SB Nation Pittsburgh - Youngstown State Vs. Pitt: Panthers Lose To Penguins, 31-17https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/48827/pitt-fv.png2012-09-04T08:01:03-04:00http://pittsburgh.sbnation.com/rss/stream/30449752012-09-04T08:01:03-04:002012-09-04T08:01:03-04:00After Loss To Youngstown State, Pitt Football Fans Need To Face Reality
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<p>Pitt fans have the right to be angry and embarrassed after Saturday's loss to Youngstown State, but they shouldn't be surprised. </p> <p>As time ticked away at a mostly-barren Heinz Field on Saturday evening, the Pitt Panthers weren’t serenaded by a chorus of boos. There was no one was left to boo. The damage had been done. Pitt was manhandled by the vastly inferior Youngstown State Penguins, and now, the backlash is in full force.</p>
<p>There are many words to describe Saturday’s loss. Embarrassing. Frustrating. Soul-crushing. Pitt fans, players, and coaches no doubt feel all of those things today. However, I’ll offer you one word that fans shouldn’t use to describe the loss: unexpected. Is it surprising when an FBS team loses to an FCS team? Yes. Is Pitt the type of team to play down to inferior opponents? Yes. Anyone remember Tyler Palko throwing three interceptions in Athens, Ohio in September 2005? Remember that team started out 0-3 after a trip to the Fiesta Bowl the previous year, and finished 5-6? How about barely scraping by at home against The Citadel? Or the loss to Bowling Green, with “13-9” fresh in everyone’s minds? In any case, Pitt has a history of not blowing out inferior opposition. Those games were devastating. They were embarrassing. And they were most certainly soul-crushing.</p>
<p>But I think this team deserves a little more leeway than previous teams.</p>
<p>The players and coaches won’t make excuses, but if they wanted to, they’d have plenty. Four coaches in three seasons is a good place to start. Its something no other team in college football has had to endure. Most of the players on this team have had to learn three separate playbooks in three successive seasons. There has been no stability or continuity.</p>
<p>Not only has there been no stability or leadership, but the depth and recruiting have suffered because of the carousel of coaches. He Who Shall Not Be Named put together a decent class last season, and Paul Chryst managed to keep its core together (Shell, Voytik, Pitts), but it will take a few years before these guys make an impact. What Pitt has now is a bunch of players who have been in the NCAA version of limbo for the last three years. Its comparable to moving your child to different school districts for three straight years. It takes time to adjust. It takes time to fit in. It takes time to find an open seat at the lunch table. I imagine <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/players/37486/tino-sunseri">Tino Sunseri</a> taking a really long time doing this.</p>
<p>Look, not only are the players adapting to yet another change, but the lack of talent is evident. Dave Wannstedt was able to recruit some NFL-caliber players that would often win in spite of his coaching abilities (or lack thereof). And even with all that talent, the Panthers would still find ways to lose. Looking at the current roster, I don't see that much NFL talent. The only surefire name I see is <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/players/75526/ray-graham">Ray Graham</a>. And is he as dynamic and explosive as <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/players/6073/lesean-mccoy">LeSean McCoy</a>? Not even close. Plus, he’s coming off an ACL tear. Who else is there? <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/players/114254/aaron-donald">Aaron Donald</a>? K’Waun Williams? There just isn’t enough talent to overcome turnovers, poor offensive play, and general mistakes and inexperience. I know many Pitt fans will skip over this sentence, but it will take years for Chryst to rebuild this program. And instead of calling for him to be fired after one game, we should give him time, because there is a lot to be done.</p>
<p>I’m barely going to mention the play of the offense or the defense from Saturday's game (if you can actually call what we saw on Saturday “defense”). Both were substandard. Too many turnovers on offense. Too many opportunities to get off the field on third down were squandered by the defense.</p>
<p>Sunseri didn’t lose the game, but he was far from brilliant. His performance was what I like to call “Bill Stull Adequate.” Although Stull probably would have won. Sunseri is a senior and his offense scores 17 points. That doesn’t cut it. It's embarrassing how low our standards are for the senior quarterback.</p>
<p>But its okay to be embarrassed, Pitt fans. It's okay to be angry. We all are. However, we shouldn’t act surprised. If being a Pitt fan has taught us all one thing, its that this team will find new ways to surprise us in terrible and creative ways.</p>
<p><i>For more on Pitt football, check out <a href="http://cardiachill.com">Cardiac Hill</a></i>.</p>
https://pittsburgh.sbnation.com/2012/9/4/3290419/pitt-football-youngstown-statePat O'Mahony2012-09-03T12:04:37-04:002012-09-03T12:04:37-04:00Ray Graham Injury: Pitt RB Was 'Scheduled To Get 25 Carries' In Youngstown State Loss
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<p><a href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/players/75526/ray-graham" class="sbn-auto-link">Ray Graham</a> didn't get as much playing time as debut head coach Paul Chryst had hoped in the team's disappointing season-opening loss to Youngstown State, the coach admitted in the Big East coaches' teleconference Monday morning.</p>
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<p>Chryst admitted Ray Graham was schedule to get 25 carries, but he only got 14.</p>
<p>— Jared E. Smith (@JaredSmithCNY) <a data-datetime="2012-09-03T15:39:34+00:00" href="https://twitter.com/JaredSmithCNY/status/242648036193488897">September 3, 2012</a></p>
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<p>Graham, who tore his ACL last season against UConn, was considered a game-time decision Saturday, but ended up carrying the ball 14 times for 71 yards. His early red zone fumble was costly, killing promising Pitt drive, but overall, Chryst was pleased with what he saw out of the senior starter. From <a href="https://twitter.com/JaredSmithCNY">Smith's Twitter: </a></p>
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<p>I thought he did some good things. I think he trusted himself. The best thing was that his confidence grew. I thought overall it was good to get him going. I still think he can make a lot more strides. We are over a big hump, a big hurdle.</p>
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<p>Graham will presumably start again next week against a more traditionally tough opponent in Cincinnati.</p>
<p><i>For more on Pitt football, head over to <a href="http://cardiachill.com">Cardiac Hill</a></i><i> and continue to check out <a href="http://pittsburgh.sbnation.com">SB Nation Pittsburgh </a></i><i>for updates.</i></p>
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https://pittsburgh.sbnation.com/2012/9/3/3289037/ray-graham-injury-pitt-youngstown-stateRodger Sherman2012-09-03T11:20:54-04:002012-09-03T11:20:54-04:00Youngstown State Vs. Pitt: Tino Sunseri Appears To Make Strides
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<p>Pitt might have looked awful in its season opener against FCS Youngstown State, but <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/players/37486/tino-sunseri" class="sbn-auto-link">Tino Sunseri</a> doesn't necessarily deserve to take the fall for his team's poor performance.</p>
<p>Panthers blog Cardiac Hill says<a href="http://www.cardiachill.com/2012/9/3/3288034/pitt-football-pittsburgh-panthers-tino-sunseri-ray-graham-injury-youngstown-state-penguins"> the senior signal-caller </a>is a "bright spot" for a Pitt team that struggled to do much well in their first game under new head coach Paul Chryst. The defense couldn't stop the Penguins consistently or force a turnover, while Pitt lost a pair of fumbles in the 31-17 loss, but Sunseri, at least, was consistent.</p>
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<p>In Saturday's game against Youngstown State, Sunseri was 19-30 for 239 yards and a touchdown. As I pointed out in one of the comment threads, if he kept up that pace, he'd end up with more than 3,000 yards completing 63% of his passes if the team got to a bowl game. Heading into the season, any logical Pitt fan would take those numbers.</p>
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<p>Indeed, if he kept those numbers up, Sunseri would have the best season of his career in his third as the starter. While Pitt might have lots and lots of problems to solve should they hope to improve on the season-opening loss to a team from a lower tier, the QB position isn't where they should start. If Pitt keeps losing, however, they might feel the urge to go to <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/players/160702/chad-voytik" class="sbn-auto-link">Chad Voytik</a>, a highly-touted true freshman, in hopes he can get some quality reps early in his young career.</p>
https://pittsburgh.sbnation.com/pittsburgh-panthers/2012/9/3/3288926/youngstown-state-vs-pitt-tino-sunseriRodger Sherman2012-09-03T08:01:16-04:002012-09-03T08:01:16-04:00Big East's Nick Carparelli Lobs Insult At Pitt Football
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<p>Pitt will soon leave the Big East for the ACC, and Big East senior associate commissioner Nick Carparelli <a href="http://content.usatoday.com/communities/campusrivalry/post/2012/09/big-east-commisioner-takes-shot-at-pitt-after-loss/1#.UEQizaN9aUK">couldn't help gloating</a> a bit at Pitt's embarrassing loss to Youngstown State on Saturday.</p>↵<blockquote>↵<p>Nick Carparelli, the Big East's senior associate commissioner, tweeted Saturday afternoon, just as Pittsburgh was wrapping up a 31-17 loss to Youngstown State: "The #BigEast will be a better football conference on the field next year than it has ever been!"</p>↵</blockquote>↵<p><a href="https://twitter.com/NickCarparelli/status/242082745445142528">Carparelli later denied</a> that the comment was a shot at Pitt, but that's ridiculous. That's not especially mature behavior coming from the Big East, particularly given that Pitt is still actually in the conference.</p>↵<p>Besides, as USA Today points out in the link above, the Big East has a glass-houses problem here -- Houston and Memphis, both of which will soon join the conference, lost this week to Texas State and Tennessee-Martin, respectively. Let's just say there are a bunch of Big East schools in various points of transition that don't have a whole lot to be proud of here.</p>↵<p>Via <a href="http://www.cardiachill.com/2012/9/2/3287021/the-big-east-takes-to-twitter-to-celebrate-pitts-loss-because-thats">Cardiac Hill</a>, which is your source for Pitt news.</p>
https://pittsburgh.sbnation.com/2012/9/3/3288253/big-east-nick-carparelli-pitt-footballCharlie Wilmoth2012-09-02T10:47:30-04:002012-09-02T10:47:30-04:00Youngstown State Vs. Pitt: Paul Chryst Reacts To Embarrassing Loss
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<p>Saturday's 31-17 loss to a Football Championship Subdivision program, the Youngstown State Penguins, was a game <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/teams/pittsburgh-panthers" class="sbn-auto-link">Pittsburgh Panthers</a>' first-year head coach Paul Chryst will probably want to forget. In all phases of the game, the Panthers were dominated by the Penguins, and Chryst didn't shy away from that fact in his post-game press conference.</p>
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<p>"I thought tonight, quite honestly, they were the better football team," he said. "We talked about, starting with myself, taking ownership of this, and we certainly have to become a better team."</p>
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<p>All in all, there wasn't much Chryst said about Pitt's historical loss, but he did spin one aspect of the contest into good news as he said running back <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/players/75526/ray-graham" class="sbn-auto-link">Ray Graham</a> felt no ill effects from his knee surgery.</p>
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<p>"I love the competitiveness of Ray," Chryst said. "(The number of carries) was right around what we were hoping to get. I am anxious to see how (Sunday) is for him, but it was good to get him going."</p>
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<div style="overflow: hidden; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; border: medium none;">This week, the Panthers will have a quick turnaround as they will travel to play the <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/teams/cincinnati-bearcats" class="sbn-auto-link">Cincinnati Bearcats</a> on Thursday (8 p.m. ET on ESPN).</div>
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<p><i>For more on the Panthers, check out SB Nation Pitt blog, <a href="http://www.cardiachill.com" target="_blank">Cardiac Hill</a></i>.</p>
https://pittsburgh.sbnation.com/pittsburgh-panthers/2012/9/2/3286836/youngstown-state-vs-pitt-reaction-paul-chryst-panthers-football-schedule-2012Jared E. Smith2012-09-01T22:56:43-04:002012-09-01T22:56:43-04:00Pitt Vs. Youngstown State: Panthers Beaten Handily By FCS Penguins
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<p>I figured Pitt could have some trouble against the FCS Youngstown State Penguins, but didn't think there was much of a chance they'd lose at home. And being disposed of so easily? Not a chance.</p>
<p>But that's exactly what happened with Pitt's two-touchdown loss to Youngstown State, 31-17.</p>
<p>The Panthers actually got off to a good start driving the ball down the field on their first drive until a <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/players/75526/ray-graham">Ray Graham</a> fumble deep in Youngstown State territory took the wind out of the team's sail. I won't profess that the game would have had a different outcome had the team gone on to score a touchdown, but getting behind early after the Penguins went down the field for a score meant Pitt was playing catchup most of the game.</p>
<p>Before the game, head coach Paul Chryst suspended six players for disciplinary reasons - <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/players/160700/rushel-shell">Rushel Shell</a>, <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/players/134013/ronald-jones">Ronald Jones</a>, <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/players/75530/tyrone-ezell">Tyrone Ezell</a>, <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/players/37493/shayne-hale">Shayne Hale</a>, <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/players/114239/anthony-gonzalez">Anthony Gonzalez</a>, and Chris Davis all sat out. The suspensions hurt the team, no doubt, but they weren't the difference. The biggest loss was probably Ezell, who was slated to start. Shell's loss was minimal because Ray Graham played and it's hard to argue that things would have been different if Pitt had those six players.</p>
<p>One of the few bright spots was the play of Tino Sunseri. He's the one many of us have been worried about, but ironically, Sunseri played pretty well. He was 19 of 30 for 239 yards and a touchdown with no interceptions. Those aren't unbelievable numbers, but Pitt will probably take that more often than not.</p>
<p>Youngstown State simply was the better team tonight - by a lot. And if Pitt's season is going to turn around, the effort on both sides of the ball needs to improve significantly. On offense, the Panthers didn't score enough points. And on defense, the team not only had a difficult time stopping Youngstown State, but they couldn't force a single turnover.</p>
<p>The Panthers won't have much time to bounce back - they travel to Cincinnati on Thursday for their first Big East contest. After what we saw tonight, hard to feel confident picking Pitt to win that one.</p>
<p><i>For more on the Panthers, check out SB Nation Pitt blog, <a target="_blank" href="http://www.cardiachill.com">Cardiac Hill</a></i>.</p>
https://pittsburgh.sbnation.com/2012/9/1/3286263/pitt-vs-youngstown-state-panthers-lose-penguins-pittsburgh-upset-suspensions-rushel-shellAnson Whaley2012-09-01T21:26:50-04:002012-09-01T21:26:50-04:00Youngstown State Vs. Pitt Final Score: Penguins Pound The Panthers 31-17
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<p>The <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/teams/pittsburgh-panthers">Pittsburgh Panthers</a> were handled by the Youngstown State Penguins, losing by a score of 31-17 on Saturday night at Heinz Field.</p>
<p>Pitt was undone by a Penguins ground game that accrued 210 yards on the ground. Youngstown State dominated time of possession as a result, holding the football for 33:18.</p>
<p>The Panthers were never able to get going, trailing throughout the game. Their other issue was turnovers; they finished with a -2 ratio thanks to a couple of lost fumbles.</p>
<p>On the positive side, <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/players/37486/tino-sunseri">Tino Sunseri</a> played a strong game in a losing effort. The senior was solid, throwing for 230 yards and a touchdown on 19-of-30 passing against the FCS Youngstown State Penguins.</p>
<p><a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/players/75526/ray-graham">Ray Graham</a> was also effective when given the opportunity. On 14 carries, Graham gained 71 yards.</p>
<p>However, the showstopper was the combination of Penguins running backs Jamaine Cook and <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="#">Andre Stubbs</a>. Cook rushed for 84 yards while Stubbs added 71 on just six attempts, scoring a touchdown in the process.</p>
<p><i>For more on the Panthers, please be sure to check out our blog <a href="http://cardiachill.com">Cardiac Hill</a> and<a href="http://pittsburgh.sbnation.com"> SB Nation Pittsburgh</a> for all the latest news and updates.</i></p>
https://pittsburgh.sbnation.com/2012/9/1/3286183/youngstown-state-penguins-vs-pittsburgh-panthers-final-score-recapMatt Verderame2012-09-01T20:03:38-04:002012-09-01T20:03:38-04:00Youngstown State Vs. Pittsburgh Score Update: Panthers Trail Penguins At Half, 14-10
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<p>The <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/teams/pittsburgh-panthers">Pittsburgh Panthers</a> find themselves in a surprising hole in their season opener, trailing Youngstown State 14-10 at halftime at Heinz Field.</p>
<p>The Penguins jumped on the Panthers early, driving 79 yards in 10 plays early in the first quarter to take a 7-0 lead on a Kurt Hess 27-yard touchdown pass to <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="#">Andre Stubbs</a>. Hess has been solid in the first half, completing 10 of 17 passes for 127 yards and two touchdowns.</p>
<p>Pittsburgh answered the early Youngstown score with an 11 play, 75-yard drive of their own, scoring on an Isaac Bennett four-yard run with 2:47 left in the first quarter.</p>
<p>Hess and the Penguins came right back however, scoring on another touchdown pass five minutes into the second quarter to stretch the lead to 14-7. A <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/players/37494/kevin-harper">Kevin Harper</a> 33-yard field goal for the Panthers made the score 14-10, which is the margin as the two teams enter the half.</p>
<p><i>For more on the game, stay tuned to this StoryStream and head over to SB Nation's Pitt blog <a href="http://www.cardiachill.com/" target="_blank">Cardiac Hill</a></i>.</p>
https://pittsburgh.sbnation.com/2012/9/1/3286066/youngstown-state-vs-pittsburgh-halftime-score-updateT.J. Doyle