Pitt Postgame: all eyes on SUMBB

[Blanko97]

The pitiful run blocking of our OL has been lost in all the discussions about our QB situation. It's gonna be tough for any QB to succeed if we can't establish some semblance of a running game.

It’s tough to establish a run game when you can’t pass the ball. Chicken or egg.

 

[OrangePA]

yes but compared to what

Compared to Collins. Obviously, that’s not saying much.

 

[Irt4su]

What exactly were they doing for two weeks that this was the offensive game plan?

My guess is that they all went home or away w their families and said “see you in two Saturdays, don’t forget the Gatorade”

 

[OburgOrange]

It could be worse?

 

[Cusefan69]

So the discussion here begins and ends with the series before half. Indefensible. Kyle McCord isn’t in that huddle. Rickie is not getting points on the board backed up inside the 25 with ;30 on the clock. Take a knee and get to the locker room. Pitt isn’t calling their TOS there- they’re getting the ball to start the second.

I cannot wrap my head around the decision to keep throwing the ball after Rickie almost threw a pick on first down. That was some junior high school game management. Fran needs to own it in the post game presser. He’s had a horrible week.

I can live with the flip flopping on Carney. It looked to me that Carney was operating on a very limited playbook. It looked they tried to insert him to spark the offense and when it didn’t work, they went back to Rickie.

I thought Rickie actually started to settle down a bit when he got back in, but I don’t see him as a long term solution.

If the staff thought replacing Rickie was a plausible outcome tonight, I hope they gave Carney enough reps during the week. It didn’t look like it to me.

The QB position is a bit of a train wreck right now. And our best playmakers can’t get the ball.

This ^^^^

 

[Forza Azzurri]

So the discussion here begins and ends with the series before half. Indefensible. Kyle McCord isn’t in that huddle. Rickie is not getting points on the board backed up inside the 25 with ;30 on the clock. Take a knee and get to the locker room. Pitt isn’t calling their TOS there- they’re getting the ball to start the second.

I cannot wrap my head around the decision to keep throwing the ball after Rickie almost threw a pick on first down. That was some junior high school game management. Fran needs to own it in the post game presser. He’s had a horrible week.

I can live with the flip flopping on Carney. It looked to me that Carney was operating on a very limited playbook. It looked they tried to insert him to spark the offense and when it didn’t work, they went back to Rickie.

I thought Rickie actually started to settle down a bit when he got back in, but I don’t see him as a long term solution.

If the staff thought replacing Rickie was a plausible outcome tonight, I hope they gave Carney enough reps during the week. It didn’t look like it to me.

The QB position is a bit of a train wreck right now. And our best playmakers can’t get the ball.

Oline was covidesque...5 holding and 3 false start penalties...

I don't think it changes the outcome but they certainly contributed their fair share of dismal play.

 

[Millhouse]

Compared to Collins. Obviously, that’s not saying much.

Mainly just an excuse to make a les McCann reference

 

[Hawknate2]

Yes you are. He made one good throw and under threw another 4 balls, 2 of which should have been INTs, one was but we can claim wasn’t his fault. He looked bad.

Notably, I still think he bad, but he looked better, namely he actually looked willing to scramble, which is going to be key if we want to look remotely competent going forward.

 

[Millhouse]

Notably, I still think he bad, but he looked better, namely he actually looked willing to scramble, which is going to be key if we want to look remotely competent going forward.

One read and go

 

[Hawknate2]

One read and go

One read and go is notably still better than 1 read and Chuck it or one read and stand around until you get sacked.

 

[OburgOrange]

 

[Scooch]

One read and go is notably still better than 1 read and Chuck it or one read and stand around until you get sacked.

That only worked because Pitt was sitting back and there were running lanes open. It’s no surprise at all that the only times Collins has looked remotely competent is late in the game when the D is playing soft to prevent quick scores. That’s a practice D, something it’s obvious Collins is best against.

When the D is aggressive, quarters 1 through 3, Collins is terrible. And it ain’t gonna change. He stinks.

 

[OttoinGrotto]

WHY is Luke Carney doing the post game presser? He does not look happy. Further humiliation by HCFB? I don't get it. Almost bizarre. How quickly does he enter the portal? 12:01am on Jan 2? It's almost as if Fran is daring the fans to be supportive of his decision making.

Wait, seriously? Bizarre decision to throw Carney out to the press.

 

[FloridaCuse]

Wait, seriously? Bizarre decision to throw Carney out to the press.

Agree. I'm surpised this isn't being talked about more.

 

[OrlandoCuse]

Fans losing their minds in this thread. I find it hysterical. This season was always going to be an uphill battle based on the most difficult road schedule in the history of the program. Then you add your only experienced QB going down to a season ending injury, what do you expect?

I still think we bounce back next year with an easier schedule and a deeper, healthier team. I’ll give Fran a pass on this year. It’s a minor miracle if he’s able to scrap out 5 wins.

 

[AZOrange]

Agree. I'm surpised this isn't being talked about more.

I take it as a sign of what is coming

 

[OttoinGrotto]

Fans losing their minds in this thread. I find it hysterical. This season was always going to be an uphill battle based on the most difficult road schedule in the history of the program. Then you add your only experienced QB going down to a season ending injury, what do you expect?

I still think we bounce back next year with an easier schedule and a deeper, healthier team. I’ll give Fran a pass on this year. It’s a minor miracle if he’s able to scrap out 5 wins.

I expect to look like a competent football team.

Between the complete lack of offense and the baffling decisions by the staff like the end of the half, we don't look competent.

 

[OrangeTarheel]

It occurred to me at some point in the 3rd quarter that if you take out the short field interception and the stupid ending of the first half (coaches fault, but due to unrealistic expectations of Rickie) we’d have been up 7-6. And IMHO those 7 points belonged to the defense anyway.

Even if all agree that Carney is only ever going to be undersized and underdeveloped quarterback with a limited playbook who we have to play conservatively (we don’t), I see that as an improvement over a QB that is routinely thrust into places that backfire.

Also, Fran, Nixon, if you’re going to play Rickie please stop with all the go routes and long balls. I get that the kid has an arm, but you tell us he needs development and then call difficult throws when the other teams know he’s got limited reads. The top receivers consistently end up in double and sometimes triple coverage.

I only watched the highlights on YT but the announcers kept saying “difficult throw!” when Rickie completed one. I couldn’t tell if they were ACTUALLY difficult throws or they were just trying to pump up the (lack of) excitement.

Just saw the final passing numbers and …. Yeesh! Brutal. Do we not have enough staff to train Collins AND Carney at the same time? In the post game press conference Fran indicated Like just doesn’t know much of the playbook yet? Or he’s not capable of learning it yet? So many questions here …

 

[OttosShoes]

I only watched the highlights on YT but the announcers kept saying “difficult throw!” when Rickie completed one. I couldn’t tell if they were ACTUALLY difficult throws or they were just trying to pump up the (lack of) excitement.

I mean they were, but "difficult throw" is also the glass half full commentator version of "bad read."

Lots of throws to double coverage and such. For the most part I don't think Rickie's arm is the problem; he's more than capable of dropping dimes. It's the where/when/how that's the issue.

Just saw the final passing numbers and …. Yeesh! Brutal. Do we not have enough staff to train Collins AND Carney at the same time? In the post game press conference Fran indicated Like just doesn’t know much of the playbook yet? Or he’s not capable of learning it yet? So many questions here …

I struggled with this too; a few comments called the playbook thing out as a BS excuse and I'm inclined to believe it. It's like the play calls with Rickie aren't scared enough and with Luke are way too scared.

 

[baggerbob]

I mean they were, but "difficult throw" is also the glass half full commentator version of "bad read."

Lots of throws to double coverage and such. For the most part I don't think Rickie's arm is the problem; he's more than capable of dropping dimes. It's the where/when/how that's the issue.



I struggled with this too; a few comments called the playbook thing out as a BS excuse and I'm inclined to believe it. It's like the play calls with Rickie aren't scared enough and with Luke are way too scared.

We have reached a point in the season where it seems the coaches don't want to change QB's. If they start Luke and he shows he is competent they look bad for staying with Rickie this long.

 

[FloridaCuse]

I expect to look like a competent football team.

Between the complete lack of offense and the baffling decisions by the staff like the end of the half, we don't look competent.

But we can expect a head coach to make competent decisions. And objective ones.

 

[007]

I take it as a sign of what is coming

I think you might be right, AZ. It seemed...purposeful.

 

[Briancuse]

Bringing in Carney makes it even more frustrating. Why the eF go change back?

Trying to send a message to Collins, only thing I can think of.

 

[OrangeTarheel]

Trying to send a message to Collins, only thing I can think of.

I mean is Rickie really that thick that he needs to be benched and have other QBs included in the press conference for him to get the message? Maybe it’s more like easing Carney into the role moreso than trying to send a msg to Rickie. Or both? Sigh

 

[SanDiegoCuse]

Wait, seriously? Bizarre decision to throw Carney out to the press.

I think it means, hey get your feet wet now. You’re starting now.