Archive
Subscribe Place Ad Buy Trib Photos Readers' Choice Contests
Jobs Homes Autos Classifieds
Trib Total Media Contact Us
ShareThis Page
Here are three ways Pitt can kick-start its ACC championship quest | TribLIVE.com
Pitt

Here are three ways Pitt can kick-start its ACC championship quest

Tribune-Review
Tribune-Review | Tuesday, August 14, 2018 10:54 p.m
227651GTRPittPSU26090918
Christopher Horner | Tribune-Review
Penn State’s Danny Dalton picks up yardage past Pitt’s Dennis Briggs (20) and Elijah Zeise during the first quarter Saturday, Sept. 8, 2018, at Heinz Field.

When Pat Narduzzi told a room full of friends and donors that his team will be in Charlotte, N.C., later this year for the ACC Championship game, he meant every word.

Sure, it was a bold remark by a brash coach, one that could eventually backfire, but he’s had his team’s back since the start of training camp. A good coach believes in his players until they give him reason to do otherwise.

That’s what makes Saturday’s game against Georgia Tech at Heinz Field so intriguing. Pitt needs to put its ACC Coastal title chase on firm ground early by defeating Georgia Tech, a team with just as many holes as Pitt.

While Pitt was giving up 51 points to No. 11 Penn State, Georgia Tech allowed 49 to South Florida, including two kickoff returns for touchdowns.

The loser will insist it still has a chance to win a championship, but in reality, it will have none.

How can Pitt avoid disaster? Here are three ways:

1. Don’t get too comfortable knowing Georgia Tech running back KirVonte Benson is out for the season with a knee injury.

Coach Paul Johnson always recruits a stable full of running backs who can take a sliver of daylight and turn it into a 20-yard gain.

Backup Jordan Mason, 6-foot-1, 212 pounds, is 4 inches taller and 4 pounds heavier than Benson, and already has rung up 180 yards in two games.

But Pitt has an edge in experience and familiarity with Georgia Tech’s Flexbone Spread Option offense. Everyone on Pitt’s front seven has seen it, defended it and even stopped it at times over the years.

Narduzzi expects senior linebacker Elijah Zeise to lead the way.

“Elijah made some great plays last year chasing down the quarterback (TaQuon Marshall),” he said. “And (Zeise) is bigger and faster this year.”

2. Take command of the game early.

Quarterback Kenny Pickett insisted Pitt stood toe-to-toe with Penn State in the first half Saturday. “I don’t care what anybody says,” he said.

That’s the type of attitude that can win games.

If holder/punter Kirk Christodoulou had made clean catches of a few snaps in the rain, Pitt might have been ahead at halftime. The Panthers still would have lost, but not by 45 points.

Georgia Tech’s defense isn’t as athletic as the unit Penn State brought to Heinz Field. So, why can’t Pitt use its running game to seize control of the game, make Pickett’s job easier, get a little lead and put Georgia Tech on the defensive?

It might be as easy as catching a punt snap.

3.Open up the passing game to allow the explosive play-makers we’ve heard so much about to explode.

Offensive coordinator Shawn Watson has said he wants to expand Pickett’s range by throwing the ball downfield with more frequency. Freshman Shocky Jacques-Louis and more experienced pass catchers Tre Tipton, Taysir Mack and Maurice Ffrench have the speed to get a secondary’s attention. It’s time to use them.

Take a few shots 20 yards or more past the line of scrimmage. Even if those plays don’t always work, it may loosen up running lanes for Qadree Ollison, who’s already on a nearly 1,200-yard pace.

Of course, the key is better play on the offensive line, which can’t allow four sacks again. Pickett can’t see downfield when he’s constantly running out of the pocket.

A battle to watch: Pitt center Jimmy Morrissey against Georgia Tech nose tackle Kyle Cerge-Henderson. If Pitt’s former walk-on can neutralize one of Georgia Tech’s best defenders, that will set the right tone.

Categories: Pitt
TribLIVE commenting policy

You are solely responsible for your comments and by using TribLive.com you agree to our Terms of Service.

We moderate comments. Our goal is to provide substantive commentary for a general readership. By screening submissions, we provide a space where readers can share intelligent and informed commentary that enhances the quality of our news and information.

While most comments will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive, moderating decisions are subjective. We will make them as carefully and consistently as we can. Because of the volume of reader comments, we cannot review individual moderation decisions with readers.

We value thoughtful comments representing a range of views that make their point quickly and politely. We make an effort to protect discussions from repeated comments either by the same reader or different readers

We follow the same standards for taste as the daily newspaper. A few things we won't tolerate: personal attacks, obscenity, vulgarity, profanity (including expletives and letters followed by dashes), commercial promotion, impersonations, incoherence, proselytizing and SHOUTING. Don't include URLs to Web sites.

We do not edit comments. They are either approved or deleted. We reserve the right to edit a comment that is quoted or excerpted in an article. In this case, we may fix spelling and punctuation.

We welcome strong opinions and criticism of our work, but we don't want comments to become bogged down with discussions of our policies and we will moderate accordingly.

We appreciate it when readers and people quoted in articles or blog posts point out errors of fact or emphasis and will investigate all assertions. But these suggestions should be sent via e-mail. To avoid distracting other readers, we won't publish comments that suggest a correction. Instead, corrections will be made in a blog post or in an article.