What a week. Kids sick. People at work sick. No time. Keep it simple.
Welp, the defense struggled initially last week before getting a better handle. It’s stupid, but I’m still dwelling on the near pick-six in the opening drive by VT. Can’t help but wonder if it would have completely gotten in the VT players and fans heads that everything will always go wrong against Pitt. Changing the whole game. Really shouldn’t. I know better. But still…
The play of the defense, did improve in the game. With several players standing out. Aaron Donald, as usual, is the rock and center of the D. The accolades and respect continues. Ty Ezell may benefit from playing right next to Donald on the line, but he is taking advantage of it. Todd Thomas was all over the field, with perhaps his best game to date.
Sticking with the defense a bit longer, the interview DE Coach John Palermo did with the media is very interesting. Especially the amount of time he talks about Ejuan Price. Beyond simply talking about his potential, it seems clear that Palermo thinks Price will be a huge factor by next year. As for this year.
Right now, I would tell you Murphy and Ejuan played very well. I would say going into this football game, those are our two starters. Dave [Durham] is better suited when you have a tight end or two tight ends in the game. He’s more of what I call a grinder, a banger. [He’s better at] the physical part of it. The athletic part of it, I think Ejuan and Murphy handle much better. There’s some other things that we’re going to do in the game to try and get more speed off the edge and do some things to help our pass rush.
It bears repeating and linking back to the work Justin did on the lack of time Tom Savage had to throw. The big factor was that Pitt was always having to throw. There’s been no running game lately. Part of it has been the running backs not looking as good. Some of it is certainly the playcalling that has favored the pass more, and has put Pitt in a position where they have to keep throwing. But it’s hard not to see the lack of any running success and the savaging of Savage as all tied in to the play of the O-line. Which makes the ODU game at least a chance to help with the old confidence.
The Old Dominion defense Pitt will face Saturday at Heinz Field could be just the antidote. The Monarchs are allowing an average of 201.2 rushing yards per game and gave up 312 yards on the ground to Maryland earlier this season.
Anything to avoid having Savage take another beating. Not to mention give the offense as a whole a chance to get some swagger back.
Coach Hueber stated the OL is not good enough YET for them to be a pass heavy team. They need to get back to pounding the ball. Looking back, they did abandon the run gave too early in the last game.
Nice article about former highly recruited high school players back in the area playing for RMU and Duquesne. Funny, I remember people on the site complaining that Pitt did not sign some of these kids. Obviously, the star ratings were wrong.
You are correct, this is a potential nightmare game but I think this team will come out and dominate.
We shall see if the D learned how to slow down a running QB. He will get his yards but will they contain him for the most part.
I am still not confident in the D coaches even after the last two games.
Nicholson and Henry need to come to Pitt, for them and for us. Get Revis to call Henry and some Gateway alums to call Nicholson.
Miami’s pass rush is going to kill us unless we have a running game, and our tackles and tight ends get a whole lot better.
are QB commit Adam Bertke broke his hand out for the rest of the season.
How many Pitt players at this time would start for Clemson?? Not many.
How many ODU players at this time would start for Pitt?? Not many.
Pitt should win this game comfortably, no excuses.
5 FOOT 6 190 POUNDS just a few years ago
and played in the NFL so dont say boyd is to small at 6 foot 1 and 185 pounds.
North Carolina was flying around that ball on offence and defense. We won’t beat them if they are playing like that unless we fly around like that, which I haven’t seen this year.
wbb
I totally get your point. But, 5 of the VT sacks came on 1st down. Why are we throwing so much on 1st down? We weren’t that far behind on the score that we needed quick drives. Coach PC has no confidence in the running game since Virginia.
About last night’s game — ceratinly both teams have more team speed than we do, we need to win the turnover battle in both to have a chance
Big play was 3rd and a short 2 for UNC on or about UM’s 40 yard line with about 4 1/2 minutes left. UNC’s running QB was in for the previous 2 plays and got them 8 1/2 yards. UNC coach decides to put in his passer and sends in about 4 or 5 subs, then the new QB awaits for the play from the sidelines, and the huddle finally breaks with 7 seconds left on the play clock. It ends up with a delay of game … and eventually after another procedure penalty, UNC punts to UM with about 3 1/2 minutes left, which leads to winning TD drive.
I blame the coach … with a 3rd and short, why not stick with the running QB? Then the play clearly got late into the huddle. Finally, the delay of game … yes, te QB could have called TO, but so could have the coach.
This ODU game is all about bend-don’t-break for Pitt’s D. I suspect ODU will move the ball between the 20’s, hoping Pitt can hold them to FGs.
Not to imply that I wish Shell were still here, but with Conner’s injury and Bennett’s middling production, it sure would be nice to have more RB depth. I’m not yet sold on Ibraham, looks to me like he needs to hit the weights. Definitely need another RB (or 2) in this recruiting class.
but it seams abougt a 90 percent chance montae nickolson will come to pitt that is the over all view of the talking heads.
Any word on Bookser?
i do not understand why pitt cant land a 4 star or 5 star RB when you look at what chryst did with RB at wisconsin and what pitt has allways done with RB
you could not have a better spot for a RB that wants to gain over 1000 yd.
you would think they would line up to come here but no.
I agree on the runningbacks. It’s pretty confusing honestly. But, C.J. Legget is a 4 star from Georgia which would be a great get and might potentially expand our recruiting base to the fertile Southeast.
IMO Pederson made the decision based entirely on public relations. Every manager and coach wants to maintain is best employees. I recall the players had no problem with him. Who would a 19 year old with twins who misunderstood why Graham was playing ahead of him. He never left scool and did not transfer.
Finally the arguement about his ability as a student is unrealistic even at Pitt as the N,C, prof. responsible for the “student atheletes” said when blowing the whistle that had been blown many times before some of them cannot read at a 4th grade level (not all some players who have academic interests/most of them are there to play sports-with their schdeule most of us would not have graduated in thi era of big time sports)
The hysteria over this QB reminds me of the fear about the N.M. running back (leading the nation in yardage).
To compare OD QB with FSU’s QB the number 1 ranked QB coming out of h.s. and has played at a high level against good D1 teams is stretching it.
My quess being from Atlanta he was not recruited by any ACC or SEC schools and would have difficulty making the roster at FSU. That said since the entire offense is built around him he is going to get some statistics but statitics do not beat you. Pitt sugar bowl v. georgia, Pitt 411 offensive yardage, Georgia 114. Pitt has to pull out game on last second TD pass to John Brown.
Why. Pitt had over 100 yards in penalties (mostly because of playing in N.O. dome, delay of game, etc.
It is not that I don’t think Boyd could play well at RB, I just don’t agree that it is the best move for the team and certainly not the best move for Boyd.
He has the tools to be an excellent pro WR, why increase the risk of injury 10 fold. Also, we are not deep at WR, Street becomes the only go- to guy, making it much easier on the opposition. No knock on Weatherspoon, but he is not Boyd. The answer is Conner and the O-line to open wider holes for Bennett.
I could easily see Coach House scheming this to be a play soft secondary with the DEs being responsible for the containment of the QB run option and “let’s see how ODU handles that”?
If this is the battle plan, IMO, it allows Heinicke to find his comfort zone in this game and therefore plays to his advantage and results in Pitt’s secondary playing at a disadvantage.
Old Dominion’s offensive success is totally predicated on the success that Heinicke has. In fact, he motivates the ENTIRE TEAM, not just the offense when he is on. House’s game plan should be just the opposite of what I postulated above. Instead the Panthers defense should ATTACK, ATTACK, ATTACK right from the first ODU offensive play!
I don’t even care if one of our corners or safeties get beat for six in so doing, by Heinicke getting lucky on a blown man to man coverage and gets lucky throwing a TD pass or two, because of such an aggressive defense scheme to stop the QB, because this team’s heart and sole is resting squarely on the QB’s results. Stop the QB, and ODU goes down fast.
Pitt’s athletes should be able to overwelm ODU’s OL if they apply constant pressure with blitzes. That is the key to this game, take Heinicke out of his gameplan and this team is toast. Allow him time and room to operate and we will have a shootout on our hands, and that is NOT what you want to allow if you have a lesser opponent that you have the ability to dominate if you simply impose your will on them with the proper aggressive gameplan.
I would hate to see Heinicke leave the game injuried, but what I do want to see is him imitating Tom Savage’s tribulations like in last week’s VT game, totally disrupted, taken out of his comfort zone and sacked multiple times. That is how we dominate this opponent and easily win this game.
300 pounds baldwin high.
His mom went to pitt his dad went to pitt has all
right moves will be one of the top line men in the USA.
WE will have a real good chance he likes pitt what
a pick up that would be a chryst type line men for sure.
Of course I know he’s not big enough at the moment to have him run as a regular RB out of the backfield.
The idea of putting him the backfield, is being able to move him around (in motion) from it. And confusing the heck out of the enemy defense.
He would still be primarily a Receiver, but instead of a DB on him, the idea would be to try to isolate him on a enemy LB.
From the backfield you could also use swing passes and screen passes, which would be nothing more than long handoffs again to get him in open space on the edge of the defense.
And if you just wanted to use him as a WR, you can motion him out of the backfield to be basically a slot receiver.
All this does is give you a whole hell of a lot more options for him to get the ball per game.
More touches equals more opportunities for big plays.
We have no one at the moment in the backfield that can play that role at all. Which is partly why Savage is having to eat the ball. Boyd would be great at that. And he’d be past 4 or 5 enemy defenders already when he caught the ball.
You turn a couple big plays like that and suddenly the other team isn’t blitzing as much or as hard.
I don’t doubt that Boyd would be good in that role, however.
Who cares whether it’s as a WR or a RB or a WB (wingback)
Boyd is still primarily a Receiver in this idea.
I love him as a WR don’t get me wrong, it’s just if he’s only getting to actually toting the ball 3-5 times/game or less(actually against VT & UVA he had the ball in his hands ONLY 3 times in each game), that’s not nearly enough for someone of his gamebreaking abilities.
One of the main reasons the offense is sputtering is Boyd actually only got the ball in his hands 3 times each against BOTH UVA & VT. This is obviously something opposing defenses are keying on now. You stop Boyd, you pretty much stop Pitt.
You have to do something to lessen the effect of all these blitzes that totally blowup the offense and turn into long yardage situations and then having to punt.
If we had Larry Fitz and Antonio Brown against VT it wouldn’t have made a difference as you couldn’t get the ball to them.
Boyd has extreme versatility as we have witnessed.
And we’ve haven’t seen over 50% of his versatility as of yet.
Its not gonna matter much (or shouldn’t) against the next 2 opponents. But it will the rest of the season.
They could be getting this offense in, over the next 2 weeks. That’s what these type of games of for. (other than to get to 6 wins and a bowl game)
We’re not going to beat better teams with Boyd getting only 3 touches.
We were lucky against UVA, they beat themselves.
He needs to touch the ball 10-15 times per game or his massive talent is being wasted. Running routes while Savage is on his back or being chased around.
Do it Chyrst !
Chryst said the sacks were not just on the offensive line, but also running backs and tight ends helping in pass protection, as well as quarterback Tom Savage holding on to the ball for too long.
Read more: link to post-gazette.com
It appears Justin does better analysis than the Head Coach. Somebody should email him Justin’s article. lol
Yea IKR.
Perhaps out of the 15 times Savage was on his back or the other 10 times he was running for his life, a couple of those plays were called for the TE’s.
Then again….perhaps not. 🙂
Maybe secretly Barry Alvarez was calling the plays from his Box at Wisconsin. haha
Short answer….No.
Unless Alvarez would ONLY wanted him back as a OC and not as a HC.
Do ppl actually think he was looking after PITT’s interests instead of his own school/team ?
Interesting questions indeed.
Emel – Savage can’t even think about TEs unless they are the primary receivers in the playcall.
His way of “progressions” is deep ball to intermediate to short, in that order.
I didn’t ask about the TE’s, TX Panther did.
I was just throwing my thoughts out there. You can’t throw to anyone if the QB is on the ground or running for his life. My main concern is getting the ball to Boyd much more. He’s the gamebreaker on the team. With the way the O-line pass protects (or more aptly doesn’t protect) the TE’s should be used for pass protection, cause both OT’s need help. While I’d like to see a few more passes thrown their way, there’s only 1 football and at this point, pass protection is more important than them being primary receivers.
The Justin comment was based on PC suggesting that TS was holding on to the ball to long.
Justin’s analysis and timing in seconds of the sacks suggested that TS didn’t hold on to the ball to long at all (90% of the time).
Geez Louise.
#8 L-Ville is no longer undefeated and no longer a potential BCS Buster. Losing to UCF at home 38-35.
Headed to the Military Bowl or the Compass Bowl now
Too bad for that putz Tom Jurich. haha
Sounds vaguely familiar.
UCF’s only loss was to Top 10 SEC South Carolina by 3 points.
I have been told by reliable people that RS came to Pitt with twins and left with a 3rd. If true, then time for him to grow up and time for some Pitt fans to let go.
We will get better players by winning first. That is how it works.
Although he was coach of Steelers’ biggest threat, he was impossible to dislike.
Bum lived to be 90, that’s beating the odds.
Game Day, Let’s Go Pitt!
If my boss was calling other engineering firms trying — no, begging — them to hire me, it wouldn’t be a compliment.
And when Wiscy unexpectedly had an opening and our shiny new head coach didn’t get a sniff? Tells you all you need to know.
The unanswered question is why? WHY was Alvarez working so hard to get rid of HCPC?
Or, it could be a dark conspiracy like you are suggesting.
Alvarez, nice guy or evil genius? you decide.
Hail to Pitt!
Imma, you remain a buffoon.
Still haven’t sobered up…GT 42 – ‘cuse 0
(and a friend is in Vegas who could’ve made a bet for me. Drats)
Bum Philips best line “the road to the
Super Bowl goes through Pittsburgh.” Before
the Ravens there was the Steelers/Oilers.
Violent football. Intense rivalry.
Cuse gets walloped be GT. Long road
ahead for Pitt.
If PC’s interviews they way he performs
at his press conference he needed all
the help possible to land a head coaching job
That said he must instill loyalty as
Rudolf, Bollinger, and Bosack came to
Pitt with him.
– Howland at Scrimmage, and praises Pitt’s shooting
– Wright is the leading scoring again with 25, Dixon claims he’s really improved
– 7′ recruit attends scrimmage (Uchebo still scratched}
Why, I don’t know.
I was looking over the game stats.
26 1rst downs to 10
394 yards rushing to 75 (Cuse was coming off consecutive 300 yd rushing games themselves)
And then this stood out:
Penalties – 9 for 91 yards against Cuse
ZERO FOR ZERO yds against GT.
I’m thinking they still remember Sherman’s March thru Atlanta. And our colors are those of the Union Army, blue & gold.
Could be very ugly.
********
This is a nightmare week if you ask me. I will say this to you and I believe this in the bottom of my heart, the quarterback is as good as any quarterback that we’ve played, including the guy from Florida State as far as a pure quarterback.
– Pitt Coach John Palermo (Werner – Post Gazette)