From the Pitt Media Department:

PITTSBURGH – The University of Pittsburgh athletic programs posted strong numbers in the most recent measurement of the Academic Progress Rate, as scores were released by NCAA Wednesday afternoon. Division I student-athletes across the country continue to make gains in the classroom, earning all-time high results in the APR.

“As a whole, we are pleased with the level of progress we have made in our APR scores during the most recent reporting cycle,” said Athletic Director Scott Barnes. “An overwhelming majority of our programs showed an increase in scoring and we have a terrific plan in place to continue that growth. Seven of our teams posted their best scores since the APR was introduced and we are going to use that positive momentum to keep building on our already strong academic profile.”

Pitt had 13 of its 17 programs perform at or above the national average, including the women’s tennis team that posted a perfect 1000 for the second straight year and the fourth time overall since the start of the APR. Other programs performing at or above the national average were men’s swimming & diving, women’s cross country, men’s basketball, women’s volleyball, women’s swimming & diving, women’s basketball, softball, wrestling, women’s track & field, men’s cross country, men’s soccer and football.

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Trib reports on James “Mr Everything” Conner’s visit on the Ellen DeGeneres Show – in case you missed it please watch the video posted below…

Shortly after a video of the segment appeared on DeGeneres’ website and on TribLive.com, Conner began receiving interview requests through Erie videographer and family friend Mike Gallagher. Reporters called from Kansas City, Denver and Jacksonville, Gallagher said.

“I had one message from a guy who wants to pitch him to Campbell’s Soup,” Gallagher said. “I responded I need him to beat Penn State first.”  The NCAA does not permit college athletes to do endorsements.

DeGeneres’ producers taped an interview with Conner in Pittsburgh several days before his appearance in which he said doctors told him the cure rate for his disease is 85 to 90 percent.

“That’s more than enough for me,” he told DeGeneres. “I’d be good if you said 2 percent. It’s on. Let’s go.”

Here is the video, have a handkerchief handy for the tears…

The Pitt News cover the show also.

“If you think you’re having a bad day, and then you see him at practice with one of those masks on, it’s amazing,” Galambos said.

DeGeneres and Conner discussed the limitations chemotherapy puts on his training, as well as his future plans for the upcoming football season.

“The only thing I can’t do is — I have a port in my chest — so I can’t really get tackled,” Connor said.  “Good for you, you can’t get tackled. That’s a great thing,” DeGeneres responded, laughing.

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Sleep well, tonight.

Last week Jerry DiPaola of the Tribune Review had an article where Pat Narduzzi was quoted as saying this:

Pitt coach Pat Narduzzi said Friday he’s leading a different team than he did a year ago, and he’s not just talking about the departure of 10 seniors and at least 10 other players who have left the program since the end of last season.

“It looks like a different football team,” he said, referring to the physical growth of many players. “That doesn’t mean you will win more games, but they do look different … just physically.”

Aside from the fact that we hear that from every coaching staff in their initial time at Pitt what struck me was the fact that 10 players other than the 10 SR and rsSR players we had on the roster have also left the program.

By my unofficial count we have to get rid of seven scholarships at this point in time.  That doesn’t include the five guys listed below who we know have already left the team and who were all scholarship players.

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Chris Peak has his weekly Rivals.Com podcast and speaks about Pitt football’s Junior Day (which I thought we already had done – apparently there are more to come).  Anyway, at the 13:00 minute mark Chris talks about how the upcoming Pitt-Duke BB game could be a “big day” for Pat Narduzzi as we are hosting rising SR players from the HS ranks.  Peak thinks the fact that 20 of the prospective visitors have Pitt offers means that the football staff is still paying very close attention to these kids… which works well apparently due to the results of their 2016 recruiting class.

Apparently we need to lock Clariton’s 5* (Rivals.com rankings) CB  Lamont Wade up as soon as possible then sequester him somewhere no one else can talk to him.  Four 4* will be there: Central’s LB David Adams, Seton La Salle’s DB Paris Ford will represent the local area.  From afar we’ll have Virgina  kids DE Jordan Williams and LB Ellis Brooks travelling to Oakland and  spending their own money to visit.

Honestly, I think that last point may be as important as anything else.  It’s one thing to get a kid on campus from Clariton but have them drive up from somewhere where they have to pay for the drive, meals and probably a hotel is a different story – that means they are interested.

Chris makes a good point about these BB games/events where Pitt brings in FB recruits to visit the campus and watch the game – who wins or loses doesn’t matter.  It is the atmosphere that is important.  Remember these are non-official visits so they can do it as many times as they like.

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Dec. 6, 2015

Bowl Central

   PITTSBURGH–For the eighth consecutive season and 32^nd time overall, the Pitt football team is headed to a bowl game.

The Panthers received their official invite this afternoon from the Military Bowl presented by Northrop Grumman and will play Navy of the American Athletic Conference in Annapolis, Md. The ESPN nationally televised game, which benefits the USO, will be played in Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium on Monday, Dec. 28, and kick off at 2:30 p.m. (ET).

“The Military Bowl is a tremendous opportunity for our team to end the season against a nationally ranked opponent,” Pitt head coach Pat Narduzzi said. “Navy is a Top 25 team with a Heisman-caliber quarterback in Keenan Reynolds. They will present us with a formidable challenge.

“Given our close proximity to Annapolis, we are looking for a great contingent of Pitt fans to make the short trek and see us play one more time this year.”

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Here we go – Pitt vs Miami, FL at Heinz Field, noon today and shown on ESPN2.

Pitt (6-1 ACC)  is coming in at 8-3 winning it’s last two against Duke and Louisville.  We are facing Miami (4-3 ACC) having won three out of its last four losing only to North Carolina.

Here is the ESPN preview page,  and here are the ‘Canes National Rankings in all categories

Enjoy and…

HAIL TO PITT!!

Guys – could someone listen to the linked Audio File and tell me 1) what it sounds like and 2) if you could listen right on the Blather website or did you have to download it first.

I have a new idea for small posts that you guys might enjoy but I want to get the technical stuff down pat first.

If you did have to download the audio file… does anyone know how to upload and insert an audio file so it shows a box with the blue sound level vertical bars in it?  You know – like most files look like this:

Here is this morning’s media recap for the day:

First off here is a great suggestion from BigB (Bernie) for the 2016 version of the new Pitt Script helmet.  It has the Mustard Gold that reminds us so much of Danny Marino – you know, the guy whose claim to fame is having is nine total passing yards more than Tino Sunseri.  Bernie has been using his own $$$ and gracious kindness to have Big and small Pitt Script magnets made with these colors… and has been asking that all who get them to drop an email lobbying the administration for a return to these colors to bolster our Pitt football tradition.

It takes a village to raise a football team.

Post-Gazette:

Red Shirt Diaries:

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Here is this morning’s media recap for the day:

Game Highlights

Official Game Box Score

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PITT vs Duke 12:00

Here is this morning’s media recap for the day:

Post-Gazette:

Behind Enemy Lines: Duke

Pitts ACC Stretch Run Starts today

P-G’s Round Table Video

Trib Review:

Pitt & Duke Strike Similar Pose

BB: Pitt – Gonzaga Game Cancelled at Halftime

ESPN:

Pitt: Notre Dame and Iowa could both look even better if Pitt continues to win. As of right now, both the Irish and Hawkeyes earned a win against the bowl-eligible Panthers, a Power 5 school that could still finish as a 9-3 team

The Pitt News

Panther of the Week: Jordan Whitehead

You guys are killing me.

Have at it guys – what do you think the final score will be and who’s on top? Just to recap here is a link to the info on the game:

Pitt (6-3)  vs Duke (6-3) ; Noon tomorrow in Duke’s Wallace Wade Stadium.

I’ll say 28-24 Pitt.

 (This is one of a weekly series of articles entitled “Monday Morning Quarterback”.   I will try to post them two days after the football games are played so as to have our wilder emotions under control by then. It will be my take on the positives and the negatives we saw happen and a chance for commenters to agree or disagree and to add their own thoughts.) 

Here is the obligatory highlights video:

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James Conner has missed most of the season. Chad Voytik isn’t starting. The offense is 113^th in the country in yards per game. Tyler Boyd is…ok, still doing Boyd things. But, if I told you those first three things would be where Pitt stands after six games back in August, what would you expect Pitt’s record to be? If you said 5-1 you’re lying to yourself. The likely answer would be that Pitt is a two or three win team hoping to win six and get another bowl. (more…)

3:10 to go, down four, ball on their own 38 yard line.

3:44 to go, down seven, ball on their own 28 yard line.

1:04: to go, down 3, ball on their own 24 yard line.

That’s the situation opposing offenses have been in the last three games. The result? ZERO points and three wins for Pitt. After the defense held on against VT, Narduzzi said in his press conference that the team made mistakes against Iowa that led to the 57 yard FG. Since then, not only has the defense held on, they’ve thrived. What a change from last year. When the defense is on the field with the game on the line they’ve responded. (more…)