1.8 million. But the sentiment I understand. Narduzzi’s getting paid a lot, not just to succeed on the field but also recruit, provide stability, etc. Overall, considering where this program was in the years immediately after Dave Wannstedt, I think he’s done an OK job. These are also difficult financial times with the pandemic, so I don’t see Narduzzi losing his job any time soon. But if this season totally bottoms out, his seat will get hotter in 2021.
I Object
11:36
So do they can the Offensive Line, Special Teams, Linebackers and Wide Receivers coaches but let Narduzzi stay ? That's what I would do
John McGonigal
11:37
I wouldn’t be surprised if there’s one or two changes on staff this offseason. But I’m not banking on it, either. Like most coaches, Narduzzi is a loyal guy. And with Chris Beatty, the wide receivers coach, specifically: He’s recruiting really well for Pitt right now. So cutting him wouldn’t make sense in that regard.
Rick Allen’s Left Arm
11:39
When is Whipple going to stop making the QBs trot to him on the sideline between plays? It cost Pitt a delay penalty last week and doesn’t seem to be adding anything.
John McGonigal
11:40
They’ve done it now for 19 games. I don’t see it stopping any time soon.
Barry J.
11:41
If Craig Meyer had eligibility then do you think that he would be able to get on the field to play TE?
John McGonigal
11:42
In more of a split wide role? Maybe.
Ivan
11:42
Why you knocking Wanny? At least we went 10-3 and 9-4 under him. Narduzzi we get 5 losses at least every year.
John McGonigal
11:44
I wasn’t knocking Wannstedt. I was talking about the 25-27 record by the three coaches following him.
JR
11:45
Is Duzz going to surprise us by starting Pickett this week?
John McGonigal
11:46
I would be shocked if Pickett plays this weekend. To go from not being able to travel due to swelling concerns to playing seven days later is a stretch.
Ready Steady Eddie
11:47
Is Alex Kessman the worst kicker in Pitt history ? They haven't had a decent kicker since Conor Lee but he's REALLY REALLY bad
John McGonigal
11:49
Obviously, Kessman isn’t as accurate as Conor Lee. The guy converted 83% of his field goals. But let’s remember, too, that Lee attempted only one field goal of 50-plus yards in his career, and Kessman’s made 9 of them. He’s absolutely inconsistent. No doubt. But the worst kicker in Pitt history? No.
9NC
11:49
How do you see Pitt running the ball this week?
John McGonigal
11:49
Poorly.
Chris
11:49
Why isn't Narduzzi more transparent about the injury to Lucas Krull?  Lucas was a pre-season Mackey candidate.  Its such a huge loss for the O-line and the passing game.
John McGonigal
11:50
When has Narduzzi ever been transparent about injury issues? The only time he truthfully informs the media of injury details is when it’s season-ending. I’ve asked about Krull now several times this season, and he’s insisted every time that Lucas Krull’s injury isn’t season-ending. It sucks, but that’s all we really have to go on.
James
11:52
I was all aboard the Todd Sibley train until that horrific missed block on the failed fake punt attempt. Is that why he doesn't see the field more or did he just slip on that block?
John McGonigal
11:53
It’s hard to tell how Sibley’s pass blocking this year when he’s never in the game and the media can’t view any practice. But that missed block on the punt fake had to bother Narduzzi and Andre Powell, Pitt’s running backs coach and special teams coordinator.
V. Fontaine
11:55
Why would Narduzzi kick the field goal at the end of the third quarter last week and instead of going for it? The field goal still kept it at a two touchdown game. At best you only have two maybe three possessions left.
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