OT: D1

[IUPbigINDIANS]

14-0 Buckeyes. Quick.

JoePa may get blown outta Beaver.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

#Sparty


Poor Jim

[IUPbigINDIANS]

I agree given the ACC make up Pitt at best can compete for 7 wins each season and a mid-tier bowl, in exceptional years maybe 9 wins and a NYE bowl but with Clemson, Miami (now that they've resurrected their program) and ND in the conference for football they'll pretty much be shooting for 4th best ACC team each year with luck maybe 3rd or 2nd if they catch lightening in a bottle as FightingScot82 said. Pitt, NC State and UNC all are in that 2nd tier. Poor Florida State has been reduced to the 3rd tier with the likes of Wake, GT and Duke.

One of the hardest things in sports is being a Pitt fan. Sure, you'll get the occasional big moment. But those are surrounded by a litany of S.O.P. (same old Pitt) dissapointments.

This season is just the latest disaster. Oddly, Pitt's brass truly beleives they are always a step away from being an elite program. They think it's a destination job.

Every year gives new hope. But, then September turns in to October. And, well, by November another season is long lost.

It's not a great job. Pitt will alwiys be at best 4th-fiddle in Pittsburgh. The elite players in Pitt's backyard almost all leave town for actual destination programs.

Pat Narduzzi has proven he's not the guy to take them up a level. He's fine for being that Same Old Pitt and dangling at or slightly above .500. He's a B-list coach for a B-list program in a D-list college sports town.

[Fightingscot82]

I agree given the ACC make up Pitt at best can compete for 7 wins each season and a mid-tier bowl, in exceptional years maybe 9 wins and a NYE bowl but with Clemson, Miami (now that they've resurrected their program) and ND in the conference for football they'll pretty much be shooting for 4th best ACC team each year with luck maybe 3rd or 2nd if they catch lightening in a bottle as FightingScot82 said. Pitt, NC State and UNC all are in that 2nd tier. Poor Florida State has been reduced to the 3rd tier with the likes of Wake, GT and Duke.

It's not unlike the PSAC. There is some fluidity between tiers but long term success has more variables.

[shipfbfan1]

That's it right there, but the last time Pitt made a rash decision on their football coach, they let Wannstadt go and a lot of people think that in hindsight was a bad decision. This is a different AD who seems to not be swayed by Pitt nostalgia or boosters. If I were a Pitt fan I'd trust her judgment. They've invested in Narduzzi for the long haul. I think continuity is a good thing for the program.

IMO, we have to see Pitt for who they are: a second-tier program in the ACC. I think Pitt will always struggle with whomever is the current strong program in the South; right now, that's Clemson but it used to be Florida State and Miami. I guess you can throw Notre Dame in there too because they play such an ACC-heavy schedule. Pitt fans should expect and accept winning seasons. 6 and 7 win seasons. 8 and 9 win seasons in good years. Anything more is lightning in a bottle. Yes that seems like accepting mediocrity, but Pitt isn't an elite program. Even when they were Top 25 frequenters with Walt Harris they weren't considered elite. They're North Carolina.

I agree given the ACC make up Pitt at best can compete for 7 wins each season and a mid-tier bowl, in exceptional years maybe 9 wins and a NYE bowl but with Clemson, Miami (now that they've resurrected their program) and ND in the conference for football they'll pretty much be shooting for 4th best ACC team each year with luck maybe 3rd or 2nd if they catch lightening in a bottle as FightingScot82 said. Pitt, NC State and UNC all are in that 2nd tier. Poor Florida State has been reduced to the 3rd tier with the likes of Wake, GT and Duke.

[IUP CRIMSON HAWKS]

Getting back on track ... I don't think Curt would be the guy at Pitt.

Earliest they buy out Duz is after next year. He's just owed too much. I think if they'd can him tomorrow he'd leave Oakland with a check for $16m. No way they cut that check just to get rid of him.

My perfect candidates today would be either Bill O'Brien, James Franklin or Luke Fickel.

I loved Fickel the last time around. He was young then. Now he has Cincy rolling. Cincy would whip Pitt's a$$ right now.

I say Franklin because his leash is getting short up in Creepy Valley. Ohio State is going to whip them next week. He'll be 0-2 and season over. O'Brien is intriguing. He lost luster in the NFL but had a good run.

Have to concur here. Pitt ate the contract of former hoops coach Kevin Stullings which cost them plenty of cash. I think the Duz does deserve another season to be honest. He's not great but he has done some positive things. But if not for that extension that he signed last year he very well may be out of a job come December.

Yeah, I like Luke Fickel as well. But his next job will be a good one at a big-time school. He is sure to follow the Brian Kelly model and use the Cincy job as a stepping stone to something bigger and better.

[Fightingscot82]

The Duz is just owed too much money. Pitt won't buy him out. So, this off-season he'll make some assistants walk the plank, etc.

That's it right there, but the last time Pitt made a rash decision on their football coach, they let Wannstadt go and a lot of people think that in hindsight was a bad decision. This is a different AD who seems to not be swayed by Pitt nostalgia or boosters. If I were a Pitt fan I'd trust her judgment. They've invested in Narduzzi for the long haul. I think continuity is a good thing for the program.

IMO, we have to see Pitt for who they are: a second-tier program in the ACC. I think Pitt will always struggle with whomever is the current strong program in the South; right now, that's Clemson but it used to be Florida State and Miami. I guess you can throw Notre Dame in there too because they play such an ACC-heavy schedule. Pitt fans should expect and accept winning seasons. 6 and 7 win seasons. 8 and 9 win seasons in good years. Anything more is lightning in a bottle. Yes that seems like accepting mediocrity, but Pitt isn't an elite program. Even when they were Top 25 frequenters with Walt Harris they weren't considered elite. They're North Carolina.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Getting back on track ... I don't think Curt would be the guy at Pitt.

Earliest they buy out Duz is after next year. He's just owed too much. I think if they'd can him tomorrow he'd leave Oakland with a check for $16m. No way they cut that check just to get rid of him.

My perfect candidates today would be either Bill O'Brien, James Franklin or Luke Fickel.

I loved Fickel the last time around. He was young then. Now he has Cincy rolling. Cincy would whip Pitt's a$$ right now.

I say Franklin because his leash is getting short up in Creepy Valley. Ohio State is going to whip them next week. He'll be 0-2 and season over. O'Brien is intriguing. He lost luster in the NFL but had a good run.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

I always said that Curt probably would have lost the Ashland and Rock games in 2017.

One thing i will say about him is that anytime somebody told me they met him outside the realm of football they all said the same thing----that he was an awesome guy. It sounded like the football coach part of him was not quite as congenial.

Well, they could easily have went 0-2 vs Ashland instead of 2-0. Both games were nail-biters.

That 2017 win at SRU started in disaster fashion. Samir's 95-ish yard run turned the whole game. SRU had like 9,800 there that day. After that big run the whole game changed. Tort ended up winning fairly easily.

I always thought Curt got a little passive in those big games rather than really playing to win. He also had some real odd crap happen down at Adamson.

Recall the program in that era burned through players like crazy. He recruited many, many studs. Many also left town.

Curt wasn't the players' coach that Tort is. That's a good and bad thing.

[IUP CRIMSON HAWKS]

I think any IUP coach, current era, gets their legacy defined by their record against Cal and SRU. Curt was about .500 or so.

Curt's teams had a tendency to lay some duds when the lights got bright.

But, overall, he had a good tenure here. That said, ... let's be honest. An IUP coach gets so many assets others don't. They dang sure better beat the Clarion's of the world every time. Think Yankees vs Pirates.

In fact, the 2017 team that went undefeated was largely his (sans Max Redfield).

Curt had things rolling by the time he left. He did a total rebuild after the disastet of TLT. Had he stayed they'd have kept rolling.

But, keep in mind Curt isn't exactly Mr. Personality. I think James Madison is perfect for him. He'll win big. It is the premier 'second level' program in the country (arguably). Not sure he'd deal well with the necessities of a major D1 program ... shaking hands and kissing babies, etc.

I always said that Curt probably would have lost the Ashland and Rock games in 2017.

One thing i will say about him is that anytime somebody told me they met him outside the realm of football they all said the same thing----that he was an awesome guy. It sounded like the football coach part of him was not quite as congenial.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

Agree with the V-tech thing but have to think you have the blinders on regarding Curt and offense. I still remember him thinking Chase was a good QB for far too long, hitting the panic button almost immediately in games and tossing out the game plan, and going WAY too conservative with the O too often. He also rather inexplicably took two timeouts into the offseason with him last December during the national title game with JMU.

As a historian I will insist that people remember the good as well as the bad. But yeah, I agree that he was a totally fantastic coach for IUP and the job he did to revive a moribund program. He deserves to be remembered well here.

I think any IUP coach, current era, gets their legacy defined by their record against Cal and SRU. Curt was about .500 or so.

Curt's teams had a tendency to lay some duds when the lights got bright.

But, overall, he had a good tenure here. That said, ... let's be honest. An IUP coach gets so many assets others don't. They dang sure better beat the Clarion's of the world every time. Think Yankees vs Pirates.

In fact, the 2017 team that went undefeated was largely his (sans Max Redfield).

Curt had things rolling by the time he left. He did a total rebuild after the disastet of TLT. Had he stayed they'd have kept rolling.

But, keep in mind Curt isn't exactly Mr. Personality. I think James Madison is perfect for him. He'll win big. It is the premier 'second level' program in the country (arguably). Not sure he'd deal well with the necessities of a major D1 program ... shaking hands and kissing babies, etc.

[IUP CRIMSON HAWKS]

Yes, it is. Pitt needs a head coach who will pay strict attention to the offense. That's one of Curt's strong points. There is no reason for Pitt to be headed in the direction they are going other than coaching. Virginia Tech recruits roughly the same caliber of HS player as Pitt and has produced consistently good teams while Pitt flounders. Has to be the coaching.

Agree with the V-tech thing but have to think you have the blinders on regarding Curt and offense. I still remember him thinking Chase was a good QB for far too long, hitting the panic button almost immediately in games and tossing out the game plan, and going WAY too conservative with the O too often. He also rather inexplicably took two timeouts into the offseason with him last December during the national title game with JMU.

As a historian I will insist that people remember the good as well as the bad. But yeah, I agree that he was a totally fantastic coach for IUP and the job he did to revive a moribund program. He deserves to be remembered well here.

[IUP CRIMSON HAWKS]

Time For Curt Cignetti at Pitt? ? ?

Curt is a fantastic football coach to a certain point. I give the man his due credit. He could probably reboot and revamp any program and make a major change for the better. But then there is the other side of him that will drive you completely insane. I also think that he is close to 60 or so.

He would make a difference for sure. Then he would do totally confounding stuff and make people want to jump off of the Tower of Learning or whatever they call it.

[IUPbigINDIANS]

The Duz is just owed too much money. Pitt won't buy him out. So, this off-season he'll make some assistants walk the plank, etc.

[IUPMonk]

Time For Curt Cignetti at Pitt? ? ?

Yes, it is. Pitt needs a head coach who will pay strict attention to the offense. That's one of Curt's strong points. There is no reason for Pitt to be headed in the direction they are going other than coaching. Virginia Tech recruits roughly the same caliber of HS player as Pitt and has produced consistently good teams while Pitt flounders. Has to be the coaching.