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Abby Schnable's Pitt football chat: 09.16.25
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Abby Schnable
1:01
Hello everyone and happy Tuesday. It's Pitt's bye week so no game, but the Panthers are coming off a 31-24 loss to West Virginia. There's already a bunch of questions so let's go ahead and get started.
Adam
1:01
What do you think is the biggest area for improvement if Pitt is going to beat Louisville?  Similarly, do you think the first half offense, or the 4th quarter defense, vs WVU is more concerning?
Abby Schnable
1:03
Stephen and I actually talked about this on yesterday's podcast so make sure to check that out. Essentially, I think the most fixable thing is penalties. That's something you can iron out during a bye week and they should. The other big area is the offense needs to get going faster. As fair as vs. WVU, I am way more concerned about first half offense. I can't really knock the defense when they played substantially more time than the offense. By that time they were gassed, which isn't an excuse, but it's hard not to have your level of play drop off in a situation like that.
Guest
1:04
It seems as there are no options for Pitt regarding the head coach due to the length of his contract, meaning there is virtually no repercussions when for the umpteenth time he comes out and says he didn't have them prepared. Very sad when the same mistakes get made over and over.  118 yards in penalties more than doubled their rushing yardage, Inexcusable!
Abby Schnable
1:06
You're not wrong. Some of that blame needs to go on former Athletic Director Heather Lyke for extending Narduzzi the year after Pitt won the ACC. He's here until 2030 per his contract and we've still got five years until that. Doesn't help that his buy out is probably pretty substantial and there's not a lot of extra money these days.
Will
1:07
Oops. Hit the wrong key. I was asking what happened to Cade Bell's uptempo offense? Pitt's offense looked plodding compared to WVU's offense. I was expecting a lot of sweeps, quick passes and reverses and have been very unimpressed with the panther offense.
Abby Schnable
1:09
I think you’re hitting on something a lot of people are noticing. When Bell was hired, the expectation was more tempo, more movement, and some of those quick-hitting concepts to keep defenses off balance. Instead, it’s felt a little static — slower pace, not much of the misdirection or perimeter action people thought we’d see. I can’t totally explain why it looks this way right now. Maybe it’s personnel, maybe they’re still installing, maybe it’s a comfort level thing — but it definitely hasn’t matched what was advertised.
Will
1:09
I think Holstein has regressed as a quarterback since the beginning of last year. He was and is much more effective when he rolls out and gets everyone moving around with him. Lately he's become just another pro style shotgun quarterback. What's your take?
Abby Schnable
1:12
Yeah, I’m with you. He hasn’t really passed the eye test so far this year. He looks less sure of himself, like he’s thinking through things instead of just playing. The confidence and decisiveness that you want to see from a second year start hasn’t really been there. And you’re right, when he’s on the move, he looks more comfortable and effective — or at least he did. For whatever reason, it feels like he’s drifted away from that, and the result has been a version of him that looks hesitant and not nearly as dynamic.
Will
1:12
After watching Pitt's lackluster performance Saturday I'm convinced that they need a motivational speaker as a coach. The camera showed Narduzzi before the game slapping guys on the butt and headgear and saying "let's go" and the players just walked on bye. Every time Pitt plays a game they should obviously win they come out flat. Don't you think they need someone to get the guys motivated for these type of games? I sure don't think Narduzzi gets their adrenaline flowing.
Abby Schnable
1:15
That’s a fair observation. I don’t know if it necessarily comes down to having a “rah-rah” type of coach, but there’s definitely been a noticeable lack of juice in certain games. Some of that falls on the staff for how they prepare and set the tone, but a lot of it also comes down to player leadership. The most consistent programs usually have guys in the locker room who hold everyone accountable and bring that energy, regardless of the opponent. It doesn't help that only two of the five captains were on the field for a majority Saturday's game and those are the guys that often bring that energy.
Darnell Dickerson
1:15
Hi Abby. We know PITT’s late season schedule is tough - FSU and Miami are really good & GT has looked strong. Which of the remaining ACC foes should PITT be most concerned about?
Abby Schnable
1:17
Florida State is the one I've circled. That’s an elite-level team with speed and depth all over the field, and it’s on the road in Tallahassee. Pitt hasn’t shown yet that it can match up consistently against that caliber of talent. If the Panthers aren’t sharper — especially offensively — that game could get away from them quickly.
Jmc
1:18
How was the environment for the game at WV.? Missing Pitt on campus experience
Abby Schnable
1:20
I got this question twice so I'm just going to use this one. I was told that it was a bit less volatile than previous Backyard Brawls (this was my first in WV). It was packed and the fans definitely brought the energy. I spent the last couple minutes on the field and got pushed around a bit, just because of how excited people were. I can't imagine it was an easy environment to come into.
RandyPitt
1:21
Has anyone attempted to coach Eli Holstein on his poor footwork and form? That could explain why he overthrew at least 4 wide open wide receivers by a mile. Am I the only one noticing that the only time Pitt had major success at QB under Narduzzi was when Mark Whipple - an actual QB guru and whisperer - was coaching Kenny?
Abby Schnable
1:25
That’s a good point. Holstein himself has mentioned a few times that he’s been working on his mechanics and footwork, so it’s definitely something that’s been on his radar and, I’d assume, on the staff’s radar too. Whether it’s habit or confidence, it hasn’t shown up consistently in games, and you’re right that it’s led to some misses. As for the broader QB development question, Kenny’s success under Mark Whipple is hard to ignore — Whipple had a long track record with quarterbacks, and Pitt hasn’t had that same kind of specialized “QB guru” presence since.
Will
1:25
Abby, Pitt looked pretty banged up Saturday. Have you gotten any injury updates yet? Was it mostly cramps or are there some serious injuries ? In addition to Reid it looked like several O and D lineman, LB's and DB's went down.
Abby Schnable
1:27
We don't have any media availabilities this week because it's bye week so unfortunately no injury updates. I think a lot of it came from how hard everyone was hitting. We've been told in the past that this rivalry brings out the hatred and I think you saw it in the amount of players going down on the ground. Eli Holstein walked away bloody so there was a lot of heat behind the hits. The only player that went out during that game that I'm slightly concerned about is Reid. He was walking around on the sideline, but it had to have been something significant to take him out all together. Good thing is starting next week we get injury reports!
Bruce
1:28
Well, another Brawl results in a wild finish. I don't believe Pitt should have punted on the late 4th down. I
Abby Schnable
1:30
I agree. I didn’t love the decision to punt there. In a rivalry game like that, with how momentum was swinging, I thought it was the moment to stay aggressive and trust the offense to get those yards. Playing it safe ended up giving WVU the window they needed. Stephen actually wrote about this on Sunday, so I'd go take a look at that, too.
DJ
1:31
Holstein looks like he is not ready for any big moments.  I know he was under duress quite a bit but even when he wasn't he missed some wide open receivers.  What are the odds we see someone else working in?
Abby Schnable
1:32
In 2023, Pitt made a change at quarterback after five games when Phil Jurkovec struggled, so it’s not unheard of. Cole Gonzales knows the system, and Pat Narduzzi has consistently spoken highly of Mason Heintschel. That said, they’ve been pretty committed to Eli, and the sense I get is that it would take a really rough, extended stretch for him to lose the starting job outright. Maybe you see situational reps for someone else, but a full-on switch feels unlikely in the near term.
Bruce
1:33
I'm not sure why everyone was convinced that this game was going to be such a cakewalk. W
Abby Schnable
1:34
It goes back to West Virginia's loss to Ohio and losing the top two offensive options. Pitt also has a continuity and talent advantage. I didn't think it'd be a blow out, but there was very little reason to think the Panthers wouldn't win. Unfortunately, WVU was underestimated and Pitt was probably over estimated.
Orest
1:34
Will coaching Narduzzi be required to provide injury updates prior to ACC games based on recent ACC mandates
Abby Schnable
1:35
Yes! He'll be required to submit three injury reports a week. Two days before game day, one day before game day and two hours before kick off.
JR
1:35
Pitt is in deep trouble. My pre season prediction was 7-5. After losing to a terrible WVU team best guess is an optimistic 6-6. Pitt will lose to GT, FSU, Miami, and ND. Your thoughts?
Abby Schnable
1:37
I can see where you’re coming from. I still think 7-5 isn’t out of the question, but realistically, it’s going to be tough for Pitt to avoid another slip-up outside of WVU, FSU, GT, Miami, and ND unless they really clean things up fast. Right now, consistency has been the issue, so a lot will depend on whether they can turn that around in the next few games. I think we'll learn a lot from Louisville next week.
Bruce
1:37
Any concerns about Reid's durability? He's tremendously talented, but can he stay on the field?
Abby Schnable
1:40
Yes, there are definitely some concerns. Reid is tremendously talented, but at 5’10” and around 185 pounds — that size, combined with the physical style he plays, makes durability something to keep an eye on. He already missed most of the WVU game this season, and we can’t forget the games he missed last year. Staying on the field consistently is going to be a real question mark.
Bruce
1:41
I read it and I watched you and Stephen on the Post-Gazette YouTube. It's really good. Thanks for doing it! I recommend it!
Abby Schnable
1:41
Hey, we really appreciate the support. It's been a fun new venture for the both of us. Really glad you've been enjoying it!
DJ
1:42
Facing a team with 81 new players, a new coach (and staff), their best offensive player out and coming off a decisive loss to a MAC school, Pitt should be embarrassed.  Pretty sure Central Catholic Vikings could have taken out wvu!
Abby Schnable
1:42
I agree. That performance was hard to watch. With so many factors stacked against WVU, Pitt really should have dominated. Watching them struggle like that was disappointing, to say the least.
1:45
I don't have anymore questions in my queue, but we still have about 15 minutes so now's your chance. If there's no more football related ones, I'm happy to take questions on basketball or volleyball!
Fort Mac
1:47
What does Pitt Volleyball need to do to actually win a game in the Final Four?  I really thought last year was their year.
Abby Schnable
1:48
I think a lot of people thought last year was their year. The issue then seemed to be peaking too early in the season, which definitely isn’t happening this year. The Panthers can’t just rely on Olivia Babcock like they have in the past two Final Fours — they need balanced contributions across the lineup, consistent serving and to limit unforced errors. Depth and execution under pressure are going to be key if they want to get over the hump. I think they have a lot of depth this year so that's a plus.
Bruce
1:50
I have a volleyball question. The Panthers are playing their last season at the Field House and moving over to Victory Heights. I believe the new venue is a bit smaller. Will it be large enough for the volleyball team or will they need to be playing more games at the Pete?
Abby Schnable
1:51
The NCAA rules allow teams to play up to two games outside their designated home court, so that gives Pitt some flexibility if they need a larger venue for high-profile matchups. This year the two games are SMU and Louisville. And yes, Victory Heights seats about 1,000 less than the Fitz. I'll be curious how the program handles that as I'm sure there will be a good amount of unhappy fans.
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