Today’s theme as Pitt gets ready for Syracuse is that the Orange like to rush the passer.
On Syracuse having success getting quarterback sacks:
The surprising thing, they have two sacks by corners. I think the safety has a sack or two. The linebackers have a few. For the most part, and this is what we have to be aware of, it’s been their defensive linemen. Those guys, they’ve gotten a lot of sacks just by rushing three. They’ve got sacks by rushing four. They’re not blitzing all the time when they come up with their sacks. I looked at that last night (on film). I went through it because I wanted to see what they were doing. We studied their interceptions, they have nine. We studied their sacks to see how they’re coming up with their sacks. That gives us an opportunity to talk about some things.
Syracuse has 25 sacks so far. Tops in the country. They are aggressive, which is a reflection of the style of defense that Syracuse HC Greg Robinson likes. Even if Syracuse didn’t play that style, it seems likely they would at least try to bring pressure against the Pitt O-line with Simonitis being done.
Simonitis will be replaced by Joe Thomas, a true freshman, and the Panthers will shuffle some reserves to piece together a plan should another starter get hurt. In short, all signs point to a potentially long afternoon for the Panthers’ offensive line.
Pitt coach Dave Wannstedt addressed such potential problems yesterday while acknowledging his need to have his team prepared for such a hostile environment. He said the presence of senior quarterback Tyler Palko should ease some concerns and that the veterans around Thomas should help him work his way through some of the jitters that come with a first start.
“[Noise] will be a big factor, but I think having an experienced quarterback is the most important thing when you go to an environment like that,” Wannstedt said at his weekly news conference. “I feel good, too, about [Palko’s] ability to handle the environment because he’s played up there before. We’ll have the noise out here during practice [today] and Wednesday to work through some of the issues with signal-calling and so forth. But this is something we’ll address from day one.
“I don’t see our group getting rattled or having any problems; we’ve got a pretty grounded group.”
The O-line usually gets plenty of scrutiny from Pitt fans. With all the changes afoot, they will be under a microscope.
Wannstedt believed that while injuries are never good, being able to play many young players should benefit the Panthers down the homestretch this season. Freshman Joe Thomas will start at right guard for Simonitis, and redshirt sophomore Dom Williams – who moved to left tackle to back up Jeff Otah after Bachman’s injury – will go back to guard to spell Thomas.
Freshman Jason Pinkston, who got his first game action in Saturday’s win over Toledo, is now the backup left tackle this week. And redshirt freshman Craig Bokor is the backup left guard to sophomore C.J. Davis.
“Fortunately, Pinkston got some playing time, which was good,†Wannstedt said. “Dom Williams has played in the past. Bokor is doing a decent job. … So, we have some younger players and there’s not much experience there, but we do have some young guys that are eager to play.â€
Well, at least their eager.
The potentially good thing about this game is that Palko has been very good about getting rid of the ball quickly. With the solid receivers and tight ends for Pitt, there is the potential for some early exploiting of the Syracuse rush.
As long as the O-line can give Palko enough time to look up from center after getting the ball, Pitt might be able to run some nice screens and quick outs. This is also the kind of defense, where Dorin Dickerson could be very important. Dickerson may be the only back for Pitt with enough speed to get to the outside and turn the corner.
Who could forget Pitt’s previous trip to the Carrier Dome for a big, fat, L in 2003. That stung; a killer for anyone watching or in attendance and regardless that we’d pulled the same trick on, I believe, BC prior to the contest. Recall 38-31? And am I wrong that that game went into double (2) OT?
That was back when the Orange still had a murderous run game, one that exploited a sub-par Panther defense and their now-household inability to stop the rush. [Again]
The very fact that the ‘Cuse are on a role — and I don’t care who they they’ve beat, either, because their losses were close and v. “decent†competition — is a plus for the BE. So But not by any means do I want to serve as the launch pad signaling their “arrival.â€
That said, I really hope the D that showed up against Cinci and UVa hits the field Sat. afternoon. Or, as some forecast, this could be a hair-pulling, nail-biter.
link to sports.espn.go.com
Credit to link to mondesishouse.blogspot.com for the link, just thought yinz would be interested.
Hopefully (for his sake even more than ours) Nit..I mean Fittapaldo won’t be assigned to Pitt hoops this year. If we’re as successful as anticipated he might just jump off Mt. Nittany.
THen again it’s probably Jerry Micco behind the scenes, the juxtaposition of columns last Sunday proves the bias more than ever: (Smizik: “Pitt squeaks past swill Toledo and the run still sucks!”; Cook: “Morelli has a Heisman day against juggernaut Northwestern.”)
I guess the regular paycheck for watching sports for free is nice, but it still must feel like a broomstick in the bunghole to those guys to be forced to cheerlead for the Steelers and Nits every week. I always wonder how Zeise is allowed to keep it somewhat honest. Gotta figure Micco just never bothers reading their Pitt articles. “I should edit this, but Paterno’s in town yet again for another Hilton luncheon … I’ll just assume Zeise ripped them like I ordered.”
It’s hell for a Democrat to buy the Trib, but I’m forced to do it just for the “fair and balanced” Pitt treatment…
Anyway, I agree with above, I just can’t get too scared about the Cuse regardless of their twenty thousand sacks or whatever. I go back to the year Freeney was gonna undress Petitti (now there’s an ugly thought) and he was stoned (maybe literally). I can’t share TP’s enthusiasm that the run game will keep them off balance but I say he’ll pick ’em apart, especially if they try those gimmick blitzes.
Palko seems to believe that this offense is just starting to jell and will get better as the year progresses. As we are less than halfway through the season that’s good news – but at the rate we’re putting points on the board, the most improvement I want to see are more rushing based sustained drives – we are going to need the ability to keep other offenses off the field, and to burn clock time, against WVU & Louisville.
