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Brian Batko's Pitt football chat: 10.4.17
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Brian Batko
2:01
Happy Wednesday, gang. Pitt at Syracuse at noon thirty on Saturday. Got questions? Hit me up.
gary@northernVirginia
2:01
Do you think the complaints about poor recruiting are legitimate. I know Pitt isn't getting top rated classes, but it seems to me that the majority of the kids they've signed also had offers from a number of other Power 5 schools, many of them with strong programs.
Brian Batko
2:02
Hey, Gary. I think they’re legitimate in the sense that you always want your recruiting to be better. It’s the life blood of any program. It can make bad coaches look good and good coaches look bad. But I see your point that Pitt already has an influx of talent. It’s just that the 2018 class doesn’t look all that great *on paper* at this point according to the gurus, that’s what has people a bit restless.
Pitt2020
2:04
Any thoughts on if switching up the playbook to be more ACC-like, as in more Spread-option look? The younger QB’s and plethora of athletes on offense are built for an offense like that.
Brian Batko
2:06
It is an interesting thought, given that seemingly each week we hear Pat Narduzzi talk about how much stress those schemes put on his defense. But it seems that Max Browne has finally cemented himself firmly as Pitt’s QB, and if that’s the case, he’s not that kind of quarterback. Maybe it’s a conversation Narduzzi and Shannon Watson will have next year given the expected personnel?
Bulk
2:07
Brian why did it take so many games for Pitt's coaching staff to start throwing the ball more if teams are stacking to stop the run?  You brought a transfer from USC who has a big arm, why would you not cater your offense to his strengths?
Brian Batko
2:09
Well Bulk, I think if you asked a lot of people inside or outside the program entering the season, they'd have said that Pitt's strength would be running, not throwing. So I think they WERE trying to cater to that strength, plus Pat Narduzzi wants to run the ball first and foremost anyway. But to your point, it isn't working lately, so we'll see if Max Browne's passing success can continue and now open up the run game as the run game maybe opened up the pass at times initially.
OHIO412FAN
2:09
With Pitts season in limbo, what can we expect out of this team for the rest of the year? I feel they never snag those quality recruits other coaches can truly get, what needs to change in order to make this an elite team?
Brian Batko
2:12
Jordan Whitehead, Damar Hamlin and Paris Ford were all top-quality recruits, just to name a few. But assuming that those types of players are usually going to be the exception to the rule - not saying they will be - but if they are, then it's more about Narduzzi finding the right players than the highest-ranked ones. That's especially true on defense, where Pitt obviously hasn't thrived like people probably expected it to under a guy who was such a successful DC. But hey, find the dudes who do what you want them to do best, and go from there.
Alex
2:13
How much longer do you expect them to continue mixing up the O-Line combinations? We have to get a consistent run game going.
Brian Batko
2:15
Good question, Alex. I guess I'll just say I think they'll do it until the best five O-linemen are clearly evident. I think that is the case at three spots - LT (Brian O'Neill), LG (Alex Officer) and RT (Alex Bookser). But at center, Jimmy Morrissey is back to a co-starter on the depth chart with Connor Dintino, and I wouldn't be surprised to see Dintino start at Cuse. Then right guard is even more in flux, with Brandon Hodges and Mike Herndon apparently now competing there after Bookser was moved outside to replace Jaryd Jones-Smith. With so many potential options going into the year, I expected this unit to be a lot better, and obviously the staff is still trying to figure out the best mix too.
Alan
2:16
What's recruiting look like this year?  Who are the top prospects still undecided and what chance does Pitt have in snagging any of them?
Brian Batko
2:18
Narduzzi hasn't landed that one big fish yet, that rock-solid four-star guy that's undoubtedly the jewel of the class. That could end up being Aliquippa safety Kwantel Raines, who just tweeted today that he'll make his decision Oct. 30. Pitt's up there with the usual suspects, WVU and PSU. Best I can tell, Pitt's also still in the running for some out-of-state DL and LBs. Virginia RB Coleton Beck is supposed to decide sometime soon, but the tea leaves are turning up decidedly in Virginia Tech's favor, so not sure how realistic an option he is for Pitt.
PittGuru
2:19
How did Pitt become the whipping boy for the college football world this season?  Now the LSU alum criticizes former OC Canada as implementing a system last year intended for inferior talent.
Brian Batko
2:21
Oh come on, Pitt is hardly the nation's whipping boy this year. The Oklahoma State fallout stuff was a bad look, but I can explain that one: Pitt got demolished early and often, at home, by a far superior team on national TV. You're gonna take your lumps when that happens. James Franklin's team got payback, and he took his shot; Narduzzi has done the same to PSU in the past.

And as far as the Ryan Clark comment about Matt Canada at LSU, I think anyone who knows the sport understands why that doesn't hold much water. Nate Peterman, James Conner, Dorian Johnson, Adam Bisnowaty and Scott Orndoff were guys that just about any team would've taken on their offense last year. I wouldn't worry about that.
Blawnox Panther
2:21
How excited should fans get after last weekend?  Yeah, Pitt won and rang up some stats, but they should because it was Rice.  Let's see how they do against NC State, Va Tech & Miami.
Brian Batko
2:23
I think they should be pretty excited because this game coming up at Syracuse is a big game. Maybe you or other Pitt fans think this is a game they should be able to win easily, but guess what? Syracuse fans are saying the same thing about Pitt. So that, to me, makes it interesting and one thing the Rice game did was sort of rest things a bit. OK, you're 0-1 in ACC play, but it's not unfathomable to think you can beat the next 5 teams you play. Even N.C. State, the toughest of that bunch, is at least at home on homecoming.
H2P OU812
2:23
Do you think Pitt can land the local kid Raines?  They haven't played well this season; the empty yellow seats at the home games has been bad; and the social media snarky comments about Pitt and their fans have not helped.
Brian Batko
2:24
Attendance problems and social media "snark" have happened to Pitt before, and it's not like this roster is devoid of good local players. You can still win recruiting battles even if you're not 5-0 and blowing out every team you face. So yes, I think Pitt can land Raines, and I think they will, if I had to predict it.
Terry
2:25
Do you think the Lb rotation will continue the rest of the season. Really liked the potential Elias Reynolds showed against rice
Brian Batko
2:26
Solid observation, Terry. I'm not sure how that will play out. i do think the three starters will remain there, but I also believe Pat Narduzzi and his staff are starting to trust some of those backups more, backups like Elias Reynolds, as you mentioned. Early in the year, it seemed like there was no way someone like Reynolds would see the field, but now he's out there against Rice getting a sack. So, you could potentially see more of him, more of Chase Pine and maybe even some more Jalen Williams, who's gotten his chances here and there in recent weeks.
Ron
2:26
How many scholarships are left and what about those Florida recruits. Any chance of getting any?
Brian Batko
2:29
Howdy Ron, thanks for the Q. Kinda tough to say on the scholarship thing, just because Pitt, like most teams, recruits for more spots than they have. It's not quite as simple as tallying that up in basketball. Technically, Pitt's only losing 10 scholarship seniors, and Narduzzi already has 14 commits. I think he'll plan for a few more offseason "departures" if you will, and maybe try to land a few more guys in this class. Even getting up in the 20 range wouldn't shock me.

Oh, and the second part of your question, I think with the addition of Florida guy Charlie Partridge on staff, you have to give Pitt a shot at plenty of prospects from that state. They've done quite well there, with and without Partridge.
Pope
2:29
Who do you like this week....Pitt or Syracuse?
Brian Batko
2:30
Ah, a good question to end on. Y'all forgot to ask me for a Rice prediction last week too, by the way. So I took to Twitter just before kickoff and said 42-10, which was frighteningly close!

This week, I'll go with Syracuse to win. I'll say a weird score like 39-37, just for the h-e-double hockey sticks of it.
2:31
Oh, and I nearly forgot!
Have a great rest of the week, folks.
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