Tag: Pitt

Former Pitt player alleges Pat Narduzzi called players, opponents ‘thugs’

The former Michigan State defensive coordinator has been accused by multiple players for racist and racially insensitive comments.

Pat Narduzzi could soon find himself in hot water.

The Pittsburgh football coach–and longtime Michigan State defensive coordinator–allegedly has called his players and opponents “thugs” according to former Pitt linebacker Elias Reynolds.

Reynolds, who entered the transfer portal after graduating from Pittsburgh this year, alleges that Narduzzi called him and his teammates thugs for wearing hoodies under team jumpsuits, or wearing hats backwards. Reynolds also alleges Narduzzi would refer to opponents as thugs if he didn’t like their style of play.

Reynolds doesn’t specifically name him, but Narduzzi has been the head coach at Pitt the entire time Reynolds has been at the school. Reynolds also references he and teammates getting called thugs because they wore their Pitt hats backwards. Former Pitt offensive lineman Justin Morgan, who Narduzzi dismissed from the team in 2018, replied to the tweet while adding his own story with Narduzzi. Morgan alleges Narduzzi told him to cut his dreads.

“Thug,”–literally defined by Google dictionary as, “a violent person, especially a criminal.”–has taken on a racial connotation in recent years as a way to degradingly refer to a black person. Former Cleveland Cavaliers and Michigan Basketball Coach John Beilein was forced to resign from his job as head coach for the Cavs after he described the players as, “playing like thugs,” during a film session.

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Watch: My Guesses of Notre Dame’s Greatest Long Runs

Notre Dame released their team-ranked ten best long runs in program history. Take a jog down memory lane as Jeff Feyerer guesses the ten.

Notre Dame Football is keeping their COVID-19/offseason programming strong with their Top 10 lists.

The latest is a review of the Top 10 Long Touchdown Runs in Notre Dame history.

I’m going to go ahead and take a stab at what runs are on there before watching, embed the video and then review.

I’m not going to get all of them because some of it depends on what their definition of long is, but in some order I’m guessing:

  • Tony Jones Camping World run from last season
  • A Bettis vs Florida in the Sugar Bowl run
  • Reggie Brooks ’93 vs USC or Michigan
  • Ray Zellars vs Purdue ’94
  • Denson vs Michigan ’98
  • A Josh Adams long-strider
  • Dexter Williams vs Virginia Tech ’18
  • something from the 1988-1990 time period when it was more a stable of backs
  • A Pinkett/Vagas Ferguson era run
  • A piece of grainy footage from yesteryear

Let’s see how I did!

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Notre Dame Offers Top 2022 New York Prospect

Kaleb Artis is starting to gain interest from some big-time programs. Notre Dame joined the growing list to offer the d-tackle on Monday.

Notre Dame made an offer for the 2022 recruiting class Monday morning, extended a hand to defensive tackle Kaleb Artis of St. Francis Prepatory School in Fresh Meadows, New York.

Artis is listed at 6-5, 260 pounds and grades out as a three-star prospect on 247Sports.

The 2022 prospect has also received offers from the likes of Boston College, Nebraska, Pittsburgh, Syracuse, Tennessee as well as a few others.  Artis is ranked as the second best prospect in all of New York state in the 2022 class.

Notre Dame Offers a top 2022 Cornerback

Keenan Nelson now has 15 offers with some big-time players as you’d expect including Georgia, Penn State, Miami, Tennessee, Virginia Tech, Pitt and Michigan State among others.

Notre Dame continues to try and shape the 2022 recruiting class as they offered a scholarship to one of the nation’s top corner backs in the class Monday morning.

Keenan Nelson, Jr. of St. Joseph’s Prep School in Philadelphia was officially offered by the Irish and let the world know on Twitter.

Nelson is listed at 6-1, 200 pounds and as a four-star corner back.  247Sports ranks him as the 60th best player in the 2022 class and ninth best corner.

Nelson now has 15 offers with some big-time players as you’d expect including Georgia, Penn State, Miami, Tennessee, Virginia Tech, Pitt and Michigan State among others.

If you’d like to know more about the latest Notre Dame offer you can watch his sophomore year highlight video below.

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Winter College Football: Crazy or Not That Crazy of Proposal?

Part of that solution involves using East Tennessee State’s “Mini-Dome” which now serves as a practice facility.  That’s the route Mandell is willing to go make something work in having a college football season, so like many proposals you can see how this would be far-fetched from the get-go.  Regardless, Mandell proposed the following to Notre Dame this 2020, er, check that, first of two 2021 seasons, which would start with all of college football on New Year’s Day:

When pressed about his team lacking talent at offensive tackle for a number of years, former Chicago Bears general manager Jerry Angelo once snapped back at the media and asked “How ’bout a few solutions!?” as he’d grown sick of questions.

Well, in regards to the 2020 College Football season that could be anything from cancelled entirely, to postponed a month or six weeks, or even starting on time in front of no fans.  What do you do about that problem?  You start trying to find a solution, something The Athletic did Tuesday morning.

The well-respected Stewart Mandell breaks down a ton of the issues including timing of games, the NFL Draft and perhaps most interesting in all of it, usable local venues to keep games from being played in extreme conditions.

Part of that solution involves using East Tennessee State’s “Mini-Dome” which now serves as a practice facility.  That’s the route Mandell is willing to go make something work in having a college football season, so like many proposals you can see how this would be far-fetched from the get-go.  Regardless, Mandell proposed the following to Notre Dame this 2020, er, check that, first of two 2021 seasons, which would start with all of college football on New Year’s Day:

The Athletic’s Theoretical Notre Dame Winter Schedule:
Jan. 1 vs. Navy (Detroit, Ford Field)
Jan. 9 vs. Wisconsin (Milwaukee, Miller Park)
Jan. 16 vs. Wake Forest (Eastern Tennessee State, Mini-Dome)
Jan. 23 vs. Pitt (Detroit, Ford Field)
Jan. 30 vs. Stanford (Indianapolis, Lucas Oil Stadium)
Feb. 6 vs. Duke (Indianapolis, Lucas Oil Stadium)
Feb. 13 vs. Clemson (Notre Dame Stadium)
Feb. 20 at Georgia Tech (at GT or Mercedes Benz Stadium)
Feb. 27 vs. Louisville (Notre Dame Stadium)
March 13 at USC (The Coliseum) 

The season gets cut to ten instead of 12 games with the elimination of Arkansas and Western Michigan from the schedule. It’s crazy to look at but hey, props to Mandell for at least offering a solution, or an attempt at one anyway to the problem.  He closes by saying himself: “let this exercise be a glimmer of hope for a creative and entertaining alternative” so no shots here whatsoever, just a few questions.

-Detroit and Indianapolis essentially turn into Notre Dame’s home field for 40% of their games.  Makes logistical sense but only makes me more upset at the city of Chicago for not putting a dome on the disaster that is Soldier Field but we can leave that for another day.

-Even if social distancing or groups of only a few thousand people are allowed to start, why do games have to be played indoors to start?  I know it’s great to think optimistically about weather changing for the better but February 13 in South Bend will unlikely be any better than February 6, which is forced to a dome.  I would LOVE to see Clemson play up north outdoors then though.

-I can’t stop laughing thinking about playing in this converted dome at ETSU.  Almost rooting for it now.

Some silliness to it but if things can’t get started until January and schedules get shortened there won’t be any choice but to have something extremely different.  Here’s to hoping it all somehow settles and things start with some sense of normalcy come Labor Day weekend.

You Can Now Watch All 1993 Home Games Now Online

1993 was a magical year for Notre Dame. You can now watch every home game from that season here.

In either 1990 or ’91 I remember starting to watch Notre Dame football and liking them.  If I didn’t catch all the game I remember the old SportsChannel in Chicago replaying the condensed versions the following Sunday.  It was then I probably knew I would always be a bigger college football fan than professional football fan.

By the time 1992 came around my fandom grew to the point my grandpa who lived in Northwest Indiana would mail me the local newspapers of the Notre Dame and college football preview sections.

And then 1993 happened and it took me from liking Notre Dame and the first teams I watched with Rick Mirer and Jerome Bettis to a whole next level.  It also went hand in hand with the local high school team that would eventually go unbeaten and win the state championship.

It didn’t get much better than watching the Coal City Coalers dominate on Friday night and then watching Notre Dame do the same on Saturday.

Now Notre Dame has made the home part of that season available on YouTube, posting every home game from the year online.

Every home game from that season is now available and maybe, just maybe, we’ll have some fun with that in the weeks to come at Fighting Irish Wire in our own unique way.  In the meantime here are the links to the 1993 home games:

Sept. 4 – No. 7 Notre Dame vs. Northwestern

Sept. 18 – No. 4 Notre Dame vs. Michigan State

Oct. 9 – No. 4 Notre Dame vs. Pitt

Oct. 23 – No. 2 Notre Dame vs. USC

Nov. 13 – No. 2 Notre Dame vs. No. 1 Florida State (we’ve been told this day was fun)

Nov. 20 – No. 1 Notre Dame vs. No. 17 Boston College (this one comes with a warning for all Notre Dame fans – seriously, props to them for having the guts to post it as well.  Had I been in charge I would have “mistakenly” forgotten the link)

So if you’re looking for something to watch all of the 1993 season is now available, at least in terms of home games.  It’d be nice to see them somehow get rights to add the Michigan game and Cotton Bowl win over Texas A&M as well.

Quick Lane Bowl: Pittsburgh vs. Eastern Michigan odds, picks and best bets

Previewing Thursday’s Quick Lane Bowl between the Pittsburgh Panthers and Eastern Michigan Eagles, with betting odds, picks, tips and bets.

The Pittsburgh Panthers (7-5) and Eastern Michigan Eagles (6-6) tangle in the Quick Lane Bowl Thursday. Kickoff at Ford Field in Detroit is set for 8 p.m. ET. We analyze the Pittsburgh-Eastern Michigan odds and betting lines, while providing college football betting tips and advice on this matchup.

Pittsburgh vs. Eastern Michigan: Three things you need to know

1. Pittsburgh’s bowl history goes all the way back to the 1927 Rose Bowl, a game it lost 7-6 to Stanford. The Panthers also fell to Stanford 31-24 in the Sun Bowl last season. They’ll be more than happy to face anyone else. This will be Pitt’s first-ever bowl game vs. a Mid-American Conference foe.

2. Eastern Michigan makes the short jaunt from Ypsilanti to downtown Detroit for its fourth bowl game in school history. The Eagles are 1-2 all-time, falling last season to Georgia Southern in the Camellia Bowl in Birmingham. Their only bowl win was back in 1987 in the California Bowl vs. San Jose State, 30-27.

3. Pitt is 5-1 against the spread in the past six non-conference games, and 4-1 ATS in the past five vs. MAC opponents. EMU is 17-5 ATS in the past 22 non-conference games, and 17-8 ATS in the past 25 vs. winning teams.

College football season is almost over! Place your bets on this game, or others, at BetMGM now. Place your bets and win, win, win!

Pittsburgh vs. Eastern Michigan: Odds, betting lines and picks

Odds via BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated Wednesday at 2:30 p.m. ET.

Prediction

Pittsburgh 26, Eastern Michigan 17

Moneyline (ML)

Pitt (-435) had a so-so offense this season, but the defense was super stout. As such, the Panthers are expected to roll to a victory against the boys from Eastern Michigan (+325). Even so, the Panthers are just too expensive, when having to risk more than four times your return, especially since this game is right down Interstate 94 from Ypsi.

New to sports betting? A $10 bet on Pitt to win outright would return a profit of just $2.30.

Against the Spread (ATS)

EASTERN MICHIGAN (+11.5, -110) likely isn’t going to win this game, but it is the Eagles’ national championship game. It’s primetime. It’s in their home state. And they have the passing attack to hang with most marginal Power 5 teams, for which Pittsburgh (-11.5, -110) certainly qualifies.

The Eagles were 29th in passing yards per game at 279.7, while posting 29.1 points per game to rank 64th in the land. EMU also has DB Brody Hoying, cousin of former Ohio State standouts Bobby Hoying and Ross Homan, patrolling the secondary. He led the team with four interceptions.

Over/Under (O/U)

UNDER 49.5 (-115) is going to be a strong play for me in this one, also included perhaps as a part of a three-team teaser. The Under is 28-10-1 in Pittsburgh’s last 39 games overall, and 7-1 in the past eight as a favorite. The defense will dictate the pace of the game.

Get some action on this game or others, place a bet with BetMGM today. And for more sports betting picks and tips, visit SportsbookWire.com.

Follow @JoeWilliamsVI and @SportsbookWire on Twitter.

Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services.  Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

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