One of the great things about college football is having friends who also follow it and then debating with them the different points of view about our favorite football program. We do that like crazy here on the Blather so as a switch from all the negative things we fans have been dealing with when it comes to the program lately let’s sit back and take a look at some past and present team and player comparisons.
A bright spot of the 2014 season is the production of some of our underclass starters on offense. Boyd is replicating his great ’13 season, Conner has blown up after a pretty darn good true FR year and it looks like Voytik has settled in a bit and could be more productive in 2015. Next season we should see even more increase in the offense play of these three as a whole.
The thing that jumps out to me first and foremost is how exceedingly productive James Conner has been at Defensive End Running Back. PITT has a great history of running backs especially going back to the 1970’s with Heisman Trophy winner Tony Dorsett. For timely comparison sake let’s go back 10 years and look at the best rushing yardage years of five of PITT’s most productive RBs of that decade with the best production in red.
| RB | GP | Carries | Yards | YPC | CPG | YPG | TDs |
| Dorsett | 11 | 370 | 2150 | 5.8 | 33.6 | 195.5 | 22 |
| Lewis | 13 | 325 | 1799 | 5.5 | 25.0 | 138.4 | 17 |
| Conner* | 10/12 | 250/300 | 1562/1874 | 6.2 | 25.0 | 156.2 | 21/25 |
| McCoy | 13 | 308 | 1488 | 4.8 | 23.7 | 114.5 | 21 |
| Graham | 12 | 222 | 1042 | 4.7 | 18.5 | 86.8 | 11 |
* – Conner’s projection for the whole 2014 season is in bold italics, assuming no bowl game 🙁
Obviously no one is going to best Dorsett’s 1976 year anytime soon but there is room for debate regarding who was the best of the remaining four RBs on this list. I think that most PITT fans automatically point to LeSean McCoy as the best because of the way he carried the team in the 2007 season.
But just as good a case can be made for what James Conner is doing this season also. My ‘projections for him are based on his past performance in 10 games so far but given the way he’s been playing lately he may well surpass that 12 game 1874 yards and 25 TD projection.
All this from a kid who “isn’t a D1 running back” and who “would be more valuable as a Defensive End”. Hey, we all screw up some predictions but those two are at the top of the list.
At this season’s first tailgate party before the Delaware game I had a conversation with a PITT Super Fan who was adamant that Chad Voytik was going to better Tino Sunseri’s statistical 2012 season. Of course I thought that was pretty ridiculous and offered to bet him a lunch that wasn’t going to happen. Even though he was sober he wanted to up the ante to $100 bucks so I took that. So let’s look at how the last three QBs did and I’ll also project out Voytik’s 12 game numbers.
| QB | GP | Att | Comp | % | Yards | Ypa/Ypc | TDs | INTs | Rating |
| Voytik | 10 | 220 | 136 | 61.8 | 1688 | 7.7/12.4 | 12 | 6 | 138.8 |
| Voytik* | 12 | 264 | 163 | 61.8 | 2024 | 7.7/12.4 | 14 | 7 | 138.8 |
| Savage | 13 | 382 | 238 | 61.2 | 2958 | 7.6/12.4 | 21 | 9 | 138.2 |
| Sunseri | 13 | 393 | 256 | 65.1 | 3288 | 8.4/12.8 | 21 | 3 | 151.5 |
* Voytik’s projected 2014 season of 12 games
I think I’ll win that bet pretty handily.
Along with RBs and QBs the other skilled players on offense are the ones who catch those passes that are thrown their way. Here is a quick comparison of our five best WRs in the last decade… actually let’s stretch it to 12 years to include Larry Fitzgerald.
| WR | GP | Rcpt | YDS | YPC | TDs | TD% | RPG | YPG |
| Boyd | 13 | 85 | 1174 | 13.8 | 7 | .08 | 6.5 | 90.3 |
| Street | 13 | 73 | 975 | 15.3 | 5 | .06 | 5.6 | 75.0 |
| Shanahan | 13 | 62 | 983 | 15.8 | 6 | .09 | 4.8 | 75.6 |
| Baldwin | 13 | 57 | 1111 | 19.4 | 8 | .14 | 4.4 | 85.5 |
| Fitzgerald | 13 | 92 | 1672 | 18.2 | 22 | .24 | 7.1 | 128.6 |
Wow! We all knew that Fitz was super productive but when taken in context with those other four WRs it just jumps out at you how very talented he was. In a real sense, receivers are only as good as the QB is in getting the ball to them. Players like Fitz, Baldwin and now Boyd made their living by catching passes that weren’t very accurately thrown and wouldn’t have been receptions for the average WR and that is a talent above other skills.
Here is the breakdown on which QBs were in those ‘best’ years the WRs had. Boyd had Voytik; Street: Sunseri; Shanahan: Sunseri; Baldwin: Stull and Fitzgerald had Rutherford.
Another interesting thing is where some of these guys were drafted: Dorsett, Fitz and Baldwin were drafted in the 1st round; McCoy in the 2nd round; Savage in the 4th and both Lewis and Street went in the 5th round. That said, I think we can assume that Conner and Boyd will be drafted after either the 2015 or 2016 seasons depending on whether they love money more than they love PITT.
I’m sure Duke will come back though.
Hoopies getting beat at home 17-3.
Please don’t bring up FG’s either – our O scored more than enough to win.
UNC 28 – 7 over Duke hahaha
Our D is dreadfully awful (but fortunately, so is Cuse’s O)
QB is not as important in college as in the NFL. There are a lot of different ways to win. Just ask the soon to be Coastal Division champion Ramblin Wreck.
And for all you gents who were going on and on about the atmosphere at WVU a few weeks ago for the TCU game, take a look at their crowd tonight. Meh.
Well at the beginning of the season we hadn’t seen enough of Chad to make any conclusions.
And those conclusion are not final in my mind at all, but anyone with an non bias attitude can clearly see Chad is getting better. (watch he’ll go out now and lay an egg against Cuse)
My eyes don’t like to me often. Is he a perfect QB, of course not. Is he going to complete every pass he throws. Of course not. Although some on this site think so apparently. Is he going to miss open WR’s ? Yes every QB does, again he’s not perfect.
But he does bring something to the table that we haven’t seen in any Pitt QB’s since I don’t know when. Chad can make a play out of nothing. And some of those have been quite sensational plays.
Of which imo he doesn’t get the raves he should.
Funny how announcers can either emphasize or de-emphasize plays, at their whim. And act like a sensational play was just routine, ho-hum.
With any semblance of a D this team is going into the Miami game playing for the ACC Coastal division. They maybe still lose to Iowa and Akron but neither of those games were in conference. They maybe still lose to Virginia, but since that game the offense has done more than enough to win. Even with the ridiculous fumbles to start the Georgia Tech game if the D makes a couple stops they win that and they surely beat Duke and NC with a competent D. That would put them with 1 or maybe 2 conference losses heading into a very winnable game this weekend.
This offense can be better next season and with better coaching there is enough talent on D to hold teams to under 30 pts regularly.They still need to recruit better on that side of the ball. Whitehead and Givens are a start.
Can Chryst really be loyal/stubborn/stupid enough to not make a change to his defensive staff next year. This is it for him as far as being a head coach. He fails here, he never gets another head coaching job. How much does he like being a head coach? With that staff composed the way it is back next year, I think he is signing his own death warrant…
“As I’ve said a few times, don’t care who plays QB as long as we win.”
The guy who refuses to recognize Sunseri’s remarkable 2012 year because he doesn’t believe in stats relentlessly cites stats in supporting Voytik. Please acknowledge your hypocrisy.
Emel, I do however agree with you that Voytik is not the problem. He has improved during the season. The ball distribution has happened in the latter half of the season. He does miss open throws, but Roethlisberger (10 year NFL vet) missed a wide open Archer against Tennessee. I like Ben BTW.
It’s the defense that’s abandoned Pitt this year. Something happened in the second half of the Iowa game and they’ve never recovered. They haven’t been able to play the run. They give up big plays. They don’t tackle well. They’ve had a lot of trouble generating a pass rush other than blitzes. Other than Todd Thomas I just don’t see much regular emotion. I still don’t understand why Thomas sits on likely passing downs. I don’t see him being lit up on early down throws. I don’t think it’s all talent related. I really like some of the younger players like Blair, Webb and McClain (before injury). I think I am on the fire House bandwagon.
Upitt continues to demonstrate his ignorance. Does Upitt remember Mark Ingram? He was a first round pick of the Saints a few years ago. No speedster but a beast in college just like Conner. Andre Williams of BC, whose running style is akin to Conner’s, was drafted just last year and is on the NFL roster.
He may not have been spectacular or clutch, but the reason he has such gawdy stats is that he took what the defense gave him. He consistently found the open receiver on a 15 yard crosiing pattern or turn-in. Yet, the current QB and his predecessor has/had major issues here.
Let’s hope he STEPS INTO HIS THROW when the Game is on the Line and the Rush is bearing down… and maybe he’ll be carried off the Field instead of running to the Lockeroom with his Head hanging low.
Syracuse is obviously NOT a Good Team. But they are GOOD against the Run.
Considering how Pitt has shot themselves in the foot this year… this Game is NO GIMME.
Could come down to Mr. BLEWITT (aka Mr. MAKEIT).
It’s the D I’m scratching my head about. I’m concerned their 3rd string QB will emerge as a star or a no name RB will have a career day against DC House’s scheme. Ugh!
HTP!
wbb, Tino wasn’t clutch, he was the ANTICLUTCH. That was his downfall, no matter how deeply we delve into his accumulated stats.
This current team should be at least 7-3 right now. Voytik is NOT a world beater but he IS a gamer and he is getting a little better each game with game experience. The offense has been putting up some pretty good numbers on the scoreboard to win games. They are not the immediate problem.
The defense is the problem with this team. Not enough talented troops (average to poor recruiting) inability to make in game defensive adjustments (defensive coaching) and lack of high profile, dynamic leadership in the D (DC failing grade).
It’s the D E F E N S E stupid. House learned “on the job” last season. This season was his opportunity to prove that he was an acceptable choice by HCPC. He has gotten a failing grade as the competition has gotten tougher and option/read option teams on our schedule have beaten up on us.
House MUST GO!
Pitt will destroy Syracuse. Win by 21. People will get excited about playing in some Dogshit Bowl in Detroit or another shithole town.
Next taking that energy into the next week people on here will get pumped up and say 6-6 isn’t bad and next year and Chryst righted the ship.
Next Miami kicks our teeth in by 25 and then rinse and repeat for the next 24 Months till a real AD is hired and can’t stop laughing out loud that I can’t complete a sentence is actually our coach and fires him and brings in someone new and hopefully changes things. All while Film Boy is home by 4:50 to make Pot Roast for his family while cashing his 550k salary or whatever he makes.
Take Pitt this week if line is under 9 points.
But in everything I’ve written lately I have acknowledged that he’s progressed throughout the season, especially over the last five games. BTW – I wrote from fall camp on that I thought he’d struggle at first then get better as he got experience, but I also said he has a rather average ceiling. But Voytik has drawbacks and if those aren’t recognizable to you then we see different things. I like the young man and have always hope he succeeds.
BTW – I have watched every play of every game, only the last two I didn’t do that before the Monday MMQB articles, but I did afterward. And, the defense sucked once they started playing actual offenses.
I agree and I like CV. I have never thought that we have had enough competition generally overall within the program for playing time–particularly at QB.
Players should not shudder at the thought of competition–they should relish it. I think PC is recruiting folks that do relish it….
Re CV missing open receivers; I concur that he does have tunnel vision and generally will tuck it and run at the first sign of trouble. I like that he can get out of trouble–what I dislike is that he cannot keep his head up and ready to pass to an open receivers when the pocket breaks down. It’s my hope that if he is our QB for the remainder of his time at Pitt that he is able to develop this ability. It’s the difference between wins and losses…
Hail to PITT.
– 20 to 7 Clairton a few minutes before half (note that 4 championship games are ebing played at Heinz today — the turf should be in real fine shape for romorrow’s game)
– 247 is predicting that Saftey Jay Stocker, 3-star from eastern PA will commit to Pitt (not that we are in any position to not welcome a 3-star, isn’t this typical Pitt that the DB positon will be loaded for the next5 couple of years … yet we cannot get a MLB or DE)
–
– PSU commit Sterling Jenkins 5/4* OL from Baldwin made honorable mention all-section (not all-state) … he is one of the highest rated propsects and has been an OL for a while, but has never made an all-section team
Comment by PittofDreams 11.21.14 @ 7:40 am
POD- ESPN chart you are citing is based on passing yards. According to your view, the best two college qb’s are from Wash state (Mike Leach pass first offense & some kid from Western Ky. Voytik is now tied for 83’rd in yards.
If you click on the ESPN stat column “Rat”, Chart will resort based on overall QBR rating.
Once resorted Mariotta from Oregon is 1’st, Barrett from OSU is 3’rd & CV is 43’rd.
At least for two weeks ago, when you posted
that Voytik was rated 91st.
He was indeed ranked 53rd.
I included the link that week, and the link
was ESPN.
Just for clarification.
I know we don’t necessarily NEED any more safeties. However, three of our current LBs – Thomas, Gonzo & Bradley – were initially recruited to play safety. With so much emphasis on speed and on the passing game in general today, we may continue to see more of that with the younger DBs on the roster, so that’s cool with me.
If we want to complain about the defense, it’s the coach.
Can we finally admit that we don’t have anyone talented enough, or even a leader on our defense to critique as harshly as we do on offense. From day one, I ripped Vinopal and Pitts. It is now like day 91 and I still rip Pitts and Vinopal and our overall lack of playmaker’s on defense. During the games this year, I can’t ever recall saying any defender was going to make a big play. We don’t have anybody like that on our defense.
My list of defensive players that may make a difference because they are talented and because of their heart are as follows : Rori Blair, Avonte Maddox, Patrick Amara, Titus and Terrish, Shak Soto, Ejuan Price and Todd Thomas. Those kids play with an edge and back it up. This year is such a growth year for them and I am excited for what they do for us next year except TT. If you don’t have fire and don’t have talent, you have to go. I am tired of being soft. I want our defense to actually hit someone hard enough to cause a fumble instead of all this arm tackling crap!
Recruiting goes to the coach, but I like the guys mentioned above. I don’t like not pressuring the opponent, constantly. We need to run blitz every down in the first half against Syracuse until they prove they can beat us.
As far as atmosphere goes at WVU, it was still pretty loud considering they are 6-5 and also because it was freezing and that a lot of their attendance comes from Charleston. The game on a work night was not a good idea! Bad Ollie, now go sit in the corner and quit getting duped by the selection propaganda that comes from the big10. Funny, we haven’t even commented on the new era of college football because we were out of it so early. Well Done AD Pederson! Buzz kiler.
They just offered DE Tipa Galeai (6’4″, 215) out of Euless, TX earlier this week. 247sports has him as a 3-star prospect, ranked 60th best among weakside DEs. His offers are from Mizzou, Oklahoma State, Texas Tech, Utah, Utah State, Virginia, Washington State, Fresno State & Houston. May be someone worth watching.
Also, for what it’s worth, current DE commit Kevin Givens’s name has garnered a ton of discussion the last week or so. Dokish called Givens was one of the best six standout prospects in PA (along with Whitehead, Shareef Miller, John Reid, Saquon Barkley and Ryan Bates). Greg Croft – who tracks recruiting like Dokish does out of Altoona – said on his Twitter account that coaches told him Givens is “the best DE…prospect in years”.
The larger problem is that none of these guys are likely to be in any position to contribute next year. Chryst has to play his best players and if Givens and anyone else they get in this class are among them, they should play. But it would really help to see some of these younger guys like Soto, Blair & MacLean continue their development and upgrade those positions as well.
Tony Dorsett ? @Tony_Dorsett
James Conner good luck on tying and possibly breaking my season record for rushing touchdowns at Pitt (22).James stay healthy Hail to Pitt
PSU is top 5 program
Comment by PittofDreams 11.21.14 @ 7:40 am
I posted an ESPN link. lmao
Here it is again. Tell me what it says.
I spell it out for you.
Chad Voytik #44 QB Rating of 138.8
What don’t you understand ????
“As I’ve said a few times, don’t care who plays QB as long as we win.”
The guy who refuses to recognize Sunseri’s remarkable 2012 year because he doesn’t believe in stats relentlessly cites stats in supporting Voytik. Please acknowledge your hypocrisy.
Comment by Barvo 11.21.14 @ 6:48 am
Knew this would come up sooner than later. But I got so sick of the Voytik bashing on here, thought I would take the risk.
My beef with Sunseri was based on the fact, that there was no legitimate competition for the starting QB with him. It was just handed to him, which imo was one of Wanny’s biggest blunders.
Where Pitt legacy and coaching fraternity bs came into play over having a legitimate competition for the starting job. Before spring practice of 2010, Wanny is quoted as saying, Tino is our starter.
From all reports, even those given to us by Reed, there WAS A LEGITIMATE COMPETITION for the starting QB job this past August in camp between Voytik and Anderson.
And yes well Sunseri’s stats look great on paper for 2012, it resulted in a losing season.
So my stmt. you repeated. I don’t care who plays QB for Pitt as long as we win is valid.
We didn’t having a winning season with Sunseri in 2012.
And I’ve posted on here more than a couple times and I’ll repost it again.
If Anderson or whoever can deliver wins play them.
I called for Anderson at halftime of the Akron game.
I hope you will hold others on this blog to the high standard you seem to be holding me to.
Let’s hope he STEPS INTO HIS THROW when the Game is on the Line and the Rush is bearing down… and maybe he’ll be carried off the Field instead of running to the Lockeroom with his Head hanging low.
Comment by PittofDreams 11.21.14 @ 8:01 am
cheap shot.
Voytik got clobbered on the last play of the game, went flying head over heels.
cheap shot.
what you hoping he gets hurt now.
Comment by Reed 11.21.14 @ 9:49 am
I’ve already some of those statements. Do I need to repost them again. Here goes.
“let’s put to rest the myth that he couldn’t throw a deep pass. ” (Reed)
That was a fact no myth. Dont’ care what the YPC said.
Dink passes run into long gains by the WR’s. We ALL know that.
What has gotten into you.
Comment by Emel 11.20.14 @ 8:05 pm
Comment by Reed 11.20.14 @ 11:39 am
Voytik’s running ability certainly a key contributing factor in several of Pitt’s few wins.
Notably the VT win. Where Chad had MORE yards rushing (118) than Connor did (85).
So Reed’s theory of Voytik’s running not helping the offense, seems to be bent.
In fact in this case the complete opposite seems to be true.
Comment by Emel 11.20.14 @ 8:33 pm
Comment by Reed 11.20.14 @ 11:39 am
Game time ? You mean the, what amounted to ‘nba garbage time’ the other week in the blowout loss to GT.
He also should have been picked off twice and only cause it was GT’s 2nd string defense, did they not make the play.
So your basing this all on, these 2 series in a blowout loss during garbage time.
Truth is, you do like Anderson and you clearly don’t like Voytik. For you even went out of your way to negate one of Voytik’s strengths, his running of the ball. Which I pointed out above was a key contributing factor in Pitt’s win over VT.
And it was also a key contributor in our win over BC. As was Voytik’s play on the 80 yard, 53 second drive to end the 1st half against BC which put Pitt up 20-7 at halftime.
Comment by Reed 11.20.14 @ 11:39 am
I totally disagree with this whole statement.
Sunseri couldn’t hit anyone with a deep throw.
Voytik has connected several times with Boyd deep.
And in the 4th quarter of games when it counted, Sunseri more than not, didn’t connect with anybody on any length of the pass. He was the ultimate ‘choker’.
Voytik has played less than a full season, and when the season ends, the best he can do (record-wise) is 7 – 6. Doesn’t feel like a winner, yet.
In my opinion, the Pitt fans on this site are way too hard on this young man named Chad.
We are all hungry for a winner, whether it be Voytik or any other QB – 30+ years with only a few winning seasons makes for irrational arguments.
I’m with Emel – back off our QB (Voytik) – your comments are ridiculous.
Comment by Reed 11.20.14 @ 11:39 am
Yep the 5th year SENIOR (Sunseri) scored a bunch of points against a Division 2 school team (the Youngstown STate Penguins)……didn’t he . A whopping 17 points.
That was after 26 starts mind you.
Comment by Emel 11.20.14 @ 7:56 pm
Not because of a switch in QB’s or have god forbid Sunseri back.
Our QB sack #’s would be higher though – not the D version, but the negative O version.
What would you trade for more Tino throws.
Less James Connor runs. lol
And the other team would have more time of possession, which with the OutHouse Defense, equates to more points per minute.
Yea that makes a lot of sense. Have a choker QB throwing more passes.
That’s the absurdity level this blog has reached.
Let’s do whatever we can within the legal boundaries of the NCAA to convince Pugh from Quip and Wade from Clairton to choose Pitt. Great cornerstones to replace the two we currently have in Conner and Boyd.
I could name others, but let’s start with those two studs from Pitt’s backyard – both pipeline HS’s need to be maintained and cultivated.
The evening news just commented that downtown Pittsburgh is expecting 500,000 people tonight for the “Light Up Night”. I hope the 500 people I’m sitting with at the Cuse game tomorrow night see our Panthers “Light Up the Orange”.
HTP
Pitt should have moved the game to tonite then (Friday nite).
Maybe some of those 500,000 would have drifted over to Heinz field to see what the field lights were on for.
HAIL TO PITT!
Everyone have a pleasant Friday evening. 🙂
Beat the Orangemen !
Syracuse’s strength is D – Pitt’s strength is O
Syracuse has a bad O – Pitt has a bad D
Unfortunately for Pitt and DC House – a bad D usually makes a bad O like pretty good.
The Pitt coaching staff and team leaders need to figure out how to win today.
Predicting Pitt win 30 – 21
Question: Does holding Cuse’s bad O to 21 points save DC House’s job?
Answer: Probably
SOP – Seniors+ Outstanding Performance = (WIN)
to believe otherwise is foolish