Atlanta Panther had an intruiging comment about ODU as a measuring stick for the program yesterday in my Know Your Enemy column:
In a weird way, this game is also kind of a yardstick about where we stand as a program.
I don’t think anybody expected us to hang with Florida State, and I don’t expect anybody *really* expected us to win against VT (though I’m sure we all thought we had a shot if we played a perfect game).
That being said, a solid program always wins the game it is supposed to win. This is a game we are supposed to win. We’d better go out and win it.
I disagree on VT, but he makes an interesting point. Is ODU a measuring stick for the program because it’s a game Pitt should win?
Pitt does have a habit of losing games that should’ve been an easy win. Youngstown State last year, Bowling Green in 2008, Ohio in 2005, and numerous other examples prove this point. With two teams Pitt is better than on the schedule the next two weeks, can fans consider them a measuring stick for the program?
I lean yes. One of the problems that has plagued this program has been ugly losses to teams that have no business winning. It has kept the program from hitting another level. If this coaching staff can stop the ugly losses, the future will look a lot brighter because it ensures awful seasons won’t happen.
Take 2006. The team was 6-1 and ended up losing five straight games to close the season. The overtime loss to a pathetic UConn team kept the team out of a bowl game. A 7-5 record and a bowl game gives the team several extra weeks of practice. The 2008 squad was ranked 17th in the nation when a 2-5 Rutgers squad took them to the cleaners. The season ended in disappoinment when the squad finished one game away from tying for the Big East crown.
If the 2013 squad can beat Old Dominion and Navy, they’ll be 5-2 headed into the final stretch. Every game but Miami is winnable and Pitt will probably be favored against UNC and Syracuse. While a 7-5 record isn’t anything to brag about, all five losses would be to respectable programs. When’s the last time you could say “well, at least they lost to good teams?”
Next year’s schedule presents several teams Pitt should be flat out better than: Akron, Delaware, FIU, and Virginia (who will be starting over again in 2014 with a new coach most likely). Syracuse, Iowa, Duke, Boston College, and Georgia Tech are teams no one would think twice about if Pitt wins. Beat the four teams you’re better than and all of the sudden you’re a .500 record away from a better season.
So yes, I do think the next two games are a great barometer for the program to state “we’re not there yet, but we’re not going to beat ourselves.” What say you, Blatherites?
If Pitt wins and wins by a solid margin… it says nothing about either this year’s team or the status of Pitt football under Chryst.
Just too many questions at play…
Is Savage capable of becoming a more complete quarterback capable of getting Chryst Offense to fire on all cyliners?
Can the Pitt running game regain traction and can James Connor make it through the season?
Is House really learning on the job as quickly as he appears to have been the last couple of games?
It is however a measuring stick as to how well Chryst and Co. are able to make adjustments at the mid-point of the season in order to make this Pitt team BETTER and MORE PREPARED for the meat of the schedule which starts in a couple of weeks.
the measuring stick is already put away for the year.
Pitt will hang with the doormats of the ACC and struggle mightily with the powers of the ACC.
Lower-Middle of the road ACC team, pretty much exactly what I expected.
2014: Break in new QB, new DCoord…gonna be the same thing for the most part.
A lil shameless plug for the family, PC needs to hire Mike Elko.
Maybe we won’t cover … but they shouldn’t be real close either
MAC teams feast on Big 10 teams constantly. Va Tech lost to James Madison recently. Mich lost to App St. Didn’t an SEC team lose to Savana St last year? Navy beat ND 2 years in a row a few years back. PSU lost to Toledo (in Happy Valley) in 01, 2 years before we lost to them at their place. But we lost to upstart USF in 2001, the first year they were in D1 … etc, etc, etc
And, a MAC team made a BCS bowl last year
Do we come out and pretty much blow both teams out, as we should, or are they nail biters, or possibly even upsets?
New Mexico, ODU and Navy stink this year, sure they do.
But do we blow all three out, or at least win comfortably, or is it the same old stuff??
Winning big, against three teams you’re expected to win big against, would be a step in the right direction.
A step we’ve rarely taken.
There is more than one measuring stick.
I believe we can get back to be a top 10- 15 team for multiple years in a row if we do the right things NOW. And yes, beating “Old Navy” in the next 2 weeks is a sounding board for us to see if we are on that path upward.
With more than 3 seconds, Savage will help Street set some all-time records. Boyd will get his share. I think tight ends will even get into the action.
Since ODU cannot run, Donald will be bull rushing all night and Price will be adding to the pressure. Thomas will spy Heinecke so he can’t run. Our backfield will do the rest. Since we are going to score at will, Heinecke will will be forced to keep up and will throw some bad passes, I look for two interceptions.
We may even have a Boyd runback for a TD.
Total domination!
62-24
Second of all – for all of you who say that this game isn’t a measuring stick, I will urge you to think back to statistics class.
Everything has an upper and lower bound. College football is no different. Every program has their highs. Every program has their lows.
The upper bound of our program should absolutely be measured against the Clemsons and FSUs of the world, but If we are measuring the upper bound against the best, then we have to measure the lower bound against the worst.
This season New Mexico, ODU and Navy are our lower-bound measuring sticks. A win against ODU does prove something. It proves that we have at least gotten to the point where we can consistently beat inferior competition. A dubious level of achievement perhaps, but one that certainly beats the alternative.
to go 5 and 7.
this game will tell us a lot have we got to the place were you win the games you should or is it the same old pitt.
if we win we could end up 7 and 5 if we lose the season is over mark my words
H2P Behead the Monarchs!!
A huge step forward for any team in any sport is to beat the teams they should beat. ODU and Navy. Successful programs rarely lose these games. Pitt will have an advantage in size and talent. A 5-2 record going into the GT game with a shot
at being competitive with all but Miami. Actually 5-2 would meet expectations year to date.
Still haven’t upgraded to a flat screen. I know I’m missing out, but the old tv picture is still very good, just not great. Plus the $$.
I keep hoping it blows, so I’ll be forced.
Sometimes emotion is good, could have used some last week. But you can’t rely on it to carry the day.
The only “wild card” is turnovers and they can change any game.
Dan, you will think you died and went to heaven when you get HD.
H2P
Once we start using FSU/Miami/Clemson as measuring stick games PC will have successfully turned the program around. Until then, we have no choice but to fret endlessly in games against these types of teams.
Dr Tom et. al. please don’t confuse my comments suggesting that you should not respect all the teams you play, the point is merely that Pitt’s players have to be confident that they can and will prevail in the ODU/Navy type games based on positive experiences instead of all the negative experiences recited in chapter and verse above.
Why, because games such as these can be telling barameters of the psychological status of the coaches, the players and the overall team dynamics of both teams involved in the contest.
I will guarantee you this, that Coach Wilder will have his Old Dominion University players prepared, motivated and inspired to play, what he calls “our bowl games” against Pitt on Saturday. This is a fledgling program that is aspiring to move up to play with the “Big Boys”. Even though their definition of the “big boys” are the other teams in Conference USA, where they are transitioning to this year. But make no mistake about it, this team is composed from a bunch of winning athletes that are solidly coached by an inspirational, winning HC.
These guys are coming into Heinz Field to prove something and they have nothing to lose. How easy will it be for a team like this, to get up for this game?
On the other hand, you have the Panthers, who just might need to have a fire built under them to take these upstarts seriously. How hard will it be for Pitt to get up for this game? There lies the measuring stick for this program in it’s current state.
Can the Pitt coaches prepare and motivate this team to perform to their highest potential when that isn’t really necessary to still pull out a win? Do our current players possess the focus and commitment to nothing short of excellence in these types of games that should be an easy cake walk? Does this team, in general, now possess the killer instincts necessary to step on the troat of a lesser opponent and totally dominate them into submission like so many of the truly great teams in the upper eschelon of college football so often do?
It’s easy to get up and prepare for the big games, what I want to learn is, does this Pitt organization have the ability to put in the same preperation and energy for this type of game, That’s what this game will answer.
In the past, Pitt has demonstrated that it was, in fact, a team composed of under achievers, who would coast whenever the circumstances permitted. That’s a loser’s mentality and that is why Pitt has been beaten by many lesser opponents in the past.
Has Chryst been able to transform this mindset with this current group and manufacture a team that is able to destroy the teams that they should, without losing it’s focus on that ultimate objective?
That is what this game will demonstrate. Proving that, over the next two games will be very valuable information to learn by their performances on the field. Because winning programs begin by producing that victorious vision first in the players minds and hearts. Only after that has been engrained therein will the winning performances on the field be guaranteed.
Dr. Tom wrote those words and it describes Pitt since the day Jackie S. left. All that varied was the level of talent and the degree to which they underachieved.
I can’t disagree more with this game by itself being a barometer. Every game is that.
The true test is the battle inside our heads. Will a Pitt team overachieve? Beating ODU or IUD isn’t overachieving.
He speaks to the ODU game specifically at time mark 4:45
I found networks on the website THEACC.com. I would provide a link but obviously I am not computer literate enough.
I found under the header of schedule, narrowed search to football, found PITT – ODU, clicked on RSN & there’s the stations.
We didn’t against New Mexico or Duke.
Defense is supposed to better now than it was in those 2 earlier games. We shall see, since this ODU kid can really play QB and is probably the best QB in the state of Virginia. How did UVA & the Gobblers miss out on him ?
sos22 is right, very hard keeping these primadonna showboat’s heads on straight to avoid these inexplicable losses.
We’re going to know pretty much in the 1rst quarter how this Odu game will go. Our defense needs to come after this QB or if you let a guy like him get in a groove and get some completions going and a vibe going, it could be a long long game.
H2P Behead the Monarchs!!
Comment by pmdH2P 10.17.13 @ 10:34 am
hear hear behead those monarchs !
As for watching it online, here’s 2 sites I’ve used in the past for watching Pitt games.
firstrowsports.eu
atdee.net
Be careful when the pop up screen over the video of the game appears. It’s better to just let the timer run off (30 secs I believe) than trying to click the popup off, as that opens up an ad window.
HTP
To the Guillotine with the Monarchs !
atdee.net seems to be work better lately.
Another hint, don’t click on the Link 1 or Link 2 links that are underlined.
Clink on the underlined link of the Game Name itself.
Example: Old Dominion vs Pittsburgh
ATL Panther, excellent stats reference. I’ll be waiting for your next post regarding the standard deviation of Pitt’s performance vs. inferior opponents.
Good suggestion, but I will leave that to Sir Justin…
Thanks.
H2P Behead the Monarchs!!
If we do not tattoo ODU like we did New Mexico then our team and program are further down the rabbit hole than any of us thought and it will be years before we see the sunshine again…
We have plenty of upcoming opponents to fret over so lets save our angst for later…think positive…WE WILL WIN!…
H2P
Ah.. How about *FK NO,** Justin.
If this game is not a full throttling of an inferior opponent, I’ll be surprised.. And just a tad dismayed (I’ve been known to knock the panels out of solid wood doors — I’m not proud of this (far to old @ age 43 for such nonsense).. But really, I’ve a helluva lot more confidence in HCPC (player readiness, attitude, and desire to compete) when compared to DW & swine TG.
And I’m going to have real problem (mentally, emotionally, and yeah, physically, if the D doesn’t hand Heinicke his ass Oct 19 — I want this kid concussed 1st quarter (insensitivity, sure).
Certainly, PITT has had quite the issue in recent past with ‘showing up’ for such games. But I’m just not seeing it come Saturday.
But hey, Justin, even if I disagree, I nevertheless enjoy your posts; you have some terrific insight with regard to the football side of things.
I could easily see Coach House scheming this to be a play soft secondary with the DEs being responsible for the containment of the QB run option and “let’s see how ODU handles that”?
If this is the battle plan, IMO, it allows Heinicke to find his comfort zone in this game and therefore plays to his advantage and results in Pitt’s secondary playing at a disadvantage.
Old Dominion’s offensive success is totally predicated on the success that Heinicke has. In fact, he motivates the ENTIRE TEAM, not just the offense when he is on. House’s game plan should be just the opposite of what I postulated above. Instead the Panthers defense should ATTACK, ATTACK, ATTACK right from the first ODU offensive play!
I don’t even care if one of our corners or safeties get beat for six in so doing, by Heinicke getting lucky on a blown man to man coverage and gets lucky throwing a TD pass or two, because of such an aggressive defense scheme to stop the QB, because this team’s heart and sole is resting squarely on the QB’s results. Stop the QB, and ODU goes down fast.
Pitt’s athletes should be able to overwelm ODU’s OL if they apply constant pressure with blitzes. That is the key to this game, take Heinicke out of his gameplan and this team is toast. Allow him time and room to operate and we will have a shootout on our hands, and that is NOT what you want to allow if you have a lesser opponent that you have the ability to dominate if you simply impose your will on them with the proper aggressive gameplan.
