College Football Bowls

[madinsomniac]

Kenny Picket announces for draft and Opts out of bowl vs Mich State

I think that's a mistake. MSU has the worst pass defense in NCAA. Picket could use 1 more game vs a highly ranked opponent because Pitt's schedule wasn't that tough this year with Clemson and UNC being down.

Not to mention, I'd bet few people have actually seen Picket play this year. Yes, fan support does move the needle on draft picks. It shouldn't but it does, especially for the ****** teams that tend to pick high.

Detroit will have a top pick. It would help Pickett's case with Lion fans to put up a huge game vs Mich State.

Nah he is projected to be a top ten to top fifteen pick. He has flirted with a top five pick. There isn’t a clear cut top QB and outside of hand size he doesn’t have another knock on him. He has good size and more than adequate mobility. He was a little beat up in the championship game too.. so he probably wants to be healthy for the combine

I mean it would be nice to see him play for Pitt’s sake, but nobody is taking a qb at 1 overall this season so you are risking injury while already assured first round money

I mean there were scouts at his games nonstop … the Pitt NC game vs Howell alone drew 30 scouts and five general managers….

 

[Stainless]

Kenny Picket announces for draft and Opts out of bowl vs Mich State

I think that's a mistake. MSU has the worst pass defense in NCAA. Picket could use 1 more game vs a highly ranked opponent because Pitt's schedule wasn't that tough this year with Clemson and UNC being down.

Not to mention, I'd bet few people have actually seen Picket play this year. Yes, fan support does move the needle on draft picks. It shouldn't but it does, especially for the ****** teams that tend to pick high.

Detroit will have a top pick. It would help Pickett's case with Lion fans to put up a huge game vs Mich State.

I haven't really seen him play and was looking forward to watching. Now, I could give a rat's a$$ about catching that game.

 

[ZonaBurgh]

Unless a national championship game is in play, the other 527 bowl games are meaningless exhibitions.
5 years from now, no one will care who won the Cracker Jack Summer's Eve Bowl.

All the players opting out will likely show up for the Senior Bowl, etc., and if not there's always the combines.

 

[tapeANaspirin2it]

Nah he is projected to be a top ten to top fifteen pick. He has flirted with a top five pick. There isn’t a clear cut top QB and outside of hand size he doesn’t have another knock on him. He has good size and more than adequate mobility. He was a little beat up in the championship game too.. so he probably wants to be healthy for the combine

I mean it would be nice to see him play for Pitt’s sake, but nobody is taking a qb at 1 overall this season so you are risking injury while already assured first round money

I mean there were scouts at his games nonstop … the Pitt NC game vs Howell alone drew 30 scouts and five general managers….

he’s a pocket passer who gets rid of the ball. Injury risk is low for him. The fact you said there isn’t a clear cut pecking order with the QBs is exactly why he should play. It could be a huge difference between being the 2nd QB and 3rd QB off the board.

I understand Walker opt out. RB is a much higher injury risk and he played a tough schedule and has nothing more to show. QB is different. I think Pickett is making a mistake.

For the Pitt program though it could be good to get experience for the next man up. I bet most PSU fans would want Clifford to opt out.

 

[tapeANaspirin2it]

Unless a national championship game is in play, the other 527 bowl games are meaningless exhibitions.
5 years from now, no one will care who won the Cracker Jack Summer's Eve Bowl.

All the players opting out will likely show up for the Senior Bowl, etc., and if not there's always the combines.

I hear this but the question then is why stop with bowls? Why not opt out 3 games into a season? Half Clemson’s team could have opted out by midseason because they were eliminated from playoffs early.

 

[madinsomniac]

he’s a pocket passer who gets rid of the ball. Injury risk is low for him. The fact you said there isn’t a clear cut pecking order with the QBs is exactly why he should play. It could be a huge difference between being the 2nd QB and 3rd QB off the board.

I understand Walker opt out. RB is a much higher injury risk and he played a tough schedule and has nothing more to show. QB is different. I think Pickett is making a mistake.

For the Pitt program though it could be good to get experience for the next man up. I bet most PSU fans would want Clifford to opt out.

Id expect that Pitt gets someone off the Transfer Portal more ready to play… they are going to be solid everywhere else and it doesn’t make sense having a qb who isnt ready sink what could be a top notch team

 

[madinsomniac]

I mean one way to look at it is this… they are playing an absolutely terrible secondary who will have a month to prepare to defend Pickett… maybe that won’t matter… but if he had a great game vs them people could simply say that MS had a bad secondary, but if he had a bad game then a lot of people could question him because he faltered against a bad secondary…


I mean i get why he is skipping it… I don’t agree, but I get it..

 

[SteelerFan448]

I've read pretty consistently the top QBs in this year's draft would've ranked as the sixth-best QB in the 2021 draft. I understand why players opt out, just disappointed when they don't finish out the season. I suppose that's what happens when almost every bowl game is meaningless. Hopefully they'll soon have an expanded playoff.

 

[tapeANaspirin2it]

Id expect that Pitt gets someone off the Transfer Portal more ready to play… they are going to be solid everywhere else and it doesn’t make sense having a qb who isnt ready sink what could be a top notch team

Transfer portals is tricky with QBs. QBs who transfer generally want a damn near guarantee they are starting. I don't know Pitt's backup situation. If they have a highly touted prospect then it may be tough to get a guy.

 

[tapeANaspirin2it]

College football players skipping bowl games​

• Oregon DE Kayvon Thibodeaux
• Arkansas WR Treylon Burks
• SMU WR Reggie Roberson
• SMU WR Danny Gray
• Notre Dame S Kyle Hamilton
• Notre Dame RB Kyren Williams
• Michigan State RB Kenneth Walker III
• West Virginia RB Leddie Brown
• Pitt QB Kenny Pickett

Penn State LB Brandon Smith declared for draft and Opt out of Bowl. PSU could have several more opt outs with several guys going to the draft. Guys who were not at practice Friday

Jahan Dotson WR
Rasheed Walker OT
Arnold Ebeketie DE
Derrick Tangelo DT
Brandon Smith LB
Ellis Brooks LB
Tariq Castro Fields CB
Jaquan Brisker S

 

[SteelerFan448]

Transfer portals is tricky with QBs. QBs who transfer generally want a damn near guarantee they are starting. I don't know Pitt's backup situation. If they have a highly touted prospect then it may be tough to get a guy.

Nick Patti has been with the program for awhile and has shown improvement. Still feels like a career backup.

Davis Beville was a pretty highly-rated recruit. At 6'6" and over 230 lbs, he's the biggest QB on the roster and may have the most potential.

Joey Yellen flashed some potential before transferring to Pitt, but was overmatched in 2020. I wouldn't be surprised if he transfers out of Pitt.

Nate Yarnell is another 6'6" QB on the roster who is at Pitt based on potential given limited action in high school. However, he did come from a program that pumps out D-I QB prospects. Could be a dark horse in the starting QB race.

Pitt is also in on some transfers including Purdy from FSU and Calzada from A&M. Calzada was on campus and followed a ton of Pitt guys on Instagram over the past couple of days.

At this point, Narduzzi should give Patti and Beville each a half of football for the Peach Bowl as an early audition for the starting spot next year.

 

[SteelerFan448]

College football players skipping bowl games​

• Oregon DE Kayvon Thibodeaux
• Arkansas WR Treylon Burks
• SMU WR Reggie Roberson
• SMU WR Danny Gray
• Notre Dame S Kyle Hamilton
• Notre Dame RB Kyren Williams
• Michigan State RB Kenneth Walker III
• West Virginia RB Leddie Brown
• Pitt QB Kenny Pickett

Penn State LB Brandon Smith declared for draft and Opt out of Bowl. PSU could have several more opt outs with several guys going to the draft. Guys who were not at practice Friday

Jahan Dotson WR
Rasheed Walker OT
Arnold Ebeketie DE
Derrick Tangelo DT
Brandon Smith LB
Ellis Brooks LB
Tariq Castro Fields CB
Jaquan Brisker S

Pitt CB Damarri Mathis and Nevada QB Carson Strong are both skipping the bowl game to avoid injury as well.

 

[madinsomniac]

I've read pretty consistently the top QBs in this year's draft would've ranked as the sixth-best QB in the 2021 draft. I understand why players opt out, just disappointed when they don't finish out the season. I suppose that's what happens when almost every bowl game is meaningless. Hopefully they'll soon have an expanded playoff.

Yes… last year was a great year to get a qb… Trask would have been a first round pick most years… there is a phenomenon where qb shallow years the grades get more lenient and in deep drafts it gets more critical….

Look, Pickett has done well enough that if he fell to us and we decided to take a shot on him im not going to complain… ( im not a fan of one year wonders unless they really impress you…and to be fair he did most of this year ) but honestly nobody this year strikes me as a true first rounder… i think in an average year these all are borderline second rounders at best


I will say this, if we end up drafting 21st for some reason and by some miracle he is there, we’d best not pass on him for a DT lol

 

[SteelerFan448]

I think Pickett can have a long, successful career and at the same time believe he has some limitations as a prospect. Ideally, I’d love to see him go with a smart offensive coach and some good pieces already in place (New Orleans) to see what he can do. I don’t think he’s talented enough to transcend a bad franchise.

 

[TDX27]

Dotson is one of the top WR's in the draft. He'll be skipping the game. He'd be crazy not to.

 

[slashsteel]

I think Pickett can have a long, successful career and at the same time believe he has some limitations as a prospect. Ideally, I’d love to see him go with a smart offensive coach and some good pieces already in place (New Orleans) to see what he can do. I don’t think he’s talented enough to transcend a bad franchise.

My concern with him is those early college INT tallies. It will be good to see him in the bowl game to see if he keeps those limited.

 

[Lunar]

Not much defense in the Boca Raton Bowl.

 

[Stainless]

Not much defense in the Boca Raton Bowl.

Bailey Zappe, *******. I didn't even realize he was on the verge of setting so many records, but he did pad his stats against the Big Ten teams they played.

 

[Black & Gold Bleeder]

Bailey Zappe, *******. I didn't even realize he was on the verge of setting so many records, but he did pad his stats against the Big Ten teams they played.

your hilltoppers look damn good.

 

[Stainless]

your hilltoppers look damn good.

They did look decent. I'm surprised. Their defense was terrible early in the year, and probably still isn't very good. They were good enough today, I guess.

WKU is getting a lot of air time today. They're playing bball on CBS against Louisville.

 

[Black & Gold Bleeder]

Zapped looks like the real thing, idk. How much is that crazy offense ? Appalachian st. QB made some nice throws too.

 

[tapeANaspirin2it]

Another quick thought on Sean Clifford. Some PSU fans want him gone. Just move on to the next guy. Put it all on a true freshman QB.

What would Pitt fans have said about Kenny Picket last year if Pitt had a big time prospect waiting in the wings? I bet many would want Pickett gone and go with the young 5 star recruit. Then look at how Pickett emerged after having enough experience in the same system.

 

[madinsomniac]

Another quick thought on Sean Clifford. Some PSU fans want him gone. Just move on to the next guy. Put it all on a true freshman QB.

What would Pitt fans have said about Kenny Picket last year if Pitt had a big time prospect waiting in the wings? I bet many would want Pickett gone and go with the young 5 star recruit. Then look at how Pickett emerged after having enough experience in the same system.

Three years into a system a qb is totally different than year one or even year two… year one they are changing up terminology and changing fundamentals… year two they are installing the bulk of the play variations …. Year three they are just starting to get comfortable with the familiarity of it all…

 

[madinsomniac]

Bailey Zappe, *******. I didn't even realize he was on the verge of setting so many records, but he did pad his stats against the Big Ten teams they played.

He has the feel of the QB version of Troy Edwards… great numbers at a small school but physically small and probably not translating to the NFL well

 

[Sarge]

Another quick thought on Sean Clifford. Some PSU fans want him gone. Just move on to the next guy. Put it all on a true freshman QB.

What would Pitt fans have said about Kenny Picket last year if Pitt had a big time prospect waiting in the wings? I bet many would want Pickett gone and go with the young 5 star recruit. Then look at how Pickett emerged after having enough experience in the same system.

There's also a pretty good chance he's peaked. He was having a pretty good season until he got injured. I'm not sure he can play much better than he did games 1-5.