Ejuan Price has already lost one season to torn pectoral muscle. Now he looks to be out for at least two games with “back issues.”
“He will be out for a bit,” coach Paul Chryst said Thursday. “It will be a couple weeks at least, probably more.”
Price started the past four games, recording a sack and another tackle for a loss last Saturday against Old Dominion. Chryst said Price finished the game without a problem, and he doesn’t believe he was hurt on a specific play.
“That’s too bad,” Chryst said. “I thought he was starting to get into a good groove.”
From a depth perspective, it means freshman Shakir Soto will see more time in the game. Rotating at DE with Bryan Murphy (fingers crossed he doesn’t get hurt, given his own history) and David Durham.
Looks like Aaron Donald will have a little more to do inside.
In the other stories, it’s about Navy’s triple option. No matter the offense, the quarterback remains the key to the offense.
Mainly, though, it is a ground based game.
“The whole thing is trying to win ballgames. What gives us the best chance to win? This offense allows us to run the football and keep the clock moving.”
The triple-option gives the offense three options to run the ball. The quarterback reacts according to how the opposing defensive end attacks the play. The quarterback can give the ball to the fullback up the middle, he can keep the ball himself, or pitch to a halfback.
Navy also runs a variation of the wishbone triple-option known as the flexbone featuring running backs lined up on either side of the quarterback.
Sophomore quarterback Keenan Reynolds, who leads Navy in passing and rushing, has a team-high 126 carries compared with only 56 pass attempts. Navy ranks No. 6 in rushing and No. 120 in passing.
“Everybody has to be accountable for the different options on the play,” Pitt coach Paul Chryst said. “It takes being disciplined with your eyes and executing your assignment. We certainly have a plan. We are hoping it stops it.”
“Precision” is the word I most think of when it comes to the triple option (defensive linemen, generally choose “cut blocks”). It has to be to work. When the triple option is working, it is a thing of beauty. Devastatingly effective. Powerful. With just the right sense of daring when you see that ball flip out of the quarterback’s hand at that last possible instant to a back or tight end. Catching a defense flat-footed.
Of course when the other team is bigger and faster. Or the team running it isn’t very good. When the team running a triple option is sloppy, or doesn’t make their blocks. Well… then it’s a mess.
Nonetheless, he has shown when he has been healthy (this year and in 2011) that he is pretty skilled. He still has 2 years eligibility left, I definitely wouldn’t rush him back
Comment by gc 10.25.13 @ 8:13 am
Are we sure TT is in this week’s grand House defensive scheme for the game ?
Or is Mike Caprara set to debut this week at TT’s position ?
He’s a lot more athletic and quicker to the ball than Durham was, whether it was a pass play or a running play. Frankly I didn’t see much in Durham’s play that would lead you to believe he was anything more than a backup.
As many have mentioned before and it bears repeating, an option QB reads the opposing DE’s as to what he does with the ball and who gets it.
Which is why I’m not overly confident in us stopping it. Neither Murphy or Durham have shown they can consistently stop it. If one or the other can’t, then you’re having to rely on a TRUE freshman, Soto, to come in and be the man.
And if neither Durham & Murphy show they can stop it……..Oy Vey !
Who’s next up after Soto ???
Yes, the DE’s are one of the big keys to stopping the triple option, the veer option, the pistol option….. as well as all futures.
Lots of options & futures flying around the world these days.
While Durham isn’t the most talented guy on the field I have a feeling that he is smart, tough and dependable – three of the qualities that Chryst prizes in his players, and three qualities that will lead to solid play against the Midshipmen.
Will feel a lot better with Galambos than Gordon.
Wouldn’t making a tackle be…making a play ?
DE’s in this defense are asked a lot of since we really have only 2 BIG D-Linemen and they are usually tasked with going against 3 Offensive linemen. So the DE’s are responsible for outside containment, so they’ll have to keep an eye on the pitch men (trailing RB’s in the option) as if you watch Pitt’s defense, the LB’s play way off the line of scrimmage.
House needs to bring one of the LB’s, on the strong side of the field, up closer to the line of scrimmage, imo. And also move the Free Safety up as well to help in run containment.
Here’s some other rankings: (conveniently omitted)
Savage is:
On the season Savage is No. 38 nationally and No. 6 in the ACC in passing efficiency.
He is also 7th nationally in yards per completion.
He has a lower completion % than some other QB’s because he throws mainly to his WR’s. He’s not throwing dink & dunk passes the length of his arm.
I don’t think some on here would have cared much for Terry Bradshaw or Darryl Lamonica.
Years of watching The West Coast offense has tainted some.
On the season the Panthers are No. 119 in sacks allowed.
Nationally, the Panthers are No. 91 nationally in rushing offense and No.11 in the 14 team ACC.
For all the talk about Huebner, the O-line has not improved at all from last year nor have they improved during the course of this season.. yet. And they stunk last year pretty much. Only the sheer brilliance of Ray Graham gave us any big play capability at all.
I’ve seen Navy’s “cut block” technique many times. It works only if the defensive player has poor footwork and is unable to use his hands effectively to keep the opponent away from his legs. They’re good at it though, so I hope that we’ve adequately prepared our guys to defend against it. The flip side of that technique however is that penalties get called when defensive guys get double teamed and one of the offensive lineman end up going low out of habit. That results in a “chop block” infraction getting called and ends up being an effective way of Navy stopping themselves on drives.
I’d be surprised if we are unprepared to handle whatever this offense will throw at us. Their tapes lay it all out there to be digested by the opposition.
Lucas Nix is a NFL starting linemen for the Oakland Raiders.
Yet he was somewhat disappointing with his lack of progression at PITT. Actually he was disappointing, especially as a senior.
As was Chris Jacobson.
Rotherram & King haven’t been much better at Guard. Massive yes…..good ….not so much !
At least we’ll have everyone on NAVy’s defense outsized except for the 300 lb’r from Monesson.
Should at the least be able to run it down their torpedo tubes. haha
That would allow throws over the top by the Rifleman to either Boyd or Street. Heck you could even see a long one going to Garner or Orndoff if the play is called.
Let’s go Pitt!
For all of the angst regarding Murphy, he actually looked pretty good last week against ODU’s spread offense. The only concern I have is him keeping containment on the edge. There were times where he overplayed his rush and ended up out of the play with an easy block from the OT to keep him outside. He needs to bend that edge a little more in the game.
This game could end up looking like we are running downhill against these guys by the fourth quarter after Navy’s front guys have been leaned on all game by our biguns on the OL and having sustained a constant barrage of the one, two punches known as Conner and Bennett.
The thing that I heard about Soto, that was of interest, was that he possessed a quickness that was lacking in Durham’s play. Of course Soto still has a lot of rough edges and minimal game experience at this point. One way to eliminate those issues however is to give him playing time. A “test by fire” game against a team like Navy will indoctrinate him quite effectively to the nuiances of playing the DE position at the FBS level. If he sees playing time tomorrow, I hope that is will be up to the task at hand.
I think this “dink and dunk” comparison is misleading also. Last Season Sunseri had a 12.8 ypc rate which would have put him in the top 20 nationally so all his passes weren’t small ones.
That is a big misconception I believe. Sunseri’s ypa rate is equal to Savages this year at 8.37.
But this is where I wish Savage’s completion rate could be better. If he was at 15+ every completion and he was completing 65% like we had last season then no one would be complaining about his passing at all.
If you look back at his recruiting profile on the scout sites they specifically list him as being great against the run, for what it’s worth.
Yea I hope nobody would be complaining.
But then again this a Pitt blog ! 🙂
PITT fans bemoan the loss of Donald and Street, who are both fantastic players, but attrition happens every year in college ball. Boyd will be the centerpiece of the WRs and will get snaps in the Wildcat. Garner will see more action as a split out receiver than he has as a TE this season. Throw in both Jester Weah and Dontez Ford for height and speed and that is some depth at the position.
Both Holtz and Orndoff will be involved more as Voytik has a better sense of checkdowns.
Our OL will be mostly returning and we have a bunch of rsFR who will see action, especially Jones-Smith and Officer. Bennett and Conner will be back at RB and Quadree Ollison will probably see time in the backfield also.
There is a world of good having all the redshirt and true freshman get playing time so early in their careers. The fact that we are also winning games while doing it is a tribute to the staff IMO.
Speaking of which, Matt House will have a full season as our DC under his belt also so he’ll have a better handle on things going into next year’s camps.
I think the future is bright, especially in 2015 when both Freebeck abnd Bertke have a year of college behind them and are ready to compete for the starting job.
The 2 Guards were returnees.
As much as I’d like to say the winning of the games with so many freshmen playing was a result of the coaching staff.
I can’t. It was far more likely a product of playing some really horrid teams, New Mexico (2-5), ODU (D2-FCS), Duke without it’s starting QB and it is Duke football after all and UVA (2-5), who’s QB should be playing in D2, as well as the HC (london) & staff who should be coaching in D2.
The final 6 games will tell us much more about the coaching staff, the players whether returning or otherwise and just have far the team is progressing or regressing.
HTP !
VeV !
just how far the team is progressing or regressing.
Torpedo & Sink the Navy !
(you sunk my battleship) lol
Clemmens only played one year of H.s, football probably leading to the rap he was soft. No one who plays OL can be soft. He has the size and athletic ability to be a monster DE.
My hope is that Chryst moves him back to his natural position (DE) next year and insert Johnson so he can begin his ascent to the all-american OLmen Pitt use to put out consistently
Price should be a standup rush OLB, putting him in a 3 pt stance against monster OT’s is ridic.
Maybe the problem with the whole O-line when playing real competition, is they’re all softies.
Cause UVA(2-5) manhandled them as well and their defense is no great shakes.
We need a smart game from Todd Thomas.
It has got to be hard on your back to get around guys that are 50-100 lbs more than you. If I remember correctly, Romeus had a lot of problems with his back, occupational hazard. Get well quick Mr. Price.