Man, getting home in time will be tight. That means keeping this brief so I can get crap done to make this work.
6pm on ESPN.
Focus continues to be about ending the season with something resembling positive energy.
A few weeks back, Pitt coach Paul Chryst said he was talking to redshirt senior nose tackle Tyrone Ezell when Ezell recalled the Panthers’ most recent bowl win, a 27-10 victory in the BBVA Compass Bowl against Kentucky to end the 2010 season.
Ezell was a redshirt freshman on that team and told Chryst what it felt like to end the season with a victory, the sense of accomplishment and positive momentum heading into the offseason. It’s something that the freshmen, sophomores and juniors have not experienced, with the past two seasons coming to an end with a 6-7 record and a loss in Birmingham, Ala.
The Panthers have a chance to put a positive cap on the up-and-down 2013 season today when they play Bowling Green in the Little Caesars Pizza Bowl.
“There’s a big difference in our room between going 7-6 and 6-7,” Chryst said. “There’s a lot of reasons. The senior class, they want to finish it out right and I think they want to send the young guys into next year with some momentum. Every team’s the same way. Bowling Green’s probably got the same mantra. We’re looking forward to going up, getting one more chance to play and our goal is to play the best game we’ve played to this point.”
Not that anyone is implying the effort was less than 100% in the past two years in Birmingham. Well, maybe it’s being implied a little.
This may be the last year for the Pizza Bowl. The bowl organizers continue to put on a brave face, but it just doesn’t seem likely since Ford Field probably won’t be hosting it and the Big Ten is done — Ford Field and Big Ten are creating their own bowl game. Just can’t see two games at Ford Field, and I really can’t see any enthusiasm for trying to play it at the Comerica Park.
Bowling Green will be paying attention to Aaron Donald on defense and Tyler Boyd on offense. To which, all I can say is, “duh.”
Embattled, first-year DC Matt House is from Michigan. Hopefully by the end of the game there won’t be any need for jokes about leaving him there.
I’m in the mood for some Pizza now ! 🙂
Hail to Pitt!, see you at the Pete.
If you don’t think the freshmen played well for most of the season you must not have been watching all the games.
I was impressed with PC. He gets a lot of criticism for not emoting a lot, but when he called a timeout when we had only 10 men on the field, I give hi credit for retaining his cool and being encouraging. Also, he gave Voytik a chance to win the game.
The future looks bright indeed!
As always, I am proud to be an alum and fan of PITT!
Hail to PITT,
-al-
Yes I watched most if not all of the games.
Boyd, Connor & Blewitt and the Clairton kids were pretty good all year.
but what is the Green line?
no doubt bro. Cheers !