I’m not breaking any news by saying that the 2023 season was a nightmare for the Pitt Panther football program.
The season got off to an embarrassingly bad start against a poor Cincinnati team and only continued to spiral all the way through today’s season finale loss against Duke.
The best thing about what we’ve been forced to watch the past three months is that it’s finally over and hopefully, it will prove to be just a blip on the radar. The hope is that the damage is fixable over the course of the offseason.
But in order to do that, as with anything that goes wrong in life, the root of the exact problem needs to be properly identified and taken care of. If you’re a Pitt fan, that’s something that might have you worried.
If there’s one thing that Pitt fans have learned about Pat Narduzzi, it’s that he’s a fiercely loyal man, almost to a fault.
The reason I bring that up is because, if you ask me, the reason Pitt finished this season 3-9 (2-6 ACC) wasn’t because of a lack of talent. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not implying that this team should be playing in the ACC championship game, but they should’ve been a hell of a lot better than they were. A lot better.
While some, as Narduzzi clumsily alluded to in his Notre Dame postgame presser, might blame it on a talent level, I completely disagree with that and believe the close of the season validates my point.
The reason Pitt finished with their lowest win total since 1998 wasn’t because of a lack of talent, it was because of poor coaching. It’s difficult when it comes to saying so, as there are a lot of good men on the coaching staff, but the coaching staff — led by Narduzzi — was not nearly good enough this season.
When you’re as bad as Pitt was this season, changes need to be made and more than just making one person a scapegoat. It’s been well documented that Pitt’s offensive game plan was lacking — and has been for two consecutive seasons — but the problems go well beyond calling plays. I can’t believe I’m saying this, but Cignetti’s play calling/system might not have been the biggest problem with the offense this season. It might have been talent evaluation and usage.
After what we’ve watched the last two weeks, the question on everyone’s mind heading into the offseason will be what would Pitt’s record have been if Nate Yarnell was Pitt’s starting quarterback in week one? Seriously, how was Yarnell third on the depth chart? That’s a damming indictment on the coaching staff.
Although it was a small sample size, as he did last season, Yarnell looked the part, made tremendous decisions, showed touched, made all the throws he needed to and didn’t turn the ball over like the two quarterbacks before him.
The million-dollar question remains, why did it take two other quarterbacks underperforming to get Yarnell a shot? That’s a blackeye on Cignetti and one of the many reasons Pitt should be looking for a new offensive coordinator.
Want some more examples of misevaluation and misusage? How about running back Rodney Hammond Jr. being inexplicably ignored all season? The tight ends, Gavin Bartholomew and Karter Johnson were ignored all season long, too — and proved throughout the season that they’d be effective when used.
Kenny Johnson was someone we heard about all camp, but Pitt’s current system couldn’t find a way to showcase his talent. Same goes with Che Nwabuko. Despite being a track star and as fast as anyone on the roster, the staff did nothing to utilize that speed.
Former Gateway star Derrick Davis transferred to Pitt this past offseason and I thought he’d be a big weapon in the Panthers offense. Wrong. Instead of trying to get Davis, who’s as physically gifted as anyone on the Pitt roster involved, he sat on the bench all season while Narduzzi remained loyal to players such as C’Bo Flemister and Daniel Carter. Another poor decision by the coaches.
This misevaluation and lack of development aren’t exclusive to just offensive skill position players. How about the regression of some of the veteran players on the offensive line? I realize some of those guys were injured but when they were healthy, their performance was subpar and regressed from where it was in years past.
As we painfully witnessed today, Pitt’s punting situation is a disaster and has been for a couple of years. Who is evaluating the punters being brought into this program?
The strength of Pitt’s defensive line has been one of the staples of this program for years but this season, it was far from that.
In my opinion, the Pitt staff was too loyal to veterans instead of going with the more talented, players with more upside. Young defensive ends Jimmy Scott and Samuel Okunlola started to stand out as they were finally given the chance. What took so long?
Along those lines, where were Nahki Johnson and Sean FitzSimmons all season? Let’s hope they don’t get disgruntled, especially Johnson.
I can go on with more examples of poor coaching, but I think you get the point. If the talent on Pitt’s roster was properly utilized and put in a better position to succeed, we’d be talking right now about what bowl game Pitt would be heading to.
Instead, the question now becomes whether or not Narduzzi sees it this way or if he’ll balk at making wholesale coaching changes.
Part of me can see Narduzzi resisting this, but with so much evidence and criticism, hopefully also talking from his NIL team, he can’t be that stubborn and loyal and will do the right thing for the future of the program.
“The million-dollar question remains, why did it take two other quarterbacks underperforming to get Yarnell a shot?”
Could it be that Narduzzi shot his NIL wad bringing in TWO failed QBs and had to justify the use of that cash by sticking with them?
Also, when it comes to coaching, why isn’t anyone talking about the undisciplined penalties and dumb game management (clock/timeouts)?
This team boasted like men, but often acted like children.
“boasted like men”? not trying to argue but real men don’t need to boast and I’m completely aware of the ridiculous NFL boasting that guides these impressionable kids and it isn’t Larry Fitzgerald types
boasted like children and far too often played soft and stupid and undisciplined, maybe similar to their HC in 2 of those 3 traits
You are correct Mike. Narduzzi makes terrible personnel decisions. Temple over Okunlolu? No way AJ Woods should be a starting corner. Etc. etc. and his ridiculous mismanagement of timeouts has been going on for years only to be highlighted by burning one with a stupid decision for a 2 pt conversion when the extra point was the obvious call at that point in the game. Can any defensive coach teach the linebackers and dbs how to actually wrap up and tackle people? Cignetti – yuck! Need a young up and comer OC and Narduzzi needs to stay away from him… Read more »
Too many super seniors on this year’s team, and to your point, too much loyalty from the coaches to them.
Come on, Narduzzi is not a good head coach.
Watfch the tape watch the tape on an on.
Cignetti is an embarrassment.
The punter is bad.
Transfer Portal for a lot of Pitt players will happen.
Narduzzi will not notice their absense because he is watching the game tape!
Mike: that’s an accurate, rational assessment of the disgrace that was Pitt football 2023. In all of my many years watching Pitt football, I’ve never seen such a disparity between the Wins/Losses and the team’s talent level. The one word missing from your article? Incompetence. It’s way more than “poor coaching” – it’s total, systemic incompetence for which the Pitt Coaches and the Athletic Director must be held accountable.
The athletic director is wanting a new contract say goodbye to her, she’s the one who extended Narduzzi contract.
That pitt cannot afford to buy out.
Narduzzi will not get a very good OC because Nadruzz is on a very short rope at Pitt .
Pitt football has been a high wire act with little room between success and failure for years. This year, it caught up to Narduzzi. He can take a lesson from the other head coach in the stadium. This is a results driven business and changes must be made quickly before the roster is picked clean by the likes of the guy in University Park. Loyalty is an ideal, results demand quick changes.
Funny thing there stuck with this guy I really do feel sorry this program moving forward. It’s only going to get worse
Nowhere is the issue more obvious than the QB position. Narduzzi loves transfer portal quarterbacks he recruits guys like Yarnell and then nails them to the bench while he picks the scrap.
Let’s hope somebody talk some sense into that prize QB recruit from Penn Hills, the last place in the world he should want to go as a quarterback should be Pitt. Narduzzi is ridiculous.
I have a different view. While I agree with much of what you typed my hope is Narduzzi gets an OC that’s tailored to that kid. It would be smart. Go younger with the entire offensive staff. We’ll see. I’m not sure I have complete faith in Pat.
Biggest disappointments for me were the offensive and defensive lines. Total regression throughout the year. Both lines were manhandled by virtually every team we played. And no way you can convince me that this team didn’t quit. Just look at the tackling the last few weeks. Embarrassing.
I expect mass upheavel of the staff and roster..Well the roster at least.As stated in the article.Some player were totally underutilized and could look for their opportunity elsewhere…Narduzzi’s loyalty will come back to bite him…..And just to get this off my chest.I cannot believe that dope went for 2 when they got the game back to 27-19..Kick the extra point and get to within 7..In the grand scheme of thing does it really matter for a 3-9 football team.No!!But it just goes to show how coaching was the major problem this year.
The whole f÷=king team needs to be in the portal. They all are ass and someone needs to get their money back from NIL. Someone got fleased 🤮🤑💩
I think the biggest failure this year was the evaluation of the QBs. Jurkovec missed wide open guys 5 yards in front of him. Veilleux couldnt cut it at PSU so Pitt takes him and he looked like he was afraid to get hit. Anyone who is sacked alot is afraid to throw the ball
You mean Pitt’s coaches couldn’t see that Jurkovec lacked the skills to play big time QB in spring ball and the preseason. And the punter was horrible. He directly caused Pitt to let Duke score a field goal before half
Spot on! Now if Heather would read this and get rid of Narduzzi it would revitalize the program. Your points were exactly right and it will be the same next year unless changes are made, starting with a new head coach. Get donors to help pay Narduzzi’s buyout and move on to a new coach.