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John McGonigal's Pitt football chat: 10.28.20
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John McGonigal
2:00
Welcome, everyone. Pitt may be off this week, but I’m sure there are plenty of questions about how this season has gone. So let’s get it going.
Barry J.
2:02
John - How pissed are the players with the decision to do nothing at the end of the first half?  Also, at what point does someone else take over the special teams?  B
John McGonigal
2:05
As is tradition with the off week, we haven’t had our normal Tuesday and Wednesday player media availabilities. And after the game, we got two players — Chase Pine and Bryce Hargrove — for two minutes each with other pressing questions to be asked in that short span of time. That’s the long way of saying we don’t know for sure. But Narduzzi basically gave up at the end of the first half. It’s hard to see that decision any other way. So I can’t imagine anyone took it well.
Chris
2:06
Nick Patti is arguably the best dual threat option Pitt has behind Kenny Pickett.  Pitt needs a mobile QB right now to add another dimension to the offensive.  I don't see Yellen or Beville bringing that to the table.  Would you prefer to see Patti at QB this week?
John McGonigal
2:09
Patti brings a running element, but there’s a reason why he was running the scout team as recently as three weeks ago. While he played fine against Delaware last year, I think the coaching staff knows what they have in Patti. If anything is going to come from this Pickett-less stretch, at least find out for sure what you have in Yellen and Beville. Give yourself as much information as possible to prepare for the post-Pickett era. So maybe start Beville and get them all in there, if Pickett can’t go in Tallahassee next Saturday.
Jimbo
2:10
Is there anything that I can do to expedite the mass exodus of this coaching staff? I don't have a ton of money but I want to help get the ball rolling
John McGonigal
2:11
Maybe set up a GoFundMe? I’m sure you’ll get some donations.
Guest
2:11
as a 60 years pitt fan i am ready to call it quits, heather lyke contract to narduzzi was a joke !!!! he lost all control of the team, no coaching ability and no game day coach !!!!if she don't get rid of him i will never be a pitt fan again,i've gone to games for 60years but you can count me out if a changes isn't made, i think heather lyke's time is up also !!!!!i know i'm only one, but my grandson won't be brought up a pitt fan either
John McGonigal
2:12
Not sure there’s a question in there, but duly noted. Perhaps bring up your grandson as an Alabama fan. It’ll more fun for him that way.
Guest
2:13
Although the  buyout no doubt prevents Pitt from terminating Narduzzi, no matter if we don’t win another game, please tell me that Whipple will not be back even if we win the remaining 4 games?
John McGonigal
2:15
Well, if the Panthers win the next four that means they upset Clemson. And to upset Clemson, you’re going to have to outscore Trevor Lawrence, Travis Etienne and company. No matter how bad his first 20 games have been, Whipple can save face if the passing offense comes out of the off week firing (we all know the running game won’t) and Pitt wins out. That’s wildly unlikely to happen. But I think it’s the only scenario in which he isn’t out the door.
Guest
2:16
Are Yellen legs made out of cement? He has to be able to move at least a little bit?
John McGonigal
2:18
Hey, he was billed as a pocket passer when he left high school…
JR
2:18
Hoping for a 6-5 finish. Schedule has been difficult and losing Kenny was a killer. Any recruits who can be a third down back? V Davis is tough but not a D one back
John McGonigal
2:21
Everyone at Pitt’s South Side facility would take a 6-5 record at this point, which says a lot about how quickly expectations can change. The schedule hurt, especially having Miami and Notre Dame back-to-back instead of an off week separating them, as was the case with the original schedule.
Adam
2:23
It seemed strange that Davis Beville only played 1 series against Notre Dame, and Nick Patti came in after Beville and played more than Beville. Do you think that says anything about the team's future plans for Beville? Along the QB lines, do you think any chance Pickett comes back next year?
John McGonigal
2:26
On Beville’s one series, he bobbled a snap and was sacked — and Pitt was already down 45-3. The way I saw that move to Patti was Pitt wanting to get the ball in safe hands and not let things get worse. Wouldn’t look too far into it.
2:27
As for second part of the previous question on Pitt’s third-down backs: It’s tough to tell what the future holds. Three-star ball-carriers Malik Newton and Rodney Hammond are committed in the 2021 class, but both live and play in Virginia — which didn’t play football this fall due to COVID-19. So, aside from watching tape from a year ago, it’s hard to really know what they bring to the table. But both are bigger than Vincent Davis, with Newton standing at 5-11, 215 and Hammond at 5-10, 185.
Guest
2:30
If ADHL is going to keep Narduzzi no matter what happens the rest of the year, wouldn't it be a good idea to come out and say he'll be the head coach in 2021?  That should reduce some of the negativity around the program since it would end speculation about his immediate future and should also benefit recruiting as well.
John McGonigal
2:33
You would think. And it would be nice to ask Lyke about Narduzzi, among other topics, and give her that chance. But she hasn’t spoken to local reporters since July.
Ziggy
2:33
Any predictions how Pitt finishes in their last 4 games? I'm thinking 2-2 but that seems optimistic, especially if Pickett misses more time.
John McGonigal
2:35
I’m leaning 2-2. Even if Pickett doesn’t play, Pitt can maul Florida State’s offensive line into a defensive win. And then I think they split the Georgia Tech-Virginia Tech matchups. Clemson on the other hand …
Dennis
2:36
John  It seems like the corners need more help against good teams. Are we too concerned about the pass rush
John McGonigal
2:40
Pitt’s press quarters scheme was a positive last year when it had Dane Jackson, Damarri Mathis and Jason Pinnock, helping Pitt to third nationally in passes defended. But with Jackson starting with the Buffalo Bills and Mathis hurt, it’s not the same. Pitt has worked in some more Cover 2, so the staff isn’t leaving their corners on an island every play. But for the most part, the Panthers’ identity of selling out to stop the run is leaving them exposed on the back end.
guidoCorvairi
2:41
There certainly is a need to recruit bigger running backs, better O-linemen and taller D-backs. Coaching staff needs someone  who develops O-line and an OC who doesn't get hung on one segment of the offense.
John McGonigal
2:43
Looking at the next few years, Pitt will be fine at running back and DB in regards to size. True freshman Israel Abanikanda is 5-11, while 2021 commit Malik Newton is 5-11, 215. At DB, all four 2021 commits — Javon McIntyre, Noah Biglow, Khalil Anderson and Stephon Hall — are 5-11 or taller. But the offensive line recruiting and development has to improve, no doubt.
Paul Hackett
2:43
should Pitt just recruit d linemen and then turn some of them into OL?  They obviously can’t recruit OL worth a tinker’s damn.
John McGonigal
2:47
That's what happened with John Malecki and others under Wannstedt, right? Might as well.
byby141
2:47
I can't understand why the defense keeps giving up long TDs. Do you think a zone defense could eliminate this? I believe a Bend not Break Wanny defense may suit them better. Long TDs have to be deflating to a team psyche?
John McGonigal
2:48
It’s because Narduzzi / Randy Bates is sticking to their scheme, even though they don’t have the personnel to run it as efficiently as they’d like. Narduzzi has been asked a couple times this year if they’d make any drastic defensive changes to the scheme, and he said no. But those long touchdowns have to be demoralizing, especially with how frequently it’s happening. Pitt’s given up 10 touchdowns of 30 yards or more in ACC play this year. That’s four more than it allowed in conference games last year.
Pitt recruiting
2:49
How does pitt stand with Rodney Gallagher?
John McGonigal
2:52
I think it’s too early to tell. Look at the two schools that have offered him in both football and basketball: Pitt and Penn State. Pat Chambers, the Nittany Lions’ basketball coach, just resigned. And if things don’t turn around for Pitt football this year or next, Narduzzi might be gone. So there’s a lot of fluidity there, which Gallagher will have to consider. And hey, he could wake up a year from now and decide, “I want to just play football,” or vice versa, and go to a Michigan or elsewhere. He’s only a sophomore, so I think some time might be needed before we get a real read.
Jeff
2:52
Can you shed any light on recruiting for the near future and please tell me there are some offensive lineman help on the way?
John McGonigal
2:55
In the near future, Pitt has four offensive linemen committed to the 2021 class — five if you count Trey Andersen, who’s listed on Rivals as a lineman but was identified as a tight end when he committed. Will Dave Borbely be around to coach them? I wouldn't be too sure.
Chip
2:55
Can 5-6 get a bowl bid in this weirdo year?
John McGonigal
2:55
It can. The D-I Council waived bowl requirements this year. So you can get into a bowl with a losing record.
Guest
2:56
Do any true freshman start next year
John McGonigal
2:57
If you mean current true freshman, I wouldn’t be surprised if Israel Abanikanda starts. Maybe wideout Jaylon Barden starts next to Jordan Addison. Redshirt freshman Brandon Hill should take Paris Ford’s place. If you meant next year’s true freshmen — as in the class of 2021 — it’s way too early to tell. Most of those guys have never visited campus. They might decommit or wait on their decision until later in the process, meaning they don’t get on campus for spring ball. Lot of moving parts there.
guidoCorvairi
2:58
Need to go to Wisconsin and steal some O-line prospects from Paul Chryst.
John McGonigal
3:00
Chryst beat Penn State for Nolan Rucci, a five-star lineman from PA. I don't think anyone's stealing linemen from him. He's recruiting blockers on another level.
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