Fans are panicking. Questions are flying. Four wins and five losses. An ugly October killed any hope of a successful third season. Is the coach anything more than a great offensive coordinator who can’t handle running the show himself? A few good wins have been countered with ugly losses. Does this team have a QB that can win next season? The defense is in shambles and has looked like one of the worst in the country. All the hope and promise of a 7 win season last year is gone. Should the coach be fired and let the program start all over again after recent turmoil? With a little luck in the remaining three games perhaps the season can be salvaged, but two tough opponents make that unlikely.
The above cluster of random, flustered sentences looks like it’s about Pitt and Paul Chryst. That or it could be about WVU exactly one year ago today. One year ago, although coming off a win over TCU, WVU was 4-5 with an awful defense, questions at QB, and a lot of people who wanted to fire the head coach. From talking to some WVU fans before the season, most were expecting four or five wins and for Hologorsen to be fired before December. Fast forward one year and WVU is 6-3 and all three losses are to top 10 teams. There’s a lot of hope in Morgantown and they just hosted ESPN’s game day last weekend, and heartbreaking loss be damned, the game was worth the hype.
I don’t bring this up to say “be jealous of WVU, they turned it around.” I don’t bring this up to be optimistic and say next year will be better. I bring it up to ask what can Pitt do to turn it around like WVU did? I notice a few key things WVU did this offseason that Pitt can do. Will it work? If I could answer that I’d be working for Pitt, not writing about them.
1) Bring in experienced help on the defensive coaching staff
WVU’s defense was worse last season than Pitt is this season by a large margin. WVU gave up 30+ points in seven of their final nine games. While the past two weeks have been ugly, Pitt has only given up more than 25 twice. What did WVU do? They brought in former PSU coordinator Tom Bradley to help with the defense. The results have been astounding. While the defense isn’t statistically great, they’ve been opportunistic and have enabled WVU to compete against the upper echelon of college football.
I’ve seen several people connected to the program say Matt House probably won’t be fired. But, there are several assistants who could be shown the door and that will create ample opportunities for improvement. The key difference for WVU has been the approach. With the pass heavy Big 12, WVU played soft coverage and didn’t get much pass rush. Sound familiar? This year the Mountaineers have gone attack-heavy and it has made a huge difference.
2) Trust a second year starter at QB
WVU cycled through three QBs last year and the results left a lot to be desired. They combined for 16 touchdowns, 16 interceptions, 54.1% completion, and only 6.78 yards per attempt. For a pass heavy offense that’s terrible. To compare, Voytik is at 11 touchdowns, 6 interceptions, 61.3% completion, and 7.21 yards per attempt.
In year two for Trickett, his completion percentage has gone up 14.3%, his yards per attempt 1.59 yards, and he has 18 touchdowns as opposed to 7 and their season still has four more games. If Voytik can get up to even 65% completion and 8 yards per attempt, the offense will be dramatically better. Heck, if the offense plays close to what we saw against Duke we’ll be in good shape. If that offense shows up against Iowa, Akron, and UVA Pitt is 7-2 right now.
3) Don’t play true freshmen
Obviously Pitt hasn’t had much of a choice here, but the amount of inexperienced players is a hindrance. On WVU’s current depth chart according to Ourlads, WVU has one true freshman on the two deep, Dravon Henry. Pitt has four on defense (Maddox, Amara, Blair, and Wirginis). Three of those four play extensively. I don’t say that to in any way denigrate their play, but I think everyone will agree the sophomore versions of those players will be better than the freshman. Amara, Blair, and Wirginis have a very high chance of starting next year (Wirginis was supposed to redshirt but played his way onto the two deep in camp), so their experience now will help in 2015.
Next year, the only true freshman who appears likely to play is Jordan Whitehead. Whitehead, like Henry for WVU, is a top tier recruit so that isn’t necessarily bad. Thankfully with the return of Titus Howard from suspension and a now experienced Avonte Maddox, Whitehead will have to earn a starting job. Pitt only has to replace six senior starters, three on each side of the ball, and each position has backups currently seeing the field consistently.
Will these three things mean a WVU like jump in Chryst’s third year? Who knows. The key is obviously adding coaching talent to the defensive side of the ball. Who or how that will be, I don’t know. I just know that Matt House will likely still be DC in 2015 much to my chagrin, but with some help, maybe they can turn it around. Matt House’s defense looked good two weeks ago. Maybe a little help could go a long way.
Simply for me, if the ride is no longer fun, there is no real joy for me to enjoying the ride.
I believe most of us have been doing that or trying to do that for 30 some odd years.
Not pouting at all. I just know this is the first time our household has ever discussed not renewing our season tickets at the end of the year.
That’s no threat to anyone. Like you say, I doubt anyone at Pitt is reading this. Even if they do, some guy saying he’s not renewing his season tickets doesn’t even come on their radar.
People like to win. When you don’t win, it’s not as much fun.
As the kids and nieces and nephews have gotten older, they are finding other things to do. Asking if we can leave right after the game, to get home quickly.
Having other things to do on Saturdays.
When your team is not part of the scene, then it becomes much less attractive to go an participate.
We’ve always put aside a little money, and time for Pitt.
We’ve just got to the point, “is this really worth it?”.
Too many other things to do with our time and money.
If the university isn’t gonna commit to us, why should we commit to them???
Again, you make a good point. My rants aren’t of the immature nature, just the truth.
I’m not gonna scare anyone at Pitt with me giving them 6 more yellow seats next year.
They won’t even notice.
When ND and PSU come, I’m sure we’ll go on
Stub Hub and grab a couple seats.
Just the full time commitment for 6 or 7 Saturdays in the fall, and usually 1 road trip, I believe we’re done with.
The excellent question actually, would be,
wtf took us so long?????????
LMAO!!!
If just in case anyone at Pitt should happen to look on here,
you shouldn’t criticize any of the
couple of hundred?? posters on here or be mad at us.
We’re the die hards, of the die hards.
Pitt ought to thank their lucky stars that some of us give such a damn.
Comment by Upittbaseball 11.03.14 @ 3:48 pm
UPitt – Like a lot of things your wrong. Mustard based sauce is a South Carolina way to make supposedly pork barbecue edible.
Give me a brisket any day.
Most pork barbecue is at the most smoked for a half hour & finished in a oven. The sauce ruins what little smoke flavor that half hour provides.
But I will take the mustard based sauce for the NC vinegar or tomato based.
Not a smart decision by Borghetti.
I am still trying to figure out who the best three defenders are on our team. We have one and that is the oft injured Todd Thomas. Gonzo is good, but not a star. Noone else is even close. I said this months ago. When it is 4th and two, there is only one player that you think of that may make a play and that is Thomas. Sorry guys, that’s it.
I am not a believer in sitting freshman. If they are your best players, they play. If marginal improvement over what you have, they sit unless it is an emergency. It is not a bad thing to think that one offensive true freshman and one defensive true freshman should play if you are recruiting well. Especially, when they start school early and begin practice in the spring. Pitt is not good enough yet to sit talent. No quality depth, yet. It’s like James. He is a real good talent, but he hasn’t learned patience. He will. Why wait for a second year starter in the Pitt offense. IT is not complicated. Snap, turn, hand off. We are not an intricate offense and I don’t see our 3rd year guy making audibles, so that is silly. That is why I go for Bertke before this. We are not complicated. Football is not complicated.
Like, almost 10% of you thought we should have run the ball to the middle to kick a field goal. Point is, not a complicated game. It is a game of passion and figuring out and then attacking your opponent’s weakness. That is not complicated. That is study!
I also like Doc Holliday … think he may be the best candidate in fact if he was interested. Not only is he a good recruiter, he has Florida ties
Real family (Not Todd Graham type of family) & home means a lot to some. Pittsburgh is not that far from Youngstown.
He would be a good hire.
Doc is going to UF per those in the know. He owns Florida and is a stud recruiter/closer.
I’m with you…I’m done renewing my tix..but will probly go to ND and PSU thru stub hub
Couldn’t feel worse for them.
Looked like Voytik had tears in his eyes, did you see the way the beast Conner walked to the bench after his amazing touchdown, like he was possessed!!
I think most of them are giving everything they have.
Most of those guys wanted it bad, and have my utmost respect.
Hail to Pitt to the players!!!
I travel extensively in western NC (west of I-77) & have been laughed at for asking if they have a mustard based sauce.
Next time you are in Columbia try Hudson’s on Hwy 321.
BTW attended the WVU-Ok State game in Stillwater and highly recommend the trip when they roll up on your schedule. Won’t disappoint.