12-1-15

The Pitt News T h e in de p e n d e n t st ude nt ne w spap e r of t he University of Pittsburgh

Online: Update on Pitt’s search for a new vice chancellor

Narduzzi’s first year brings success Page 9

December 1, 2015 | Issue 72 | Volume 106

Eight players named to All-ACC

Dan Sostek Sports Editor

Pitt student Jenny Holtz practices chair dancing with CHAARG. Nikki Moriello VISUAL EDITOR

Pitt partners with pharma despite criticism Emily Brindley Staff Writer

Despite criticism that Pitt’s partnership with a pharmaceutical company is ethically unjust, Pitt says the research has lifesaving potential.

Pitt announced in early November that it will begin research this spring to develop new drugs for rare diseases through a collaboration with Shire Plc, a pharmaceuticals company headquartered in Dublin, Ireland, that produces Adderall XR and Vyvanse. The collabo-

ration will allow Shire to fund proposals from Pitt researchers for new drugs to treat rare and often genetic diseases.

In the wake of the partnership — which Pitt has touted as an educational opportunity rather than an economic one See Research on page 2

Following an ACC loss on Friday to Miami, the Pitt football team received a conference “win” of sorts on Monday afternoon.

The Atlantic Coast Sports Media Association selected eight Panthers in total to either the first, second, third or honorable mention teams, recognizing them as some of the best players in the Atlantic Coast Conference.

Star junior wide receiver Tyler Boyd and senior defensive end Ejuan Price earned AllACC first team nods.

This was Boyd’s second consecutive appearance on the All-ACC first team, as he led the conference in receptions per game, 7.7, and receiving yards per game, 79.4, as well as becoming Pitt’s all-time leader in receptions and receiving yards. He garnered the thirdmost votes of any player in the ACC. Price’s appearance comes after compiling 11.5 sacks on the season, the highest total by a Pitt player since 2000. His 0.96 sacks per game average ranked first in the ACC and fifth nationally, while his 19.5 tackles for loss ranked second nationally and second in the See ACC on page 10

News Research, pg. 1

— several professors have said the partnership will not allow equal access to medical findings.

In April, the University Times published an open letter, from professors Jackie Smith of the sociology department and Michael Goodhart of the department of political science, to Chancellor Patrick Gallagher questioning the ethics of partnering with commercial companies.

“Commercialization has its place, but it also carries substantial risks,” Goodhart and Smith wrote in the letter.

The professors expressed concern that the partnership could limit the benefits of the research to certain wealthy people and could compromise the validity of the research.

“The open and free exchange of research and data is essential to advancing scientific knowledge, and commodification threatens this fundamental principle of scientific inquiry,” the letter said.

Gallagher responded to Smith and Goodhart’s concerns in an open letter saying the research that will come out of this partnership will be invaluable in the medical field internationally and at Pitt.

“Your letter is a powerful reminder that our core mission is bigger than any of its component activities,” Gallagher wrote. “Our fundamental mission to ‘improve the world through knowledge’ includes many forms of positive impact, and certainly is not limited to driving economic growth or commercial returns.”

Despite the fact that an additional 76 faculty members signed onto Smith and Goodhart’s letter by the time of publication, the University formed a “joint steering committee” of scientists from Pitt and Shire.

Researchers have until Dec. 15, to submit research project proposals to

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the committee, which will determine which proposals to fund. According to Pitt’s Department of Human Genetics chair, Dietrich Stephan, the Pitt half of the committee includes Stephan, D. Lansing Taylor, director of the University of Pittsburgh Drug Discovery Institute, and David Finegold, a professor of human genetics at Pitt.

All six scientists in the committee must unanimously approve a research proposal in order to award funding.

Shire will fully fund every approved proposal, both financially and with the full resource infrastructure that is available to Shire’s independent research labs.

Approved proposals from the first round of submissions expect funding in the spring. Pitt will benefit financially not only from the money funneled into specific research labs, but also from the royalties of the sale of any drugs that make it to the market, according to Stephan.

“These are really industrial-scale drug development programs,” Stephan said.

The program aims to develop treatment for diseases such as cystic fibrosis, Huntington’s disease and hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia, a genetic disorder that results in abnormal blood vessel formation.

A spokesperson for the partnership, Allison Hydzik, said the real ethical issue is that the University uses tax dollars to fund research.

As the vice chancellor for economic partnerships at Pitt, Rebecca Bagley oversees collaborations such as the one with Shire and ensures the proper faculty can become involved in the partnerships.

According to Bagley, Pitt hasn’t, as of right now, negotiated the dispersal of any potential royalties. Bagley said this partnership might result in greater job opportunities, specifically at Shire, for any graduate or medical students involved in See Research on page 3

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Research, pg. 2 the collaborative research.

Though Bagley said the partnership will benefit everyone involved, Smith disagreed, saying that the findings will only be beneficial to those who can afford them.

“As we commercialize universities, we’re contributing to a more unequal and less just society,” Smith said in an email. “In addition, we’re violating a fundamental principle of science, which requires the free exchange of information in order to foster new learning that builds upon previous discoveries.”

Stephan said the purpose of these commercial partnerships is not to make money, but are necessary if Pitt wants to make a difference in health care.

“The only way to get these basic scientific innovations into the marketplace is through a commercial partner, or through commercialization,” Stephan said.

Universities partnering with com-

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mercial companies is not new at Pitt. According to Pitt’s website, Pitt collaborates with 80 universities and corporate partners in the Pittsburgh area. Most recently, in July 2012, Pitt and Sanofi Pasteur, a pharmaceutical company, worked in a collaborative partnership on developing a universal flu vaccine. In March 2012, Pitt and UPMC entered a research partnership with Johnson & Johnson Corporate Office of Science and Technology.

In the Shire collaboration, Stephan heads the partnership for Pitt. Stephan said Pitt and Shire conducted negotiations for nearly a year before announcing the partnership, and that Pitt does not have a set end date for the research.

“There is no time limit on it,” Stephan said. “We hope it will last a very long time.”

After Pitt announced the partnership with Shire, Smith said commercializing necessities, such as health care, leads to increased costs for citizens who need medical care, so that only the wealthy can afford the “commodity” of medicine, widening the gap between rich and poor.

Smith said this is particularly applicable to pharmaceutical companies. “[Pharmaceutical companies] contribute to the commodification and privatization of health care and access, making essential medicines less and less accessible to those who need them,” Smith said.

Through the collaboration with Shire, Pitt intends to develop drugs that will increase the lifespan of “million dollar babies,” as Stephan describes the children born with the rare diseases that Pitt and Shire plan to research.

Pitt also wants to lower the health care costs of treating the debilitating effects and symptoms of these diseases.

“We share a common goal with Shire, and I think that common goal is research and development that leads to cure or prevention of disease,” Bagley said.

Smith continues to question whether the public will benefit from the commercialization of research, or if it’s only Pitt that will see the benefits.

“Instead of seeing universities as a resource and ally for communities, resi-

December 1, 2015

dents see us as inaccessible, privileged spaces that contribute to the challenges they face,” Smith said in an email. “Even though their tax dollars help support these public institutions, the public is not able to benefit from the results of our work.”

For Stephan, the notion that the collaboration with Shire will only allow wealthy people to benefit is far from reality.

“I think that’s absurd. It’s exactly the opposite,” Stephan said. “We are trying to improve the lives of people suffering around the world, and that’s a noble goal.”

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Opinions

column

from the editorial board

Research should focus on utility, not profits Scientists and stock holders don’t seem like a natural pair, yet universities often bring the two together.

Pitt has taken advantage of private money in the past through partnerships with corporations like Johnson & Johnson and Sanofi Pasteur, a pharmaceutical company.

Now, Pitt is collaborating with the pharmaceutical company, Shire Plc, on research to develop drugs for rare diseases.

Yet, while private, commercial partners may be necessary for university research, it can disrupt the role schools like Pitt play in the academic community. Mainly, these partnerships can hinder a university’s ability to foster objective, scientific progress for all who may benefit from it.

Of course, many products that are available to the public — like medicine — would not be available if it were not for partnerships between universities and private companies.

As Pitt’s Department of Human Genetics Chair Dietrich Stephan told The Pitt News, “The only way to get these basic scientific innovations into the marketplace is through a commercial partner, or through commercialization.”

This begs the question, however, should we cater to the marketplace when we conduct our research, or to the public good?

Jackie Smith of the sociology department and Michael Goodhart of the department of political science wrote in an open letter for The

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University Times in April, arguing that, “The open and free exchange of research and data is essential to advancing scientific knowledge, and commodification threatens this fundamental principle of scientific inquiry.”

Contrary to this goal, corporations are inherently self-motivated — they tend to be concerned with what gets their stockholders the best profit margins, not necessarily with what generates the best circumstances for the most people. “[Pharmaceutical companies] contribute to the commodification and privatization of health care and access, making essential medicines less and less accessible to those who need them,” Smith told The Pitt News.

Nonetheless, it’s not exactly realistic to say that Pitt should never partner with private corporations on research. With state funding for colleges becoming harder and harder to obtain, we are dependent on private sources to make advances in certain fields.

For universities, conducting scientific research isn’t exactly cheap.

Schools have to pay for the faculty, lab maintenance, materials and, of course, the proper equipment — which can equate a price tag of up to $1 million or more, according to numbers from the science and technology blog, io9. And that’s not including indirect costs, like electricity and office staff.

Typically, the federal govern-

ment takes care of many of the costs through research grants, which branches — like the National Institutes of Health — divvy out to schools. However, each of the 50,000 grants that the NIH gives out are extremely competitive — which is especially true nowadays, seeing that the Republican-controlled Congress places every government branch’s spending habits under intense scrutiny.

This makes universities, at times, dependent on private money. But this dependence does not mean we need to back down from our values.

Pitt can ensure that its commercial research partnerships uphold these values by making certain ethical stipulations with its partners.

First, and perhaps most obvious, the research must live up to objective scientific standards, avoiding influence from the marketplace. We cannot, for instance, allow the companies who utilize our research to use the findings in ways to mislead the public.

Second, we must ensure that the ends of our research are available to all who need them. For instance, the drugs we help Shire Plc create should be available to all health care plans, not priced in a way that excludes disadvantaged people from using them.

While the money doesn’t hurt, our university is not merely an arm of a company’s R&D department — Pitt should make this explicit to its commercial partners.

December 1, 2015

No need to protest about protests Alyssa Lieberman Columnist

Last Wednesday, at a student-led rally in solidarity with people of color at Mizzou, I overheard a police officer condemning our protest.

The officer described us simply as a bunch of kids who have “no head on their shoulders.” According to him, we have “no idea” what we’re doing — we “just like to make noise.”

While I was saddened by the officer’s opinion, I was far from surprised. Anti-activist sentiment is everywhere, and it is always the same. From the lunch counter sit-ins of the 1960s, to the multiple Black Lives Matter and Fight for Fifteen marches of the past year, conservatives always depict protesters, activists and organizers in the same way — loud, unbridled, misinformed and reckless.

Yet, this caricature of us is not just ugly, but untrue. While many look down on protesters and direct action — or public demonstration — this viewpoint overlooks the history of activism as a necessary and effective branch of society. It has been activism that has pushed our society to address vital issues in the past.

Historically, activism has spurred necessary change within our society. Make no mistake, the legendary social justice movements of our country have taken place in the streets, not in political offices.

See Lieberman on page 5

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Lieberman, pg. 4 It was not Lyndon B. Johnson that changed our country’s civil rights laws, but Martin Luther King Jr., the Greensboro Four, Fannie Lou Hamer, and many more men and women on the ground and in the streets who fought for their lives and for racial justice.

Activism garners media attention that places pressure on politicians to take action. Feminist suffragette Alice Paul demonstrated how and why this system works.

Paul, alongside other suffragettes, picketed in front of the White House to demand more from Woodrow Wilson, who had been largely silent on the issue of women’s suffrage.

After countless demonstrations, the police arrested Paul and many of her supporters in June 1917, an act which left the general public shocked and dismayed. The Boston Globe wrote, “The suffragettes had been abused and bruised ... until its efforts to attract the president’s attention ... sunk into the conscience of the whole nation.”

If the arrests put the president in a difficult position, Paul’s subsequent hunger strike only added to the pressure by maximizing publicity. Combined with continuing demonstrations, Paul’s hunger strike pushed Wilson to label women’s suffrage as an urgent war measure and push Congress to pass the Nineteenth Amendment, which finally granted women the right to vote in 1920.

This stands true today as well. We do not owe recent social justice victories — from the rejection of the Keystone XL pipeline to the wave of cities raising their minimum wage to $15 per hour — to our politicians, but to the those who have been demonstrating and organizing for years to demand better policies.

Activism is a solution to the feeling of helplessness that paralyzes our democracy.

In a recent Harvard study, 83 percent of youth said they had no faith in Congress.

Meanwhile, states are eroding voting rights for marginalized groups across the country.

Our political system is stuck and consistently disappoints, as it forces us to wait for our politicians to address issues according to their time line, despite the fact that we need

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change now.

Large scale social movements rise up as a last resort after our democracy fails to address an issue. Black Lives Matter, the Fight for Fifteen and the Trans Lives Matter movements all rose from an urgent necessity to address the government’s failure to ensure the well-being of its citizens, as it allowed for practices and policies that subjected people to poverty, police brutality and violence.

Despite the impressive history of activism in the United States and all of its potential, many continue to see the activists

of today as too loud, obnoxious and out of touch.

The officer’s negative perception of Mizzou protesters sounds a lot like the numerous Yik Yak posts at Pitt describing Black Lives Matter activists as people “in need of an education.” It reminds me of the backlash on social media that came in response to a student-led march against student debt that shut down Forbes and Fifth avenues, and it reminds me of a student who posted a picture of her flipping off Fight for Fifteen See Lieberman on page 8

December 1, 2015

5

Culture

American ‘Secret’ not so mysterious

Nicole Kidman co-stars in the American remake of “The Secret in Their Eyes.” TNS

Jack Shelly Staff Writer

The appeal of the newly-released movie “Secret in Their Eyes” is not much of a secret. Producers cast some of the most bankable actors in Hollywood and purchased the rights to remake the 2009 Argentinian blockbuster of the same name, which is arguably the most famous South American film of all time.

Devotees of “La Pregunta de sus

Ojos,” the novel that inspired the Argentine film, will probably not go into this version expecting the same intrigue, sophistication and beautiful storytelling that garnered the original an Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film in 2009.

And they probably shouldn’t — while fast paced and entertaining enough, the Americanized version lacks in depth what it overcompensates for in star power.

Mind you, the cast is hardly mediocre. All three leads, Julia Roberts, Nicole Kidman and Chiewetel Ejiofor — best known for his work in “12 Years a Slave”— are Oscar winners. Roberts, in what is maybe her least glamorous on-screen appearance yet, undoubtedly steals the show as Jess Cobb, the lawenforcing mother of a murdered child chasing her daughter’s at-large killer.

Her casting was, perhaps, meant to

challenge audience preconceptions, as her character in the Argentinian version is a grieving widower (Pablo Rago) seeking vengeance for his fiancee’s murder. Her scenes are the most captivating, and often heart-wrenching — from her hysterical discovery of her daughter’s body in a dumpster to her violent outburst at Ejiofor, who plays her partner Ray, after he partially botches the invesSee Review on page 7

Sweet dreams: Love Yogurt more than dessert Chang Zuo Staff Writer

Winter’s coming, but frozen yogurt is already here.

Love Yogurt opened at the corner of Atwood and Sennott streets two weeks before Thanksgiving, becoming the third froyo shop in Oakland, but the first to also serve crepes and Asian-styled beverages and desserts. It’s a cozy, beautifully decorated lounge spot with high-speed Wi-Fi

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and comfy chairs — exactly what students need as they prepare for finals week.

With a whopping 12 flavor collection, Love Yogurt lives up to its name. Besides the conventional flavors such as mango, vanilla, tart and taro, it offers seasonal and adventurous flavors — like red velvet, apple pie, passion fruit, toasted marshmallow, cotton candy, the list goes on — and introduces a different flavor every week.

For Thanksgiving, the owners brought out

the pumpkin pie flavor.

If you have a hard time choosing what to put in your yogurt cup, you’ll probably be emotionally paralyzed by the amount of options waiting for you at Love Yogurt.

The froyo store features not one, but two separate counters for their more than 50 topping options — one for fruit-based toppings and the other for berries, cookies or wafers. By the time I finished decorating my bowl, I was sure there were more

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toppings than froyo in there. There’s no such thing as too many toppings.

Love Yogurt won’t just impress you with its yogurt. Offering a selection of crepes, authentic Asian desserts and beverages, Love Yogurt is a one-stop location that fills you up, quenches your thirst and satisfies your sweet tooth. Its crepes menu alone is worth the trip.

There’s two lists of crepes that cover See Yogurt on page 7

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Review, pg. 6

Chang Zuo STAFF WRITER

Yogurt, pg. 6 both sweet and savory demands with options that range from Chocolate Nut Party to Shrimp Avocado. The taste isn’t the only treat, either — customers see their crepes prepared in front of them with fresh ingredients. A free hot beverage comes with every crepe order, which ranges between $5.95 and $6.95.

For my first try, I ordered a seaweed crab meat crepe for $6.95. When the owner handed it to me, its presentation caught my eye before the food itself did. The crepe was nicely wrapped in a cute paper sleeve that displayed it in a small cone shaped stand.

The bright colors combined with a rose-like shape made my lunch look like a bouquet.

I took a bite and I immediately knew this would be my new go-to for a delicious treat.

The crunchiness from the seaweed strips complimented the freshness of crab meat and tangy, spicy sauce. I chowed down on my crepe, and it was gone in minutes.

The food will fill you up, but be sure to save room for dessert.

Love Yogurt is the first establishment in

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the Pittsburgh area that serves an authentic and wide variety of Asian desserts. Under its menu I spotted items that I haven’t had a chance to try since I moved to the United States from China. I went with mango pomelo sago — frankly I wasn’t sure what sago orr pomelo meant, but was not disappointed.

Mango pomelo sago is a Hong Kong dessert served cold, made with mango, pomelo — a citrus grapefruit — sago, coconut milk,, cream and sugar. It’s a tra-ditional summer dessert with th a tropical, refreshing taste combining the bouncing, chewyy tex texture of sago, a smaller, clear starch ball that resembles tapioca.

It’s fruity and sweet but not smothering — plus, it’s healthy.

Like most items on the dessert menu, it’s best if you ask the owners what they are since most of their names can be confusing.

The dessert menu also covers more conventional treats from pudding to brulees, and panna cotta to tiramisu. If it’s not apparent already, Love Yogurt is not a conventional restaurant. During my second visit, I had a taste of the matcha tiramisu.

Again, Love Yogurt presents its food like a work of art. They packaged the matcha tiramisu in a delicate bamboo container, with whipped cream and matcha pocky stick on the side as garnish. It took me quite quit a while to actually dig in because I didn’t want to disbe tturb its breathtaking aesthetics — but I’m glad I did.

Fluffy, finely mixed, light and yet still satisfying, the matcha flavor — a in type of o green tea — lingered in mouth. If there is such a thing my mou as gourm gourmet dessert, it would be Love Yogurt’s matcha tiramisu. m Love Yogurt also offers a line of freshly prepared Asian style beverages, served both hot and cold, to go with their yogurt, crepes and desserts.

With flexible hours from 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. daily, Love Yogurt is ideal for a late night study break, breakfast or lunch in a pinch.

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tigation.

Ray is consistent with the Argentine lead (Benjamin Esposito) as a former federal agent obsessed with the case. Of the three characters, Ejiofor has the most screen time and brings vitality to his role, but his on-screen chemistry with Kidman, who plays Claire Sloan, his former boss and love interest, is virtually non-existent.

Kidman seems unable to decide if she wants to play the role as an American or Australian. Claire is supposed to be from Philly, but Kidman’s Sydney accent seems to pop up in every other scene. For much of the time it’s hard to figure out what the status of Ray and Claire’s platonic office romance is, as the film jumps back and forth between the present and the time of the murder, which occurred 13 years before.

Audiences will likely find themselves cheering Jess on when they see her crueler side, establishing their larger investment in her storyline rather than the heatless courtship between Kidman and Ejiofor.

Dean Norris more or less reprises his role as Hank Schrader from “Breaking Bad” as Ejiofor and Roberts’ junior partner in the investigation, Bumpy. It was often difficult to distinguish Bumpy from Hank, in the same way that Hank is often indistinguishable from any of the other countless law enforcement characters Norris has made a career out of playing — like the nuisance of a state trooper in “Little Miss Sunshine,” and Officer Collins in “Evan Almighty.”

His presence is still oddly endearing, though, and his playful banter with Ejiofor and Roberts is some of the more convincing dialogue in the movie.

Billy Ray directed and wrote “The Secret in their Eyes,” his first project since writing the 2013 “Captain Phillips” screenplay, but has not directed a major motion picture since “Breach” in 2007.

It’s clear Ray hasn’t learned much from “Breach’s” criticisms, as “Secret in Their Eyes” suffers from the same weak cinematography that garnered the former’s poor See Review on page 8

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Review, pg. 7

“

Despite their similarities, Ray’s portrayal is unable to capture the spirit of his nation as the original did. informant for an unnamed intelligence agency, thus guaranteeing his freedom from legal prosecution and preventing justice for the family of the murdered girl.

Ray’s “Secret” does a poor job integrat-

ing this into the larger plot, however, and perhaps more noticeable not as inherently American as the original pertains to Argentine culture. Besides the loose references to 9/11, it’s also worth noting that Ejiofor and Kidman are both foreign actors, while the original “Secret’s” cast featured mostly Argentine actors, especially in Ejiofor and Kidman’s corresponding lead roles.

The film will open this Friday alongside the second “The Hunger Games: Mockingjay” installment, a bold move which may make its targeted $9 million grossing a bit overambitious. As a thriller, and in terms of entertainment, the movie isn’t unsatisfying, moving quickly as Ray and Jess get closer and closer to their suspect.

Whether you’re expecting it or not, the dark twist at the end alone makes it worth the watch, and Roberts’ stone-cold portrayal of a grieving mother is not quick to leave you. But let’s not kid ourselves.

Besides the name and ending, “The Secret in their Eyes” shares very little with its rightfully-venerated predecessor.

Lieberman, pg. 5 protesters from her Towers window to her Snapchat story.

Despite the negativity, we need activism to address the injustice that continues to plague our society. Even if you refuse to see it, we do still exist in a society that inherently and structurally devalues the lives of black and non-cisgendered people. We live in a state that allows employees to pay their workers poverty wages or fire them because of their sexuality and a culture that tells women to cover up instead of telling men not to rape people. If we do not stand up against these societal wrongs, nothing will change.

Those who criticize protesters do not realize that activism is not a hobby, but a necessity.

Direct action is the only way to instigate true change, and it is taken when things can no longer carry on as they are.

Next time you see a rally, think twice about the negative stereotypes you’ve been told, and remember that I am not just fighting for me — I am fighting for you.

Alyssa primarily writes on social justice and political issues for The Pitt News.

Write to her at aal43@pitt.edu

The Pitt news crossword 12/01/15

reviews. The cinematographer was Danny Moder, who — in addition to being Robert’s husband — often created action scenes with dark lighting and confusing camera transitions.

Ultimately, though, the movie redeems itself by accomplishing its job as a mindless thriller, keeping the audience interested in the story until the end with a quick-paced storyline that delivers captivating twists and turns. True to its Argentine parent, the final 15 minutes are the most gripping, with a similar twist that is equally as riveting.

Despite their similarities, Ray’s portrayal is unable to capture the spirit of his nation as the original did. “El Secreto de sus Ojos” was a masterful synthesis of murder mystery and neo-noir, poignantly addressing existential topics like evil, redemption and the meaning of life. Its contextualization in the Dirty War, the civil war that rocked Argentina in the early 1980s, allowed it to breathe life into the

violence and lawlessness which remain a painful part of the country’s past.

Of course, the remake does make some attempt to incorporate American political memory into the plot by commenting on the post-9/11 hysteria of the early 2000s being counterproductive to effective law enforcement. The killer doubles as an

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December 1, 2015

8

Sports Culture shock

First year of Pat Narduzzi era signals a changing tide

Pat Narduzzi led Pitt to an eight-win season and reinvigorated the fan base. Wenhao Wu STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

Dan Sostek Sports Editor

While scrolling through Twitter on Friday during Pitt football’s final game of the season, I came to a realization. Unfortunately, that realization wasn’t, “Maybe I should spend less time on Twitter.”

Instead, as the Pitt football team fell to an early deficit in an eventual loss to Miami, I saw quite a bit of tweets from disappointed fans. In the past, such disappointment has stemmed from the team finding an unconscionable way to lose a game or just overall displeasure with the state of the program. But this time was different. Fans were disappointed because they expected to win.

This was different though. Fans were disappointed because they expected to win. Usu-

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ally, against a talented yet under-performing team like Miami, Pitt faithful couldn’t help but be pessimistic. And no matter how much the players would suggest that they thought they would win, there wasn’t conviction behind those words.

Eight wins and four losses later, that’s the main takeaway from this Panther season — that there’s a drastic culture change among players and fans.

How Pat Narduzzi, Pitt’s first-year head coach, has been able to get to this point has been a multifold process. He started with big talk — promises of championships and a hard-nosed football team. That’s all well and good if the results match the talk. Without results, big talk can make a coach look like a snake oil salesman.

Eight wins and a 6-2 record in the ACC was only good for second in the ACC Coastal, not quite a championship — the team’s preseason goal. Eight wins, though, is impressive considering the circumstances, with Narduzzi being Pitt’s fifth head coach since 2010. Numerous coaching changes generally yield subpar recruiting classes due to a lack of continuity.

Of the roster Narduzzi inherited, he lost his star running back, James Conner, to a torn MCL in the season opener. With Conner’s loss, Qadree Ollison needed to shoulder much of the load, filling in well with 1,048 yards on the season.

No one could fully replace Conner, who was a Heisman candidate going into the season, but Ollison helped contribute to what

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amounted to a usually effective running game.

Then there was the quarterback situation.

With the incumbent, Chad Voytik, struggling, Narduzzi was bold, and opted to let him and graduate transfer Nathan Peterman split reps the first two games. Eventually, Peterman proved himself to be the superior option in a week three loss against Iowa, which he only further substantiated as the season progressed.

Elsewhere on offense, Boyd continued to do Tyler Boyd things. The star receiver cemented himself atop the Pitt record books while again showing to be one of the best receivers in the ACC. Up until the last few weeks, Boyd received little help from his fellow receivers, outside of Dontez Ford, which certainly limited the offense.

On the other end, Pitt’s defense didn’t quite play to the level Narduzzi expects, who regularly churned out top 10 defenses as defensive coordinator at Michigan State. Granted, having finished 26th in yards given up and 8th in sacks this season, that’s still a commendable showing.

The unit started out quickly, with unyielding pressure on the quarterback, stout run defense and hard hits. As the season progressed, teams made adjustments and Pitt was mostly ineffective in pressures and in stopping effective passing offenses.

Against talented teams like Notre Dame, North Carolina and Miami, it became clear that Pitt just didn’t have the athletes to compete with the best. Being mostly ineffective in its base defense, Pitt’s coaches often opted to call designed pressures which left the defense open for big plays when it didn’t get in the backfield.

With new coaches, fans will often caution to hold off judgment until that coach gets “his players.” More than anything for Narduzzi, “getting his players” just means getting more talent on his roster. Once he does, the extent of the culture change will reveal itself.

Still, one of the best compliments one can give this Pitt team is that it won the games it See Narduzzi on page 10

9

ACC, pg. 1 conference.

The second team representatives for Pitt featured a trio of key contributors to Pitt’s strong running game this season, as offensive linemen Dorian Johnson and Adam Bisnowaty joined running back Qadree Ollison for the honor.

Johnson and Bisnowaty helped pave the way for Ollison, who filled in for injured superstar running back and former ACC Player of the Year James Conner, to tally a 1000 yard season in his first collegiate season.

Two Panthers of disparate experience merited third team recognition, as true freshman safety Jordan Whitehead accompanied senior defensive tackle Darryl Render on the team.

Whitehead was a dynamo in his first season as a Panther, leading the team with 99 tackles. His 8.2 tackles per game ranked eighth in the ACC and was the top mark for all conference freshmen. He also thrived on offense as an occasional runner, rushing 10 times for 79 yards and two touchdowns.

Render only registered 16 tackles this season, but the Pitt captain was an invaluable presence in the Panthers’ solid run defense, providing a big, athletic body that was adept at closing up running holes.

Sophomore cornerback Avonte Maddox earned All-ACC honorable mention status, as he tallied three interceptions and 12 pass breakups on the season.

Following an 8-4 season, the Panthers are bowl-eligible, and will learn their bowl destination this week.

Narduzzi, pg. 9 should’ve won — something the team didn’t do under former head coach Paul Chryst, who’s teams lost to underwhelming opponents like Youngstown State and Akron. Past Pitt teams might’ve loss to Youngstown State, Akron or Syracuse, but this team won the games when they were clearly superior. And outside Miami, Pitt won the toss-up games against teams like Louisville and Duke.

It was in those possible statement games where Pitt couldn’t come up victorious. Of course, there’s no shame in losing to Iowa, North Carolina and Notre Dame, who rank fourth, ninth and eighth, respectively. Pitt simply lost to better teams.

It’s easy to wonder how this team would’ve done with Conner, giving Pitt another huge difference maker besides Boyd. The final deficits in

their losses weren’t huge, all single digits except a 12-point loss against Notre Dame. Within reason, Conner probably gives this team at least one or two more wins.

But it’s what this team was able to do without Conner that makes the coaching job Narduzzi did so impressive. Presumably, past Pitt teams might have folded under such circumstances, looking around for someone to step up. They certainly would’ve folded late in games, something this team was able to avoid with consistently strong second half play.

In interviews after the Miami game, there was legitimate and palpable disappointment among the players in their inability to secure a ninth win. They didn’t take any moral victories in their late comeback, because they expected to prevail.

Those expectations signal a culture change.

That’s more meaningful than any win.

The Pitt News SuDoku 12/01/15 courtesy of dailysudoku.com

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I Rentals & Sublet N D E X -NORTH OAKLAND -SOUTH OAKLAND -SHADYSIDE -SQUIRREL HILL -SOUTHSIDE -NORTHSIDE -BLOOMFIELD -ROOMMATES -OTHER

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2-3-4-5-6-7 bedroom apartments and houses available in May and August 2016. Nice, clean, free laundry, includes exterior maintenance, new appliances, spacious, located on Meyran, Semple, Wellsford, Dawson, Juliet. 412-414-9629.

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2,5,6 bedroom houses in South Oakland. Available for rent August 2016.

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320 S. BOUQUET 2BR, great location, move in May 1, 2016.

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3727 Dawson: 2 BR basement apartment, 1 kitchen, 1 bath and living room. $550/student. Available January 1st.

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6, 7, or 8-bedroom house. Washer & dryer available. NO PETS. Available August 1, 2016. One year lease. Meyran Ave. 5 minute walk to University of Pittsburgh. 412-983-5222.

Apartments for rent beginning August 2016. A/C, dishwasher, washer/dryer.

412-915-0856 Clean, Newly Remodeled Houses and Apartments.

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House for RentJuliet Street.

Available January 2016.

Big 3-bedroom, 2story house 1.5 bath, fully-equipped eatin kitchen/appliances/new refrigerator, living, dining room, 2 porches, full basement, laundry/ storage, parking on premises, super clean, move-in condition. Near universities/hospitals/bus. $1700+.

412-337-3151 Nice 6BR house available Aug. 1, 2016.

Laundry on site. To make an appointment call 412-812-9382.

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Announcements -ADOPTION -EVENTS -LOST AND FOUND -STUDENT GROUPS -WANTED -OTHER

Personal, professional masseuse needed. Long term position. 2X/week.

Washington County location. Call 724-223-0939 or 724229-8868 any time.

Pager: 888-200-8220

SMOKERS NEEDED! Researchers at UPMC are looking to enroll healthy adult cigarette smokers ages 18-65. This research is examining the influence of brief uses of FDA-approved nicotine patch or nicotine nasal spray on mood and behavior. The study involves a brief physical exam and five sessions lasting two hours each. Eligible participants who complete all sessions will receive up to $250, or $20 per hour. This is NOT a treatment study. For more information, call 412-2465396 or visit www.SmokingStudies.pitt.edu

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OFFFICE INTERN Shadyside Management Company seeks person w/ min 3 yrs. college, for upcoming spring semester, to interview & process rental applications, do internet postings & help staff our action-central office. Part time or full time OK starting January 2; full time in summer. $12/hour.

Perfect job for graduating seniors set to enter grad school, returning grad students, and first-year law students!

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December 1, 2015

SEASONAL MARKETING ASSISTANT Shadyside property management firm established in 1960 neeeds two Seasonal Marketing Assistants to work with Word, internet, & spreadsheet files from approximately December 15th to July 15th, four days/week from 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM. Saturday and/or Sunday hours a must; some flexibility on days and hours will be considered; most hours will be solitary on the computer with no phone work; 40 WPM and strong computer skills required; no experience needed & we will train you at our Shadyside office; free parking. $12/hour plus generous season end bonus.

MOZART MANAGEMENT www.mozartrents .com 412-682-7003

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