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Johnny McGonigal's Pitt football chat: 09.16.21
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Johnny McGonigal
11:01
Welcome to this week’s live chat. Drop your questions about Pitt football and whatever else your heart desires. We’ve got an hour here, so let’s get after it.
Juanny
11:04
Who’s has had a longer tenure in college? Kenny Pickett or Aaron Kraft?
Johnny McGonigal
11:06
Aaron Craft was at Ohio State for only 4 years, and Kenny Pickett’s been at Pitt for only 5 years … but both tenures feel like they’ve gone on for a decade. Both have been long-time starters. Both are gritty players. Both are “sneaky athletic.” What an accurate comparison.
Andrew H.
11:07
Is there a player on Western Michigan that we should be focused on talent wise that could give Pitt trouble this weekend?
Johnny McGonigal
11:10
The only answer, as long as he’s healthy after getting banged up at Michigan, is wide receiver Skyy Moore. He was a prospect at Shady Side Academy before my time in Pittsburgh, but I don’t know how a talent like this slipped off the radar of Pitt and other Power Five schools. As a freshman in 2019, he was a first-team All-MAC honoree. He’s quick. He’s strong enough to break a tackle. And he’s averaged 15.5 yards per catch at WMU.
Joe Milton's QB Trainer
11:13
How does Western Michigan beat Pitt Saturday? Go tempo and try to outscore them? Shorten the game with long possessions?
Johnny McGonigal
11:16
Western Michigan is a heavy RPO team. Tempo aside, its chances hinge on QB Kaleb Eleby making the right decisions with the football. If 1) he can consistently make the right call — similar to what Oregon’s Anthony Brown did to Ohio State last week 2) WMU connects on a few pop passes (you know that’ll be on the playsheet) and 3) Pitt can’t get into a rhythm offensively, that would be Western Michigan’s ideal scenario.
Bill
11:17
Why did the O-line look so challenged? Are they--along with RBs--the team's weak link?
Johnny McGonigal
11:20
I feel like we’ve been down this road in the past with the o-line. There’s a myriad of reasons why they didn’t look great in the run game. Mark Whipple’s play-calling was hit or miss, the red-zone personnel in the backfield was suspect, and the line didn’t get enough push. I would say yes, the run blocking specifically is the team’s weakness right now. But the line did a great job of protecting Pickett, and the group had only one penalty at Neyland Stadium. All in all, I think they’ll take that performance.
Chad
11:23
LTFT — what do you think it would take to get Heinz Field filled on a regular basis with students and fans?
Johnny McGonigal
11:27
I don’t think students are the problem at Heinz. That end-zone section was filled for the season opener, and it was against UMass. The responsibility to fill the seats falls on the non-student fans, and many won’t show up unless it’s a marquee matchup. So the answer to your question would be schedule heavy-hitters for every game in the non-conference. But then you’re doing your actual team a disservice. The other answer? Win more than 7/8 games per year.
Guest
11:28
Is your body ready for Nathan Peterman's return to Heinz Field this week?
Johnny McGonigal
11:32
Even though he wasn’t there, last week was also the Nathan Peterman Classic at Tennessee. But if the Steelers really want to win this weekend, they should trade for Peterman right before kickoff and pair him up with Matt Canada. Jon Gruden wouldn’t know what hit him.
JR
11:32
John: Pitt’s RB are tough kids however they appear to be to small or to slow. What say you?
Johnny McGonigal
11:36
I say it’s more about how they’re utilized. Vincent Davis is willing to lower his shoulder and fight through contact. I don’t want to take anything away from him. But he’s too small to be the team’s short-yardage back near the goal-line. It’s not his fault it’s how Pitt’s coaches are rotating. I think it’s pretty clear at this point it should be Izzy Abanikanda getting the goal-line work. But using Davis to stretch a defense east-west both in the running game and screen game? I’m here for that.
Bob
11:38
Where’s the best burger on the north side
Johnny McGonigal
11:40
Oh jeez, I honestly don’t know. There are so many places I haven’t been able to go to yet since moving here in June 2019 (and last year was a weird one). The only burger spot I’ve been to in town is Stack’d in Shadyside. If any of you have suggestions, by all means.
Timothee Chalamet
11:41
Are you more interested in seeing me in DUNE or my uncle, Keanu Reeves, in THE MATRIX RESURRECTIONS
Johnny McGonigal
11:43
Timothee, thanks for joining the chat. I am way, way more interested in seeing you, Zendaya, Oscar Isaac, etc. in Dune. I enjoyed the first Matrix movie, but didn’t care for the next two. Plus, seeing the Dune trailer in IMAX before watching Shang-Chi a couple weeks ago was electric.
Kevin Costner
11:43
Am I better as a fictional baseball player or a fictional cowboy?
Johnny McGonigal
11:44
Kevin, hello. All the stars are out today. I’d say baseball.
paul
11:44
Was it just me or did Pitt have a lot of missed chances last week in TN.  It seems to me that had quite a few starting drives inside the TN 40 and failed to come away with more points (2 times resulted in FG) to me this seems like an issue.  Thoughts?
11:45
also is it true that all of the panthers drives all game against TN were either scoring drives or 3 and outs?  Thoughts?
Johnny McGonigal
11:49
You could look at Sam Scarton’s two field goals as missed chances. But when Pitt — a team that’s been awful at converting red-zone chances into touchdowns — scores 5 red-zone touchdowns in an SEC environment, that’s a hell of a showing, not an issue in my opinion. And looking at the drive chart, that does appear to be the case. The three-and-outs in the 4th quarter were worrying, but the 4-minute drive at the end put a lot of minds at ease, I think.
Steve
11:49
Regarding your 'east-west' usage of Davis, I'm not sure the O-Line or Davis is capable of stretching defenses east-west.  They had trouble against Tennessee, and I imagine that will continue against quick defenses.  Not looking to argue your point, it seems the quick downfield passing game is the only thing working right now (yes, it's only been two games).  Your opinion?
Johnny McGonigal
11:51
It didn’t work all that well early in the game because they were backed up against their own end zone, but I think there’s potential in the screen game. In the run game, it’s a less realistic proposition. They go all-in on the inside zone. But the occasional stretch play with Davis could work.
Guido
11:53
Once upon a time the McDonald's Athletic Conference could sneak up on people with a few talented players, now don't the big guys know who they are looking to hold down?
Johnny McGonigal
11:54
Yeah there’s tape on everyone / everything now. Also, there are enough veterans on this Pitt team that they won’t allow a team like Western Michigan to sneak up on them. They feel like they’ll be prepared.
paul
11:54
What is the Heather Lyke situation?  There was an article in the PG about her potential departure from Pitt and now seems like the story was finished from there.  Is she still being sought after for a position somewhere else or is Pitt going about giving her a new contract to keep her here?
Johnny McGonigal
11:56
The interest from Michigan State ended when it hired Alan Haller a couple weeks ago. No word on whether or not Lyke got an extension/raise out of that situation.
Alex N
11:57
What are your expectations for Pitt this season after seeing the way they played on the road at Neyland? That was one of the “fork in the road” games, after all.
Johnny McGonigal
12:00
At this point, I expect Pitt to be 5-0 going into its off week. I think the team expects that, too. That would require making some recent history. The Panthers haven’t started a season 5-0 since 1991. But the schedule breaks that way with games against Western Michigan, UNH and Georgia Tech. At 5-0, Pitt will be ranked before a challenging stretch of VT-Clemson-Miami-North Carolina in 5 weeks. Win one (maybe two) of those, and the Panthers are cooking with gas.
12:01
That’s all the time we have for today, but thanks as always for joining. If your question wasn’t answered, feel free to DM me on Twitter @jmcgonigal9. We’ll be back next week, same time, same day. Enjoy the weekend.
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