Okay, this is my final post on the VT game. A few links. Leftover notes and what not.
If you want a detailed breakdown of everything that was bad for VT from a VT perspective, this piece from the Key Play is amazing.
There was no Hubie Graham in the game because he has a clavicle injury. J.P. Holtz, though, had the huge recovery when Rushel Shell lost the football at the end of one of his big second-half runs. Pitt did lose freshman D-back Jahmal Pardner to an ACL injury he suffered trying to block a punt. He was playing on special teams and coming on in certain defensive packages — including a key 3d down stop. The only good news is that he is eligible for a medical redshirt, so no lost eligibility.
Since Coach Paul Chryst won’t give injury reports other than if a player is done for a while or the year, we have to assume Tino Sunseri is indeed, “fine.” Other players were banged up to some unknown extent.
“Mike Shanahan was pretty banged up, too. A couple linemen were pretty banged up. I know that Aaron Donald was playing hurt. I know that Bryan Murphy played hurt. That’s part of the game, and that’s what you respect about the guys that play it, because it is a physically tough game and you have to be mentally tough.”
Presumably all will be fine for Gardner-Webb.
Nationally, most of the focus was on VT. That makes sense. VT was ranked 13th. They have the history of brainfart September games. Pitt wasn’t expected to do much more than 7-5, so underachieving from that level wasn’t exactly major news. But Crystal Ball Runnin’ took note that this was the kind of game — especially on offense — that was expected with Chryst in charge.
Over the last couple of years of coaching chaos, the guys that have helped to hold the recruiting classes to some semblance of togetherness has been Director of Football Relations and Program Enhancement Bob Junko and Director of Football Operations Chris LaSala. Coach Chryst gave a game ball to one of them after the VT win.
“Coach Chryst did an awesome thing: he gave Coach Junko a game ball,” Shanahan said.
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“Coach Junko has been here through all the thick and thin, him and Coach LaSala, really, and they’ve kind of been a rock for us as players. We always have them to count on, and when [CHryst] did that, guys erupted. It was a great feeling.”
The players then gave Chryst a game ball for his first win as head coach.
The piece on Sunersi’s game is interesting, as it points out that his numbers — aside from the TDs of cousre — were not that different. But he was such a different player on Saturday against VT.
While Sunseri’s stats through the first two games were fairly impressive — 43 of 67, 517 yards, two touchdowns and one interception — both those games were disappointing losses.
Against Virginia Tech, Sunseri was poised in the pocket and led the Panthers to their first win.
Perhaps most important, Sunseri put it all together when it mattered most. He was 6 of 12 on third-down plays for 93 yards and three touchdowns.
He also showed massive improvement in the red zone. In the team’s loss to Cincinnati on Sept. 6, Sunseri was 3 of 8 with an interception and one touchdown. Against Virginia Tech, he was 3 of 5 with three touchdowns and no interceptions.
It wasn’t just the redzone. It was getting some big chunks of yards on big plays.
I don’t think it can be overstated how big that catch by Devin Street was in the first drive. It was a 33 yard pass. It wasn’t a perfect pass by Sunseri, but it was where only Street could get it. And Street coming down with that catch while being bracketed and VT defenders trying to knock it out of his hands on the way down was absolutely what I have wanted to see from Street on a regular basis.
Those plays haven’t happened the last two years. Either Sunseri’s throw was bad or the receivers simply couldn’t make the play. Strictly based one the number of times, you figured it had to happen. But when it finally did, it was a stunner.
That was the biggest thing about how Sunseri’s throws looked. They weren’t simply accurate to the receiver. Most of the time they were in the right place so that only the receiver could make the play. The TD pass to Street on the outside shoulder was as pretty a TD throw as Sunseri has made. And Street, again, ran the route perfectly. Forcing the defender to stay inside and giving himself plenty of room to make the catch on the outside.
Shanahan had the bigger game in terms of yards, but I really think Street was outstanding and helped to set the tone for the offense with that first big catch.
Wheel routes? Successful wheel routes being used by Pitt? Be still my heart. After the last few years of seeing Pitt constantly burned on wheel routes (UConn, in 2010 anyone?), to see Pitt exploit a defense like that. Going for a TD to Ray Graham and converting on a 4th and 3 in that huge 4th quarter drive.
Can’t say enough about the O-line. Even Rotheram. He struggled in the first half with the 3 penalties and giving up the sack. But adjustments were made in the second half and he was much better.
Lafayette Pitts is already a good cornerback, but he scares me a little because he can be feast or famine in his coverage.
The defense still terrifies me. They made a bunch of huge plays. Got some amazing stops. They only gave up 10 points and around 325 yards. Yet, it just felt like they were skating on the razor’s edge.
I don’t know if that’s just my own emotions and fear of blowing the game. There was a constant sense that the defense was one step away from having things go boom.
Rushel Shell will become an even more dangerous weapon when he learns to pass-block. It’s why Ray Graham will still start. Even when Shell was tearing up the Hokies in the second half. If the offense wanted to throw, Shell had to come out in favor of Graham or Isaac Bennett. It is definitely a tip-off to opposing defenses.
I believe the bigeest improvement od the D will be that they are more comfortable now and will be much more agressive. Remember, there were 8 first-time starters on defense for YSU — including 3 DL and all 3 LBs.
I see our D getting better all season but the D-line has to bring it each and every play. Until Tino does this another 3-4 games in a row, my stomach will still be queasy everytime he drops back…just been burned far too many times. Amazing how desperately so many are jumping on the Tino is King now bandwagon, but I fear they will be knocked off of it again. Despite that, very high on the play of the O-line, receivers, running backs — as you pointed out, Street was great and Jones, Carswell, and Shanny as usual looked good to me.
I wouldn’t mind having Hamilton back either.
Hail to Pitt!
Now regarding some of our guys playing hurt. Seeing Shanahan back on the field after him getting his teeth rearranged by that blind sided block on the punt return. All I can say is impressive. He took some hit and just kept on ticking. In other words, all of his slobber was sufficiently knocked! And he still chaulks up the “put it away” TD catch, that’s my man Shanahan!
Concerning Sunseri’s numbers, just ask any statistician and they’ll tell you. Depending on the argument you want to present, you can support it by just crunching the numbers effectively to support that argument.
Now just looking at Tino’s numbers out of context, the guy is killing it and is constantly climbing the charts as one of Pitt’s most productive QBs, except for anybody who has actually watched the games in which those stats are being accumulated, since they realize that when the pressure is on, then Tino has in the past, usually melted like a popsicle on hot concrete.
Now as for Saturday’s VT game, my only question is, who was that guy wearing #12???? Since they don’t have names on their jerseys any longer, I was thinking maybe somebody else was under center wearing #12, like maybe one of the Manning brothers.
Tino Sunseri played out of his mind in that game! Whatever his routine was on the morning of Saturday Sept. 15 2012, he should repeat that routine exactly for the rest of the season, because he was nothing short of PHENOMENAL!
I don’t even care to look at the stats. I was just so impressed by his field command and his decisiveness. That was a performance of a winning quarterback! And be aware, this is coming from a fan that thinks Tino sucks!
But one thing I never questioned, his toughness. That was on full display when in the 4th Q he was not going to let the lead, that he had produced, get away from him and the team. He gutted it out on a gimpy leg to close out the win. Job well done in this one Mr. Sunseri.
Now, I only have one question of Tino, that I have no clue personally as to what the answer is, why can’t you “bring it” like that onto the field every game? Apparently that answer remains a mystery.
I post those career stats in relation to the other PITT QBs just for fun really.
link to totalfootballstats.com
I don’t think anyone is going to put Sunseri in Palko or Marino’s class no matter how many yards Sunseri throws for.
We’ll see how well he can build off this last game. But really, we’ve seen this before especially in the middle of the 2010 season when he had those two good back-to-back games against SYR and RU.
He followed those games up with pretty poor showings against UL, UCONN, WVU and Cincy. With, of course, decent play against USF right in the middle of those games.
If he can somehow remain consistent – it doesn’t even have to be at the level he played last week just NOT the level he played the first two games – we should get some more wins this year.
One of the best lines ever….all I can say is “keep pluggin’away”!
Any and every win is a good win and so it was with VT and so it shall be with GWebb.
I want to see a bunch of nasty minded dudes on Saturday….build on this stuff and if it means that some guys sit because of injury, then I expect the next player in line to kick ass.
We willfind out in the coming weeks if the VT game was a stage setter or just one good game.
They’re not just playing better which is obviously the case with the offensive line. The team is also literally different in the players who are getting on the field.
Look at the defense. Hendricks and Jolley starting in place of Taglianetti and Vinopal. Two freshmen getting serious playing time Pardner (now injured) and Render.
Then there’s Manny Williams who has unseated Grigsby and apparently is making all the difference in the world in terms of linebacker play according the story today in the Post Gazette.
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Defensive coordinator Dave Huxtable called Williams one of the team’s “spiritual leaders.”
Huxtable also noted that his communication with middle linebacker Shane Gordon helped Gordon and the defense as a whole have an outstanding game Saturday.
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The fact is these coaches made some mistakes in distinguishing the gameday playes from the practice players coming out of camp.
But what can’t be overlooked is how some of the young players recruited by this coaching staff look to be more talented than some of the upperclassmen from previous recruiting classes.
That’s a really good sign of things to come.
But the way he’s playing makes me jolly.
I don’t think that I can ever remember such a 180 degree attitude reversal in Pitt fan psyche after the result of just one game. Not even the 13-9 game.
I mean, there were guys out there who were just resigned to the fact that this upcoming Gardner-Webb game would be the only game left on the schedule that we could possibly win. Now, after the VT win, we have the Pitt Panther Pride back and I hear talk of getting back into the hunt for the BE Championship. Just really wierd how the peaks and valleys of a football season can screw with your emotions and mindset.
I think that I’m starting to get into Paul Chryst’s head a little bit now after that win. His reaction to this HUGE win wasn’t much different than after we got spanked for our surprise home opener loss by the mighty penquins. And that reaction was, almost no reaction, what?
I’ve heard multiple times from various sources, that his hire was an attempt to bring STABILITY back to the program. Well if nothing else, Chyrst is proving by his demeanor that he is about as stable as any mild mannered, no flash, common midwestern kind of guy can be, which I guess is kind of “neat” if an even keel is what your asking your coach to provide for his team when it’s traversing rough waters. And I think that all of us would agree that the first couple weeks of this season have sure been rough!
I now get why Chryst answered “no” to the question of whether he had the BE Championship set as the goal for this team. Nope, just not relevant in his mind, especially in August before the team had ever taken to the field under his command.
I’m beginning to realize that this guy isn’t difficult at all to read . He is just right out there, what you see is what you get. Work hard, keep your nose to the grindstone, strive for personal improvement, control the controlables, then go play football when Saturday rolls around, then get back to work again on Monday and continue that same process until the next game day rolls around.
Now that philosophy is not “high octane” nor very “explosive”. As a matter of fact it is just plain old boring. But, and this is a big “but” because it remains to be seen, but if it proves to be an effective method to mold young players into their full potential and establishes in the team’s mindset to just take care of personal business and see what happens, then I’m just fine with that. Just as long as what happens are more trophy wins like the one we just put on VT. Maybe, just maybe producing a consistantly winning program is just that simple and boring. Let’s hope that’s the “truth”!
The one thing I would and something I have said a couple of times before… behind the calm demeanor and “neat” mannerisms… Chryst is a “master tactician” not immune to taking calculated risks when opportunity presents itself.
For example, the end of the half of the Cincy game where PC intentionally held onto the timeout when all the experts on this blog (myself included) never considered his contingency plan that would have allowed Pitt take 10 seconds off the clock if the last play resulted in a TD and a penalty taken by the other team.
If Chryst were to invite you over for a “friendly” game of Texas Hold’em… my advice would be to take a pass.
Comment From Kameron
Andy, what amazes me is that yes, although we looked terrible against an 0-2 Pitt team, they really are not an 0-2 team. Look at how we started 0-2 a couple years ago and look at the season we had after that 0-2 start. Do you feel this was the case for Pitt’s team.
Andy Bitter,Virginia Tech football beat writer for The Virginian-Pilot.
I thought it was funny that Tech fans were beside themselves for losing to an 0-2 team that had lost at home to an FCS team earlier in the year.
How soon they forget that VT was 0-2 with a home loss to an FCS team two years ago and reeled off 11 straight wins. Teams can turn things around. It’s been proven. Time will tell how good Pittsburgh really is.
something the Yoga instructor said would not occur under his training program… but he said the same at NC State… injuries galore and he got the boot.
