Last night in Blacksburg was as bad and embarrassing as it gets for Pitt.
In times like this, people tend to overreact to the current situation, but this is no overreaction- this is the low point of the Pat Narduzzi era at Pitt. This is the first time Pitt has started 1-4 since 2005, Dave Wannstedt’s first season at Pitt. Following that 1-4 start under Wanny, that team went on a 3-game winning streak, trust me, this 2023 Pitt team isn’t doing that.
Unfortunately, it’s become evident that this team isn’t that good. Once again, they’ve misevaluated talent, this team doesn’t have that ‘Dude’/leader on it, the program as a whole has become stale and the direction from the top has been awful.
Other than that, Pitt football is in great shape.
This has become the biggest challenge of Narduzzi’s coaching career and I’m not confident that he can or knows what to do to turn things around.
To start with, for some God forsaken reason, he’s anchored himself to quarterback Phil Jurkovec.
I have no idea why he’s showing so much loyalty to a player he’s coached for less than a year. It’s not as though he’s a program player, Jurkovec rejected Pitt years ago and only came this year because things didn’t work out at both Notre Dame and Boston College. It would’ve been nice if Narduzzi would’ve shown this sort of loyalty to Nick Patti last season, instead of being stubborn and refusing to replace Kedon Slovis.
The way he’s coddled Jurkovec is mind blowing, treating him as a true freshman instead of the 5th year senior that he is. Jurkovec isn’t a kid, he’s grown man, it’s time to start treating him like one.
The fact that Pitt hasn’t made Jurkovec available to the media during the week or for postgame interviews since the Wofford game is laughable. During good times and bad, Kenny Pickett spoke to the media every week before games and during postgame interviews. Pitt didn’t hide him like they are Jurkovec. If Jurkovec can’t handle difficult questions, that probably tells you all you need to know.
All the good will Narduzzi developed with the winning and the ACC Championship is slowly vanishing with the way he’s handling this offensive disaster- both with the quarterback and offensive coordinator.
Narduzzi’s bending over backwards last night to defend Jurkovec, even bringing up the name of Dan Marino was laughable. No one, including the players on the Pitt team (if they’re honest), want to keep hearing excuses about why the quarterback can’t produce. Despite the million excuses that Narduzzi makes, the bottom line is that Phil Jurkovec has stunk this season and isn’t going to get any better.
It’s time that Narduzzi uses this bye week to deal with reality instead of latest nonsensical answers and BS that he continues to spew.
In their next game against Louisville, Christian Veillux or Nate Yarnell need to start, or someone’s job should be on the line. If Frank Cignetti, Jr. makes that decision like Narduzzi said a couple of weeks ago (no way do I believe that), the next two weeks of practice should be with Pitt’s new quarterback going forward.
If Cignetti is unwilling to do that, then Pitt should be in the market for a new offensive coordinator. Maybe they should be thinking about that anyway considering they’ve scored just seven touchdowns in 4 games this season against FBS teams. I don’t care what excuse you want to make, that’s just embarrassing, and needs addressed.
Narduzzi has always been someone that isn’t afraid to talk tough to the media. The question now is will Duzz be able to make and act upon some upcoming tough personnel and potentially coaching decisions.
While this 2023 season is lost, the remaining seven games still are important, and they need to start setting the foundation for the future, which obviously doesn’t include Jurkovec.
This is obviously not what Pitt environed for 2023, but it is what it is and starting today, they need to start dealing with reality.
That starts with the head coach. Let’s see if he’s up for that challenge or if he’ll continue to wear blinders and refuse to deal with reality.
Excellent column.
The true damage of this lost season will take place when the season ends and there is a mass exodus of talent.
If I was “Coach Prime” I’d raid a couple of Pitt’s players just as a middle finger to the loud mouth 1-11 coach that we have.
Coach Prime only takes high 4 and 5 stars in the transfer portal. Wouldn’t surprise me if he came after Kenny Johnson (like other teams will). How does Johnson not have a reception or a jet sweep rush?
Really good question
I don’t think Narduzzi is all that loyal to Jurkovec. Narduzzi is loyal to the con man, fraud, phony OC Frank Cignetti Jr.
Fire him now and we have a chance to keep from facing a mass exodus of talent.
If Narduzzi wants to anchor himself to Jurkovec.Then he goes down with the ship too..I really don’t see them winning another game.Wake perhaps.That’s on the road though and Wake has a really good RB.They can’t tackle worth a crap so that game a is a crap shoot.Doubtful they beat Syracuse,and BC won’t be a cake walk for this team.ND and Fla St are going to blow them out by 40 respectively.I don’t know how Leonards injury turned out for Duke,but another road game against a backup doesn’t matter.Drones was a backuo too..So 1-11 worst case.Can totally see it happening with… Read more »
It’s not just the offensive? They allowed VT to hang 38 points on them. And physically dominate them. I think some defensive coaches jobs should be on the line as well.
exactly, they don’t have this amazing defense they like to talk about…they got dragged for 200 yards rushing by an awful VT team.
The Defense is very good and loaded with talent. They’re not the problem. The problem is that the D is on the field for far too long and, perhaps even bigger, you can see that the D has lost confidence in the Offense/QB (and probably the coaches too) and thus the ability to win. Playing your heart out — giving 100% every play — isn’t a realistic expectation when the coaches are not showing that they are truly trying to win. Narduzzi gets more pleasure out of giving the fans/critics the finger than to put his monster pride to the… Read more »
Sounds like your making excuses like the coaching staff. Did you see all the missed tackles and blown coverage.players still has to execute. What game was you watching?
The missed tackles are a season long issue to this point. And VT had guys wide open all over the field all night. Seems like PITT lost the edge repeatedly through mostly poor discipline. At times they seem completely uncoached. So many penalties every week.
they are not loaded with talent…not the same d as a few years ago. So many missed tackles and assignments
Narduzzi spend 85% of his time in defense.
No true
He has shown no sign of being up to the challenge. Horrible decision maker with personnel. Evidence?
Cignetti over Whipple
Slovis over Patti
Jerk over any of the other qbs
Temple over any of the other young d linemen
Means over any of the freshmen wide receivers
Lapi over any of the other young lbs
Sam you are so correct. And this is only a very small sample of a much larger body of work
Yes, Narduzzi gives priority to starting players he has the closest personal relationship with, not whoever is the most talented and gives the best chance to win now, and in the future. He rode on Pickett’s and Whipple’s coattails and now, as Warren Buffett so wisely put it, “Only when the tide goes out do you see who’s been swimming naked”.
Lyke better pay attention. She’ll be the next one on the hot seat if she is too “loyal”. It’s too late for Cignetti, he’s gone no matter what. Narduzzi has hit rock bottom and appears to want to keep digging instead of climbing the life rope (firing Cignetti). So does Lyke feel like going down with this ship also?
she’s off to OSU
That’s great get rid of all of them AD, head coach and staff.
And get a real head coach no apprentice ie assistant coach.
I’m hopeful
While PN brought stability to Pitt after several years of chaos, He’s morphed into a joke. Running Whipple out and then running Slovis out (and badmouthing the kid after he transferred, AFTER HCPN GOT HIM DAMN NEAR DECAPITATED AGAINST TENN is just inexcusable. These questionable personal decisions, this goes back to his first year here. Let’s pray that MSU hires him.
Spot on. Phil is a 5th year senior but lacks the field presence of a 5th year senior QB. He made an early run to show he was healthy but later threw backwards resulting in more yards lost. He also left a pocket fully protected to run backwards and be sacked for a loss. The line can not be to blame for the lack of offensive prowess. It’s a nice thought that he and Narduzzi share of hometown boy coming home and leading a team to a championship. But without an established field presence of Phil and with Cignetti being… Read more »
Jurkovec is a poor qb because he has been coached by Cignetti for three years. Cignetti ruins everything he is associated with.
What’s crazy is it seems he can’t even throw the ball. On any route. He just cannot throw a football. I’d like to see Nate. Nate Yarnell is a football player. He was near flawless in his only start and he hit open receivers.
As long as Heather is the AD Narduzzi is safe. If Heather leaves for Ohio State Narduzzi is fired! Look how loyal Heather has been to Capel over the years. Still shaking my head how Mr. WPIAL legend (Jurkovek) can snub Narduzzi twice during the recruiting process yet we go after him a third time and now show loyalty to him. The writing was on the wall with Cignetti….look how many jobs he has held over the years, most for only two years. It goes without saying he is in way over his head. Smartest college coach in the game… Read more »
Why is no putting any blame on our terrible O-Line coach? Borbely has only recruited and had 1 player drafted, Carter Warren. He clearly does not know how to develop players and all offensive success starts up front. We have no running game and and abysmal passing game b/c our guys up front simply can’t block.
Pretty much the same o line quality as the last couple years. We started going down hill the day Cignetti arrived.
I still think Narduzzi’s lack of an offensive personality is the problem. He can’t decide what he wants his team to look like from the offensive perspective. Look at his decision making or indecisiveness since taking over. Narduzzi’s Offensive Coordinator: original : Jim Chaney (OC) 2015 offseason: Jim Chaney -> Matt Canada 2016 offseason:Matt Canada -> Shawn Watson 2018 offseason: Shawn Watson -> Mark Whipple 2022 offseason: Cignetti replaced Whipple. Each coordinator had ran a different offense. Not only has he cycled through OC, he has cycled through QB’s with many coming through the portal. Until he decides what his… Read more »
A coach that sacrifices the responsibility that he has to an entire team and program, for the sake of a guy who’s career was over 2 years ago in Jurkovec, and an OC that is so clearly out of his depth in Cignetti, is inexcusable. His inability to move on from either of them is actually cowardly. This is an awful situation, with the potential to set this team back for years. The OC should be politely excused, and his QB, if he’s the high character leader they say he is, will put in the headset, carry the clipboard, and… Read more »
Is there something in the water or air in the South Side that that leads the coaches to see things that the rest of the Pitt and Steeler fans don’t? Pat continues the blame game. Every week it has been it starts with me. Well then do something. He has lost this team. Jurkovec is a lost cause. He passes the buck to Cignetti. Do something. Anything to show that they are least trying to be successful. Even though the D is not that good they at least can get a stop on occasion. But then lousy play calls or… Read more »
I agree with everything you said. Last year in the bowl game against UCLA Nick Patty showed a lot of moxie. Slovis didn’t handle pressure well. We have start looking at the guys we have. We have quarterbacks on the team that need on the field playing time. This team may not win another game. It’s time turn the page and get players ready.
*cough* Yarnell *cough, cough*