Despite the early run of success this season, it seems Pitt isn’t going to escape the “attendance” jabs anytime soon — even on ESPN.
The College GameDay crew on ESPN, which features notable WVU alum Pat McAfee, had a segment on the show in which the crew either bought or sold its stock on a couple of programs around the country.
Pitt came up, and while McAfee and former Alabama head coach Nick Saban bought stock in Pitt, there was still a shot taken at the program.
“I’ll tell you what Eli Holstein and Kade Bell are doing on that offensive side of the ball is something that Pitt hasn’t had under Narduzzi,” Pat Narduzzi said Saturday morning. “A lot of people say a lot of things about Narduzzi, his defense is normally going to be sound, they now have an offense seemingly. And their fans are going to games — that’s crazy.”
“That is crazy,” Kirk Herbstreit quipped.
Pitt sold out the Backyard Brawl matchup against WVU last weekend, with an announced attendance of just over 66,000 people. And the fans in attendance got to watch Eli Holstein lead a fourth quarter comeback to knock off the Mountaineers, 38-34.
“They’re excited for good reason,” McAfee said. “I think it was a great hire this offseason. I’m buying the Pitt stock.”
It’s not surprising that McAfee would take a shot at Pitt, but it is surprising — or maybe it isn’t, depending on who you ask — that he is woefully incorrect about Pitt not having an offense under Narduzzi. Kenny Pickett and Jordan Addison, led by former offensive coordinator Mark Whipple, paced one of the highest-scoring offenses in college football in 2021.
Bell and Holstein are off to a good start this season, though, leading an offense that is averaging just a touch over 40 points per game. And Saban, who recruited Holstein to Alabama, is a believer in the Louisiana native.
“I had Eli Holstein at Alabama, this is a fine, young quarterback and I think it’s the answer for Pitt,” Saban said.
The fact that their talking about Pitt on that show is something at least..McAfee saying about fans going to the games isnt wrong.Attnedance is never any good unless its a rivalry game or a big name team comes to town..Probably will only be 20k against YSU today if their lucky
The stadium it’s always drawn 40,000 fans at a game even in their hay day they’re in a stadium that’s too big for their fanbase
It’s College Game Day. Other than Saban, that whole production is an idiot-fest. That thing jumped the shark 5 years ago.
As for Herbstreit. That guy is a dork. Remember his crying like a lil bitch? Dude is a weak beta.
Remind McAfee…..13-9!!! Hail to Pitt
He’ll never forget – he missed a FG in that game. Pitt never recruiting him is something that will always bother him. I wish he was from WV and not western PA
He missed more than one in that game and they were not long ones.
Who cares what a punter has to say? 😂
So you played in the NFL for how long and at what position?
Don’t know why Pitt fans care what other people think.
Pat McAfee? He’s a nobody who was given a radio show and somehow has become an authority on all things football.
Attendance? Who cares? Put together a consistent winning program. We all know Pitt is perfectly capable of losing any week. You have to win consistently to change perception.
Penn State? West Virginia? Big deal. There’s absolutely nothing to do there. Of course they have huge cults worshipping their teams.
Who cares? Stupid response in all aspects…
These small minded people can’t grasp that Pitt is in a town with professional sports year round. Columbus, Birmingham, State College, Morgantown, Stillwater don’t have competition for the sports entertainment dollar. USC, SMU, Northwestern are comparable. Do they sellout? No.
Make any excuse you want, it is sad that a team that is undefeated as of now isn’t getting more than 20k to go to a game. Penn st’s student section alone gets 20k and they aren’t filling the stadium with just people that live in state college. PSU fans show up from 3 to 4 hours away and sometimes a day or 2 early.
Stop the bullshit they’re getting way more than 20,000 people. They’re just in a stadium that doesn’t fit their fanbase.
Dude check ur facts… there are 40,000 consistently at Pitt games. I know cause I go. 70,000 seat stadium will look half empty when half full u guys kill me
A lot of State College fans who travel live in the middle of nowhere. Going to Crappy Valley on a Saturday is the biggest thrill of their lives. Pitt gets more than 20 k, the stadium is just too large for their fan base
Happy for Pitt being from western pa. Keep winning panthers. You never know you might be there in the end.
The problem is the stadium is off campus. It’s not easy to get there and then back to campus, even with the free busses. We had much better crowds in the early 1990s even with awful teams.