Good history with Miami is not something that can be recalled vividly. Since 1984, Pitt is 2-17 against the Hurricanes. With many, many blowouts. 11 of the losses by 20 points or more.
Miami has been in something of a talespin since their last-minute loss to FSU. Losing four straight. Mark Richt is having Al Golden-level success in his first season. On the flip side, you could say they are a lot like Pitt. Beating the teams they should beat, and losing to the better teams (and Notre Dame). Their losses are to VT, UNC, FSU and ND.
Brad Kaaya is their QB. The junior (Only a junior? It already feels like he’s a 5th year senior) QB has piled up numbers over the years, and could be one of the top QBs taken in the NFL draft. Yet, he’s never quite been a top ACC QB. This year has been more of the same, only less so.
Despite the good talent that is almost always on the roster, this team has looked distinctly average. But when the individual players show those flashes of what they could do/be. I don’t know how Pitt will handle them.
They throw the ball, and we all know they will do so plenty against Pitt, but they are a bit more balanced on offense.
They’re going to attack us the same way (Virginia Tech did),” Pitt defensive backs coach Renaldo Hill said. “We have to make sure we closed all the barn doors.”
The game against the Hurricanes will be the sixth of eight Pitt will play this season against teams ranked among the top 49 passing offenses in the FBS. They include Syracuse, Oklahoma State, Clemson, North Carolina, Virginia, Marshall, Virginia Tech and Miami. Pitt’s record in the previous five: 2-3.
Miami isn’t the best of the bunch — it is ninth in the ACC in passing offense and struggles to protect Kaaya — but his quick release makes it difficult to bring him down.
“I was getting a lot of pressure on him last year,” Price said. “I’d be a step away and he let the ball go in the blink of an eye.”
Damar Hamlin may not start, but he is going to see plenty of action this weekend.
“[I’ve] been getting a lot more reps with the one’s and just getting prepared to play,” said Hamlin. “It made me lock in more this week with my film and with everything, just getting back to how we used to do it in high school. I feel like I can just play now, like no nervousness.”
Narduzzi said earlier this week he will plan to rotate the corners, rather than try to stick with one at each spot to get into a rhythm.
Hamlin said the past few months were a test of patience.
“It was painful. It hurt to be sitting out there watching because I wanted to be out there helping the team,” said Hamlin. “I just had to wait on my moment.”
Ready or not, it’s Hamlin’s time now, said Narduzzi: “He’s going to play, so … he’s going, whether you like it or not.”
One bright side is that they are not an up-tempo pass happy team.
The Hurricanes, as any player would acknowledge, are a talented team. However, after a facing two of the ACC’s faster-paced teams in the past two games, Miami and its pro-style offense present a refreshing change as the Panthers try to rebound from the disappointment of last Thursday’s loss to Virginia Tech that almost certainly removed them from conference championship contention.
“That’s like another game in and of itself, trying to play with that tempo,” safety Reggie Mitchell said. “You’re trying to get the calls from the sidelines and trying to see what the formation is. The game slows down a little bit. Hopefully we’ll have an advantage because of that.”
This season, their first under coach Mark Richt, the Hurricanes are 121st of 128 Division I teams in plays per game, placing them significantly behind many of Pitt’s most recent opponents.
Pitt’s offense has carried the Panthers this season. A very efficient offense that has ended up putting big numbers on the scoreboard. The running game has improved, but not simply by pounding the ball. Nate Peterman’s numbers aren’t eye-popping, but he’s avoided making big mistakes and as the season has progressed, so has the passing game. More usage of the middle of the field. More shots downfield. More utilization of the tight end. The offensive efficiency of Nate Peterman has been of a level that Jamie Dixon would love.
Peterman, 22, has established himself as a quarterback who usually can be trusted to put the ball where it’s supposed to go and who can make last-minute changes to a safer run play at the line of scrimmage. His interception against Virginia Tech was his first in 129 passing attempts.
“He’s made a lot of plays,” Narduzzi said. “He knows where to go with it. He’s a leader out there.”
Peterman directs an offense that — with the help of five touchdowns from the defense and special teams — averages 38.1 points, second in the ACC.
But it’s not just the points. It’s the ball security that sets Peterman apart from other quarterbacks. Pitt ranks 13th in the nation in average time of possession (33 minutes, 47 seconds).
Peterman also ranks 18th nationally with an efficiency rating of 152.3. Other than Tipton’s throw and another attempt by punter Ryan Winslow, Peterman has thrown every Pitt pass this season (180), with only three interceptions (fifth in the nation).
That efficiency will be needed on Saturday. Miami will be desperate to avoid a 5th straight loss. The Miami defense is good but not great. Miami is tied for 27th nationally on total defense. Miami is 44th in pass efficiency defense and 50th in run defense.
Looks like it will be another game for the offenses even if neither team is up-tempo.
Narduzzi says Conner practicing FASTER than he has any previous week this Year.
Going to be interesting to see if Canada comes up with any NEW ways to get Conner going.
A Fullback leading the way once in awhile might be nice.
The Rotation would obviously include Damar Hamlin and, from my perspective… hopefully Dane Jackson.
However, the KEY to the Defense in this Game has to be whether Pitt can put PRESSURE on Kaaya.
He is one of the LEAST Mobile Quarterbacks Pitt is going to face this year.
While Jackson was victimized against VT I still felt he was in position to make a play most of the time. He also had some questionable infractions called where there was a lot of pushing and grabbing. I also liked what I saw of Hamlin although he missed a chuck at the line and surrendered a big gain. I think Hamlin and Jackson just need playing time. It would be beneficial next year to get them a lot of game time over the last four games.
I also feel like the 2014 James Conner has returned over the past couple of games, but I really would like to see him at DE in passing situations. He really seems to have a knack for pass rushing that only Price has regularly demonstrated over the past two seasons. He and Price together would be very interesting.
I was making light of the fact that I REALLY do see Miami as a Team Pitt SHOULD beat.
Beating VaTech would have made Pitt Football relevant again. However, losing to Miami COULD pave the way for Pitt to end up with a LOSING Record in the ACC.
Bottom line… Pitt has the ability to BEAT Miami which has been say the least an UNDERACHIEVER under new Coach Mark Richt.
Clemson aside, both Duke and Syracuse, while maybe NOT as TALENTED as Miami… are BETTER Coached.
Good Coaches always scare me.
That is the sign of a winning team.
We unfortunately play our worst football in the fourth quarter. This is understandable for our defense, but our offense needs to step up their fourth quarter production in the next four hopefully 5 games. Conner should be able to help with this, but it is really up to Peterman and his line and receivers. They need to start taking over games.
Agree w Chas …if Miami athletes play up to par, Pitt cannot hang with them.
First time I ever saw PITT play I was in Brooklyn Hospital with a broken femur and I watched Paul Martha get the ball on a statue of liberty play in 1961 and beat Miami in the middle of a Florida rain storm.
Next year I was in the Tuck Shop drinking coffee with Martha. I transferred from Florida State.
From the Trib:
Penn State smacked with record fine for Clery Act violations
BY DONALD GILLILAND
Thursday, Nov. 3, 2016, 2:27 p.m.
Updated 10 minutes ago
The U.S. Department of Education has levied a record $2.4 million fine against Penn State University for violations of the Clery Act related to the Jerry Sandusky child sex abuse scandal.
The previous highest fine was $357,500 assessed against Eastern Michigan University in 2007 for failing to alert the campus to the rape and murder of a student in her on-campus residence. Under a settlement, Eastern Michigan paid a fine of $350,000; the incident also led to the removal of three top university officials, including the university president.
Penn State’s penalty “covers 11 serious findings of Clery Act noncompliance related to the University’s handling of Sandusky’s crimes and the university’s longstanding failure to comply with federal requirements on campus safety and substance abuse,” according to a press release.
Sandusky was convicted in 2012 of 45 counts of sexually abusing young boys over multiple years, including several incidents on campus.
The agency says Penn State largely ignored many of its duties under the Clery Act.
“For colleges and universities to be safe spaces for learning and self-development, institutions must ensure student safety – a part of which is being transparent about incidents on their campuses. Disclosing this information is the law,” said U.S. Education Under Secretary Ted Mitchell. “When we determine that an institution is not upholding this obligation, then there must be consequences.”
Penn State posted a statement to its website saying, “While regrettably we cannot change the past, today the University has been recognized for significantly strengthening our programs since 2011.”
The statement said, “We have just received the report today and are in the process of conducting a thorough review so that we may better understand its findings. We will comment further when our thorough evaluation of the department’s 239-page report has been completed.”
Under the Clery Act, colleges and universities must report to the public each year the number of criminal offenses on campus and report that information to the Department which provides it to the public. In addition, in certain cases, the institution must issue a timely warning if a reported crime represents a threat to the campus community.
The Dept. of Education launched an investigation shortly after Sandusky was indicted in 2011. The investigation covered the years 1998 to 2011 because the allegations of abuse covered that 14-year span, according to the release.
The agency found 10 violations in addition to Sandusky’s crimes: substantial failures to comply with the Clery Act including insufficient training, support, and resources to ensure compliance, inadequate annual security report statements; failure to issue timely warnings; failure to properly classify reported incidents and disclose crime statistics; failure to establish an adequate system for collecting crime statistics; failure to maintain an accurate and complete daily crime log; reporting discrepancies in crime statistics published in the annual security report and those reported to the department’s campus crime statistics database; failure to publish and distribute an annual security report; failure to notify prospective students and employees of the availability of the annual security report, and failure to comply with the Drug-Free Schools and Communities Act.
According to the agency, Penn State responded to the findings, but “after a careful analysis of the university’s response, the Department sustained all findings.”
Penn State’s statement emphasized the steps the university has taken to comply with the Clery Act since the Sandusky crimes.
“Today, Penn State has robust Clery training and collection processes in place,” the statement said. “We have many initiatives, including 18 focused on fighting sexual assault and misconduct, with the creation of new positions, mandatory employee training, a universal hotline and many others. Part of our process includes regular evaluation of our efforts, the analysis of best practice and incorporation of learnings into our operations.
“The university recognizes that Clery Act compliance cannot be an end unto itself, but is rather part of a broader culture of compliance. We will continue our numerous and vigorous efforts to create a culture of reporting, safety and accountability, and have integrated compliance at every level.
The Cult cares not. We beat Ohio Fake.
As we know by now, the only thing that matters to the Creepy Valley Cult, is FOOTBALL (and maybe the Kardashians) 🙂
There is definitely an ‘alternate reality’ in Creepy Valley.
A Scary Place indeed.
If we’re gonna win we’ve gotta score 40+ pts and that still may not be enough
With zero pass rush outside of price and our disgusting DB play I’d be shocked if Miami qb doesn’t have a career day???
I suppose we SHOULD beat Clemson??, hell we might loss to Syracuse and their passing game
Pitts team is good but our lack of corner play and HCPN stubbornness in playing man to man defense has killed this team this year
We COULD beat Miami, but we’re gonna have to cause some turnovers
Let’s focus on pitt football and the forward progress of this program!!
HAIL TO FUCKN PITT!!!!!
Pitt loses as per usual vs Miami. Pitt wont be back until they
win games against the upper half of the Coastal.
Hoping for a 7-5 finish however there aren’t any
automatic wins for this team including Duke and Cuse.
Wide Receiver Quadree Henderson says the Jet Sweeps just aren’t what they used to be.
“Virginia Tech’s game plan was to stop the jets,” Henderson said, “and that’s what they did. The jets don’t surprise anybody anymore.”
Now, like I’ve also said… this does NOT mean that Jet Sweeps SHOULD be abandoned. It’s just that they’re MOST effective when used SPARINGLY with an Element of Surprise.
Jerry DiPaola of the Trib points out that this year Jet Sweeps have accounted for 61 of Pitt’s 363 Running Plays.
It’s pretty apparent that an adjustment was made by way of the GREATER emphasis placed on giving Conner the Ball.
Why stop now? Fully expect Canada’s CREATIVITY to continue.
Maybe a FULLBACK lining up as a Blocking Back for Conner is somewhere in the Cards.
Like I said, this is a Game Pitt SHOULD Win.