OT: D1

[IUPbigINDIANS]

BIG DAY for Pitt. Not only is Pickett returning but almost the entire class of verbals officially signed today on National Signing Day. There's one holdout as of now.

This is far and away Narduzzi's most hyped up class -- and will likely be a Top 18 national class per the experts.

I really love the TE they will have next year. He's an older kid (did a Morman mission for two years). He's a monster and Day 1 starter.


As of now, the 2021 schedule is as follows:

UMASS (blowout)
@ Tennessee (tough trip)
Western Michigan (not an easy MAC game)
New Hampshire (should be easy)
@ Duke
@ Georgia Tech (without question the 'rival' Pitt has developed in the ACC)
Clemson
Miami
North Carolina
Virginia
@ Syracuse
@ Virginia Tech



Tennessee may have a new coach and a rebuild so who knows how that goes. But, many average SEC teams would be very good ACC teams. Clemson is all but a guaranteed loss.

I'd say:

Wins: UMASS, WMU, New Hampshire, Duke, GT, Virginia, Syracuse
Losses: Clemson, Miami

Season Make-or-Breakers: North Carolina, VT, Tennessee

[Fightingscot82]

BIG DAY for Pitt. Not only is Pickett returning but almost the entire class of verbals officially signed today on National Signing Day. There's one holdout as of now.

This is far and away Narduzzi's most hyped up class -- and will likely be a Top 18 national class per the experts.

I really love the TE they will have next year. He's an older kid (did a Morman mission for two years). He's a monster and Day 1 starter.


As of now, the 2021 schedule is as follows:

UMASS (blowout)
@ Tennessee (tough trip)
Western Michigan (not an easy MAC game)
New Hampshire (should be easy)
@ Duke
@ Georgia Tech (without question the 'rival' Pitt has developed in the ACC)
Clemson
Miami
North Carolina
Virginia
@ Syracuse
@ Virginia Tech



Tennessee may have a new coach and a rebuild so who knows how that goes. Clemson is all but a guaranteed loss.

I'd say:

Wins: UMASS, WMU, New Hampshire, Duke, GT, Virginia, Syracuse
Losses: Clemson, Miami

Season Make-or-Breakers: North Carolina, VT, Tennessee

I thought of you last night when I saw Pickett was coming back. You predict 7+ wins. I'd take that every day. You run through that third list of schools and you're 10-2 in the ACC. That's possibly top 25, a good bowl, and some recruiting residuals.

[IUP CRIMSON HAWKS]

I see that yesterday was the ten-year anniversary of the infamous Pitt hiring of Michael Haywood as their next head football coach. How did that work out?

[IUPbigINDIANS]

I see that yesterday was the ten-year anniversary of the infamous Pitt hiring of Michael Haywood as their next head football coach. How did that work out?

I actually personally know Mike. I thought it was an excellent hire. He had Miami (OH) rolling. His first year (he inherited an awful program) they went 1-11. Second year they went 8-4 and won the MAC East, and then won the MAC Title against Northern Illinois. What transpired -- and what made the media -- were very different things. I think he would have done very well at Pitt. After he sued Pitt for his termination, he eventually settled. And, the word 'settled' starts with a $. Pitt was put in a tough spot due to the charges (felony battery) -- and they reacted extremely quickly. All charges were eventually dismissed.

Unfortunately, the whole ordeal pretty much sealed his fate at the P5 level. He ended up taking the head job at Texas Southern. He resigned after three seasons.

If he wanted to give it one more dance ... he'd be an excellent D2 coach. He's only in his mid-50s so I suspect he'll surface somewhere here shortly.

If you go back in time, he had an excellent resume when Pitt hired him. After a run working his way up, he had stops at LSU, Texas and Notre Dame (offensive coordinator).

He's actually a good person, too. Unlike that jabroni Todd Graham (who came next).

[Fightingscot82]

I actually personally know Mike. I thought it was an excellent hire. He had Miami (OH) rolling. His first year (he inherited an awful program) they went 1-11. Second year they went 8-4 and won the MAC East, and then won the MAC Title against Northern Illinois. What transpired -- and what made the media -- were very different things. I think he would have done very well at Pitt. After he sued Pitt for his termination, he eventually settled. And, the word 'settled' starts with a $. Pitt was put in a tough spot due to the charges (felony battery) -- and they reacted extremely quickly. All charges were eventually dismissed.

Unfortunately, the whole ordeal pretty much sealed his fate at the P5 level. He ended up taking the head job at Texas Southern. He resigned after three seasons.

If he wanted to give it one more dance ... he'd be an excellent D2 coach. He's only in his mid-50s so I suspect he'll surface somewhere here shortly.

If you go back in time, he had an excellent resume when Pitt hired him. After a run working his way up, he had stops at LSU, Texas and Notre Dame (offensive coordinator).

He's actually a good person, too. Unlike that jabroni Todd Graham (who came next).

Fun coincidence - I used to know Mike too. We were neighbors in his first year at Miami, which was my last. He was a nice guy and I planned on reaching out to him when he was hired at Pitt. Then all hell broke loose.

[IUP CRIMSON HAWKS]

That is a shame that a nice guy like Haywood (just going but what you guys are saying) had to suffer that type of fate. I know Pitt fans were not that happy with the hire, or probably more accurately---not at all pleased with the firing of the 'Stache, It really did set up some silly and plain crazy times in Pitt football.

The one thing that I seemed to recall about Haywood was that he had planned to institute early morning practices (like 6 AM or so). That seemed a bit odd to me.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

That is a shame that a nice guy like Haywood (just going but what you guys are saying) had to suffer that type of fate. I know Pitt fans were not that happy with the hire, or probably more accurately---not at all pleased with the firing of the 'Stache, It really did set up some silly and plain crazy times in Pitt football.

The one thing that I seemed to recall about Haywood was that he had planned to institute early morning practices (like 6 AM or so). That seemed a bit odd to me.

Well ... remember the state of the program under Wanny. Sports Illustrated called it the dirtiest program in America. Over a 5-year run Pitt had more arrests than any program in D1.

As for those 6 a.m. practices ... you can't be out until 3 a.m. and make practice.

Haywood got a poor reception from the delusional Pitt faithful. Anybody would have. Firing Wanny ... the Prince Yinzer ... wasn't popular.

Wanny put a lot of stars in to the NFL. He could really recruit. He just couldn't win when the lights got bright.

The infamous Cincinnati loss ultimately sealed his fate.

That was far and away the best Pitt atmosphere ever at Heinz. PSU Part 1 was second.

They were so close under him to becoming a powerhouse. But, the inmates can't run the asylum.

[IUP CRIMSON HAWKS]

Well ... remember the state of the program under Wanny. Sports Illustrated called it the dirtiest program in America. Over a 5-year run Pitt had more arrests than any program in D1.

As for those 6 a.m. practices ... you can't be out until 3 a.m. and make practice.

Haywood got a poor reception from the delusional Pitt faithful. Anybody would have. Firing Wanny ... the Prince Yinzer ... wasn't popular.

Wanny put a lot of stars in to the NFL. He could really recruit. He just couldn't win when the lights got bright.

The infamous Cincinnati loss ultimately sealed his fate.

That was far and away the best Pitt atmosphere ever at Heinz. PSU Part 1 was second.

They were so close under him to becoming a powerhouse. But, the inmates can't run the asylum.

I still say that they should of kept the 'Stache. I assume that you are referencing that Pitt-Cincy game from Dec. 2009. Yeah, that was a major heartbreaker there. But Cincy was a great program whose coach was on the precipice of one of the very big jobs in all of college football folklore---Notre Dame. I didn't think it was shameful to lose to them. Frustrating yes.

[Fightingscot82]

Haywood ran a tight ship at Miami. Cut a ton of fat from the roster after a lifeless coach. I think he was a great hire for Pitt.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

I still say that they should of kept the 'Stache. I assume that you are referencing that Pitt-Cincy game from Dec. 2009. Yeah, that was a major heartbreaker there. But Cincy was a great program whose coach was on the precipice of one of the very big jobs in all of college football folklore---Notre Dame. I didn't think it was shameful to lose to them. Frustrating yes.

Somebody can give the details but the pain was it was at home (sellout) and Pitt was up like 28 points mid-third.

[IUP CRIMSON HAWKS]

Somebody can give the details but the pain was it was at home (sellout) and Pitt was up like 28 points mid-third.

I was just leafing through the box score of that game. Yeah, it was a painful loss. I remember I caught the last part of it next to the KCAC that they were building as I was heading to an IUP hoops game. It hurt. It probably also didn't help much that Pitt had dropped the Backyard Brawl the game before that one. But hey, looking on the bright side they did rebound to win the Meineke Car Care Bowl later that month. LOL.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

ND getting to experience Clemson at full strength.

Tigers up 31-3 late 3rd.

[IUP CRIMSON HAWKS]

ND getting to experience Clemson at full strength.

Tigers up 31-3 late 3rd.

Are you trying to imply that Clemson may be a better team with Trevor at the controls? LOL.

Hope he likes NY JETS green.

[Fightingscot82]

Illinois hires Brett Bielema. Should be interesting to see what he can do.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Are you trying to imply that Clemson may be a better team with Trevor at the controls? LOL.

Hope he likes NY JETS green.

Clemson had its star LB out, too, in the first meeting.

Trevor is about impossible tocontain at the college level. He's got an (accurate) cannon. He has near tailback speed when he takes off. He doesn't get rattled. And, when he plays, you can't suffocate their star RB. Give him an inch and he's gone.

Trevor has actually hinted at returning to Clemson next year (as opposed to going to the dumpster organization Jets).