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Stephen Thompson's Pitt football chat: 10.14.25
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Stephen Thompson
1:01
Welcome to this week's live chat. I'm still basking in the lingering glow of the Tallahassee sun and here to take your Pitt questions. Let's dive right in.
DC Pitt
1:02
I know it's early in the week, but any news on the DE and OL injuries, beyond Crothers?
Stephen Thompson
1:04
Nothing official has come from the program yet.  The good news is we'll continue to have the thrice weekly injury reports that give us at least a general idea of where players are at. Participation in gameday warmups, while not always indicative of availability that day, can let hint at whether something is a long-term issue or not. All that said, I thought Ryan Carretta and Kendall Stanley played well Saturday. The defensive end position has survived so far and probably doesn't need too many bodies back this week to get by Syracuse.
Jock sutherl
1:04
Do you think NIL money is effecting playing time in college nowadays.   Meaning a coach might leave a player playing more just because he’s making top money on team.
Stephen Thompson
1:06
In my opinion, NIL money might affect opportunity insofar as who gets their shot earlier, since it's a reflection of what you've invested into the team preseason. But at the end of the day, the dawn of the NIL and revenue sharing era has put increased pressure on coaches too, so they won't sacrifice wins or production just because a booster shelled out some money for a player.
Big Steel
1:06
Two plays that were overlooked on Saturday: 1) JW's fumble recovey. He stole it from the pile. Special teams being prepared for the fake punt... I'm impressed with the preparation and response after two crushing defeats!
Stephen Thompson
1:10
Great point, Big Steel. The "next man up mentality" actually manifested itself for those short-handed Panthers on Saturday, with Whittington being a case in point. Kudos to Boosie Turner for recovering Mason Heintschel's fourth quarter fumble too. The fake punt is another great example of exemplary preparation and I'd point to this stat too: only five penalties committed for 55 yards by Pitt, vs eight flags for 72 yards against the Seminoles. Pitt's quality pre-snap operation was critical in a tough environment.
demosthenes98
1:10
How has Pitt's win over Florida State changed your expectations for their won-loss record this season?
Stephen Thompson
1:13
Depends on whether you're asking about my expectations from the preseason vs. post-Louisville loss. I think they are back on track to what I expected from this team in the preseason, with seven wins being the floor, eight what I expected and nine within the realm of possibility. It isn't just Heintschel and the return of Desmond Reid powering such a belief. Kendall Stanley and Ryan Carretta playing the way they did against a talented, athletic Florida State front was impressive.
Mr Ed
1:14
I have no clue at all about how Pitt basketball will do this season given all the new players. I assume they won’t make NCAA tournament but do they at least have a shot at being a bubble team? Have you been able to glean yet from sources an informed opinion on them?
Stephen Thompson
1:15
It's hard to imagine this team is even sniffing the NCAA Tournament bubble after losing Dishon Jackson for an indefinite period with an undisclosed medical issue. Pitt's recruiting philosophy this offseason centered around improving the defense and rebounding, with Jackson at the center of that plan both literally and proverbially. Without him, I can't see the defense being good enough to mask offensive deficiencies. But I've been wrong before.
Jim K
1:16
Will The uproar over the $49 million still owed to Franklin have any affect on the way  contracts are written in the future?
Stephen Thompson
1:18
I can't predict the future, but that seems unlikely. You might see athletic directors less willing to hand out quick extensions or lengthy contracts, but what Franklin has and will be paid is the going rate for that caliber of coach. And whether you like him or not, Franklin is at worst only one step short of elite in college football terms.
gary.oshell
1:24
Stephen...Great coverage on Pitt. Thank you...Of Miami, Notre Dame, and Georgia Tech, which do you think is most winnable for Pitt?
Stephen Thompson
1:26
Your kind words are much appreciated, Gary. Georgia Tech is the obvious answer. They have survived more often than dominated, though finding ways to win week after week is a skill of it's own. Miami and Notre Dame might have a too much in the trenches for Pitt to overcome.

If I had to rank them from most to least likely, I'd go 1. Georgia Tech, 2. Miami, 3. Notre Dame.
1:45
To add more context to an earlier answer I gave regarding expectations for this year, Pitt's approach on offense these past two games has been notable and gives me reason to believe recent success is sustainable.

After becoming so dependent on the big plays to score through the first four weeks of the season, Heintschel has attempted only eight throws of 20 or more yards beyond the line of scrimmage this season and completed three, with two falling for interceptions. But on his intermediate throws (10-19 yards), Heintschel has completed 61% of his 18 passes and has thrown two touchdowns vs. zero interceptions. He has a passer rating of 139.6 on such throws. On short throws (0-9 yards), he's completing 85% of his passes, with two touchdowns, zero interceptions and a passer rating of 124.5.

This all looks much more like what Kade Bell and the coaching staff had preached since last year: get the ball out quick, find open spaces and let the pass-catchers do the rest of the work.
Owen O’Quinn
1:52
How do you like Pitt’s chances to get some players from Penn States 2026 and 2027 recruiting classes now that Franklin has been fired.  Also keep up the excellent coverage and writing 💪
Stephen Thompson
1:55
Thanks, Owen. Appreciate you reading.

As far as 2026 and 2027 recruiting goes, Pitt will no doubt be eager to jump in and take a second crack at some of these players, but a lot of them will draw interest from across the country. The Panthers will face stiff competition. There's an opportunity for them to strike while the iron is hot now -- keep winning and give these recruits some proof of concept while they mull their next move.
1:59
As always, it's been a pleasure taking your questions this week. It was a busy weekend but we wouldn't have it any other way. Onto Syracuse now.
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