Could Pitt be favored in its final eight games?
The lessons to be learned from college football are things aren’t always what they seem, favorites do lose (a lot) and trying to figure out what happens in Vegas is a foolish endeavor. Nonetheless, there is an argument to be made that Pitt (2-2) could be favored in its final...
Pitt gains motivation from slight by ESPN analyst Jesse PalmerVideo
Some Pitt players were motivated Saturday by ESPN college football analyst Jesse Palmer calling a Central Florida victory a virtual lock. “A virtual lock. (Friday) night, I watched that,” Pitt coach Pat Narduzzi said. “Are you kidding me? But I appreciate Jesse Palmer juicing us up.” “What’s his name? Jesse...
Pitt rallies for improbable victory against No. 15 Central FloridaVideo
During the timeout before the play that led Pitt to its 35-34 victory against No. 15 Central Florida on Saturday, there was indecision on the sideline. It was fourth down in the waning seconds of the fourth quarter. Pitt trailed by six on the UCF 3 and had only one...
Pitt volleyball team sweeps No. 4 Penn State, 3-0
Pitt’s volleyball team recorded a series of firsts Friday night in its 3-0 sweep of No. 4 Penn State, 25-17, 25-21 and 25-23. With the sweep, the No. 6-ranked Panthers defeated Penn State for the first time since 1987, a span of 16 matches. Also, it was Pitt’s first victory...
Basketball player-turned football player Sam Clancy headlines Pitt Hall of Fame classVideo
Jackie Sherrill knew a good football player when he saw one, even if he was wearing basketball shorts and sneakers. “Come out and play for me,” Sam Clancy said, recalling the recruiting pitch from Pitt’s football coach. “I’ll make you an All-American.” But Clancy was a Pitt basketball player. To...
Pitt finished with ‘close,’ hopes to get over the top against No. 15 UCF
There was an argument to be made last week that Pitt could be excused for losing a close game at Penn State. Coaches and players wouldn’t agree, but it’s a fact Kenny Pickett stepped up, the defense was stout and the Panthers didn’t flinch in front of 108,661 people. OK,...
For Pitt’s Jaylen Twyman, it’s never too early for video work
When Pat Narduzzi walked into Charlie Partridge’s office one day at 6 a.m., he expected to see his defensive line coach already at work. What surprised him was the fact that Partridge had company. “I go in to see coach Partridge and I think it’s him behind the computer,” Narduzzi...
Perfection is nice for Pitt, but turnovers would be even betterVideo
If there’s one lesson Mark Whipple has learned in four decades of coaching football, it is this: You hang around long enough, you’ll see it all. That’s what happened to Pitt’s offensive coordinator over the past two games. He was a sideline witness to perfection. The only problem was the...
Face-to-face play-calling works for Pitt’s Mark Whipple, Kenny PickettVideo
Kenny Pickett’s day starts early and ends late. He’s the quarterback of a Pitt team that will confront its third Top 25 opponent this season when No. 15 Central Florida comes to Heinz Field on Saturday. There’s much work to do. Pickett’s day begins with an early wake-up call and...
U mad, bro? Readers enraged over Pat Narduzzi, shaky Steelers, Ray Searage
The Pittsburgh Steelers are 0-2. The starting quarterback is out for the year. The Pirates have become a civic humiliation. Pitt’s head coach pulled a legendarily stupid decision. So, you tell me. You think there might be some material for “U mad, bro?” this week? Let’s come in hot! This...
Pitt’s Randy Bates hopes faster ‘D’ can slow down Central FloridaVideo
Pitt defensive coordinator Randy Bates has enough problems this week, drilling his players on how and where to line up against the perpetual-motion Central Florida offense. But he does have one request of the officials assigned to Saturday’s game at Heinz Field. “You would hope sometimes the officials would keep...
Kenny Pickett nearly sets Pitt completions record in Penn State game
After the frustration and disappointment over Pitt’s close loss to Penn State subsided, coach Pat Narduzzi was able to look through the rubble and see a pleasant reality: Quarterback Kenny Pickett played the best game of his career. Pickett nearly set a Pitt record for completions in a game, successfully...
Pitt’s Pat Narduzzi confronts play-calling issue, maintains stance
Before anyone could ask the only question about Pitt football on anyone’s mind, Pat Narduzzi tried to get behind the steering wheel of the runaway bus and bring it to a stop. “I know it’ll probably come up,” he said, reading the room correctly, “so I figured I’d address it...
Tim Benz, Mark Madden rip Steelers, Pat Narduzzi, awful PiratesVideo
This week’s “Madden Monday” ain’t gonna be pretty. How could it be? You saw the Steelers game, right? There’s so much to tear apart . Mark Madden and Tim Benz analyze what went wrong against the Seahawks. And there was a lot. We start with Ben Roethlisberger’s elbow injury. Mason...
First Call: Can Pitt’s Pat Narduzzi fix fallout from Penn State loss?; Le’Veon Bell faces the Browns
In Monday’s “First Call,” we try to figure out how Pat Narduzzi will scrub Pitt’s defeat against Penn State. You’ll get a look at the next opponent for the Panthers. Phil Jurkovec makes his season debut at Notre Dame. And why Steelers fans will have an interest in “Monday Night...
John Steigerwald: Pitt’s Pat Narduzzi could learn a lot from Pete Carroll
I wonder if Pat Narduzzi watched the Pittsburgh Steelers-Seattle Seahawks game. If he did, he saw a coach, the Seahawks’ Pete Carroll, play to win, which is exactly what Narduzzi didn’t do when his Pitt team had fourth-and-goal at the Penn State 1 on Saturday. Narduzzi’s Pitt team was down...
Pitt can’t run to Pat Narduzzi’s satisfactionVideo
Pat Narduzzi made many statements after Pitt’s 17-10 loss to Penn State, but two stand out for those people — including the coach himself — who believe good teams are built on a strong running game. The overriding talking point is Narduzzi’s baffling decision to kick a field goal, down...
History repeats itself in Penn State victory at Beaver Stadium, 37 years later
Pat Narduzzi isn’t the only Pitt coach to opt for a field goal in the fourth quarter of a close game when his team was on the 1-yard line. But he’s the only one to defend the decision. In 1982, No. 5 Pitt was trailing No. 2 Penn State, 16-7,...
Penn State’s defense makes up for lack of offense vs. Pitt
UNIVERSITY PARK — There wasn’t much offense in Penn State’s 17-10 victory over Pitt, and coach James Franklin noticed. “We had guys behind them, but a couple of plays we overthrew,” he said. “A couple of them we left inside, especially the vertical balls. “We want our receivers to leave...
Kevin Gorman: No defense for Pitt coach Pat Narduzzi’s costly call against Penn StateVideo
UNIVERSITY PARK — Pat Narduzzi dared to defend a decision that defied logic with an explanation that was inexplicable. The Pitt coach had his Panthers in perfect position to score an upset over No. 13 Penn State: Trailing by seven points, they had a fourth-and-goal at the 1 with 4...
Pitt opts for late FG try while down 7, loses to Penn StateVideo
UNIVERSITY PARK — If you left Beaver Stadium on Saturday wanting more from the 100th, and possibly final, game in the Pitt-Penn State series, you weren’t paying attention. Penn State’s 17-10 victory in front of a crowd of 108,661 had it all, including a lightning storm that delayed the start...
Kevin Gorman’s Take 5: Pat Narduzzi’s decision costs Pitt in final game against Penn State
Pitt and Penn State should play every year. Let’s start there. The 100th meeting between the schools, played after a 40-minute lightning delay and before a crowd of 108,661 at Beaver Stadium, showed the rivalry remains true. That it came down to the final seconds, a Hail Mary by Kenny...
Pitt-Penn State game kicks off 40 minutes late
STATE COLLEGE — The Pitt/Penn State game started at 12:40 p.m. — 40 minutes late — after the threat of lightning left the area. Prior to and during the delay, Penn State officials closed the gates, suspended entry into the stadium and cleared people who were already inside from uncovered...
What if Pitt loses to Penn State, but it’s a close game?
Here’s the thing — the most important thing — about the Pitt-Penn State game Saturday at Beaver Stadium: The outcome matters, of course, but how Pitt competes against the 13th-ranked team in the nation counts just as much. Unless the college football landscape changes dramatically over the next two months,...
Kevin Gorman: If Pitt wants to revive Penn State rivalry, the Panthers need to win
Pat Narduzzi and James Franklin spent the week talking about what makes Pitt-Penn State a great rivalry and all of the reasons why they can’t continue to play each other. That makes perfect sense, especially given the absurdity that Pitt and Penn State will play for the 100th time Saturday,...
