As March rapidly approaches, Pitt basketball sits atop the ACC rankings along with Virginia, who the Panthers beat in early January,
At 11-3 in ACC play, the Panthers have shocked people around the conference and around the nation this year, and the job that head coach Jeff Capel has done in turning this team around has not gone unnoticed by opposing coaches around the league.
On Monday, Notre Dame head coach Mike Brey offered high praise for Capel, saying that the fifth-year Pitt HC has his vote for ACC Coach of the Year.
“I would want my son to play for him because he does it right,” Brey added.
Brey recently announced that he would be retiring following this season — his 23rd leading the Notre Dame program.
Pitt will be traveling to South Bend to take on the Irish in Brey’s last home game as head coach of Notre Dame on Wednesday, March 1.
Prior to this year, Capel’s Panthers had not won more than six ACC games in any of his first four seasons at the helm. This year, the Panthers have already won six ACC games on the road alone, and have won 11 total heading into Tuesday’s matchup with Boston College.
Pitt currently leads the conference at 11-3 alongside Virginia (11-3), with Miami (11-4), Clemson (10-4), and NC State (10-5) closely behind.
I still want Knight as soon as we can get him. The problem with Capel’s “graduate student eligibility” team, a bunch will be gone after this year. The coaches did a once in a lifetime job recruiting guys who can play together besides being talented. They’re mature, have character, and see where this team can take them; a future. Maybe a pro contract somewhere in the world. Capel’s recruiting up until now at PITT has been dismal; a disaster. Character problems were the the biggest issue. The odds of Capel succeeding next year, two years in a row, are poor.… Read more »
Agree 100%. 5 years in. One season of lightning in a bottle, 4 losing seasons, 3 arrests. Let’s see if he can actually sustain something
He built this team from the ashes of last years team. Instead of giving him credit, you continue to speak the same garbage. Every time he wins, it drives you crazy. That is why it MAKES MY DAY.
He created “the ashes” and still sports a losing record, skippy. The bad part about these message boards is that it permits clowns with no connection to the University to blather on. Stay in your lane
You’re reminding me of have a bird in one hand and chasing two in the bush kind of guy. Almost 50-years ago, Pitt had Buzz Ridl and Fran Webster (creator of the Amoeba defense) and a promising young coach, Tim Grgrich. They opted to “retire” Buzz and Fran so not to lose Tim. Tim never grew into the job and left. Capel walked into a disaster created by AD Scott Barnes and Stallings. If you remember, no one wanted the job. Capel rescued Pitt, dealt with the disaster and Covid. Now you want to gift this team to a Knight… Read more »
Tim Grgrich was never considered a promising young coach. Didn’t they fire him? And off he went to UNLV. Don’t remember Buzz or Fran at all. I was a student at PITT in 1962 on and the men’s BB always stunk during my time. Agree, Scott Barnes really screwed up PITT BB. His leaving so rapidly showed he knew it. Capel is not the guy for us. Tim O’Toole knows the Metro talent pool. Keep him.
Tim was such a failure than he consults with pro teams to this day. Wish I had been that type of failure. Lawrenceville kid who never wanted the limelight.
Agree on Capel, but what has Brandin Knight done as a coach to earn an ACC job? He seems like a sentimentality pick, and I’d rather they win more games than indulge in sentimentality about a team from 20 years ago.
This. Never been a HC anywhere. Too much nostalgia with wanting Knight. Give me the guy who’s done it before.
While I’m enjoying this season, is it real and can it continue. Cause this coaching staff hasn’t proved they can coach up many normally recruited players. Burton, Cummings, Elliott & Hinson all came to Pitt already ‘coached up’ before they got here. And these 4 are predominately the Big 4. All avg’g in double figures. Leaders in assists(Burton & Cummings) & rebounding (Hinson). And they learned to shoot somewhere else, as usually Capel teams are horrendous shooters. And 3 of the Big 4 are gone after this season. So he’s gonna have a very inexperienced backcourt next year unless he… Read more »
You aggressive critics are too much. Capel has FAR exceeded expectations this season. Mind blowing really. He found a way to win via the portal and has done so in a BIG way when compared to the past. Give the guy some kudos. He’s evolving and that’s a good thing. Geeze.