Pitt Take 5: Panthers, Orange hope to write happier Bronx tale inside Yankee Stadium
Pitt’s game against Syracuse on Saturday will be staged at Yankee Stadium to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the first college game played at the historic venue in the Bronx, New York. ACC officials aren’t getting a marquee matchup, with Pitt (2-7, 1-4) and Syracuse (4-5, 0-5) trying to stay...
Pat Narduzzi insists results matter in Pitt’s final 3 games
Perhaps only a coach can understand what Pat Narduzzi is thinking as he prepares to lead his team through the final three games of the season. Pitt will take a 2-7 overall record into its game Saturday against Syracuse (4-5, 0-5 ACC) at Yankee Stadium. Three more defeats would drop...
Extra loud ‘Hail’ during national anthem tells Pitt’s Blake Hinson the Zoo is ready
Before the first shot of the season nestled in the cords Monday night, Blake Hinson knew the Oakland Zoo was ready. Actually, he said the student cheering section reached full throat much earlier than it did a year ago. “I always tell the story about the Zoo growing in attendance...
Pitt players thankful for 3 more chances to achieve redemption
While the regular season moves into its final three-game stretch, talk among fans and media drifts toward arguments about College Football Playoff rankings, what will happen with Michigan and those sign-stealing allegations and speculation on who will win the Heisman trophy. Will anyone be paying attention to Pitt (2-7, 1-4...
Pitt WRs coach Tiquan Underwood, pass catchers work to iron out imperfections
Tiquan Underwood doesn’t hide behind false hope. Pitt’s passing game coordinator/wide receivers coach knows there’s plenty of work that’s necessary to improve the Panthers’ aerial game — both over the final three games and likely starting this winter when Pat Narduzzi and his coaching staff undertake some serious self-scouting. “I...
Freshman Bub Carrington records 5th triple-double in school history as Pitt dominates opener
Bub Carrington went to the bench with five minutes left in Pitt’s 100-52 season-opening victory against North Carolina A&T, his work apparently done for the night. In his first collegiate game, the freshman point guard — whose given name is Carlton, although everyone calls him Bub — already had recorded...
Pitt’s Pat Narduzzi speaks of personal regret in game of inches that turned into another loss
Pat Narduzzi desperately was seeking positive news Monday when he met with reporters two days after Pitt’s seventh loss in its past eight games. Here’s one: Players are still running fast. The GPS tracker that measures running velocity during the game identified 32 players who clocked more than 18 mph...
Pitt’s Zack Austin ready to confront the ‘cool people’ of North Carolina A&T
Zack Austin tried not to sound cocky when he was asked about his history with North Carolina A&T. But he couldn’t lie. “I’m undefeated. I’m 2-0,” he said. “I know a couple people on their team. They’re cool people.” Austin will get a chance to boost his personal winning streak...
2023-24 women’s basketball preview: Pitt, Duquesne, Robert Morris aim to contend
The women’s basketball teams at Pitt, Duquesne and Robert Morris open their 2023-24 seasons this week looking to contend in the ACC, Atlantic 10 and Horizon League, respectively. All three have added talent from the transfer portal and welcome freshman recruits expected to contribute. Here’s a look at the three...
Analysis: Penalties, complaints about officials, offensive misery remain troubling issues for Pitt
In the aftermath of another day of misery for Pitt’s football team, quarterback Christian Veilleux made remarks that underscored three of the many issues plaguing the team: Penalties, complaints about penalties and — the most important one — an inability to generate offense. Pat Narduzzi is coaching an undisciplined team....
Mistakes cost Pitt in 24-7 loss to No. 4 Florida State
Only two years removed from holding up the ACC championship trophy, Pat Narduzzi was the picture of a coach beaten down by defeat Saturday night. He spoke softly, appeared almost subdued, perhaps bewildered by what has befallen his team, certainly disappointed after the 24-7 loss to No. 4 Florida State...
Off-court values matter to Pitt basketball’s new-look team as much as talent on court
When Guillermo Diaz Graham is asked about the second season of what he hopes will be the steady reincarnation of Pitt basketball, he speaks first of values off the court. “We stay together. We show up every day. We make no excuses. Also, we are family,” the sophomore from the...
Pitt Take 5: Panthers must tame Florida State defensive end, Pennsylvania native Jared Verse
The only answer Pat Narduzzi could offer was something about post-Halloween magic. For whatever reason, Pitt hasn’t lost a game in November (8-0 the past two seasons) since Nov. 28, 2020, a 52-17 setback at Clemson. The Panthers haven’t lost a November home game since Nov. 30, 2019, a 26-19...
Former Pitt defensive back Louis Riddick warns Panthers of ‘very, very motivated’ Seminoles
Louis Riddick played for and worked side by side with many coaches during a football career that spanned four decades. He has seen the game through the lens of a player, scout, front office boss and now an ESPN analyst. • First, there was Mike Gottfried in the late 1980s...
After the death of Bobby Knight, Jeff Capel coached Pitt ‘with a little bit of a heavy heart’
Pitt coach Jeff Capel can be counted among the many in college basketball who competed against — and admired — Bobby Knight, who died Wednesday at the age of 83. “Coach Knight has meant so much to the game of basketball,” said Capel, who admitted to coaching his team Wednesday...
U mad, bro?: Steelers, Pitt, Penguins are all a mess. The refs stink too. And our readers are fed up
When the NFL referees stink during a Steelers loss, that takes some of the heat off of the Steelers themselves. When the Steelers lose, that takes a lot of the heat off the Penguins if they are struggling. And if the Penguins are struggling, the Steelers are losing, and either...
Pitt dominates Pitt-Johnstown, 96-60, in tuneup exhibition
Pitt called its game Wednesday night against Division II Pitt-Johnstown an exhibition for a reason. The 96-60 Pitt victory at Petersen Events Center does not count on the Panthers’ overall record, and the outcome mattered less to coach Jeff Capel and his staff than the process employed in securing the...
Offensive coordinator Frank Cignetti Jr. keeps his spirits up while helping navigate Pitt through difficult season
The one, unmistakable takeaway gleaned from a chat with Pitt offensive coordinator Frank Cignetti Jr. is this: There is no need to wish him a great day. He’s already having one. “Every day’s a great day,” he said, sporting a broad smile, after he had spent nearly 15 minutes Wednesday...
Hits keep on coming toward Pitt’s Christian Veilleux, but he hopes to use them as learning tools
In an eight-minute chat with reporters, Pitt quarterback Christian Veilleux made four references to one specific aspect of playing his position: • “I have to stand back there and take a hit.” • “(Learn) to be comfortable, be willing to take a hit.” • “Even if you have to take...
Pitt set to welcome Pitt-Johnstown to the Pete for exhibition game
With coach Jeff Capel entering his sixth season at Pitt, the Panthers will welcome Pitt-Johnstown to the Petersen Events Center at 7 p.m. Wednesday for an exhibition game that signals the unofficial opening of the basketball season. It’s basically a tuneup for the first game that counts Monday against North...
Florida State quarterback Jordan Travis presents unique challenge for Pitt
Charlie Partridge always picks his words carefully when he speaks to anyone — players or reporters — and he caught himself Tuesday when he was asked about Florida State quarterback Jordan Travis. “I’m certainly not going to compare him to (Patrick) Mahomes, but some of the out-of-position throws that he...
Pitt AD Heather Lyke praises Pat Narduzzi for accountability after postgame comments
Pitt athletic director Heather Lyke told TribLive on Tuesday that she respects coach Pat Narduzzi for apologizing after his postgame comments at Notre Dame suggested he has not done a good enough job restocking the roster. “I greatly respect and appreciate Pat taking accountability for his postgame comments,” Lyke said....
ACC releases 17-team football scheduling format, easing west coast travel for each school
With the ACC expanding westward in 2024, adding California, Stanford and SMU, the conference released its new, 17-team scheduling format for the next seven seasons Monday night. The conference alleviated some schools’ fear of excessive travel by mandating that the current 14 schools will play a total of only three...
Pat Narduzzi speaks of his apology to Pitt’s players after post-Notre Dame remarks
Saying “I’m sorry” couldn’t have been easy for Pat Narduzzi in the aftermath of his remarks questioning the makeup of Pitt’s roster and, in effect, his players’ ability. But he shouldered that burden almost as soon as he boarded the plane Saturday night after the epic 58-7 beatdown by Notre...
Analysis: After Pitt’s 51-point loss to Notre Dame, will Pat Narduzzi’s remarks rub some players wrong?
A week ago, there was understandable concern about how or if Pitt could recover from the bitter loss to Wake Forest. After Saturday’s historically bad 58-7 loss to Notre Dame, there’s evidence to suggest what happened in Winston-Salem, N.C., affected events seven days later in South Bend, Ind. Yet Pat...
