Analysis: Did Pitt's Pat Narduzzi wait too long to change quarterbacks?

The question that was not asked of Pat Narduzzi as Saturday night turned into Sunday morning was the one on the minds of many social media denizens:

What took so long, Pat?

Narduzzi’s dramatic upheaval at Pitt’s quarterback position preceded a 38-21 upset victory against now-No. 21 and previously undefeated Louisville. Six games into the season, the game’s most important position is stabilized — at least for one week.

I didn’t ask the question for two reasons:

• Narduzzi wouldn’t have answered it to the fans’ satisfaction because he would believe — accurately, in my estimation — that it would be unfair to Phil Jurkovec. The Pine-Richland graduate lost his starting job less than halfway through his last year of collegiate eligibility. Narduzzi is not the type of coach to publicly embarrass one of his players.

• There’s no solid evidence Pitt would have won any of those four games with Christian Veilleux under center. Narduzzi set up Veilleux for success, making the change at the off week with a home game next on the schedule. Plus, the defense was finally at its best against Louisville.

Could Veilleux have made a difference at West Virginia, where the Mountaineers only scored 17 and Pitt never crossed the goal line? Maybe. But was he ready to make his first start in a hostile environment? Pitt’s coaches told themselves, “No.”

Besides, Pitt had played only two games to that point. Narduzzi believed — rightly or wrongly — that his starting quarterback deserved more rope.

Could Veilleux, in his first start, have outdueled North Carolina’s Drake Maye, who threw for 296 yards and directed an offense that played a big role in the 41-24 victory?

What about in Blacksburg, another unfriendly venue for visitors? Could Pitt have outscored Virginia Tech in a game it eventually lost 38-21? Jurkovec opened that game by throwing a 75-yard touchdown pass to Bub Means, offering false hope.

Related:

• M.J. Devonshire's pick-6 leads Pitt to upset of undefeated Louisville
• Pitt notebook: Is Christian Veilleux the answer to the Panthers' quarterback quandary?

All that being said, Veilleux has all the tangibles — and intangibles, according to Means — to succeed over the second half of the season. He speaks calmly but confidently, carries himself like he’s been there before and throws a pretty ball.

“That’s my dawg,” Means graphically remarked Saturday after making four catches — twice as many as he’d had in any previous game this season — for 71 yards. “He’s got a little swag about him that a quarterback gotta have. I like his swag. I like his game. I like his preparation. I like his work ethic. Christian’s a baller. Christian, he does bring a different type of leadership to us.”

When given time and comfort in the pocket, Veilleux looks like he can be Pitt’s quarterback of today and tomorrow. On his 31-yard touchdown pass to Konata Mumpfield, he couldn’t have made it any easier for his wide receiver if he had run up to him and placed the football in his arms.

The more pertinent question is this: Can Veilleux lead Pitt to at least a 5-2 finishing stretch — the only way the Panthers can be bowl eligible? Nationally ranked No. 15 Notre Dame, No. 4 Florida State and No. 16 Duke remain on the schedule, with two of those games in South Bend, Ind., and Durham, N.C. Plus, Pitt must win each of the other three — at Wake Forest next Saturday, against Boston College at home and versus Syracuse in Yankee Stadium.

While settling into a leadership role, Veilleux should be better than he was against Louisville when he completed fewer than half of his passes (12 of 26). But he still needs a running game as support. Rodney Hammond and C’Bo Flemister played well enough, but they needed 24 carries to total 77 yards. Also, getting veteran center Jake Kradel back from injury would help the cause immensely.

In any case, Veilleux’s emergence has made the second half of the season worth watching.